New Area Leaders Assigned

Visit news.lds.org for more Church news and events.

The First Presidency has announced changes in area leadership assignments, effective on August 1, 2014. All members of Area Presidencies are members of the First or Second Quorum of the Seventy.

The Seventy are called by revelation, under the direction of the First Presidency, to assist the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in their ministry throughout the world.

“The history of the Seventies really goes back to the Old Testament,” said President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.¹ The first reference to the Seventy is found in Exodus 24:1, and they are later referred to in Numbers 11:16–17, 25, when they are gathered to assist Moses.

During Christ’s mortal ministry, He called the Seventy, instructed them in a manner similar to the Twelve Apostles, and sent them out “before his face,” explaining that those who heard their voices would hear His voice (see Matthew 10:1, 16–17; Luke 10).

“We believe in the same organization that existed in the primitive Church,” President Packer said. “And it included Seventies.” (See Articles of Faith 1:6.) In today’s rapidly growing Church, the Seventy play an important role in assisting the Twelve. “Seventies by delegation can do anything the Twelve tell them to do,” President Packer said.²

Presidency of the Seventy

Ronald A. Rasband

Assists in all areas

L. Whitney Clayton

Utah North

Utah Salt Lake City

Utah South

Donald L. Hallstrom

North America Northeast

Richard J. Maynes

North America Northwest

North America West

Craig C. Christensen

Paul B. Pieper

First Counselor

Benjamín De Hoyos

President

Jorge F. Zeballos

First Counselor

Walter F. González

President

Francisco J. Viñas

Second Counselor