During the Saturday afternoon session of the 189th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Oct. 5, nine General Authority Seventies received emeritus status and were given a vote of thanks for their years of service.
Following is a list of those who were granted emeritus status and summaries of their service, including highlights covered recently by the Church News:
Elder Wilford W. Andersen
Elder Wilford W. Andersen served as a General Authority Seventy from 2009 to 2019. He was sustained on April 4, 2009, and at the time of his call had been serving as a member of the Sixth Quorum of the Seventy in the North America Southwest Area of the Church. During his time as a General Authority Seventy, Elder Andersen served in the Caribbean Area Presidency for five years and then as area president for two years. He also served in the Temple Department at Church headquarters and had leadership responsibilities in the Middle East/Africa North Area as well as in the Idaho and North America Central Areas.
In February this year, Elder Andersen joined Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as he traveled in the Holy Land. The visit was Elder Bednar's first time in the Israel.
“To be in Jerusalem with an Apostle of the Lord is an experience that none of us will ever forget,” Elder Andersen said of the experience.
Elder Kim B. Clark
Elder Kim B. Clark served as a General Authority Seventy from 2015 to 2019. He was sustained on April 4, 2015, and at the time of his call was serving as the president of Brigham Young University-Idaho. Prior to his call, he served as a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy in the Idaho Area and later as Commissioner of the Church Educational System.
In March, Elder Clark joined Elder Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Sister Sister Joy D. Jones, Primary general president, in announcing a shift in seminary curriculum beginning with the 2019 school year that would align it with the "Come, Follow Me" curriculum.
Elder Clark spoke during the priesthood session of general conference earlier this year in April and emphasized the importance of looking unto Christ in all things.
"As we look unto Jesus Christ, live our covenants and rivet our focus on Him, we will join with our sisters and minister in a holier way, gather scattered Israel on both sides of the veil, strengthen and seal our families, and prepare for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ," he said in his general conference address.
Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge
Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge served as a General Authority Seventy from 2008 to 2019. He was sustained on April 5, 2008, and at the time of his call was serving as a Sunday School teacher. During his time as a General Authority Seventy, Elder Corbridge served in the presidency of the Chile Area both as a counselor and as president, as well as in various capacities at Church headquarters.
Speaking at the Day's of '47 Sunrise Service on July 24 in the Assembly Hall on Temple Square, Elder Corbridge shared how the early Church pioneers' faith helped to carry them through times of hardship and trial.
“Hardship, suffering, disappointment, failure and faith, but always leading to ultimate triumph, have been the common lot of the faithful — beginning with Adam and Eve, to Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Lehi, Joseph Smith, especially Jesus Christ and everyone who followed after them,” said Elder Corbridge. Having an eternal perspective allows people to adapt to new situations and even thrive in the face of adversity, he noted.
Elder Claudio R. M. Costa
Elder Claudio R. M. Costa served as a General Authority Seventy from 1994 to 2019. He was sustained on April 2, 1994. During his time as a General Authority Seventy, he serves in the Presidency of the Seventy, as president of the South America North, Brazil North and Brazil areas as well as in the presidencies of the Brazil and South America South areas. Additionally, he served as assistant executive director in the missionary department at Church headquarters and as president of the North America Southeast Area.
Earlier this year, in his capacity as president of the North America Southeast Area, Elder Costa attended the rededication of the Memphis Tennessee Temple. Of the rededication in May, Elder Costa said, "As the area president for this area, I have seen all the anxiety of these people. They were so anxious for the temple. They prayed for this, they fasted for this, they fasted for miracles for the temple to be completed on time, and they did great."
Sharing his love for the people of the area, Elder Costa joked, "I always feel good coming here because I am the guy with the really strong accent from the South."
Elder Bradley D. Foster
Elder Bradley D. Foster served as a General Authority Seventy from 2009 to 2019. He was sustained on April 4, 2009. During his time as a General Authority Seventy, he served in the South America South Area presidency and in the North America Southwest Area, serving most recently as the executive director of the family history department at Church headquarters.
In April and May, Elder Foster supervised the opening of the new Ogden Utah FamilySearch Center. The new two-level, 12,000-square-foot facility houses interactive activities and online sources for those wishing to do family history work.
“By putting it together, we engage technology in a bigger facility,” said Elder Foster at the center’s April 30 dedication. “We can bring big groups in here, we can bring in families here, we can teach in here, and it will give people the experience they deserve.”
Such facilities and the volunteers there will help make the experience of doing family history richer and more fulfilling for Church members, he said.
Elder O. Vincent Haleck
Elder O. Vincent Haleck served as a General Authority Seventy from 2011 to 2019.He was sustained on April 2, 2011, and was serving as president of the Samoa Apia Mission at the time of this call. During his time as a General Authority Seventy, he served as President of the Pacific Area.
Following the March 15 attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, Elder Haleck and his counselors in the Pacific Area presidency — Elder Ian S. Ardern and Elder K. Brett Nattress — issued a statement of support and love for those affected by the attacks.
"We are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of so many lives as a result of yesterday's senseless attacks in two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand," the statement said. "Our prayers are with the families of the deceased, the injured and all others impacted by this tragedy. We also pray for all New Zealanders and our Muslim brothers and sisters throughout the world."
