▁president ▁of ▁The ▁Church ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ ▁of ▁L atter - day ▁Sain ts ▁( L DS ▁Church ) ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁former ▁church ▁president ▁Joseph ▁F . ▁Smith ▁and ▁the ▁great - ne p hew ▁of ▁L DS ▁Church ▁founder ▁Joseph ▁Smith . ▁ ▁Smith ▁was ▁named ▁to ▁the ▁Qu orum ▁of ▁the ▁Tw elve ▁Apost les ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 0 , ▁when ▁his ▁father ▁was ▁the ▁church ' s ▁president . ▁When ▁Smith ▁became ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁L DS ▁Church , ▁he ▁was ▁ 9 3 ▁years ▁old ; ▁he ▁began ▁his ▁president ial ▁term ▁at ▁an ▁older ▁age ▁than ▁any ▁other ▁president ▁in ▁church ▁history . ▁Smith ' s ▁ten ure ▁as ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Qu orum ▁of ▁the ▁Tw elve ▁Apost les ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁is ▁the ▁third - long est ▁in ▁church ▁history ; ▁he ▁served ▁in ▁that ▁capacity ▁during ▁the ▁entire ▁presiden cy ▁of ▁David ▁O . ▁McK ay . ▁ ▁Smith ▁spent ▁some ▁of ▁his ▁years ▁among ▁the ▁Tw elve ▁Apost les ▁as ▁the ▁Church ▁Histor ian ▁and ▁Rec order . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁religious ▁scholar ▁and ▁a ▁pro l ific ▁writer . ▁Many ▁of ▁his ▁works ▁are ▁used ▁as ▁references ▁for ▁church ▁members . ▁Do ctr in ally , ▁Smith ▁was ▁known ▁for ▁rig id ▁orth odox y ▁and ▁as ▁an ▁arch - con serv ative