Neil L. Andersen was named an Apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 4, 2009. He was serving as the senior member of the Presidency of the Seventy prior to his calling to the Quorum of the Twelve. He was named a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy in April 1993. Elder Andersen previously led the work of the Church in southern Brazil and, again as a member of an area presidency, oversaw the Church in western Europe.