First Presidency Announces 2022 Area Leadership Assignments

Area leadership assignments have been announced by the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The changes affect area presidencies and will become effective on August 1, 2022, with the exception of Europe Central, Europe East and Europe North, which are effective immediately.

Members of area presidencies are General Authority Seventies or Area Seventies. Area presidencies consist of a president and two counselors who operate from area offices in each assigned area.

View or Download a PDF of Area Presidencies effective August 1, 2022

These changes mean there will be 23 areas in the Church of Jesus Christ – six that span the United States and Canada and 17 additional areas outside of those two countries, including a new Europe North Area and the Europe Central Area, which will together help supervise an area with a large number of stakes, missions and languages in the region.

The three Europe areas will be as follows:

Europe Central

Europe East

Europe North

*Location of the Area office

At this time, Ukraine and Moldova will be separate and overseen by Elder Kyrylo Pokhylko in his role as an Assistant to the Europe North Area Presidency.

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

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Europe East
Nikolai Ustyuzhaninov* First Counselor	Alexey V. Samaykin* President	Aleksandr A. Drachyov* Second Counselor

*Area Seventy

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Europe North
Scott D. Whiting First Counselor	Hans T. Boom President	Alan T. Phillips* Second Counselor

Kyrylo Pokhylko* Assistant to the Area Presidency

*Area Seventy

Beginning in 1984, areas were established to direct the work in geographic locations of the global Church. The area presidencies for the U.S. and Canada will work from Church headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Church’s Middle East/Africa North Area is administered from headquarters.

“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” (see Doctrine and Covenants 107:34).
 

New Mission, Another Reinstated

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is creating a new mission in Spain. The Spain Madrid North Mission will include areas from the existing Spain Madrid and Spain Barcelona Missions.

The England Bristol Mission will be reinstated, from the England Birmingham and England London Missions. The boundaries of the England Leeds Mission will also be realigned with these changes.

Kevin E. and Janine D. Gallacher (currently serving in the England Birmingham Mission since July 2021) will be reassigned to the England Bristol Mission. Adam and Heather West will assume leadership of the England Birmingham Mission. Christopher L. and Trista S. Eastland will lead the Spain Madrid North Mission.

These changes will take effect in early July, and there will be a total of 411 missions worldwide.

Presidency of the Seventy

There are no changes in the Presidency of the Seventy. The presidency has been serving together since August 2021. 

                                                                                                                                               Area Presidencies — United States and Canada

View or download PDF

North America Central
Arnulfo Valenzuela First Counselor	Chi Hong (Sam) Wong President	Randall K. Bennett Second Counselor

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North America Northeast
W. Mark Bassett First Counselor	Allen D. Haynie President	Vaiangina Sikahema Second Counselor

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North America Southeast
Matthew S. Holland First Counselor	Vern P. Stanfill President	Shayne M. Bowen Second Counselor

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North America Southwest
Jose L. Alonso First Counselor	Paul B. Pieper President	Michael A. Dunn Second Counselor

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North America West
Valeri V. Cordón First Counselor	Mark A. Bragg President	Gary B. Sabin Second Counselor

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Utah
Evan A. Schmutz First Counselor	Kevin W. Pearson President	Hugo E. Martinez Second Counselor

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Area Presidencies — Outside U.S. and Canada

Africa Central
Thierry K. Mutombo First Counselor	Matthew L. Carpenter President	Ian S. Ardern Second Counselor
Africa South
Marcos A. Aidukaitis First Counselor	Edward Dube President	Denelson Silva Second Counselor

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Africa West
Jörg Klebingat First Counselor	S. Gifford Nielsen President	Alfred Kyungu Second Counselor

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Asia
Benjamin M. Z. Tai First Counselor	David P. Homer President	Kelly R. Johnson 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	Patricio M. Giuffra Second Counselor

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Mexico
Adrián Ochoa First Counselor	Hugo Montoya President	Sean Douglas Second Counselor

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Middle East/Africa North
Alvin F. Meredith III First Counselor	Anthony D. Perkins President	Roland J. Bäck* Second Counselor

 *Area Seventy

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Pacific
Peter F. Meurs First Counselor	K. Brett Nattress President	Taniela B. Wakolo Second Counselor

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Philippines
Yoon Hwan Choi First Counselor	Steven R. Bangerter President	Carlos G. Revillo Jr. Second Counselor

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South America Northwest
Jorge T. Becerra First Counselor	Jorge F. Zeballos President	Rafael E. Pino Second Counselor

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South America South
Joaquin E. Costa First Counselor	Craig C. Christensen President	Alan R. Walker Second Counselor