Eight New Mission Presidents to Begin Service in July

  • 3 February 2015

Eight new mission presidents and their wives have been called by the First Presidency. They will begin their service in July.

Jerry and Chriss Allred

Utah Logan Mission

Jerald K. Allred, 61, and Christine Rae Niessner Allred, eight children, Royal 2nd Ward, Othello Washington Stake: Utah Logan Mission. Brother Allred serves in a mission presidency and is a former mission presidency counselor, stake presidency counselor, and ward mission leader. Business owner, agriculture. Born in Logan, Utah, to Wells Merrill Allred and Loriol Cox Allred.

Sister Allred serves as a ward Primary teacher and is a former ward Relief Society presidency counselor, ward Relief Society teacher, and seminary teacher. Born in Pullman, Washington, to Frank Niessner Jr. and Katherine Ann Betz Niessner.

Christine and George R. Donaldson

Scotland/Ireland Mission

George Ronald Stuart Donaldson, 56, and Christine Ann Wain Donaldson, four children, Rhyl Ward, Chester England Stake: Scotland/Ireland Mission, succeeding President Alan H. Brown and Sister Sylvia M. Brown. Brother Donaldson serves as an Area Seventy and is a former mission presidency counselor, stake president, bishop, and missionary in the Scotland Mission. Regional director, United Kingdom and Ireland, Seminaries and Institutes. Born in Liverpool, England, to George Henry Donaldson and Mary Elizabeth Williams Donaldson.

Sister Donaldson serves as a seminary teacher and is a former stake Young Women president, ward Relief Society and Primary president, ward Relief Society presidency counselor, and stake music chairman. Born in Liverpool, England, to Robert Stephen Wain and Elizabeth Rose Wright Wain.

D. Suyapa and Edwin R. Ferman

Hondura Comayagüela Mission

Edwin Raúl Ferman Zelaya, 55, and Digna Suyapa Romero de Ferman, six children, Los Graneros Ward, Choluteca Honduras Porvenir Stake: Honduras Comayagüela Mission, succeeding President Candido Fortuna Cabrera and Sister Rosa D. Rosario de Fortuna. Brother Ferman serves in a mission presidency and is a former stake president, stake presidency counselor, and district president. Business manager, Sugarcane, Pantaleon Ingenio La Grecia. Born in Alianza, Valle, Honduras, to Raúl Ruben Ferman Guevara and Blanca Lidia Zelaya Maldonado.

Sister Ferman serves as a stake Relief Society president and is a former ward Young Women and Relief Society presidency counselor and seminary teacher. Born in Choluteca, Honduras, to Raúl Ramon Romero and Digna Emerita Escalante.

Efraín R. and Lilia J. García

Venezuela Maracaibo Mission

Efraín Ramón García López, 47, and Lilia Josefina de Parra de García, San Diego Ward, Puerto La Cruz Venezuela Stake: Venezuela Maracaibo Mission, succeeding President Juan F. Zorrilla and Sister Zulay A. Gómez de Zorrilla. Brother García serves as a stake executive secretary and is a former mission presidency counselor, district president, branch president, and missionary in the Venezuela Maracaibo Mission. Physical facilities manager, Corporation of the Presiding Bishop. Born in Rio Caribe, Venezuela, to Angel Benicio García and Raimunda Josefina López.

Sister García serves as a ward Primary president and is a former stake Relief Society president, stake Young Women presidency counselor, seminary teacher, and missionary in the Venezuela Caracas East Mission. Born in Maracay, Venezuela, to Juan Severiano Parra Blasco and Onelia Josefina de Parra Villasana.

Joni L. and Michele Koch

Portugal Porto Mission

Joni Luiz Koch, 52, and Liliane Michele Ludwig Koch, two children, Camboriú Ward, Vale do Itajaí Brazil Stake: Portugal Porto Mission. Brother Koch serves as a ward single adult adviser and is a former Area Seventy, stake president, bishop, and missionary in the Brazil São Paulo North Mission. Managing director, Conexão Marítima. Born in Joinville, Brazil, to Luiz Koch and Etelca Gascho.

Sister Koch serves as a ward single adult adviser and is a former ward Primary president, ward Young Women presidency counselor, ward Sunday School teacher, and seminary teacher. Born in Uruguaiana, Brazil, to Dalvo Ludwig and Vilma do Horto Chamorro Ludwig.

Takuji and Kuniko Nagano

Japan Tokyo Mission

Takuji Nagano, 55, and Kuniko Yasuda Nagano, four children, Oak Hills 5th Ward, Provo Utah Oak Hills Stake: Japan Tokyo Mission, succeeding President L. Todd Budge and Sister Lori Budge. Brother Nagano serves as a ward Sunday School teacher and temple ordinance worker and is a former high councilor, branch president, bishop, stake Young Men president, stake mission president, ward mission leader, and missionary in the Japan Nagoya Mission. Portfolio manager, Millennium Management. Born in Kuwana-Shi, Mie-Ken, Japan, to Nobuo Nagano and Toyoko Takano.

Sister Nagano serves as a ward Primary teacher and temple ordinance worker and is a former stake Relief Society president, ward Primary and Young Women president, seminary teacher, and missionary in the Japan Osaka Mission. Born in Date-Gun, Fukushima, to Yoshikichi Kanno and Yoko Yasuda.

Lisa A. and R. Jeffrey Parker

Australia Adelaide Mission

Robert Jeffrey Parker, 59, and Lisa Allred Parker, four children, Summerlin Ward, Las Vegas Nevada Redrock Stake: Australia Adelaide Mission, succeeding President Bradley D. Carter and Sister Donalynn Carter. Brother Parker is a former stake president, high councilor, bishop, bishopric counselor, and ward mission leader. Vitreoretinal surgeon, Retina Consultants of Nevada. Born in Provo, Utah, to Robert H. Parker and Colleen Anderson Parker.

Sister Parker is a former stake Young Women presidency counselor, ward Young Women president, ward Relief Society presidency counselor, and ward compassionate service leader. Born in Provo, Utah, to Ellis Victor Allred and Carolyn Duncan Allred.

Stephen A. and Elizabeth P. Simmons

Singapore Mission

Stephen A. Simmons, 55, and Elizabeth Poelman Simmons, three children, Leesburg Ward, Ashburn Virginia Stake: Singapore Mission, succeeding President Bradley S. Mains and Sister Cheri A. Mains. Brother Simmons serves as a Sunday School teacher and is a former stake presidency counselor, high councilor, bishop, ward Young Men president, seminary teacher, and missionary in the Taiwan Taichung Mission. Chief financial officer, Mosaic ATM, Inc. Born in Pasadena, California, to John Robert Simmons and Helen Lower Simmons.

Sister Simmons serves as a ward Primary teacher and is a former ward Young Women and Primary president, ward Relief Society and Young Women presidency counselor, stake music chairman, and missionary in the Spain Bilbao Mission. Born in Salt Lake City to Byron Lloyd Poelman and Catherine Edwards Poelman.

  Listen