In the unlikely event that the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve all died simultaneously, how would that affect succession? In this hypothetical worst-case scenario, would the keys of the kingdom be lost? And, if an apostle came down with a debilitating health problem, is there any precedent for making him an emeritus apostle? And speaking of apostles, is there a set procedure in calling them, or does the method vary from Church president to president? Also, sometimes in the Church people speak of a special requirement for a man to become an apostle—the phrase “sure” or “special” witness of Christ comes up a lot. What’s true? Must a man have personally seen Jesus Christ in order to be fully considered an apostle? On this episode of Church History Matters Casey and I are joined by a special guest, Dr. Daniel C. Peterson, to help us answer these and other great questions related to succession. This is the eighth episode of our podcast series on succession in the presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For a full transcript of this episode, as well as show notes and additional resources, visit our website at https://doctrineandcovenantscentral.org/podcast-episode/what-if-all-the-apostles-died-at-once-succession-qr-with-dr-daniel-c-peterson/ You can also subscribe to our podcast via Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other platforms, and follow us on popular social media platforms. Visit https://linktr.ee/churchhistorymatters to connect with us. Originally published September 10, 2024 DISCLAIMER: While we try very hard to be historically and doctrinally accurate in what we say on this podcast, please remember that all views expressed in this and every episode are our views alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Scripture Central or The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 00:00 Introduction 1:36 Introducing Daniel Peterson 5:25 Six Days in August and Succession 15:02 What If All the Apostles Died at Once? 21:04 Who Is Senior If Multiple Apostles Are Called the Same Day? 25:14 Is a “Sure Witness” Required for Apostles? 34:53 How is an Apostle Called? Is Each Case Different? 40:03 Debilitating Illness and a Precedent for Emeritus Apostles? 44:06 Why Didn't the Lord Make Succession More Clear? 50:41 What Makes Daniel Peterson a Believer?