Eight new mission presidents have been called by the First Presidency. The mission presidents and their wives will begin their service about July 1. Their assignments will be announced later. Here are their names and biographical information:
Linda and Farrell J. Bennett
Farrell J. Bennett, 53, Meridian 15th Ward, Meridian Idaho East Stake; nursery leader; former stake president and counselor, bishop, high councilor, stake mission president, and missionary in California Mission; partner in DBSI Group of companies; attended University of Utah and Weber State College; born in Ogden, Utah, to Eldon H and Elsie Jacobs Bennett; married Linda Welch; six children. She is a nursery leader; former Relief Society teacher, ward family history consultant, stake family history librarian, and ward Relief Society and Young Women president; received bachelor's degree in education and history at University of Utah; born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Charles Jr . and Jane Seare Benson Welch.
Richard James and Dyna DeVries
Richard James DeVries, 44, Ypsilanti Ward, Ann Arbor Michigan Stake; stake president's counselor; former bishop, stake mission president's counselor, ward mission leader, full-time mission president's counselor, stake Young Men president, and missionary in Lima Peru Mission; president of Citizens Bank; received MBA from Central Michigan University; born in St. Joseph, Mich., to John Deon and Barbara Ann Reinking DeVries; married Dyna Bridges; six children. She is a counselor in ward Relief Society presidency, former counselor in ward Relief Society and Primary presidencies, nursery leader, and ward Primary president; attended Central Michigan University; born in Logan, Utah, to Sherwood Elgin and Ann Marie Nielsen Bridges.
Virginia and Duane Arnold Hoem
Duane Arnold Hoem, 64, Elko 1st Ward, Elko Nevada West Stake; teachers quorum adviser; former Primary teacher, high priests group leader, stake president, bishop and ward Young Men president; professor at Great Basin College; received master's degree in psychology at University of Northern Colorado; born in Blair, Wis., to Iver Edwin and Tillie Christina Arneson Hoem; married Virginia Gay Saden; five children. She is a Relief Society teacher, ward organist and family history librarian; former family history center director, choir director, stake Young Women president, ward Relief Society and Primary president, and district Relief Society president; substitute teacher; received associate degree at Great Basin College; born in Reno, Nev., to Clifford Robert and Phyllis Katherine Rossiter Saden.
Sosaia Lehonitai and Fatai Mateaki
Sosaia Lehonitai Mateaki, 52, Ha'akame Ward, Nuku'alofa Tonga Ha'akame Stake; stake president; former stake president's counselor, high councilor, bishop and counselor, and elders quorum president; seminary teacher; received diploma in mechanics at Utah Valley State College; born in Tonga to Sosaia Ng'ungu'tau and Hotaia Tupou Mu'amoholeva Mateaki; married to Fatai Moemanu; five children. She is a Sunday School teacher; former ward Primary president, ward Relief Society president, ward Young Women president, and Primary teacher; born in Tonga to 'Atonio Finau and 'Ana Tupou Iongi Halangahu.
Maria and Reynold Max Mortensen
Reynold Max Mortensen, 61, Patton Ward, St. David Arizona Stake; stake president's counselor; former stake missionary; Aaronic Priesthood quorum adviser, stake president's counselor, bishop and counselor, high priests group leader, stake Young Men president's counselor, and Scoutmaster; pecan farmer; born in El Paso, Texas, to Jesse William and Maria Clara Aldaz Mortensen; married Maria Martin Del Campo; 10 children. She is a counselor in stake Relief Society presidency; former stake missionary, Relief Society teacher, Primary teacher, counselor in stake Young Women presidency, ward Primary and Relief Society president, Sunday School teacher, and missionary in Argentina; hair dresser; attended Cochise College and Phoenix College; born in Tolleson, Ariz., to Miguiel and Eleuteria Perez Avila Martin Del Campo.
Margaret and Edward James Phipps
Edward James Phipps, 57, Morialta Ward, Adelaide Australia Firle Stake; missionary serving with wife in Taiwan Taipei Mission, former high councilor, stake Young Men president, counselor in mission presidency, district president, stake president's counselor, stake mission president; retired chief executive of South Australian Water Corp., received MBA from University of Melbourne; born in Melbourne, Australia, to Francis James and Edna Maisie Williams Phipps; married Margaret Rose Bunney; two children. She is a missionary serving with husband in Taiwan Taipei Mission, former Primary teacher, Sunday School gospel doctrine teacher, Relief Society teacher, stake Primary president, counselor in stake Relief Society presidency, nursery leader and ward Relief Society president; primary school teacher, received diploma of teaching at Geelong Teachers College; born in Casterton, Australia, to Thomas Joseph and Doris Grace Fitzgerald Bunney.
Wilma and Brent Pratt Thomas
Brent Pratt Thomas, 52, Pleasanton 3rd Ward, Pleasanton California Stake; stake Young Men president; former high councilor, bishop, Scoutmaster, ward Young Men president, elders quorum president, teachers quorum adviser; partner in Thomas, Doll and Co. certified public accountants; received MBA at University of Utah; born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Norwood Jay and Grace Pratt Thomas; married Wilma Wells; five children. She is a Relief Society teacher, ward organist, and stake Public Affairs Committee member; former Primary activity leader, nursery leader, Young Women teacher, ward activities committee chairman, Primary music leader, ward Relief Society president, Relief Society homemaking leader, Sunday School teacher, and Relief Society pianist; seamstress/dressmaker; received bachelor's degree in home economics education at University of Utah; born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Joseph Edward and Lola Bessie Taylor Wells.
Jesus Romeo and Leticia Villarreal
Jesus Romeo Villarreal, 42, Pharr 1st Ward, McAllen Texas Stake; stake president's counselor; former mission president's counselor, bishop, branch president, high councilor, bishop's counselor, counselor in ward Sunday School presidency, Scoutmaster, and deacons quorum adviser; owner of Romeo Villarreal Construction Co.; attended over a dozen industrial trade courses; born in Empalme, Mexico, to Jose Ramiro and Diamantina Diaz Villarreal; married Leticia Cazares; seven children. She is a seminary teacher; former ward Relief Society president and counselor, institute teacher, ward Young Women president and counselor; born in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, to Jose Arnoldo and Alicia Yeverino Cazares.
