In a significant development for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Clark G. Gilbert has been called as the newest member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, filling a vacancy left by the recent passing of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. The announcement, made official on Thursday, February 12, 2026, marks a new chapter in church leadership and shines a light on Elder Gilbert’s remarkable journey through faith, education, and service.
According to multiple sources, including KSLTV and KUTV, Elder Gilbert received his calling on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, and was sustained and ordained the following day by Church President Dallin H. Oaks and other members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. At 55 years old, Elder Gilbert becomes the youngest apostle called since Elder David A. Bednar in 2004, a point noted by Deseret News.
Born in Oakland, California, and raised mostly in Phoenix, Arizona, Elder Gilbert’s early years were shaped by a family that valued both education and the gospel. As he shared in a 2021 interview with Church News, “They never made me think that education and the gospel were decoupled in any way—the more you have faith, the more you want to learn and grow, and the more you learn and grow, the deeper your faith can become.”
His academic credentials are as impressive as his spiritual ones. Elder Gilbert earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Brigham Young University (BYU) in 1994, a master’s in East Asian studies from Stanford in 1995, and a doctorate in business administration from Harvard in 2001. His time at BYU was especially transformative, as he described: “For the first time, I felt the expanded strength of the Church, and it was directly tied to my growth academically.”
After completing his education, Elder Gilbert joined the faculty at Harvard Business School, where he became recognized as an expert on disruptive innovation. But his heart remained with church education, and in 2006, at the invitation of Kim B. Clark (then president of BYU–Idaho), he and his wife Christine moved to Rexburg, Idaho, to help “rethink church education on a global scale.”
His leadership roles within the church’s educational system are extensive. He served as president of BYU–Idaho from 2015 to 2017, CEO of Deseret Digital Media, president of Deseret News, and, notably, as the inaugural president of BYU–Pathway Worldwide. This innovative, spiritually focused educational initiative has since served more than 288,000 students in over 180 countries, according to Church News. Elder Gilbert’s work with BYU–Pathway was inspired in part by his experiences with inner-city Latter-day Saint youth in Boston, where he learned the importance of focusing on each student’s divine potential. “Their growth in the gospel was gradual but steady,” he reflected, noting the long-term impact of nurturing faith and education together.
In April 2021, Elder Gilbert was called as a General Authority Seventy by then-President Russell M. Nelson. Just four months later, he became Commissioner of the Church Educational System, overseeing BYU, BYU–Idaho, BYU–Hawaii, Ensign College, BYU–Pathway Worldwide, and the Seminaries and Institutes of Religion. During his tenure, Elder Gilbert instituted a policy requiring new Latter-day Saint hires at church schools to “hold and be worthy to hold a current temple recommend,” ensuring alignment with church teachings and values. He was also outspoken about maintaining church governance over church-owned institutions, stating, “The loss of administrative governance will not happen in the Church Educational System of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
Elder Gilbert’s service within the church extends beyond education. He served a full-time mission in the Japan Kobe Mission, and has held numerous callings, including elders quorum president, counselor in a stake presidency, bishop, and Area Seventy. His international experience and commitment to faith-based education have been hallmarks of his career and ministry.
Family has always been central to Elder Gilbert’s life. He and his wife Christine were married in the Salt Lake Temple in 1994 and are the parents of eight children. In a video interview following his call, Sister Gilbert expressed their shared sense of humility and gratitude: “We’re very humbled by this calling, but also very grateful we have an opportunity to witness of Jesus Christ. We love him, and we would do whatever he needed us to do.”
As for Elder Gilbert himself, he sees this new role as a chance to further point people toward the Savior. “This is an amazing time to point people to the Savior Jesus Christ,” he said on Thursday, as reported by KSLTV and Church News. “When we do that, we can find joy and comfort and peace in Him. As President [Russell M.] Nelson once said, it’s much harder to find happiness where it doesn’t exist. And we’re so grateful that I have this calling now to witness that Jesus is the Christ. If people all across the world will look to Him, He will make their lives better, more meaningful, more joyful. And it happens in and through our Savior Jesus Christ.”
He has long emphasized the idea that the Church offers unparalleled opportunities for personal growth and transformation. In an October 2021 general conference address, Elder Gilbert declared, “One of the miracles of this, the Lord’s church, is that each of us can become something more in Christ. I know of no other organization that gives its members more opportunities to serve, give back, repent, and become better people. Whether we start in abundant or difficult circumstances, let us keep our sights and our slopes pointed heavenward. As we do, Christ will lift us to a higher place.”
Elder Gilbert’s appointment comes at a time of transition for the Church. President Dallin H. Oaks, who became president following the death of President Russell M. Nelson in October, has now called two apostles—Elder Gérald Caussé in November and Elder Gilbert in February—to fill vacancies created by the passing of President Nelson and Elder Holland. The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, described in Latter-day Saint scripture as “special witnesses of the name of Jesus Christ in all the world,” continues its mission with renewed energy and leadership.
As Elder Gilbert steps into his new role, his journey serves as a testament to the intertwining of faith, education, and dedicated service. The Church and its members now look to him for guidance, inspiration, and a continued commitment to the principles that have defined his life and career.