Eight new mission presidents have been called by the First Presidency. The mission presidents and their wives will begin their service about July 1. The new mission presidents and their assignments are:
- Oscar A. Abrea, 55, Argentina Cordoba Mission; Caseros Ward, Buenos Aires Argentina West Stake; stake president; former stake president's counselor, high councilor, and bishop; Church Educational System coordinator; received law degree from the University of Buenos Aires; born in San Martin, Argentina, to Edealo and Zulema Estrada Abrea; married Victorina Mier, three children. She is a Sunday School teacher; former stake Relief Society president and stake Primary president; born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Inocencio and Irma Carmela Fiorito Mier.- Kim B. Beckstead, 48, Honduras Tegucigalpa Mission; Randolph Ward, San Antonio Texas East Stake; Young Men president; former mission president's counselor, stake president's counselor, high councilor, stake Young Men president, bishop, ward Young Men president, and missionary in the Southeast Mexico Mission; owner of real estate brokerage company; received bachelor's degree in accounting from BYU and master's degree in international management from the Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management; born in Kirtland, N.M., to Cloyde Holt and Rhea Elizabeth Stolworthy Beckstead; married Ginger Adams, five children. She is Young Women president; former stake seminary supervisor, stake Primary president, Young Women president's counselor, seminary teacher, Sunday School teacher, and Cub Scout den leader; received bachelor's degree in Spanish education and theater from BYU; born in Big Spring, Texas, to Harvey Lee and Wilma Faye Mitchell Adams.
- Reid H. Brown, 59, California Riverside Mission; Hoover Ward, Bessemer Alabama Stake; mission president's counselor in the Alabama Birmingham Mission; former stake president's counselor, high councilor, bishop, branch president and counselor, and missionary in the Southern States Mission; corporate director of technical services for Vulcan Materials Co.; received bachelor's and master's degrees from Utah State University, and doctorate from Purdue University in civil engineering; born in Ogden, Utah, to Harold Daniels and Oretta Hannah Chugg Brown; married Evelyn Casper, four children. She is serving with her husband in the Alabama Birmingham Mission; former stake Relief Society president's counselor, stake public communications director, Relief Society president and teacher, seminary teacher, and Primary president; received a diploma from the Idaho Falls LDS School of Nursing; born in Rexburg, Idaho, to Byron Eldon and Gertrude Hannah Hales Casper.
- A. Burnell Hunt, 57, Philippines Cabanatuan Mission; Spanish Trails Ward, Enoch Utah Stake; Sunday School teacher; former mission president's counselor, stake president and counselor, high councilor, stake Young Men president, bishop, and chairman of district Explorer committee; Church Educational System coordinator and institute instructor; received bachelor's degree in social studies from Weber State University and master's degree in community schools from BYU; born in Cedar City, Utah, to Johnathan Amos and Agnes Jones Hunt; married Velma Waite, five children. She is stake Relief Society president; former stake Relief Society president's counselor, Primary president and teacher, Relief Society president and inservice leader, Young Women president, Laurel and Beehive teacher, and Primary pianist; received associate degree from Southern Utah University; born in Glendale, Nev., to Marvin Herbert and Glenna Sylvia Leavitt Waite.
- Richard F. Ordyna, 54, Poland Warsaw Mission; Mountain Green Ward, Morgan Utah North Stake; high councilor; former high councilor, stake Young Men president, bishop and counselor, elders quorum president, priests quorum adviser, and Primary teacher; risk management official for Weber State University; received bachelor's degree in English and physical education from Purdue University, master's degree in administration and physical education from Utah State University, and doctorate in the physiology of exercise from BYU; born in East Chicago, Ind., to Joseph and Virginia Eckert Ordyna; married Utahna Royer, eight children. She is Scout advancement chairman; former Blazer leader and Primary chorister; received bachelor's degree in sociology from BYU; born in St. George, Utah, to Don Edward and Edith Louise Blake Royer.
- Robert F. Orton, 59, Romania Bucharest Mission; Yale 2nd Ward, Salt Lake Bonneville Stake; stake president's counselor; former stake Young Men president, district president, bishop and counselor, high priests group leader, Young Men president, Scoutmaster, deacons quorum adviser, branch president, and missionary in the French Mission; attorney; received bachelor's degree in political science, French and pre-med from BYU and law degree from the University of Utah; born in Reno, Nev., to Henry Franklin and Gwen Riggs Orton; married Joy Dahlberg, six children. She is Young Women president; former stake Primary president's counselor, stake cultural arts specialist, Primary president, activities committee chairman, music committee chairman, and cultural arts specialist; received bachelor's degree in art and business education from the University of Utah; born in Salt Lake City to Carl Bernard and Mildred Evaline Winder Dahlberg.
- T. Bowring Woodbury, 58, Washington Tacoma Mission; New Canaan Ward, Yorktown New York Stake; bishop; former mission president's counselor, stake executive secretary, high councilor, stake mission president, bishop, and missionary in the Gulf States Mission; senior vice president and general counsel for Consolidated Edison; received bachelor's degree in economics and Latin from BYU and law degree from the University of Utah; born in Salt Lake City to Thomas Bowring and Beulah Larkin Blood Woodbury; married Kathleen Thompson, five children. She is a Primary teacher; former stake Young Women president's counselor, seminary teacher, institute teacher, Relief Society president's counselor, and Primary president; received bachelor's degree in elementary education from the University of Utah; born in Salt Lake City, to Burton Monroe and Bessie Jackson Thompson.
- Kazuhiro Yoshino, 47, Japan Sendai Mission; Kunitachi Ward, Tokyo Japan West Stake; high councilor and temple sealer; former mission president's counselor, stake president's counselor, high councilor, bishop, branch president, high priests group leader, and elders quorum president; Japan area education director for the Church; received law degree from Kumamoto University; born in Miyazaki-ken, Japan, to Tsuneo Yamamoto and Fukiko Yoshino; married Mariko Harada, two children. She is a stake Relief Society president's counselor; former stake Young Women president, Relief Society and Primary president, Sunday School teacher, and missionary in the Japan Central Mission; parents are Taro and Noriko Yoshida Harada.