The First Presidency has announced the callings of 10 new mission presidents. The new mission presidents, along with their wives, will assume their responsibilities about July 1. The new mission presidents are:
Gilberto de Jesus Cerda V., 45, assigned to the Guatemala Guatemala City South Mission; Santa Fe Springs 3rd Ward, Cerritos California Stake; bishop, former stake president, mission president's counselor, high councilor, and branch president; served a mission in Mexico; studied four years on university level; administrative assistant for a technical school; born in Tehaucan, Mexico, a son of Manuel and Maria de Lourdes Vital Cerda; married Bertha Elena Rubalcava; three children. She is Relief Society president's counselor, former Relief Society president and counselor, Primary teacher, and Sunday School secretary; born in Chihuahua, Mexico, a daughter of Salvador and Rosario Monge de Rubalcava.
Celo Bruce Chambers, 62, assigned to the California Anaheim Mission; Mesa 71st Ward, Mesa Arizona Mountain View Stake; high councilor and temple worker, former bishop and counselor, high priests group leader, Young Men president, and Young Men adviser; earned bachelor's degree from BYU; retired; born in Buffalo, N.Y., a son of Celo McNeece and Mary Payne Chambers; married Frieda Mae Davis; five children. She is temple worker and Relief Society inservice leader, former Primary president, Young Women president's counselor, Relief Society president's counselor, den mother, Primary teacher, Relief Society teacher, Young Women secretary and Young Women teacher; born in Mesa, Ariz., a daughter of Wilbert Leo and Mabel Clara Davis.
William Kenneth Farrar Jr., 51, assigned to the Colorado Denver Mission; Lost Mountain Ward, Marietta Georgia Stake; institute teacher, former stake president, high councilor, stake missionary, bishop and counselor, and Young Adult leader; earned dentist degree from West Virginia University School of Dentistry and orthodontics degree from University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine; orthodontist; born in Beckley, W. Va., a son of William Kenneth and Mary Edith Meredith Farrar; married Julia Caroline Pope; six children. She is seminary teacher, former Relief Society president's counselor, gospel doctrine teacher, Primary teacher, Relief Society teacher, and Young Adult leader; born in Acworth, Ga., a daughter of George Wesley and Julia McLain Pope.
Evan Allan Larsen, 55, assigned to the Japan Okinawa Mission; Manoa Ward, Hawaii Honolulu Stake; regional representative, former stake president, district president, branch president, and Sunday School president; served in Northern Far East Mission, 1955-58; also served building mission in Japan, 1964-68; Church Physical Facilities field representative; born in Fairview, Utah, a son of Bryon Glen and Gertrude Aldeva Johansen Larsen; married Esther Norbuko Sato; three children. She is gospel doctrine teacher, former Relief Society president's counselor, Primary president's counselor, seminary teacher, and Young Women adviser; served in Northern Far East Mission, 1956-58; also served building mission in Japan with husband, 1964-68; born in Paia, Hawaii, a daughter of Yonekichi and Take Ito Sato.
James Langton Macfarlane, 58, assigned to the Washington Seattle Mission; Monument Park 13th Ward, Salt Lake Monument Park Stake; high councilor, former bishop and counselor, elders quorum president and Young Men adviser; earned business degree from University of Utah; president of security printers company; born in Salt Lake City, Utah, a son of Grant and Lucy Gayle Langton MacFarlane; married Carol Corbett; four children. She is former Relief Society president and counselor, Jr. Sunday School teacher, Primary teacher, and Young Women teacher; born in Salt Lake City, Utah, a daughter of Mack Colvin and Grace Lore Perschon Corbett.
Peter Mourik, 51, assigned to the South Africa Johannesburg Mission; Frankfurt 1st Servicemen's Ward, Frankfurt Germany Servicemen Stake; stake president, former stake patriarch, high councilor, stake executive secretary, stake clerk, elders quorum president, and Young Men adviser; served Church building mission, 1962-66; earned degree from business school; Church's Europe Area real estate manager; born in Guoda, The Netherlands, a son of Gerrit Antonius and Fijgje Mourik; married Marie-Paule Jacqueline Jansen; seven children. She is Relief Society teacher and ward and stake organist, former Primary president's counselor, Primary teacher, Relief Society teacher, and ward organist; served with husband on building mission, 1962-66; born in Brussels, Belgium, a daughter of Jacques Elie Paul and Lucie Marcelle Fernande Marchal Jansen.
Paul Grant Ripplinger, 60, assigned to the California Sacramento Mission; Pleasant View 3rd Ward, Pleasant View Utah Stake; former executive secretary to regional representative, high councilor, bishop and counselor, high priests group leader, and gospel doctrine teacher; earned bachelor's degree from Utah State University; retired; born in Logan, Utah, a son of Lawrence Arnold and Lorraine Holm Ripplinger; married Shirlene Kelly; five children. She is former Relief Society president, Young Women president and counselor, stake and ward Young Women adviser, Primary president's counselor, and Relief Society teacher; born in Pocatello, Idaho, a daughter of Raymond Elmo and Estella Coffin Kelly.C
John Brentnell Robinson III, 48, assigned to the Mexico Mexico City North Mission; Dublan 1st Ward, Colonia Dublan Mexico Stake; former stake president and counselor, high councilor, and Scoutmaster; served in Mexican Mission, 1961-64; earned bachelor's degree from BYU; farmer; born in El Paso, Texas, a son of John Brentnell and Rinda Anderson Robinson; married Ellen Louise Jacobson; seven children. She is stake garment and literature representative, former stake Relief Society president and counselor, and ward Young Women president's counselor; born in Blackfoot, Idaho, a daughter of Alfred Clarence and Edith Ruth Jacklin Jacobson.
Tomas Santana S., 44, assigned to the Mexico Veracruz Mission; Nuevo Paraiso Ward, Chihuahua Mexico Stake; stake president's counselor, former mission president's counselor, regional representative's executive secretary, high councilor, and branch president; served in Northern Mexico Mission, 1966-68; earned degree from University of Sonora; area Church Educational System director; born in El Carmen, Mexico, a son of Tomas and Estefana Salazar Santana; married Cecilia Alfa Paz; six children. She is stake Relief Society president's counselor, branch and district Primary president, Young Women president, and Relief Society president; born in Mexico City, Mexico, a daughter of Rafael and Sofia Romero Paz.
James Calvin Taylor, 64, assigned to the Michigan Lansing Mission; Brighton 1st Ward, Salt Lake Brighton Stake; manager of Nauvoo Restoration Inc., former stake president, high councilor, and bishop; served in North Central States Mission, 1948-50; earned bachelor's degree from University of New Mexico and juris doctorate from University of Utah; vice president of energy systems corporation; born in Preston, Idaho, a son of James Caldwell and Vivian Hollingsworth Taylor; married Donna Haymore; 10 children. She is also serving with Nauvoo Restoration Inc., former stake Relief Society president, ward Relief Society president, ward Primary president, stake Relief Society and Primary board member, Young Women president's counselor, Young Women teacher, and ward organist; served mission in Mexico, 1948-50; born in Douglas, Ariz., a daughter of David Franklin and Emma Geneva Huish Haymore.