New General Authority Callings and Releases Announced

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced eight new General Authorities and 59 Area Seventies, at the Saturday afternoon session of the Church’s 183rd Annual General Conference this weekend.

Called as General Authorities to serve in the First Quorum of the Seventy are Elder Edward Dube, Zimbabwe; Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, Sugar Land, Texas; Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela, Queretaro, México; and in the Second Quorum of the Seventy are Elder Timothy J. Dyches, Reno, Nevada; Elder Randy D. Funk, Denver, Colorado; Elder Kevin S. Hamilton, Agoura Hills, California; Elder Adrián Ochoa, Highland, Utah; and Elder Terence M. Vinson, Sydney, Australia.

Elder Ulisses Soares was named to the Presidency of the Seventy, succeeding Elder Walter F. González.

Members of the Seventy have responsibility for administering the work of the Church throughout the world under the direction of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Some of them also have executive responsibilities in Church departments. Members of the First Quorum of the Seventy usually serve until they are 70 years old.

First Quorum of the Seventy

Elder Edward Dube, 50, had been serving as an Area Seventy in the Africa Southeast Area when he was called to serve in the First Quorum of the Seventy. In addition, he previously served as a full-time missionary, branch president, district president, stake president, and president of the Zimbabwe Harare Mission.

He received a diploma in education in 1992 from Zimbabwe D.E. College and studied entrepreneurship at the University of South Africa. He worked for the Church Educational System in Africa for more than 15 years.

Elder Dube was born in Chirumanzu, Zimbabwe, and is married to Naume Keresia Salizani. They are the parents of four children and currently reside in Zimbabwe.

Elder S. Gifford Nielsen, 58, was serving as an Area Seventy in the North America Southwest Area when he was called to the First Quorum of the Seventy. He has served in many Church callings, including seminary teacher, elders quorum president, mission president’s counselor, bishop, stake president and Area Seventy.

Elder Nielsen received a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University. He played professional football for six years and worked in television broadcasting and banking.

He was born in Provo, Utah, and is married to Wendy Olson. They are the parents of six children and currently reside in Sugar Land, Texas.

Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela, 53, was serving as an Area Seventy in the México Area when he was called to the First Quorum of the Seventy. He has served as a full-time missionary, bishop, stake president’s counselor and mission president’s counselor.

He received a bachelor’s degree in administration from the University of Accounting and Administrative Studies in México City, and a master in business administration degree from the American Institute of Business. Professionally he worked in management for two multi-national corporations.

Elder Valenzuela was born in Chihuahua, México, and is married to Silvia Pilar De Porras. They are the parents of three children and currently reside in Queretaro, México.

Second Quorum of the Seventy

Elder Timothy J. Dyches, 62, was serving in a ward Young Men presidency when he was called to serve in the Second Quorum of the Seventy. He has served as a full-time missionary in the Germany South Mission, ward clerk, Sunday School president, high councilor, stake president’s counselor, stake president, temple ordinance worker, stake mission president’s counselor, president of the Oregon Portland Mission, Area Seventy and deacons quorum adviser.

Elder Dyches earned a bachelor's degree in university studies from Brigham Young University and received a medical degree from Washington University Medical School. He was an ear, nose and throat surgeon in private practice and was in senior management at a national surgical management company.

He was born in Murray, Utah, and is married to Jill Elizabeth Dudley. They are the parents of three children and currently reside in Reno, Nevada.

Elder Randy D. Funk, 60, was serving as the president of the India Bangalore Mission when he was called to serve in the Second Quorum of the Seventy. In addition to mission president, he has served as a full-time missionary in Indonesia, bishop, high councilor, stake president and Area Seventy.

Elder Funk received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Utah State University and a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Utah. Professionally he was an attorney and partner in a law firm in Denver, Colorado. He also served on the board of directors of several community organizations.

Elder Funk was born in Logan, Utah and is married to Andrea Clyde. They are the parents of six children.

Elder Kevin S. Hamilton, 58, was serving as a Church public affairs director in Southern California when he was called to the Second Quorum of the Seventy. He also served as a full-time missionary in the Switzerland Geneva Mission, bishop’s counselor, bishop, high councilor, stake president, and president of the Belgium Brussels/Netherlands Mission.

He received a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree in finance from the University of Washington. He worked in senior management in the mobile telecommunications industry.

Elder Hamilton was born in Wenatchee, Washington, and married Claudia Keysor. They are the parents of six children and currently reside in Agoura Hills, California.

Elder Adrián Ochoa, 59, was serving as the second counselor in the general Young Men Presidency when he received his call to serve in the Second Quorum of the Seventy. He has served in many Church capacities including as seminary teacher, branch president, stake high councilor, stake president, Area Seventy, director of public affairs for the México North Area and president of the Honduras San Pedro Sula Belize Mission.

Elder Ochoa was educated in México. He received a bachelor’s degree in communications from the Regiomontana University in Monterrey, México and has a diploma in business administration from the Monterrey Technical College (Technológico de Monterrey), and studied marketing at the State University in Nuevo Leon (Universidad Autónoma). He is a former university professor and owns an advertising and marketing company.

He was born in San Francisco, California and is married to Nancy Villarreal. They are the parents of four children and currently reside in Highland, Utah.

Elder Terence M. Vinson, 62, was serving as an Area Seventy in the Pacific Area when he was called to the Second Quorum of the Seventy. Since joining the church in the mid- 70s, he has served as a bishop’s counselor, bishop, high councilor, stake president’s counselor, Regional Representative, mission president’s counselor and temple ordinance worker.