Elder Donald L. Hallstrom
Elder Donald L. Hallstrom served as a General Authority Seventy from 2000 to 2019. He was sustained on April 1, 2000. He served first as Area President in the Asia North Area before serving as a member of the Asia Area presidency and then as president of the area. He additionally serves as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy from 2009 to 2017 and most recently served as the executive director of the Priesthood and Family Department at Church headquarters.
During the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square's 2018 Classic Coast Tour, Elder Hallstrom held a special special sacrament meeting for tour participants in San Francisco, California, on June 24, 2018.
During his remarks at the meeting, Elder Hallstrom challenged Church members to seek to live a reverent life that is "consistent with what we believe." Being part of a community of Saints and looking for opportunities to learn and support others in that community are key components of that reverent life, he said.
Elder Steven E. Snow
Elder Steven E. Snow served as a General Authority Seventy from 2001 to 2019. During his time as a General Authority Seventy, he serves as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy and had supervisory responsibility for the Utah Areas and the North America Central Area. Additionally, Elder Snow served as executive director of the Priesthood and Family Department and as president of the Africa Southeast Area of the Church. Most recently he served as Church historian and recorder and as the executive director of the Church History department.
Preempting his emeritus status in April, the First Presidency announced that Elder Snow would be succeeded as Church historian and recorder by Elder LeGrand Curtis Jr.
At the October 2018 launch of the first volume of the Church History series "Saints," Elder Snow said,"We've spent 15 years or more with the 'Joseph Smith Papers' project and we've learned a lot about the history of the Prophet Joseph and that time period of the church. Much of that research is included within this volume. We've tried to get it right. I think anyone who's interested in our history at all will find this very engaging and written in a way that most church history books have not been written in the past."
Elder Larry Y. Wilson
Elder Larry Y. Wilson served as a General Authority Seventy from 2011 to 2019. He was sustained on April 2, 2011, and has served as a member of the Asia Area Presidency and as executive director of the Church's temple department, overseeing the dedication of dozens of temples. In June, Elder Wilson joined Elder Ulisses Soares at the dedication of the Fortaleza Brazil Temple. Having served as a missionary in Brazil from 1969 to 1971, Elder Wilson noted the differences of the Church in the area from the time he served to the time of the temple dedication.
"I can hardly believe the strength of the Church here,” he said.
Some fifty years ago, Brazil didn't have a temple and had only one stake, whereas today it has 273 stakes and seven temples.
This year, Elder Wilson also participated in the dedications for the Rome Italy Temple, the Kinshasa Democratic Republic of the Congo Temple and the Oakland California Temple.
The following Area Seventies were released:
- Julio C. Acosta
- Blake R. Alder
- Alain L. Allard
- Omar A. Alvarez
- Taiichi Aoba
- Carlos F. Arredondo
- Aley K. Auna Jr.
- Grant C. Bennett
- Michael H. Bourne
- Rómulo V. Cabrera
- Wilson B. Calderón
- Hernando Camargo
- José C. F. Campos
- Nicolás Castañeda
- Walter Chatora
- Zeno Chow
- Robert J. Dudfield
- J. Kevin Ence
- Meliula M. Fata
- K. Mark Frost
- Claude R. Gamiette
- Maurício G. Gonzaga
- Leonard D. Greer
- Jose L. Isaguirre
- Tae Gul Jung
- Sergio L. Krasnoselsky
- Milan F. Kunz
- Bryan R. Larsen
- G. Kenneth Lee
- Geraldo Lima
- W. Jean-Pierre Lono
- Khumbulani Mdletshe
- Dale H. Munk
- Norman R. Nemrow
- Yutaka Onda
- Wolfgang Pilz
- Raimundo Pacheco De Pinho
- Gennady N. Podvodov
- Abraham E. Quero
- Marco A. Rais
- Steven K. Randall
- Francisco J. Ruiz de Mendoza
- Edwin A. Sexton
- Raúl H. Spitale
- C. Walter Treviño
- 'Aisake K. Tukuafu
- Juan A. Urra
- Raul S. Villanueva
- Leonard Woo
Five new Area Seventies were also called:
Michel J. Carter, 65, Lac-Brome, Canada; retired; Montreal Quebec Temple president; former bishop, counselor in a bishopric, branch president, high councilor, counselor in a mission presidency, mission president and stake president. Wife, Danielle D.; five children.
Alfred Kyungu, 52, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Church Family History Manager; recently released as president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Mbuji-Mayi Mission; former counselor in a bishopric, high councilor and counselor in a stake presidency. Wife, Lucie; three children.
R. Pepper Murray, 60, Bountiful, Utah; Orthopedic Surgeon, self-employed; Salt Lake Married Student 2nd Stake president; former bishop, high councilor and counselor in a stake presidency. Wife, Rachelle; three children.
Ryan K. Olsen , 44, Salt Lake City, Utah; Senior Vice President/Chief Operating Officer, Moreton & Company; recently released as president of the Uruguay Montevideo West Mission; former bishop, counselor in a bishopric, high councilor, stake mission president and stake president. Wife, Julie; four children.
Iotua Tune, 60, Taborio, Kiribati; MLS Coordinator, Presiding Bishopric Office, Temporal Affairs; first counselor of the Marshall Islands/Kiribati Mission presidency; former bishop, branch president, district president and stake president. Wife, Maii Toanimatang; seven children.
