Eight more mission presidents and their wives have been called by the First Presidency to begin their service about July 1. Assignments were announced in March 4 issue of Church News. The new leaders are:
Luis Ricardo Arbizu, 41, Costa Rica San Jose Mission; Mejicanos Ward, San Salvador Elsa Cuzcatl Stake; counselor in bishopric; former stake president, stake executive secretary and missionary in the El Salvador San Salvador Mission. Country director for the Church Educational System. Born in San Salvador, El Salvador, to Juan Rodolfo Arbizu Oliva and Juana Hernandez Campos de Arbizu. Married Cecilia Noemi Salazar Alfaro, two children.
A Sunday School teacher, ward music director and teacher improvement coordinator, Sister Arbizu is a former ward Young Women president, gospel doctrine teacher and missionary in the Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission. Born in San Salvador, El Salvador, to Jose Antonio Salazar Pineda and Noemi Margoth Alfaro de Salazar.
Andre Cornelius Bester, 54, Zimbabwe Harare Mission; Roodepoort Ward, Roodepoort South Africa Stake; stake president; former high councilor, bishop, ward Young Men president, elders quorum president and missionary in the South Africa Mission. Principal consultant for Glenrand M.I.B. Born in Cape Town, South Africa, to Peter Herman and Joyce Mary Mills Bester. Married Joy Elizabeth Lomax, five children.
Ward music director, Sister Bester is a former president in ward Relief Society, Young Women and Primary. Born in Widnes, Lancashire, England, to Roy Malcolm and Teresa Follon Lomax.
Wayne Leroy Gardner, 58, Mexico Cuernavaca Mission; McQueen 2nd Ward, Chandler Arizona Stake; former president of the Chile Santiago East Mission, bishop and missionary in the North Argentine Mission. General counsel for Trend Homes. Born in Mesa, Ariz., to L. Levier and Edith Smith Gardner. Married Rowena Orr, deceased; four children. Married Teresa Richardson in 2004.
A counselor in the ward Young Women presidency, Sister Gardner is a former ward music chairman and Relief Society teacher. Born in Forest Grove, Ore., to Walter L. and Gloria Christensen Richardson.
David Brian Iwaasa, 57, Japan Fukuoka Mission; Shibuya Ward, Tokyo Japan Stake; associate director of the Tokyo Key Cities Council; former bishop, high councilor and missionary in the Northern Far East Mission. General manager and chief representative, Canadian Wheat Board. Born in Raymond, Alberta, Canada, to Toru and Seiko Kinoshita Iwaasa. Married Jane Kadonaga, four children.
A Primary chorister and ward choir pianist, Sister Iwaasa is a former stake and ward Young Women president and ward Relief Society president. Born in Magrath, Alberta, Canada, to Keitaro and Tokiko Kadonaga.
Peter Leonard Joyce, 59, Utah Ogden Mission; White Oak Ward, Silver Spring Maryland Stake; stake president; bishop and missionary in the England South Mission. Retired department deputy director and senior adviser, International Monetary Fund. Born in Northampton, England, to Leonard and Hilda Ethel Roughton Joyce. Married Sheena Brunton, five children.
Director of the Washington Family Singers, Sister Joyce is a former ward Relief Society and Young Women president and stake Primary president. Born in Forfar, Angus, Scotland, to James Lawrence and Mary Manson Blacklaws Brunton.
Kent Martin Seal, 56, Oklahoma Tulsa Mission; Crescent Park 4th Ward, Sandy Utah Crescent Park Stake; former stake president, bishop and counselor in an elders quorum presidency and missionary in the North German Mission. Dentist. Born in Murray, Utah, to Horace Max and Joyce Beckstead Seal. Married Joyce Hill, 10 children.
Member of the ward activities committee, Sister Seal is a former ward Young Women and Primary president and counselor in ward Relief Society presidency. Born in Gunnison, Utah, to Chester William and Julia Helen Hansen Hill.
Craig B. Terry, 54, Portugal Lisbon Mission; American Fork 23rd Ward, American Fork Utah Hillcrest Stake; counselor in branch presidency at the Provo Missionary Training Center and temple ordinance worker; former stake president, high councilor and missionary in the Brazil Central Mission. Attorney, Parsons Behle & Latimer. Born in American Fork, Utah, to LaDell Ellis and Margie Beckstead Terry. Married Candice Lee Overlade, three children.
A volunteer at the Mt. Timpanogos Utah Temple, Sister Terry is a former stake Young Women president, and counselor in ward Relief Society and Young Women presidencies. Born in Las Vegas, Nev., to Lyle Weeks and Merial Perkins Overlade.
John Douglas Whisenant, 59, Brazil Porto Alegre North Mission; Memorial Park Ward, Houston Texas South Stake; ward missionary; former bishop, ward Young Men president, high priests group leader and missionary in the Brazilian South Mission. Retired senior vice president, Williams. Born in Houston, Texas, to Vernis Carrol, Sr and Lillian Ophelia Jackson Whisenant. Married Eleanor Ann Ogden, four children.
A gospel essentials instructor, Sister Whisenant is a former ward Relief Society, Young Women and Primary president and gospel doctrine teacher. Born in Richfield, Utah, to Dea Ward and Florence Ann Underwood Ogden.
