The calling of Stanley M. and Mary Ellen Wood Smoot of Centerville, Utah, to serve as directors of hosting for the Church has been announced by the First Presidency.
They succeed W. Boyd and Jean Christensen, who have had the Church-service calling for the past five years.As hosting directors, the Smoots serve in the Public Affairs Department of the Church. They oversee several other volunteer couples in providing hosting services to leaders of governments, education, business, industry, religious denominations and other organizations who visit Church headquarters from throughout the world.
They also are in charge of hosting dignitaries at general conferences and the Sunday broadcasts of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and they oversee a corps of hostesses who conduct tours for visitors to the Church Office Building.
Brother Smoot is in the real estate and property development business. He is a former Davis County commissioner and has served as president of the Utah and national associations of counties. He attended Utah State University and is a graduate of the University of Utah. He has served as a regional representative, mission president, stake president and bishop, and a member of the Aaronic Priesthood Young Men General Board. In addition, he and his wife have been volunteer Church hosts for the past six years.
Sister Smoot was reared in Davis County and has studied at Utah State University, the University of Utah Extension School and the Davis Vocational School. She has served on the Davis County Mental Health and United Way boards, and has been involved in parent-teachers associations. She also was the organizer of the Centerville Historical Society. She has served as ward Primary, Young Women and Relief Society president, and on the editorial board of the Friend magazine. She also has served on a Church writing committee, has written for her hometown newspaper and is the author of a book on the history of Centerville.
The Smoots are parents of seven children.
