General conference: Church names 45 new Area Seventies from 23 countries

The Church Office Building of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is pictured in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020.

Steve Griffin, Deseret News

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the names of 45 new Area Seventies from 23 countries during Thursday’s leadership session of general conference.

No Area Seventies were released during the leadership session, which was held at church headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Church leaders also acknowledged the passing of Elder Levi W. Heath, who died on Feb. 25 in Los Angeles, California, following a diagnosis of stage IV melanoma. Elder Heath had served in the church’s North America West Area as a member of the Eleventh Quorum of the Seventy since April 2021.

The church sustained 77 new Area Seventies in the leadership session instead of a regular weekend session for the first time in April 2021.

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• Church announces 77 new Area Seventies at general conference leadership session

What is an Area Seventy?

The church has 12 quorums of the Seventy. The first two quorums are made up of General Authority Seventies and the third through the twelfth consist of Area Seventies.

Area Seventies live at home and maintain their non-religious vocations while serving in one of the church’s geographic areas throughout the world. They are not considered general authorities, who have authority to serve anywhere in the world. Their authority is generally limited to the area where they serve.

Area Seventies serve on a church-service basis for a designated number of years, similar to a bishop or stake president. Under the direction of the area presidency or Presidency of the Seventy, Area Seventies are assigned to consult with and instruct stake presidents in their area.

The following new Area Seventies and bios are listed by quorum, according to the church’s newsroom:

Third Quorum (Africa Central, Africa South and Africa West Areas)

• Amândio A. Feijó, 40, Luanda, Angola; maintenance engineer, Sonangol; currently serving as stake presidency first counselor of the Luanda Angola Stake; former branch presidency second counselor member, branch president, district presidency second counselor member and stake presidency second counselor member; wife: Dionisia; three children.
• David Ngabizele, 58, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; translation supervisor, Publishing Services Department; currently serving as coordinating council executive secretary of the Kinshasa West; former bishop, high councilor and stake president; wife: Bernadette; five children.
• Justice N. Otuonye, 41, Aba, Nigeria; medical officer, Hospital Management Board; currently serving as stake president of the Aba Nigeria North Stake; former branch presidency member, district presidency member, high councilor and stake presidency first counselor member; wife: Kate; four children.

Fourth Quorum (Asia and Asia North Areas)

• Min Zu Wang, 60, Zhong Zheng, Taiwan; professor, National Taiwan University; currently serving as stake president of the Taipei Taiwan Central Stake; former bishop, bishopric first counselor member, bishopric second counselor member, high councilor, stake presidency first counselor member and stake presidency second counselor member; wife: Shiao Tsen; three children.

Fifth Quorum (Brazil Area)

• Elzimar Gouvêa de Albuquerque, 48, Santana de Parnaíba, Brazil; currently serving as mission president of the Brazil João Pessoa Mission; former bishop, bishopric second counselor member, stake presidency first counselor member and stake presidency second counselor member; wife: Anna Rebeca Ampié de; four children.
• Bruno V. Barros, 47, Maceio, Brazil; currently serving as mission president of the Brazil Piracicaba Mission; former stake presidency second counselor member, bishop, bishopric second counselor member, high councilor and stake president; wife: Luciene; three children.
• Kennedy F. Canuto, 49, Manaus, Brazil; temple recorder, Manaus Brazil Temple; currently serving as coordinating council welfare specialist; former bishop, high councilor, mission president, stake presidency member and stake president; wife: Regia Lucia T.; two children.
• Roberto G. F. Leite, 47, Brasília, Brazil; military police officer, lieutenant colonel, PMDF/GDF; currently serving as Stake President of the Brasília Brazil Stake; former bishop, bishopric member, high councilor and stake presidency second counselor member; wife: Edilene; three children.
• Paulo Renato Marinho, 47, São Paulo, Brazil; bank manager, Banco do Brasil S/A; currently serving as bishopric first counselor of the José Bonifácio Ward; former bishop, bishopric first counselor member, bishopric second counselor member and stake president; wife: Daise; one child.
• João Luis Oppe, 56, Vargem Grande Paulista, Brazil; temple recorder, São Paulo Brazil Temple; currently serving as elders quorum president of the Vargem Grande Ward; former bishop, bishopric first counselor member, branch president, high councilor, mission president, stake presidency second counselor member and stake president; wife: Sueli; three children.
• Daniel Piros, 49, São Paulo, Brazil; currently serving as mission president of the Brazil Goiânia Mission; former bishop, bishopric member and stake president; wife: Suzana Generoso; four children.

