▁become ▁standard ▁until ▁ 1 8 3 8 . ▁The ▁presiden cy ▁was ▁to ▁exercise ▁authority ▁over ▁the ▁entire ▁church , ▁whereas ▁the ▁juris dict ions ▁of ▁the ▁Tw elve ▁Apost les ▁and ▁the ▁Se vent y ▁were ▁the ▁out lying ▁areas ▁outside ▁of ▁the ▁gather ing ▁places ▁where ▁the ▁church ▁had ▁been ▁organized ▁on ▁a ▁more ▁permanent ▁basis . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁Smith ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 4 , ▁First ▁Pres iden cies ▁were ▁re organ ized ▁by ▁Br igh am ▁Young ▁for ▁the ▁L DS ▁Church , ▁by ▁R ig don ▁for ▁the ▁R ig don ites ▁( now ▁def unct ), ▁by ▁Joseph ▁Smith ▁III ▁for ▁the ▁Re organ ized ▁Church ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ ▁of ▁L atter ▁Day ▁Sain ts ▁( now ▁Community ▁of ▁Christ ), ▁by ▁James ▁J . ▁Str ang ▁for ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ ▁of ▁L atter ▁Day ▁Sain ts ▁( Str ang ite ), ▁and ▁by ▁William ▁B ick erton ▁for ▁The ▁Church ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ , ▁although ▁the ▁latter ▁two ▁organizations ▁have ▁not ▁had ▁a ▁First ▁Pres iden cy ▁for ▁much ▁of ▁their ▁history . ▁ ▁The ▁Church ▁of ▁Jesus ▁Christ ▁of ▁L atter - day ▁Sain ts ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁L DS ▁Church , ▁the ▁First ▁Pres iden cy ▁is ▁the ▁pres iding , ▁or ▁gover ning ▁authority ▁of ▁the ▁church . ▁It ▁usually ▁consists ▁of ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁Church ▁and ▁two ▁coun sel ors , ▁although ▁up ▁to ▁eight ▁coun sel ors ▁have ▁on ▁occasion ▁been ▁included ▁in