Six new mission presidents have been called by the First Presidency. They and their wives will begin their service about July 1. The new mission presidents are:
Bruce M. Ballard, 59, Maryland Baltimore Mission; Foothill Ward, Arcadia California Stake; first counselor in stake presidency; former high councilor, stake Young Men president, bishop and counselor, Scoutmaster, elders quorum president, and priests quorum adviser; physician; attended UCLA and BYU, and received medical degree from UCLA; born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Louis McNeil and Jasmine Parry Ballard; married Barbara Covey, three children. She is stake Relief Society president; former stake Young Women president, counselor in stake Primary presidency, ward Relief Society president and counselor, Mia Maid adviser, Laurel adviser, ward YWMIA president; received bachelor's degree from BYU; born in Pasadena, Calif., to William Lindsey and Madeline Eva Nott Covey.Juan R. Fajardo, 60, Colombia Bogota Mission; Kendall Ward, South Miami Florida Stake; high councilor; former counselor in stake presidency, bishop, branch president and counselor, high priests group leader, and Sunday School president; alterations department manager; born in Chiquimula, Guatemala, to Felipe Cerritos and Bertila Fajardo; married Honoria E. Recinos, four children. She is a former Relief Society president and counselor, counselor in Primary presidency, Relief Society teacher, visiting teaching supervisor, Sunday School teacher, and ward librarian; born in Quezaltepeque, Guatemala, to Gilberto and Braulia Rosas Recinos.
Floyd H. Gowans, 64, California Santa Rosa Mission; Twenty Ninth Ward, Salt Lake Riverside Stake; recently returned missionary from the New Zealand Auckland Mission; former regional representative, stake president and counselor, bishop, and Sunday School teacher; retired circuit court judge; received bachelor's degree from BYU and juris doctorate from the University of Utah; born in Tooele, Utah, to Floyd De La Mare and Rachel Hill Gowans; married Shannon Hepworth, eight children. She is a recently returned missionary from the New Zealand Auckland Mission; former counselor in stake Young Women presidency, name extraction program worker, Young Women president, Relief Society president and counselor, Primary president, activities committee chairman, and Primary teacher; attended BYU; born in Brigham City, Utah, to George William and Sarah Phyllis Smurthwaite Hepworth.
Charles K. Hinds, 50, Dominican Republic Santo Domingo East Mission; Rexburg 6th Ward, Rexburg Idaho East Stake; Sunday School president; former high councilor, bishop, Young Men president, Sunday School teacher, priests quorum adviser, and assistant Scoutmaster; chairman of the Department of Family Science at Ricks College; received bachelor's and master's degrees from BYU; born in Lawton, Okla., to Robert Kermit and Alma Charlene Owens Hinds; married Melba Lois Johnson, three children. She is a Primary teacher; former Primary president, Relief Society homemaking counselor, Relief Society spiritual living teacher, Relief Society cultural refinement teacher, Cub Scout den leader, Sunday School teacher, and Primary inservice leader; received associate degree from Ricks College and attended BYU; born in Henrieville, Utah, to Sixtus Ellis and Edith Arvella Clifford Johnson.
Ben E. Rawlings, 66, Missouri Independence Mission; Parleys 1st Ward, Salt Lake Parleys Stake; counselor in stake presidency; former YMMIA general board member, stake YMMIA superintendent, high councilor, bishop, Aaronic Priesthood adviser, Sunday School teacher, and high priests group instructor; attorney; received juris doctorate from the University of Utah; born in Preston, Idaho, to Henry H. and Theresa Helen Sorensen Rawlings; married Mary Lou Madsen, seven children. She is former director of hosting at the Church Office Building and Joseph Smith Memorial Building, hostess at the Church Office Building, counselor in stake Relief Society presidency, ward Relief Society president, ward Primary president, Relief Society teacher, Primary teacher, and YWMIA teacher; received bachelor's degree from the University of Utah; born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Francis Armstrong and Louise Wallace Madsen.
Expedicto J. Saraiva, 56, Brazil Belo Horizonte Mission; Vila Ema Ward, San Jose Dos Campos Brazil Stake; counselor in mission presidency and temple worker; former high councilor, stake public communications specialist, counselor in district presidency, elders quorum president, and branch president and counselor; works in armor maintenance in Brazilian Air Force; born in Don Silverio, Brazil, to Jose Antonio and Sebastiana Dos Passos Saraiva; married Ignez Zanfra, four children. She is a temple worker; former counselor in stake Relief Society presidency, ward Relief Society president and counselor, ward Primary president, Sunday School teacher, Relief Society teacher, and Young Women teacher; born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to Aldo and Hilda Ferreira Zanfra.