Sixth Quorum (Caribbean, Central America and Mexico Areas)

• Raúl Barrón, 47, Tecámac, Mexico; coordinator, Seminaries and Institutes; currently serving as institute teacher of the México City Tecámac Stake; former bishop, bishopric member, high councilor, mission president and stake president; wife: Brenda; five children.
• Favio M. Durán, 59, Tegucigalpa, Honduras; owner and general manager, Inversiones Raices y Construccion; currently serving as stake high councilor of the Tegucigalpa Honduras Villa Olímpica Stake; former bishop, mission presidency member, mission president, stake presidency first counselor member and stake president; wife: Nuzly; three children.
• Claude R. Gamiette, 54, Goyave, Guadeloupe; manager, Caribbean Area, Self-Reliance; currently serving as district audit committee member of the Guadeloupe District; former branch president, district presidency second counselor member, district president, mission presidency member and mission president; wife: Delphine; five children.
• Eduardo R. Mora, 49, San José, Costa Rica; currently serving as mission president of the Honduras San Pedro Sula East Mission; former bishop, high councilor, stake mission presidency counselor member, stake presidency second counselor member and stake president; wife: Ana María; three children.
• Nelson Ramírez, 52, San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico; facilities manager, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; currently serving as high councilor of the Monterrey México Libertad Stake; former bishop, high councilor, mission president and stake president; wife: Gladys; four children.
• Jose Estuardo Sazo, 53, Mixco, Guatemala; site manager, Bayer of Guatemala; currently serving as mission presidency first counselor of the Guatemala Antigua Mission; former bishop, stake presidency first counselor member and stake president; wife: Claudia; three children.

Seventh Quorum (Europe, Europe East and Middle East/Africa North Areas)

• Roland J. Bäck, 45, Hinterbrühl, Austria; IT Manager, Seconded to ADNOC; currently serving as elders quorum second counselor of the Abu Dhabi 1st Ward; former bishop, high councilor, stake presidency second counselor member and stake president; wife: Tereza; five children.
• Joep Boom, 52, Tilburg, Netherlands; manager, Meetinghouse Facilities Department; currently serving as Ward Temple and Family History Leader of the Breda Ward; former bishop, branch presidency member, branch president, high councilor and stake president; wife: Kirsty; four children.
• Mark Anthony Dundon, 45, Rotherham, England; owner/director, Inversion Consultancy & Solutions; currently serving as FSY session director; former bishop, bishopric member and stake president; wife: Lucy Isobel; five children.
• Emanuel Petrignani, 41, Frankfurt, Germany; area planning manager, Europe Area MFD Office; currently serving as Sunday School president of the Frankfurt 2nd Ward (English); former branch presidency first counselor member, high councilor and stake president; wife: Kornelia; three children.
• Alexey V. Samaykin, 45, Moscow, Russia; welfare and self-reliance manager, Europe East Area; currently serving as mission president of the Russia Novosibirsk Mission; former bishop and branch president; wife: Lidia; three children.
• Mark G. Stewart, 49, Richmond, England; partner, Arcadis NV; currently serving as FSY session director; former bishop, bishopric first counselor member, stake presidency second counselor member and stake president; wife: Ailsa; four children.
• Roseveltt de Pina Teixeira, 40, Praia, Cape Verde; group company manager, RECOSHOP; currently serving as seminary teacher of the Praia Cape Verde Stake; former branch presidency member, district presidency member, district president and stake president; wife: Neia; three children.
• Nikolai Ustyuzhaninov, 43, Perm, Russia; currently serving as mission president of the Russia Rostov-na-Donu Mission; former branch president, district presidency member, district president and mission presidency first counselor member; wife: Yulia; four children.

Eighth Quorum (Pacific and Philippines Areas)

• Craig W. J. Raeside, 62, Marden, Australia; forensic psychiatrist, S.A. Mental Health Service; currently serving as mission mental health specialist of the Philippines Mission; former bishop, branch president, high councilor, mission presidency member and stake presidency member; wife: Lesley; five children.
• Jose Antonio San Gabriel, 59, Cebu, Philippines; MLS Coordinator, Philippines Area Office; recently released as mission president of the Philippines Butuan Mission; former bishop, bishopric member, high councilor, mission president, stake mission president, stake presidency first counselor member, stake presidency second counselor member and stake president; wife: Sariah Mia; two children.

