With heavy hearts, we announce that President Jeffrey R. Holland, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died on Saturday, December 27, 2025, at approximately 3:15 a.m. MST from complications associated with kidney disease, while surrounded by his family. He was 85.
President Holland became an Apostle on June 23, 1994. At the time, he was serving as a General Authority Seventy (1989–1994). Prior to full-time Church service, President Holland was president of Brigham Young University (1980–1989), Commissioner of the Church Educational System (1976–1980) and dean of BYU’s College of Religious Education (1974–1976). He received his bachelor of English and master of religious education degrees from BYU. He also obtained master and doctor of philosophy degrees in American studies from Yale.
“I have loved President Holland since those early days [as a young missionary],” said Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who was companion to President Holland during the duo’s mission to England in the early 1960s. Elder Cook said even then he noticed the 20-year-old Elder Holland’s unique way with words. He had a “fabulous” talent for teaching the gospel, along with “enormous spiritual depth,” Elder Cook said. “He was extremely good then, and there [was] nobody better in the Church at teaching.”
President Holland was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia Terry, who passed away on July 20, 2023. He is survived by their three children, 13 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
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