2019 Mission Presidents Called to Angola, Ecuador, Paraguay, and More
The First Presidency has called 164 new mission presidents and companions who will begin service in July 2019.
The following new mission presidents and their wives have been called by the First Presidency. They will begin their service in July of 2019. Biographies of other mission presidency couples will be published throughout 2019 on news.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. (See other published biographies.)
Bobbi Jo and Gary E. Beck
New Hampshire Manchester Mission
Gary E. Beck, 57, and Bobbi Jo Beck, five children, Richfield 2nd Ward, Richfield Utah East Stake: New Hampshire Manchester Mission, succeeding President Thomas J. Blair and Sister Heather B. Blair. Brother Beck is a former stake presidency counselor, bishop, bishopric counselor, elders quorum presidency counselor, ward Young Men president, and missionary in the Alabama Birmingham Mission. He was born in American Fork, Utah, to Joseph Paul Beck and June Strong Beck.
Sister Beck is a former ward Primary and Young Women president, ward Relief Society presidency counselor, Young Women adviser, gospel doctrine instructor, and temple worker. She was born in Salt Lake City to Robert Lovell Mendenhall and Phyllis Marie Kaiser Mendenhall.
W. David and Dodie Blake
México México City West Mission
W. David Blake, 64, and Dodie Blake, four children, Hermann Park Ward, Houston Texas Stake: México México City West Mission, succeeding President Carl D. Grossen and Sister Dana B. Grossen.
Brother Blake is a Texas Houston South Mission presidency counselor and a former stake presidency counselor, bishop, high councilor, ward Young Men president, seminary teacher, and missionary in the Bolivia La Paz Mission. He was born in Syracuse, New York, to Warren Ernest Blake and Audrey Beryl Abbott.
Sister Blake is a former stake self-reliance specialist, stake Young Women presidency counselor, ward Primary and Relief Society president, Relief Society and Sunday School teacher, and missionary in the Perú Lima North Mission. She was born in Los Angeles, California, to John Redd Vidmar and Doris Marilyn Neely Vidmar.
Jorge Antonio and Moraima J. Chacón
Ecuador Quito North Mission
Jorge Antonio Chacón, 61, and Moraima J. Chacón, eight children, Aspen 7th Ward (Spanish), Orem Utah Aspen Stake: Ecuador Quito North Mission, succeeding President Blake P. Murphy and Sister Dana M. Murphy.
Brother Chacón is a stake Sunday School president and a former stake president, mission presidency counselor, bishop, bishopric counselor, and stake executive secretary. He was born in Caracas, Venezuela, to Jorge Chacón Sanchez and Carmen Amalia Angulo.
Sister Chacón is a former stake Relief Society presidency counselor, ward Relief Society and Young Women president, ward Primary and Young Women presidency counselor, and Sunday School teacher. She was born in Caracas, Venezuela, to Genaro Ramon Ramos and Amanda Josefina Monasterio.
R. Kipp and Donna S. Craig
Philippines Cauayan Mission
R. Kipp Craig, 56, and Donna S. Craig, three children, Sundance Ward, Calgary Alberta Fish Creek Stake: Philippines Cauayan Mission, succeeding President C. Russell Hiatt and Sister Sulet Hiatt.
Brother Craig is a former stake president, mission presidency counselor, bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor, stake mission president, ward mission leader, and missionary in the Philippines Baguio Mission. He was born in Pincher Creek, Alberta, Canada, to Noble John Craig Jr. and Nona Erma Nelson.
Sister Craig is a temple ordinance worker and a former ward Primary and Young Women president, ward Relief Society presidency counselor, ward Primary secretary, and Sunday School teacher. She was born in Drumheller, Alberta, Canada, to Robert Blake Hoy and Margaret Rose Urch Hoy.
M. Jeffrey and Nan J. Lemmon
Colombia Barranquilla Mission
M. Jeffrey Lemmon, 57, and Nan J. Lemmon, one child, Monterey 2nd Ward, Monterey California Stake: Colombia Barranquilla Mission, succeeding President John J. Gallego and Sister Patricia Gallego.
Brother Lemmon is a mission presidency counselor and a former Sunday School teacher, ward Young Men president, stake presidency counselor, bishop, bishopric counselor, and missionary in the Uruguay Montevideo Mission. He was born in Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, to Robert H Lemmon and Patricia Helene Walker Lemmon.
Sister Lemmon is a former stake seminary supervisor, ward Relief Society president, ward Young Women and Primary presidency counselor, seminary and institute teacher, and Relief Society teacher. She was born in Newton, Massachusetts, to Arfon Harry Jones and Maxine Anne Jones.
Richard L. and Julie Ann Millett
Paraguay Asunción North Mission
Richard L. Millett Jr., 58, and Julie Ann Millett, six children, Greenwood Village Ward, Denver Colorado Stake: Paraguay Asunción North Mission, succeeding President Michael J. Evans and Sister Charlene Evans.
Brother Millett is a former stake president, stake presidency counselor, bishop, elders quorum president, Young Men adviser, seminary teacher, and missionary in the Argentina Rosario Mission. He was born in Mesa, Arizona, to Richard Leonard Millett and Denna Jean Phelps Millett.
Sister Millett is a former ward Primary and Relief Society presidency counselor, seminary teacher, scouting committee chair, Cub Scout leader, and Relief Society and Primary teacher. She was born in San Diego, California, to Ray Allen Whitlock and Norma Jane Whitlock.
Luis A. and Ruth Pinto
Angola Luanda Mission
Luis A. Pinto, 59, and Ruth Pinto, three children, Jundiaí Mirim Ward, Jundiaí Brazil Represa Stake: Angola Luanda Mission, succeeding President Denelson Silva and Sister Regina Maria Silva.
Brother Pinto is a bishop and a former stake president, stake presidency counselor, bishop, stake young single adult representative, and missionary in the Portugal Lisbon Mission. He was born in Jardinópolis, Brazil, to Antero Dias Pinto and Maria Odete Costa Pinto.
Sister Pinto is a ward Relief Society presidency counselor and a former stake Primary presidency counselor; ward Relief Society, Young Women, and Primary president; and missionary in the Brazil Porto Alegre Mission. She was born in Dourados, Brazil, to Francisco Pereira Da Silva and Astronilha Souza.
Andres Villegas Hurtado and
Sandra Escobar de Villegas
Perú Lima West Mission
Andres Villegas Hurtado, 50, and Sandra Escobar de Villegas, two children, Jamundi Ward, Cali Colombia San Fernando Stake: Perú Lima West Mission, succeeding President Colin C. Stauffer and Sister Michelle L. Stauffer.
Brother Villegas is a former executive secretary to an Area Seventy and Coordinating Council, mission presidency counselor, stake and ward Sunday School president, stake Young Men presidency counselor, and bishop. He was born in Cali, Valle, Colombia, to Gustavo Antonio Villegas Valderrama and Mercedes Hurtado Fajardo.
Sister Villegas is a former ward Relief Society and Primary president, ward Relief Society and Young Women presidency counselor, and seminary teacher. She was born in Pereira, Risaralda, Colombia, to Jorge Julio Escobar Vidal and Carlota Castro de Escobar.