Ninth Quorum (South America Northwest and South America South Areas)

• Oscar Bedregal, 52, La Plata, Argentina; pediatrician, Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos; currently serving as high councilor of the La Plata Argentina East Stake; former bishop, bishopric member, branch president, district presidency member, high councilor, mission presidency member, stake presidency member and stake president; wife: Marleny; three children.
• Oswaldo J. Soto, 40, Puno, Peru; chief executive officer, Isla Esteves–GHL Hotel and Peru Deluxe; currently serving as stake president of the Puno Perú Central Stake; former bishop, bishopric member, high councilor and stake presidency second counselor member; wife: Dania; three children.
• Harold Truque, 55, Cali, Colombia; attorney, self-employed; currently serving as stake president of the Cali Colombia San Fernando Stake; former bishop, bishopric first counselor member, bishopric second counselor member, branch presidency first counselor member, branch presidency second counselor member and high councilor; wife: Adriana María; no children.
• Carlos Ernesto Velasco Barron, 53, Sacaba, Chapare, Bolivia; self-employed, Aluminum Construction; currently serving as temple ordinance worker; former bishop, bishopric first counselor member, bishopric member and stake president; wife: Mabel; five children.
• Sergio Villa, 45, Medellín, Colombia; COO, CNV Constructions; currently serving as stake president of the Medelliín Colombia Belén Stake; former bishop, bishopric second counselor member and high councilor; wife: Luisa; five children.

Tenth Quorum (North America Central, North America Northeast and North America Southeast Areas)

• Eric Baxter, 48, Silver Spring, Maryland; vice president and senior counsel, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty; currently serving as stake president of the Silver Spring Maryland Stake; former bishop, branch presidency member and stake high councilor; wife: SaraLyn; seven children.
• Michael P. Brady, 50, Bel Air, Maryland; chief administrative officer, Abacus Corporation; currently serving as stake president of the Baltimore Maryland Stake; former bishop, bishopric member and high councilor; wife: Heidi E.; two children.
• Nathan A. Craig, 45, Hopkinsville, Kentucky; owner/attorney, Richardson & Craig; recently released as stake president of the Hopkinsville Kentucky Stake; former bishop and stake president; wife: Amy L.; three children.
• Scott N. Taylor, 53, Franklin, Massachusetts; associate professor of organizational behavior, Babson College; currently serving as stake president of the Blackstone Valley Massachusetts Stake; former bishop, branch president, high councilor and stake presidency second counselor member; wife: Ashley A.; four children.

Eleventh Quorum (North America Southwest and North America West Areas)

• Randall A. Brown, 46, Cornelius, Oregon, senior vice president, product marketing, Aurea Software; currently serving as stake president of the Forest Grove Oregon Stake; former bishop, and bishopric member; wife: Beth; six children.
• John W. Lewis, 64, Gilbert, Arizona; president and chief executive officer, East Valley Partnership; currently serving as Sunday School teacher of the Cullumber Ward; former bishop, bishopric member, high councilor, mission president and stake president; wife: LaCinda; eight children.
• Steven D. Shumway, 51, Pinetop, Arizona; currently serving as mission president of the Illinois Chicago Mission; former bishop, bishopric member and stake president; wife: Heidi; four children.
• Gordon L. Treadway, 56, Temecula, California; retired; currently serving as temple ordinance worker of the San Diego California Temple; former bishop, mission president and stake president; wife: Kristi; three children.
• Kyle A. Vest, 47, Amarillo, Texas; financial advisor, Edward Jones; currently serving as Primary activities leader of the Bishop Hills Ward; former bishop, mission president and stake president; wife: Kelli; five children.

Twelfth Quorum (Utah Area)

• Stephen K. Christensen, 65, Farmington, Utah; attorney, Nelson, Christensen, Hollingworth & Williams; currently serving as Sunday School teacher of the Farmington 10th Ward; former bishop, bishopric member, high councilor, mission president and stake president; wife: Marilyn F.; nine children.
• Scott L. Hymas, 60, Kaysville, Utah; chief executive officer, R.C. Willey; currently serving as temple ordinance worker of the Bountiful Utah Temple; former bishop, bishopric member, high councilor, mission president and stake presidency first counselor member; wife: Alison; five children.
• Jason C. Jensen, 52, Lehi, Utah; vice president of enterprise applications, Sunrun; recently released as Primary teacher of the Lehi 43rd Ward; former bishop, bishopric member, high councilor, stake presidency second counselor member and stake president; wife: Camille A.; five children.
• Blaine R. Maxfield, 49, South Jordan, Utah; managing director, Welfare and Self-Reliance Services Department; currently serving as member of the JustServe Steering Committee; former bishop, high councilor and stake president; wife: Jennifer; three children.

General conference: Church names 45 new Area Seventies from 23 countries
Source: Gabriella Pinoys