The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the calling of 10 new General Authority Seventies, including the first African-American, 55 Area Seventies and a new Sunday School Presidency during the Saturday afternoon session of the 189th Annual General Conference.
President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, announced the changes in the opening moments of the session.
The new General Authority Seventies include Elder Ruben V. Alliaud; Elder Jorge M. Alvarado, Elder Hans T. Boom, Elder L. Todd Budge, Elder Ricardo P. Gimenez, Elder Peter M. Johnson, Elder John A. McCune, Elder James R. Rasband, Elder Benjamin M. Z. Tai and Elder Alan R. Walker.
Elder Johnson is the first African-American general authority, according to Church Public Affairs.
Brother Mark L. Pace was sustained as the new Sunday School general president, with Brother Milton Camargo and Brother Jan E. Newman as his counselors. They replace Brother Tad. R. Callister, Brother Devin G. Durrant and Brother Brian K. Ashton, who are the outgoing presidents. Brothers Callister and Durrant have served for five years, with Brother Ashton joining the presidency a year later in 2015.
General Authority Seventies
Elder Alliaud, 53, was serving as an institute teacher, first counselor in the Argentina Missionary Training Center presidency and public affairs director at the time of his call as a general authority. He earned a law degree from the University of Belgrano before starting a career in national civil courts and later specializing in criminal law. More recently, he has worked as an attorney and a managing partner for a law firm.
His church service has included full-time missionary in the Uruguay Montevideo Mission, elders quorum president, counselor in a stake mission presidency, young single adult adviser, counselor in a bishopric, high councilor, bishop, counselor in a stake presidency, stake president, Area Seventy in the South America South Area and president of the Argentina Córdoba Mission. He married Fabiana Bennett in 1992. They are the parents of six children.
Elder Alvarado, 48, has served a high councilor in his local stake. He studied management at the University of Puerto Rico and went on to become a manager for Sam’s Club, a regional manager for Wal-Mart Puerto Rico Inc., and manager and facilitator for Franklin Covey. In recent years he has worked as an international manager for Self-Reliance Services at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City.
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