Fifteen new general authorities have been called to serve in the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Additionally, 38 Area Seventies were announced.
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 a number of Church departments. Members of the First Quorum of the Seventy usually serve to age seventy.
Names and biographical information of the fifteen newly sustained general authorities and a listing of the new Area Seventies follow:
Those called to the First Quorum of the Seventy:
Elder Marcos A. Aidukaitis, age 48. At the time of his call, he had been serving as the president of the Brazil Brasilia Mission. He served as a member of the Fourth Quorum of the Seventy, Brazil South Area, from 2000 to 2005.
Elder Aidukaitis received a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering and a Master of Business Administration from Brigham Young University. Elder Aidukaitis has served in a number of Church callings including stake president, mission president and Area Seventy.
He was born in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on August 30, 1959 and married Luisa Englert in 1986. They are the parents of five children.
Elder Gérald Caussé, age 44. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Third Quorum of the Seventy in the Europe West Area.
Elder Caussé received a master’s degree in business from ESSEC in 1987. His career has been in the food industry where he has worked with several supermarket chains and food distribution companies.
He was born in Bordeaux, France on May 20, 1963. He married Valérie Lucienne Marie Claude Babin in August 1986. They are the parents of five children.
Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge, age 58. At the time of his call, he had been serving as the gospel doctrine teacher in his home ward (congregation).
Elder Corbridge received a Bachelor of Science degree in business management (finance), and a Juris Doctorate degree from Brigham Young University. After graduation, he began a career in law and is a shareholder and senior attorney at a Salt Lake City law firm.
Elder Corbridge has served in a number of Church callings including bishop, high councilor, stake president, and president of the Chile Santiago North Mission.
He was born in Moscow, Idaho, on April 6, 1949. He married Jacquelyn Gayle Shamo in 1974. They are the parents of five children.
Elder Eduardo Gavarret, age 51. At the time of his call, he had been serving in the bishopric of the Santa Cruz Ward in Lima, Peru. He served as a member of the Fourth Quorum of the Seventy, Brazil Area, from 1997 to 2000.
Elder Gavarret received a license in administration and managing from the Escuela Superior de Administracion Empresas in 1986. In 2000, he received a Master of Business Administration degree in marketing from INPG-MBA in Brazil. Currently, he is the general manager of a pharmaceutical company in Peru.
Elder Gavarret has served in a number of Church callings including bishop, stake president, Area Seventy and president of the Paraguay Asuncion Mission.
He was born in Minas, Lavalleja, Uruguay, on May 11, 1956. He married Norma Beatriz Gorgoroso in October 1978. They are the parents of three children.
Elder Carlos A. Godoy, age 47. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Seventh Quorum of the Seventy in the Brazil Area.
Elder Godoy received a bachelor’s degree in economics and political science from Pontificia Universidade Catolica and a master’s degree in organizational behavior from Brigham Young University. He spent his career as a human resources manager before starting his own company.
Since joining the Church in 1977, Elder Godoy has served in numerous Church callings, including bishop, high councilor, president of the Brazil Belem Mission, and Area Seventy.
He was born in Porto Alegre, Brazil, on February 4, 1961. He married Mônica Soares Brandao in March 1984. They are the parents of four children.
Elder James J. Hamula, age 50. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Sixth Quorum of the Seventy in the North America Southwest Area.
Elder Hamula received a bachelor of art degree in political science and philosophy as well as a Master of Art degree in political philosophy and a Juris Doctorate degree from Brigham Young University. He has worked as an attorney at an Arizona law firm.
Elder Hamula has served in a number of Church callings including bishop, stake president, president of the Washington D.C. South Mission and Area Seventy.
He was born in Long Beach, California, on November 20, 1957. He married Joyce Anderson in April 1984. They are the parents of six children.
Elder Allan F. Packer, age 59. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Young Men General Board.
Elder Packer received a Bachelor of Science degree in electronics and electrical engineering from Brigham Young University in 1973. He has had a career in business and has served as a vice president of several companies. At the time of his call as a General Authority, he was an In-field Representative for the Missionary Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Elder Packer has served in a number of Church callings including bishop, scoutmaster, stake president’s counselor, mission president (Spain Malaga Mission) and Young Men General Board member.
He was born in Brigham City, Utah, on July 7, 1948. He married Terri Anne Bennett in June 1970. They are the parents of eight children.
Elder Kevin W. Pearson, age 50. At the time of his call, he had been serving as the president of Washington Tacoma Mission.
Elder Pearson received a Bachelor of Science degree in finance from the University of Utah and a Master of Business Administration in corporate finance from Harvard University. Prior to his call as a mission president, he was working as CEO of a biomedical company.
Elder Pearson has served in a number of Church callings including high councilor, bishop, and mission president.
He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on April 10, 1957. He married June Langeland in June 1980. They are the parents of six children.
Elder Rafael E. Pino, age 52. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Fourth Quorum of the Seventy in the South America North Area.
Elder Pino’s education was in commerce at the Colegio Carabobo in 1974. He received a Certificate in Administration in Caracas, Venezuela. He has worked for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a variety of capacities since 1980. At the time of his call to full-time Church service, he was working as a regional manager for temporal affairs.
Since joining the Church in 1972, Elder Pino has served in numerous Church callings, including bishop, high councilor, stake president, president of the Argentina Rosario Mission and Area Seventy.
He was born in Valencia, Venezuela, on October 27, 1955. He married Patricia Monica Villa Dassler in March 1981. They are the parents of three children.
Elder Gary E. Stevenson, age 52. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a Sunday School teacher in his ward.
Elder Stevenson received a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Utah State University. He is the COO of a health & fitness equipment company.