Elder Vinson received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and statistics from Sydney University with an education and teaching diploma from Sydney Teachers College. He also received a financial planning diploma from Deakin University and a master’s degree in applied finance from Macquarie University. During his career, he was a well-known math professor, lecturer, financial advisor, and directed a financial planning and investment firm.

Elder Vinson was born in Sydney, Australia, and is married to Kay Anne Carden. They are the parents of six children and reside in Sydney, Australia.

Area Seventies

Also announced today were the callings of 59 new Area Seventies. Area Seventies give part-time voluntary Church service within their assigned geographic areas and support area presidencies in international areas. Called as Area Seventies:

Ruben Acosta, 43, Orange, California; Frederick O. Akinbo, 44, Benin City, Nigeria; Omar A. Alvarez, 59, Valencia, Venezuela; Benedito S. Antunes, 57, Salto, Brazil; Alan C. Batt, 60, Rigby, Idaho; Grant C. Bennett, 58, Belmont, Massachusetts; Fernando E. Calderón, 54, San Rafael, Ecuador; Wilson B. Calderón, 53, Cusco, Peru; H. Marcelo Cardus, 47, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Yoke Sang Freddie Chan, 57, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Christopher Charles, 62, East Grinstead, United Kingdom; Valeri V. Cordón, 44, San Jose, Costa Rica; Paul R. Coward, 58, Auckland, New Zealand; M.T. Ben Davis, 59, Takoradi, Ghana; Marion B. De Antuñano, 44, Santa Anita, D.F., México; Massimo De Feo, 52, Guidonia, Italy; Robert A. Dryden, 66, Leeds, United Kingdom; Robert J. Dudfield, 45, Victoria, Australia; Daniel F. Dunnigan, 55, Canton, Michigan; Jeffrey D. Erekson, 50, Boise, Idaho; E. Xavier Espinoza, 47, Quito, Ecuador; Meliula M. Fata, 63, Apia, Samoa; Sam M. Galvez, 45, Guatemala City, Guatemala; Claude R. Gamiette, 45, Petit Bourg, Guadeloupe (FR); Mervyn C. Giddey, 58, Cape Town, South Africa; João Roberto Grahl, 61, Nova Odessa, Brazil; David P. Homer, 51, Toronto, Canada; Daniel W. Jones, 61, The Woodlands, Texas; John A. Koranteng, 50, Accra, Ghana; Steven O. Laing, 62, Brigham City, Utah; Axel H. Leimer, 50, Frankfurt, Germany; Gustavo Lopez, 51, Puebla, México; José E. Maravilla, 46, Retalhuleu, Guatemala; Alfredo Miron, 61, México City, México; Hugo Montoya, 53, Hermosillo, México; Joaquim J. Moreira, 47, Seixal, Portugal; Katsuyuki Otahara, 64, Sapporo, Japan; José C. Pineda, 60, Querétaro, México; Gary S. Price, 53, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; Miguel A. Reyes, 51, México City, México; Francisco J. Ruiz de Mendoza, 51, Logroño, Spain; Gary B. Sabin, 58, Poway, California; Alfredo Luis Salas, 53, Cordoba, Argentina; Netzahualcoyotl Salinas, 48, Lomas de Tecamachalco, México; Ciro Schmeil, 41, São Paulo, Brazil; D. Zackary Smith, 58, Visalia, California; Michael L. Southward, 63, Cleveland, Oklahoma; G. Lawrence Spackman, 61, Calgary, Canada; Vern P. Stanfill, 55, Kalispell, Montana; William H. Stoddard, 66, Las Vegas, Nevada; Stephen E. Thompson, 59, Naples, Florida; George J. Tobias, 55, Quezon City, Philippines; 'Aisake K. Tukuafu, 57, Nuku'alofa, Tonga; Jacques A. Van Reenen, 44, Atlasville, South Africa; Raul E. Vicencio, 54, San Juan City, Philippines; Raul S. Villanueva, 45, Quezon City, Philippines; Alan R. Walker, 42, México City, México; Keith P. Walker, 54, Kingscliff, NSW, Australia; and Hoi Seng Leonard Woo, 57, Singapore, Singapore.

Releases to be effective on 1 May 2013 were announced for the following 52 Area Seventies:

Rubén V. Alliaud, Sergio M. Anaya, Nolan D. Archibald, Carlos L. Astorga, Hector Avila, M. Anthony Burns, David Cabrera, Milton Camargo, Robert E. Chambers, Victor Kah Keng Chen, Kuo Chiang Chung, Nelson D. Córdova, Gary L. Crittenden, Edward Dube, Matthew J. Eyring, Sione M. Fineanganofo, Alfredo L. Gessati, James B. Gibson, Jovencio A. Guanzon, Mario E. Guerra, Luis S. Hernandez, Hernan I. Herrera, Javier Ibañez, Paulo H. Itinose, Douglas W. Jessop, Stephen C. Kerr, Joni L. Koch, Faustino López, Richard K. Melchin,

Freebody A. Mensah, Benson E. Misalucha, Abelardo Morales, W. T. David Murray, K. Brett Nattress, S. Gifford Nielsen, Satoshi Nishihara, Michael D. Pickerd, William F. Reynolds, Michael A. Roberts, Fernando A. R. Da Rocha, Manfred Schütze, Terrence C. Smith, Rubén L. Spitale, Joshua Subandriyo, Frank V. Trythall, Miguel R. Valdez, Arnulfo Valenzuela, Carlos A. C. Villanova, Terence M. Vinson, Louis Weidmann, Richard C. Zambrano