News Release

New mission presidents are called to serve

The new mission presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints received training and instruction from general Church leaders at the missionary leadership seminar held June 23–25, 2019, at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. The seminar marked the beginning of a three-year assignment for 164 couples who serve as new missionary leaders in various parts of the world.

President Russell M. Nelson, during his welcome words to new mission presidents, said "Our missionaries collectively constitute the soul of the next generation," he added, "the day will come when they will sit in chairs that we now occupy. They are the future leaders of the Church. Please persuade them to become devoted disciples of the Lord."

The new mission presidents who begin their service on July 1st are:

             

Benjamin and Hilda Poóu

Guatemala Cobán Mission

Benjamin Poóu, 45, and Hilda Poóu. They have five children. They are from Barrio Cobán 2, of Cobán Guatemala Stake. Called to serve in Guatemala Cobán Mission, replacing President Carlos A. Faundez Maureira and Sister Teresa Riquelme Faundez. Brother Poóu was a mission presidency counselor and director of Public Affairs in Cobán. He previously served as a counselor in the stake presidency, Bishop, member of the High Council, institute teacher, and missionary in Honduras Tegucigalpa mission. He was born in Senahu, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, son of José Herculano Poóu Choc and Margarita Alva Yat.

Sister Poóu was a counselor in the stake Relief Society presidency and previously served as a ward Young Women president, a counselor in the ward Primary presidency, and a Relief Society teacher. She was born in Finca El Volcán, Senahú, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, the daughter of Chiquín Cabnal and Cecilia Bac de Chiquín.

            

Timothy and Paula Barney

Antigua Guatemala Mission

Timothy L. Barney, 51, and Paula A. Barney. They have four children. They're from the Valley View 9 Ward of Salt Lake Holladay North Stake. Called to serve in the Guatemala Antigua mission (recently created mission). Brother Barney was a counselor in stake presidency and previously served as a bishop, high council member, bishopric counselor, Young Men president, and missionary in the Chile Santiago Sur Mission. He was born in Provo, Utah, son of Lawrence Hall Barney and Erlene Child Barney.

Sister Barney was a counselor in ward Relief Society presidency and previously served as a ward Primary president, counselor in ward Young Women presidency, and a missionary in the Netherlands Amsterdam Mission. She was born in Salt Lake City, daughter of Parry A. Peterson and Lavon Wright Peterson.

           

Frank and Linda Parker

Guatemala Retalhuleu Mission

Frank B. Parker, 62, and Linda Parker. They have five children. They're from the Cordata Park Ward of the Huntington Beach California Stake. Called to serve in the Guatemala Retalhuleu mission, replacing President Matthew M. Goodman and Sister Kay A. Goodman. Brother Parker was a counselor in mission presidency and a temple worker. He previously served as a stake president, counselor in stake presidency, bishop, and missionary in Costa Rica San Jose Mission. Parker was born in Salt Lake City, the son of Richard Arnold Parker and Helen Barton Parker.

Sister Parker was a counselor in ward Primary presidency and previously served as a ward Young Women president, Relief Society counselor, ward Primary counselor, and Young Women teacher. She was born in Wichita, Kansas, the daughter of Catherine Marie Kirby and Calvin Clarke Kirby.

          

Francisco and Lucretia Dubón

San Salvador West/Belize Mission

J. Francisco Dubón Valdez, 50, and Lucrecia Piedrasanta de Dubón. They have three children. They're from the Arrazola Ward, from the Don Justo Guatemala City Stake. Called to serve in San Salvador West/Belize mission, replacing President Eric M. Adams and Sister Cheri L. Adams. Brother Dubón has served as stake president, stake Young Men president, bishop, branch president, bishopric counselor, SOY director, and missionary on Guatemala Quetzaltenango mission. He was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala, son of Adam Dubón Paredes and Amada Elizabeth Valdez.

Sister Dubón served as stake Young Women president, ward Young Women president, ward Primary president, Relief Society and Ward Primary Counselor, Young Single Adult Counselor, Ward Primary Counselor, Director SOY and missionary in Guatemala City of Guatemala South mission. She was born in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, daughter of Adalberto Piedrasanta Méndez and Irma Yolanda De León Ochoa.

         

Eduardo and Ana María Mora

Mission San Pedro Sula East

Eduardo R. Mora Villalobos, 46, and Ana María Segura de Mora. They have three children. They are from Gravillas Ward, from the San José Costa Rica La Paz Stake. Called to serve Mission San Pedro Sula East, replacing President Rex T. Carlisle Jr. and Sister Susan Carlisle. Brother Mora served as a stake president and counselor in stake presidency, bishop, high council member, ward Young Men president, seminary teacher, and missionary in the El Salvador San Salvador mission. He was born in San José, Costa Rica, son of Eduardo Mora González and Froilana Villalobos Ménez.

