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A brief burst of awareness for an ailing prophet opened a window to heaven four decades ago that is directly shaping today’s leadership of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

President Spencer W. Kimball’s failing health prevented him from calling new apostles for 16 months across 1983 and 1984.

The death of Elder LeGrand Richards in January 1983 created one vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Elder Mark E. Petersen’s death in January 1984 created a second.

But President Kimball was frail and his memory was too spotty to call new apostles, according to the book “ Insights from a Prophet’s Life: Russell M. Nelson ,” by Sheri D

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