The next prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after President Russell M. Nelson is not officially announced in advance, and members believe only the Lord ultimately makes that decision. However, there is a well‑established pattern of succession that makes one man the clear “expected” next president.

How succession usually works

In the modern Church, prophetic succession follows seniority in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

  • When the president of the Church dies, the First Presidency is dissolved and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles becomes the presiding body of the Church.
  • The apostle who has served the longest (by length of time as an apostle, not by age) is then typically set apart as the new president and prophet, after a period of counseling and a formal sustaining by the apostles and later the general membership.
  • This pattern has been followed consistently since the late 1800s and is taught in Church manuals and public explanations of “prophetic succession.”

So who is “next” after President Nelson?

As of the most recent public information, the most senior apostle after President Nelson is President Dallin H. Oaks, who has served in the Quorum of the Twelve since 1984 and has been his first counselor in the First Presidency.

  • Because of that seniority, many news outlets, commentators, and Latter‑day Saint forums describe Dallin H. Oaks as the man who would be expected to become the next president‑prophet if the current pattern continues.
  • These sources often phrase it as “expected,” “likely,” or “next in line,” not as an absolute prediction, because no formal call is made until after a president’s death and the apostles meet and act together.

In simple terms:

  • If the current order of seniority remains unchanged and if President Nelson passes away before President Oaks, then President Oaks would be the anticipated next prophet‑president of the Church.

Can it be someone else?

Believing Latter‑day Saints would say that God is not bound by human expectations, even when there is a strong tradition.

  • Discussion in faithful forums sometimes notes that, in theory, the Lord could direct a different pattern, but that this would be unusual and could create confusion, which is one reason the longstanding seniority system is valued.
  • Others point out that because succession is so predictable, any “change” in the pattern (such as a more junior apostle being called instead) would itself be seen by members as a clear sign of divine intervention.

From a faith perspective, many members resolve this by saying:

God can change anything, but the established order is itself part of His plan, so if the most senior apostle becomes the next prophet, that is also God’s will.

How people are talking about it online

Your question—“who will be the next prophet after President Nelson”—is a very active topic in online conversations and commentary.

  • News pieces and explainer articles usually emphasize the process (seniority plus apostolic sustaining) and then name Dallin H. Oaks as the expected successor.
  • Latter‑day Saint and ex‑Mormon forums often go further, debating not only who is next (usually agreeing it’s Oaks) but also what kind of changes or emphases a “lawyer‑prophet” might bring, sometimes contrasting him with President Nelson (a heart surgeon) in a symbolic way.

These discussions can range from reverent to critical, but across very different perspectives the same basic expectation appears again and again: Dallin H. Oaks is generally seen as the likely next president‑prophet, because of his seniority as an apostle.

TL;DR:

  • No one can definitively say “who will be the next prophet” in the sense of revelation that hasn’t yet occurred.
  • Under the Church’s long‑standing seniority system, President Dallin H. Oaks is widely regarded as the man who would be next, assuming the usual pattern continues.