Sister Mora served as a high school teacher and counselor in the stake Relief Society presidency, ward Young Women president, ward Primary president, and seminary teacher. She was born in San Isidro del General, Costa Rica, the daughter of Marjorie Segura Navarro.

        

Gustavo and Videlmina Cristales

Mission San Pedro Sula West

Gustavo A. Cristales, 53, and Videlmina Cristales. They have four children. They are from Monte María ward, from Guatemala City Mariscal Stake. Called to serve in the mission San Pedro Sula Oeste, replacing President Douglas R. Bush and Sister Ann Bush. Brother Cristales served as president of Elders Cuorum and institute teacher. He previously served as a stake president, stake presidency counselor, bishop, and missionary on the Colombia Barranquilla mission. He was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala, son of Miguel Angel Cristales López and Nicolaza Archila Carranza.

Sister Cristales served as a stake Primary president and previously served as a ward Primary president, ward Relief Society counselor, and counselor in ward Young Women presidency, director of a history center family, seminary teacher, and Sunday School teacher. She was born in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala, daughter of Arturo Pimentel and María Celeste Cobaquil García.

       

Rodrigo and Maritza Soto

Nicaragua Managua Norte Mission

Rodrigo B. Soto Bolaños, 55, and Maritza Muñoz de Soto. They have five children. They're from the La Victoria Ward, from the Liberia Costa Rica Stake. Called to serve in the Nicaragua Managua North Mission, replacing President Sergio A. Poncio Alvarez and Sister Jessica L. Calderón de Poncio. Brother Soto was a counselor in stake presidency and previously served as a stake president, bishop, mission presidency counselor, director of public affairs, and missionary on the Honduras mission. He was born in San José, Costa Rica, son of Rodrigo Alvaro Soto Coto and Dinorah Bolaños Badilla.

Sister Soto was a counselor in the stake Primary presidency. She previously served as Primary president, Young Women, and ward Relief Society, and seminary and institute teacher. Born in San José, Costa Rica, daughter of Juan Evangelista Muñoz Chaves and Glady Virginia González Hernández.

      

Gary and Jana Garrett

Panama Panama City Mission

Gary B. Garrett, 60, and Jana L. Garrett. They have five children. They're from the 5th Pleasant View Ward of the Provo Utah Sharon East Stake. Called to serve in the Panama Panama City mission, replacing President William F. Current and Sister Susan Current. Brother Garrett served as a counselor in mission presidency, counselor in stake presidency, bishop, member of the High Council, and missionary on Peru Lima Norte mission. Garrett was born in Salt Lake City, son of Max Harold Garrett and Maxime Jacobs Garrett.

Sister Garrett was a member of the Temple Square Tabernacle Choir and previously served as a ward Young Women president, counselor in the Primary presidency, and ward Young Women, and was a missionary on the Germany Munich mission. Dewey was born in St. Louis, Missouri, the daughter of Donald Richard Dewey and Patricia Ann Dewey.

     

Valeri and Glenda Cordón

Mission California, Los Angeles

Valeri V. Cordón, 49, and Glenda Cordón. They have three daughters. They are from Concepción Ward, from San José Costa Rica Los Yoses Stake. Called to serve in mission California, Los Angeles, replacing President Robert M. Haynie and Sister Ruth E. Haynie. Elder Cordón is a General Authority Seventy and previously served as an Area Seventy, stake president, bishop, member of High Council, seminary teacher, and missionary in El Salvador mission. He was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala, son of Ovidio Cordón and Ema María Orellana.

Sister Cordón was a stake self-reliance specialist and previously served as a counselor in the stake Young Women presidency, stake job specialist, Young Women president, and ward Relief Society, counselor in Young ward women and seminary teacher. She was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala, daughter of Ronald Mackinley Zea and Irma Julieta Díaz.

    

Jared and Jessica Ocampo

Texas McAllen Mission

Jared R. Ocampo, 44, and Jessica Galindo Ocampo. They have four children. They're from the Arrazola ward, from Don Justo Guatemala City Stake. Called to serve Texas McAllen Mission, replacing President José S. Torres Caballero and Sister Vicky A. Godoy de Torres. Brother Ocampo was a ward Young Men president and previously served as an Area Seventy, stake president, stake Young Men president, member of High Council, elders Quorum president, and missionary in Chile Santiago mission. Reyes was born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, son of Roberto Ocampo Reyes and Argentina Martínez.

Sister Ocampo was a counselor in stake Relief Society presidency and seminary teacher. She previously served as a stake Primary president, counselor in the Primary presidency and stake Relief Society, ward Primary president, and missionary in Mission San Salvador El Salvador Este. She was born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, daughter of Gonzalo Galindo Galo and Anna Bessy Flores Milla.

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