“Know then, by this Brother Woodruff that you are appointed to fill the place of one of the twelve apostles.” — Thomas B. Marsh¹

Wilford Woodruff served missions to Arkansas, Tennessee, and Kentucky after being part of Zion’s Camp in 1834.² He was called to be an apostle through a revelation received by Joseph Smith on July 8, 1838, in Far West, Missouri. The revelation instructed that a conference be held to reorganize the Quorum of the Twelve, filling vacancies left by William E. McLellin, Lyman E. Johnson, Luke Johnson, and John F. Boynton. Wilford Woodruff, John Taylor, John E. Page, and Willard Richards were chosen to fill these positions.³ This revelation is now found in Doctrine and Covenants 118.⁴ Thomas B. Marsh, president of the Quorum of the Twelve, officially informed Wilford Woodruff of his calling through a letter, emphasizing the divine directive to depart for missionary work in England after his ordination.¹ Woodruff was ordained an apostle at a conference held at the temple site in Far West on April 26, 1839.⁵

1. Letter from Thomas Baldwin Marsh, 14 July 1838, 1, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org

2. “Woodruff, Wilford,” josephsmithpapers.org

3. Revelation, 8 July 1838–A [D&C 118], 105-106[b], josephsmithpapers.org

4. Doctrine and Covenants 118

5. Journal (January 1, 1838 – December 31, 1839), 89, wilfordwoodruffpapers.org