Stokes Sounds Off: Area Leadership Assignments announced for 2015

Search This Blog

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Area Leadership Assignments announced for 2015

The Church has announced area leadership assignments for 2015 that will be effective on August 1, 2015. Last year's assignments were highlighted in the August 2014 Ensign. The changes effective will be highlighted in the August 2015 Ensign. But while we wait for that to happen, I wanted to post about them. I only include in my personal list those seventies who will experience a change in their assignment. There are no changes to report in the Presidency of the Seventy. In August, Ronald A. Rasband will mark 10 years in the Presidency, which is significant, as members of the Presidency of the Seventy typically serve 5-7 years. He marked 5 years as the Senior President of the Seventy over April General Conference weekend, which is likewise significant. None of the Presidency are turning 70 or even close this year.

That said, here are the changes, followed by a couple of comments on them.

First Quorum of the Seventy:
Yoon Hwan Choi (who completes a two-year assignment as president of the Seattle Washington Mission in July) will be the new Second Counselor in the Asia North Area.
Edward Dube will be released as Second Counselor in the Africa West Area.
Larry J. Echo Hawk will be released as Second Counselor in the Philippines Area.
David F. Evans will be the new Second Counselor in the Africa West Area.
Carlos A. Godoy will be the new Second Counselor in the South America Northwest Area.
C. Scott Grow will be released as Second Counselor in the South America Northwest Area.
Allen D. Haynie will be the new Second Counselor in the Philippines Area.
Paul V. Johnson will be the new First Counselor in the Europe Area.
Patrick Kearon, the former First Counselor in the Europe Area, will be the new President.  
Jörg Klebingat, the former Second Counselor in the Europe East Area, will be the new First Counselor.
Michael T. Ringwood will be released as President of the Asia North Area.
Jose A. Teixeira will be released as President of the Europe Area and will be the new Second Counselor in the South America South Area.
Francisco J. Viñas, the former Second Counselor in the South America South Area, will be the new First Counselor.
Scott D. Whiting, the former Second Counselor in the Asia North Area, will be the new President.
Kazuhiko Yamashita (who completes a two-year assignment as president of the Japan Nagoya Mission in July) will be the new First Counselor in the Asia North Area.
Jorge F. Zeballos will be released as First Counselor in the South America South Area.

Second Quorum of the Seventy:
Wilford W. Andersen will be a new Co-Supervisor in the Middle East/Africa North Area.
Koichi Aoyagi will be released as First Counselor in the Asia North Area.
Randall K. Bennett will be released as First Counselor in the Europe East Area.
Bruce A. Carlson will be released as Co-Supervisor in the Middle East/Africa North Area.
Larry S. Kacher will be released as Co-Supervisor of the Middle East/Africa North Area and will be the new Second Counselor in the Europe East Area.
Larry R. Lawrence will be a new Co-Supervisor in the Middle East/Africa North Area.

A couple of comments on this.  There will be a likely reshuffle at Church headquarters. Elder David F. Evans, who will take an assignment as Second Counselor in the Africa West Area, currently serves as Executive Director of the Church Missionary Department. Elder Paul V. Johnson, who will take an assignment as First Counselor in the Europe Area, currently serves as the Commissioner of Church Education. In my early predictions for next conference, I predicted that Elder Wilford W. Andersen, who will take an assignment as Co-Supervisor in the Middle East/Africa North Area, would be released from the Second Quorum of the Seventy in October, along with the others who had been called to that quorum in 2009. I guess I was wrong. At least about Elder Andersen. So there you have it. Area Leadership Assignments for 2015. More to come in the next post.

No comments:

Post a Comment

In addition to my life-long love for the subjects which I cover in the posts of this blog, I have long held the belief that we can disagree without becoming disagreeable. Differences of opinion are natural, while being disagreeable in expressing those differences is not. And in that sense, I have no desire to close the door on anyone who earnestly desires to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on subjects covered in the posts on this blog.

At the same time, however, I recognize that we live in a time when incivility, discourtesy, unkindness, and even cyber-bullying has regrettably become part of online interactions. With that in mind, while anyone who wishes can comment on anything if they choose to do so, I hereby reserve the right to immediately delete any comments which are critical, unkind, lack civility, or promote prodcuts, services, and values contrary to either the Church, or to the rules of online etiquette.

I'd also like to remind all who comment here that I try to respond personally to each individual comment as I feel is appropriate. Such replies are not meant to end the conversation, but to acknowledge earnest feedback as it is submitted.

And in order to better preserve the spirit and pure intentions for which this blog was established, I also hereby request that anyone not commenting with a regular user name (particularly those whose comments appear under the "Unknown" or "Anonymous" monikers, give the rest of us a name to work with in addressing any replies. If such individuals do not wish to disclose their actual given names, a pseudonym or nickname would suffice.

Any comments made by individuals who opt to not give a name by which they can ber identified may, depending on the substance and tone of such comments, be subject to deletion as well. I would respectfully ask that all of us do all we can to keep the dialogue positive, polite, and without malice or ill-will. May the Lord bless us all in our discussion of these important matters.