Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints offered a prayer at the interfaith National Prayer Service this morning, held at the Washington National Cathedral. Twenty-five leaders from various faiths around the United States also prayed at the event.
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Elder Christofferson offered a prayer at the National Prayer Service. He’s pictured with his wife, Katherine; Elder Gordon H. Smith and his wife, Sharon; and Ralph Hardy (far right). Elder Smith is currently an area seventy and a former U.S. senator from Oregon. Hardy is a former area seventy.
“There was a wide variety of faiths represented, and it was an honor for us to be included," said Elder Christofferson. "I felt the Church was recognized and honored and that the prayers for the nation were heartfelt — that our leaders would be wise and Spirit-guided. It was a wonderful unity of spirit, unity in behalf of our leadership and for the good of the country," he said.
The traditional prayer service was first held after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's inauguration in 1933. It’s an opportunity for the new president and vice president to meet with religious leaders to celebrate the inauguration through prayer, readings and musical performances.
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Latter-day Saint leaders have attended the prayer service before. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency and Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles attended during the first inauguration of President Barack Obama.