Biography of Quentin L. Cook- Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Elder Quentin LaMar Cook was born in Logan, Utah on September 8, 1940. He was the middle of 3 children, with an older brother and younger sister. Although his father was less active in the Church, Elder Cook comes from a strong background of faith. In fact, he is the great-grandson of David Patten Kimball, who helped carry members of the Martin Handcart company across the Sweetwater River. He was very athletic and was on the football and basketball teams in high school. He also was highly involved in student government in high school and college.

From 1960 to 1962, Elder Cook served as a missionary to the British Isles, where he was a missionary companion with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, also now a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. Following his mission, he resumed is studies at Utah State University and graduated in with a political science degree in 1963. He also married Mary Gaddie on November 30, 1962, in the Logan Temple. They had known each other growing up. They now have 3 children and 9 grandchildren.

In 1966, Elder Cook graduated with a Juris Doctorate degree from Stanford University. The Cooks originally planned on returning to Utah, but the Lord had other plans. He worked as a lawyer for many years in the Bay Area. Eventually, he became President and CEO of California Healthcare System. He also worked as the vice chairman of Sutter Health System and has a board member of several other organizations.

Elder Cook has been prepared by the Lord and has significant Church service. He has served as a Bishop, Stake President, and counselor in the Stake Presidency to his older brother who was serving as Stake President at the time, a Regional Representative, and Area Authority. While serving in the Bay Area, he developed a good relationship with Elder David B. Haight, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve who passed away in 2004. Elder Cook was called as a General Authority to the Second Quorum of the Seventy in April 1996 and then to the First Quorum of the Seventy in April 1998. During this time he served as the Executive Director of the Missionary Department and worked frequently with Elder M. Russell Ballard. He was just called to the Presidency of the Seventy on August 1, 2007, before being sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve on October 6, 2007.

I have been excited to make this post because Elder Cook is the Apostle that I feel I know best since I have met him twice. His older brother, Joseph, was my mission president. My mission president also shared some personal insights about his brother that helped me feel like I know him better. For example, in the April 2008 Ensign, Elder Cook shared his story about a discussion he had with his brother (my mission president) when they both were teenagers. They concluded together that if the Book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith is a true prophet, then this Church is true, and therefore we must live according to these truths. Decades later, I heard my mission president (President Cook) teach this same reasoning several times to us missionaries. My first opportunity to meet Elder Cook came when he visited our mission. I also met him again when he spoke at BYU in 2007. We had a pleasant conversation. He is a wonderful man and a humble and obedient servant of the Lord.

Sources:

Check out Elder Cook on YouTube with Elder Ballard. Here is another. The Church has just started posting these videos.

Official Church Biography
A biography by Elder Holland with some more pictures
Several of his talks: October 2007 General Conference, BYU Devotional March 2007, October 2003 General Conference, March 2003 Ensign, October 1996 General Conference

Thank you to my mission president for his insights and corrections.