Elder Stevenson has served in a number of Church callings including bishop, stake president’s counselor and president of the Japan Nagoya Mission.
He was born in Ogden, Utah, on August 6, 1955. He married Lesa Jean Higley in April 1979. They are the parents of four children.
Elder José A. Teixeira, age 47. At the time of his call, he had been serving as the president of the Brazil São Paulo South Mission. He served as a member of the Third Quorum of the Seventy, Europe West Area, from 1997 to 2005.
Elder Teixeira received a degree in accounting and commerce from the Jaime Cortesão Accounting Institute and a GAE degree in business management from IAT Business School in Portugal. Prior to his call as a mission president, he was an International Controller for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Elder Teixeira has served in a number of Church callings including district president, stake president, Area Seventy, and mission president.
He was born in Vila Real, Portugal, on February 24, 1961. He married Maria Filomena Lopes Teles Grilo in June 1984. They are the parents of three children.
Elder F. Michael Watson, age 65. At the time of his call, he was serving as Secretary to the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Elder Watson received a Bachelor of Science degree in business/office administration from Utah State University. He served for three years in the United States Army and was awarded the Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medals. In 1970 he became the Assistant Secretary and later Secretary to the Quorum of the Twelve. He subsequently served as Assistant Secretary to the First Presidency and then Secretary in 1986.
Elder Watson has served in many Church callings including bishop, stake president, and Sealer in the Bountiful Utah Temple.
He was born on March 19, 1943 in Spring City, Utah. He married Jolene Mann on September 3, 1965 and they are the parents of 12 children.
Elder Jorge F. Zeballos, age 52. At the time of his call, he had been serving as the president of the Chile Concepcion South Mission. He served as a member of the Fourth Quorum of the Seventy, Chile Area, from 1997 to 2004.
Elder Zeballos was graduated with a degree in civil engineering at Santa Maria University and received his Master of Business Administration from Brigham Young University. After graduation, he worked as the manager of corporate affairs for a mining company in Chile until he was called as a mission president in 2005.
Elder Zeballos has served in numerous Church callings, including bishop, stake president, Area Seventy, and mission president.
He was born in Ovalle, Chile, on July 19, 1955. He married Carmen Gloria Valenzuela in June 1982. They are the parents of five children.
Those called to the Second Quorum of the Seventy:
Elder Tad R. Callister, age 62. At the time of his call, he had been serving as the president of the Canada Toronto East Mission. He served as a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy, North America West Area, from 2000 to 2005.
Elder Callister received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Brigham Young University, a law degree from UCLA Law School and an LLM (Master’s) degree in tax law from New York University. Prior to his call as a mission president, he was employed as a practicing attorney with a firm in California.
Elder Callister has served in a number of Church callings including bishop, stake president, Regional Representative, mission president and Area Seventy.
He was born in Glendale, California, on December 17, 1945 and married Kathryn Louise Saporiti in December 1968. They are the parents of six children.
Elder Kent D. Watson, age 64. At the time of his call, he had been serving as the membership clerk of his ward.
Elder Watson received both a Bachelor of Art degree and a Master of Art degree in accounting from Brigham Young University. His spent his career as a CPA and became CEO of an international accounting firm.
Elder Watson has served in a number of Church callings including bishop, stake president’s counselor, and mission president of the Taiwan Taichung Mission.
He was born in Cedar City, Utah, on May 8, 1943. He married Connie Lingmann in August 1967. They are the parents of five children.
Area Seventies
Also announced today were the callings of 38 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: Pedro E. Abularach, 50, Guatemala City, Guatemala; Koichi Aoyagi, 63, Chiba-ken, Japan; Juan C. Barros, 50, Santiago, Chile; Colin H. Bricknell, 62, Krugersdorp, South Africa; Victor Kah Keng Chen, 53, Singapore; Kuo Chiang Chung, 53, Taipei, Taiwan; J. Devn Cornish, 56, Atlanta, Georgia; Wynn R. Dewsnup, 58, Ogden, Utah; Matthew J. Eyring, 38, Ashland, Massachusetts; G. Guillermo Garcia, 53, Santiago, Chile; Robert C. Gay, 56, Palm Beach, Florida; Alfredo L. Gessati, 60, Merate, Italy; James B. Gibson, 59, Henderson, Nevada; Julio C. González, 45, Monterrey, Mexico; Paulo H. Itinose, 41, Santana Araçatuba, Brazil; Douglas W. Jessop, 62, Pago Pago, American Samoa; Faustino López, 57, Madrid, Spain; Declan O. Madu, 45, Owerri, Nigeria; Per G. Malm, 59, Göteborg, Sweden; Fernando Maluenda, 45, Peñalolen, Chile; James B. Martino, 57, Aubrey, Texas; Sergiy N. Mikulin, 55, Kharkov, Ukraine; Abelardo Morales, 45, Monterrey, Mexico; W. T. David Murray, 49, Newmarket, Canada; Satoshi Nishihara, 56, Ushiku-shi, Japan; Norbert K. Ounleu, 38, Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Michael D. Pickerd, 49, Katy, Texas; Anatoly K. Reshetnikov, 55, Saratov, Russia; William F. Reynolds, 64, La Canada, California; Michael A. Roberts, 57, Auckland, New Zealand; Fernando A. R. Da Rocha, 42, Seixal, Portugal; A. Ricardo Sant'Ana, 44, Santo Andre, Brazil; Robert B. Smith, 59, Downingtown, Pennsylvania; Ysrael A. Tolentino, 43, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; Ruben D. Torres, 47, Bogota, Colombia; J. Romeo Villarreal, 51, San Juan, Texas; Louis Weidmann, 54, Recherswil, Switzerland; Chi Hong (Sam) Wong, 45, Shatin, Hong Kong.