went into hiding, seeking to avoid arrest for practicing plural marriage. Then, when Woodruff was fifteen years old, his father became president of the church. After graduating from the 40th District school, Woodruff attended Latter-day Saints' College. Here, he studied under James E. Talmage and Karl G. Maeser for five years. Upon completion of his studies in 1891, Woodruff was hired to work at the Zion's Saving Bank and Trust Company. He was 18 years old. He worked as a collector before being promoted to assistant bookkeeper. Missionary years In 1893, at age 21, Woodruff was called to the Swiss–German Mission. Around this time, his father's health had begun to deteriorate, which made Woodruff's departure a difficult matter; but his father encouraged him to go, so he left for Europe. He was assigned to preach first in the city of Frankfurt, Germany. At the outset of his mission, he studied the German language with the help of his host family, often for two hours a day. After a few months, he found a few people who wished to be baptized. Woodruff was then moved from Frankfurt to the city of Dresden, where he served as branch president. After preaching in Dresden, his last assignment was in Berlin. Here, Woodruff endured persecution against Latter-day Saint missionaries; the German government had chosen to promulgate "the banishment of the 'Mormon' Elders" from the country. In order to blend in, Woodruff dressed and acted like a common worker in the country and preached in secret in homes at night, receiving support from local church members. Then, in 1896, he was released from his mission after three years of service. Apostle of the LDS Church After his mission, Woodruff returned to work at the Zion's Saving Bank and Trust Co., of which he was eventually made director. On June 30, 1896, he married Helen May Winters. Woodruff's father performed the sealing ceremony. The following October, during a general conference of the church, he was called by his father as an apostle. He was 24 years old. He and Matthias F. Cowley were ordained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles after Abraham H. Cannon died and Moses Thatcher was released. Woodruff was the youngest member of the quorum at the time. He was ordained by his father on October 7, 1897 and was tasked with "traveling to various LDS congregations to dedicate buildings, call church