First Presidency Announces 2021 Area Leadership Assignments

[Download a PDF of the chart.]

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced changes in the Church’s area leadership assignments, which will become effective on August 1. The changes affect the Presidency of the Seventy and area presidencies.

All members of area presidencies are General Authority Seventies or Area Seventies.

There are currently 22 areas in the Church — six that span the United States and Canada, with 16 more outside those two countries.

Beginning in 1984, the Church established areas to direct the work in geographic locations. The area presidencies for the United States and Canada will work from Church headquarters; area presidencies outside of the United States and Canada operate from area offices in each assigned area. The Church’s Middle East/North Africa Area is administered from headquarters.

The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles acts under the direction of the First Presidency “to build up the Church, and regulate all the affairs of the same in all nations. …

“The Seventy are to act in the name of the Lord, under the direction of the Twelve … in building up the Church and regulating all the affairs of the same in all nations” (Doctrine and Covenants 107:33-34).

Presidency of the Seventy

New Members of the Presidency of the Seventy announced April 3, 2021, effective August 1, 2021, are:

• Paul V. Johnson
• S. Mark Palmer

  

                                                                                                                                               Area Presidencies — United States and Canada
 

North America Central
Chi Hong (Sam) Wong First Counselor	S. Gifford Nielsen President	Arnulfo Valenzuela Second Counselor

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North America Northeast
W. Mark Bassett First Counselor	Randall K. Bennett President	Kelly R. Johnson Second Counselor

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North America Southeast
Marcos A. Aidukaitis First Counselor	Vern P. Stanfill President	Matthew S. Holland Second Counselor

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North America Southwest
Kyle S. McKay First Counselor	Paul B. Pieper President	Jose L. Alonso Second Counselor

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North America West
John C. Pingree Jr. First Counselor	Mark A. Bragg President	Valeri V. Cordón Second Counselor

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Utah
Evan A. Schmutz First Counselor	Kevin W. Pearson President	Walter F. González Second Counselor

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Area Presidencies — Outside U.S. and Canada

Africa Central
Matthew L. Carpenter First Counselor	Joseph W. Sitati President	Thierry K. Mutombo Second Counselor
Africa South
Edward Dube First Counselor	Christoffel Golden President	Ciro Schmeil Second Counselor

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Africa West
Larry S. Kacher First Counselor	Hugo E. Martinez President	Jörg Klebingat Second Counselor

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Asia
Peter F. Meurs First Counselor	David P. Homer President	Benjamin M. Z. Tai Second Counselor

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Asia North Area
James R. Rasband First Counselor	Takashi Wada President	John A. McCune Second Counselor

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Brazil
Joni L. Koch First Counselor	Adilson de Paula Parrella President	Juan A. Uceda Second Counselor

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Caribbean
Jorge M. Alvarado First Counselor	Eduardo Gavarret President	Moisés Villanueva Second Counselor

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Central America
Taylor G. Godoy First Counselor	Brian K. Taylor President	Alan R. Walker Second Counselor

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Europe
Erich W. Kopischke First Counselor	Massimo De Feo President	Rubén V. Alliaud Second Counselor

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Europe East
Scott D. Whiting First Counselor	Hans T. Boom President	Kyrylo Pokhylko* Second Counselor

*Area Seventy

Mexico
Hugo Montoya First Counselor	Rafael E. Pino President	Adrián Ochoa Second Counselor

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Middle East/Africa North
Randy D. Funk First Counselor	Anthony D. Perkins President	Jeffrey H. Singer* Second Counselor

 *Area Seventy

Pacific
K. Brett Nattress First Counselor	Ian S. Ardern President	Kazuhiko Yamashita Second Counselor

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Philippines
Steven R. Bangerter First Counselor	Taniela B. Wakolo President	Yoon H. Choi Second Counselor

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South America Northwest
Mathias Held First Counselor	Jorge F. Zeballos President	Jorge T. Becerra Second Counselor

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South America South
Allen D. Haynie First Counselor	Craig C. Christensen President	Joaquin E. Costa Second Counselor