Salt Lake City, USA - Ten new LDS general authorities and 41 Area Seventies were sustained during the Saturday afternoon session of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' 181st annual general conference.
Serving under the direction of the First Presidency — who announced Saturday's callings — and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, members of the Seventy have responsibility for administering the work of the church throughout the world. Some also have executive responsibilities in various church departments.
Members of the First Quorum of the Seventy usually serve to age 70.
Seven new members sustained to the First Quorum of the Seventy included one current general authority serving in the Second Quorum of the Seventy. They include:
Elder Jose L. Alonso, 52, was serving as a member of the Fourth Quorum of the Seventy in the Mexico Area and is a former president of the Mexico Tijuana Mission. In addition to his medical career, he also served as an institute director with the Church Educational System. He and his wife, Rebeca Salazar Alonso, are the parents of two children and reside in Mexico City.
Elder Ian S. Ardern, 57, was serving as a member of the Eighth Quorum of the Seventy in the Pacific Area and is a former president of the Fiji Suva Mission. His education career has included many CES positions such as principal of the Church College of New Zealand, and Pacific Area director. He and his wife, Paula Ann Judd Ardern, are the parents of four children and reside in Hamilton, New Zealand.
Elder Don R. Clarke, 65, was serving as a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy and is a former president of the Bolivia Santa Cruz Mission. His career included senior executive positions and CEO in several companies. He and his wife, Mary Anne Jackson Clarke, are parents of six children.
Elder Carl B. Cook, 53, was serving as a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy in the Utah North Area and is a former president of the New Zealand Auckland Mission. He worked for a global document management and technology company and later in real estate development. He and his wife, Lynette Hansen Cooke, are the parents of five children and reside in Liberty, Weber County.
Elder LeGrand R. Curtis Jr., 58, was serving as a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy in the Utah Salt Lake City Area and is a former president of the Italy Padova Mision. His career includes work as an attorney and partner in a major law firm. He and his wife, Jane Cowan Curtis, are the parents of five children and reside in Salt Lake City.
Elder W. Christopher Waddell, 51, was serving as a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy in the North America West Area and is former president of the Barcelona Spain Mission. He has served in many positions in a global investment services firm. He and his wife, Carol Stansel Waddell, are the parents of four children and reside in San Diego.
Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita, 57, has served previous as an Area Seventy. His career includes that of instructor and professor at various universities, and he served in numerous scientific, community, and sports organizations. He and his wife, Tazuko Yamashita, have six children and reside in Fukuoka, Japan.
The four new members of the Second Quorum of the Seventy include:
Elder Randall K. Bennett, 55, is a former president of the Russia Samara Mission and has had a career in dentistry and orthodontics. He and his wife, Shelley Dianne Watchman Bennett, are the parents of four children and reside in North Salt Lake.
Elder J. Devn Cornish, 59, was serving as a member of the Sixth Quorum of the Seventy in the North America Southeast Area and is a former president of the Dominican Republic Santiago Mission. His career included being professor and vice chair for faculty development in the pediatric department at Emory University School of Medicine. He and his wife, Elaine Simmons Cornish, are the parents of six children and reside in Atlanta.
Elder O. Vincent Haleck, 62, was serving as president of the Samoa Apia Mission. He owns a number of businesses in his native Samoa and is involved in philanthropy work. He and his wife, Peggy Ann Cameron Haleck, are the parents of three children and reside in Pago, Pago, American Samoa.
Elder Larry Y. Wilson, 61, is a former Area Seventy who has worked in the finance and healthcare industries in several different capacities. He and his wife, Lynda Mackey WIlson, are the parents of four children and reside in Alamo, Calif.
Called as the new Area Seventies, who give part-time voluntary church service within their assigned geographic areas and support area presidencies in international areas, are Kent J. Allen, 58, Twin Falls, Idaho; Stephen B. Allen, 61, West Jordan; Winsor Balderrama, 34, Cochabamba, Bolivia; R. Randall Bluth, 53, Prairieville, La.; Hans T. Boom, 47, Tilburg, The Netherlands; Patrick M. Boutoille, 48, Wimereux, France; Marcelo F. Chappe, 43, Montevideo, Uruguay; Eleazer S. Collado, 49, Manila, Philippines; Jeffrey D. Cummings, 55, Springwood, Australia; Nicolas L. Di Giovanni, 52, Asuncion, Paraguay.
Also, Jorge S. Dominguez, 44, Santiago, Dominican Republic; Gary B. Doxey, 54, Pleasant Grove; David G. Fernandes, 46, Fortaleza, Brazil; Hernan D. Ferreira, 43, Concepcion, Chile; Ricardo P. Gimenez, 39, Antofagasta, Chile; Allen D. Haynie, 52, Escondido, Calif.; Douglas F. Higham, 60, Mission Viejo, Calif.; Robert W. Hymas, 52, Lexington, Ky.; Lester F. Johnson, 56, Casas Grandes, Mexico; Matti T. Jouttenus, 58, Viala, Finland.
Also, Chang Ho Kim, 50, Seoul, South Korea; Alfred Kyungu, 44, Kinshasa, Congo; Remegio E. Meim, 44, Metro-Manila, Philippines; Ismael Mendoza, 55, Pachuca, Mexico; Cesar A. Morales, 50, Guatemala City; Rulon D. Munns, 61, Windermere, Fla.; Ramon C. Nobleza, 46, Occidental, Philippines; Abenir V. Pajaro, 47, Cavite, Philippines; Gary B. Porter, 60, Centerville; Jose L. Reina, 46, Madrid, Spain.
Also, Esteban G. Resek, 45, Mendoza, Argentina; George F. Rhodes Jr., 63, Fort Collins, Colo.; Lynn L. Summerhays, 62, Farmington; Craig B. Terry, 59, American Fork; David J. Thomson, 50, Hamilton, New Zealand; Ernesto R. Toris, 48, Mexico City; Arnulfo Valenzuela, 51, Chihuahua, Mexico; Ricardo Valladares, 52, Tegucigalpa, Honduras; Fabian I. Vallejo, 43, Quito, Ecuador; Emer Villalobos, 39, Tlalnepantla, Mexico; Terry L. Wade, 55, St. George.
Releases to be effective May 1 were announced for 36 Area Seventies, including: Jose L. Alonso, Nelson L. Altamirano, John S. Anderson, Ian Ardern, Sergio E. Avila, David R. Brown, D. Fraser Bullock, Donald J. Butler, Vladimiro J. Campero, Daniel M. Cantilde;oles, Carl B. Cook, I. Poloski Cordon, J. Devn Cornish, Federico F. Costales, LeGrand R. Curtis Jr., Heber O. Diaz, Andrew M. Ford.
Also, Julio G. Gaviola, Manuel Gonzalez, Daniel M. Jones, Donald J. Keyes, Domingos S. Linhares, B. Renato Maldonado, Raymundo Morales, J. Michel Paya, Stephen D. Posey, Juan M. Rodriguez, Gerardo L. Rubio, Jay L. Sitterud, Dirk Smibert, Eivind Sterri, Ysrael A. Tolentino, W. Christopher Waddell, and Gary W. Walker.