On Aug. 1, a new Primary general presidency began their service.
President Rosemary K. Chibota was sustained as Primary general president, with Sister Nina M. Garfield as first counselor and Sister Theresa A. Collins as second counselor, by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the Saturday afternoon session of the April 2026 general conference on April 4.
In a video shared Aug. 2 on the Primary Worldwide Instagram and Facebook accounts, the new presidency members shared their testimonies of Jesus Christ and their hopes for serving children, parents and teachers around the world.
Seeing as God sees
For President Chibota, her new calling is an opportunity to see children as God sees them.
President Chibota and her husband, Brother Joel B. Chibota, had been serving as mission leaders in the Alabama Birmingham Mission when she was called to serve as Primary general president. She said the calling has given her a greater love for the children of the Church.
“I know that this is a gift from our Father in Heaven to develop a special love for the children,” said President Chibota in the Instagram video. She added, “I feel very humbled and excited to be part of this sacred call.”
Born and raised in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, President Chibota is the first African to lead an organization general presidency of the Church. She has served in a variety of Church callings and told the Church News she is excited to serve “God’s finest, the little children.”
President Chibota said she hopes to teach members of all ages to become “like little children.”
“I know that children are very precious to our Father in Heaven and that He loves them and He has given us commandment through the scriptures that we need to be like little children,” said President Chibota. “And I just am so excited to be able to teach these principles to the children of the Church, both young and old.”
Joy of learning His gospel
As first counselor, Sister Garfield hopes to help children, parents and teachers come closer to Jesus Christ and feel the joy that comes from learning His gospel.
“I’m so excited about this new calling and the opportunity it gives me to talk with children, teachers, and how we can all come closer to Christ and get to know our Savior better,” said Sister Garfield on the Primary Worldwide Instagram account.
Sister Garfield emphasized the importance of helping children come to church, where they can learn about Jesus Christ and feel the love of their teachers. Above all, she hopes children will feel the “joy of coming to church.”
“How blessed we are to be able to learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ at such a young age,” she said.
Sister Garfield was born in Tokyo, Japan, and raised in Boulder, Colorado. After joining the Church as a high school senior, Sister Garfield said many of her greatest blessings have come through her membership in the Church.
One of her goals is to help parents teach their children about Jesus Christ and His love for them.
“I want children to know that they are children of our Heavenly Father and He loves them and is aware of them and is there for them and to guide them,” she said in Church News video.
Grow as disciples of Christ
For Sister Collins, serving in the Primary general presidency is an opportunity to help children grow as disciples of Jesus Christ.
As a mother and grandmother, Sister Collins said she is excited to watch the youngest members of the Church begin their journey of discipleship.
“It’s humbling and exciting as a grandmother of 15, almost 16, to consider the wonderful journey that the children of the Church will be taking as they grow in their discipleship of Jesus Christ,” said Sister Collins in the Instagram video. “Starting with their opportunity, they have to learn who they are and more importantly, Whose they are.”
Sister Collins, from Long Beach, California, believes helping children come unto Christ is a responsibility shared by parents, teachers, leaders and mentors.
“We have the responsibility, the sacred responsibility as parents, as teachers, as leaders, as mentors, those who have been entrusted with Heavenly Father’s children the care of them, to teach them, to lead them, to guide them and to help them to receive their Savior, Jesus Christ,” she said to the Church News.
Together, the new presidency hopes to help children come closer to Jesus Christ.
