Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sustained eight new General Authority Seventies during the Saturday afternoon session of the 196th Annual General Conference.
The sustaining of new authorities was conducted by President D. Todd Christofferson.
Members also sustained a new member of the Presidency of the Seventy — Elder Benjamin M. Z. Tai — effective Aug. 1. He will replace Elder S. Mark Palmer, who has served in the presidency since 2021.
In addition, seven General Authority Seventies (Elders Craig C. Christensen, William K. Jackson, Brook P. Hales, Eduardo Gavarret, Erich W. Kopischke, Peter F. Meurs, and S. Mark Palmer) will be released and receive emeritus status on Aug. 1, according to news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Presidency of the Seventy
Elder Benjamin M. Z. Tai
Elder Benjamin Ming Zhe Tai, 53, is from Hong Kong. He has served as an Assistant Executive Director of the Missionary Department and as an Area Assistant in the North America Southeast Area. He was serving as President of the Asia Area at the time of this call. He has served as a General Authority Seventy since 2019. His previous church service includes Area Seventy, district president, branch president, and full-time missionary service in the Australia Melbourne Mission.
Elder Tai earned a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. He has professional experience in investment banking and real estate development. He and his wife, Naomi Toma, are the parents of six children.
The Presidency of the Seventy is a group of seven General Authority Seventies called as presidents by the First Presidency to preside over all members of the Seventy. The Presidency of the Seventy oversees the work of the Seventy and assists the Quorum of the Twelve in their work throughout the world. This work includes traveling to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ; administering missionary, temple, family history, humanitarian, and other efforts; meeting with church members and missionaries; organizing church units; working and counseling with local church leaders; and many other responsibilities.
The other six members of the Presidency of the Seventy are Elders Carl B. Cook (the Senior President), Marcus B. Nash, Michael T. Ringwood, Arnulfo Valenzuela, Edward Dube, and Kevin R. Duncan.
General Authority Seventies
General Authority Seventies are church leaders called by the First Presidency to be “especial witnesses” and to assist the Twelve in “building up the church and regulating all the affairs” and “preaching and administering the gospel” throughout the world (Doctrine and Covenants 107:25, 34, 38). They act under the direction of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
General Authority Seventies serve full-time in the church. They are usually released in the year they turn 70 years old and are granted emeritus status.
A brief biography of each new leader is below.
Elder Christian C. Chigbundu
Christian Chiemezuolam Chigbundu, 51, was born in Ahiaba Okpuala, Nigeria. He was serving as president of the Nigeria Enugu Mission at the time of his call. His previous church service includes bishop, stake president, mission president, and Area Seventy. He has professional experience in finance and mobility services and has served in executive leadership and on professional boards in Nigeria.
Elder Chigbundu holds advanced credentials in accounting, finance, marketing, and law.
He and his wife, Felicia Mgbeodi Ugbor, are the parents of five children.
Elder Matthew J. Eyring
Matthew Johnson Eyring, 56, was born in Palo Alto, California. His previous church service includes full-time missionary service in the Chile Santiago South Mission, bishop, stake presidency counselor, mission presidency counselor, and Area Seventy.
Elder Eyring earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Utah and a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School. He has professional experience in management consulting, medical technology, and business innovation.
He and his wife, Amy Rebecca Froerer, are the parents of five children.
Elder Hutch U. Fale
Hutch Unga Fale, 46, was born in Provo, Utah. He was serving as a member of the Twelfth Quorum of the Seventy in the Utah Area at the time of his call. His previous church service includes full-time missionary service in the Tonga Nukuʻalofa Mission, bishop, high councilor, stake president, and Area Seventy. He has worked as an attorney.
Elder Fale earned degrees from Brigham Young University–Hawaii, the J. Reuben Clark Law School, and the Romney Institute of Public Service and Ethics.
He and his wife, Gaylene Rosarine Lilino, have five children.
Elder James O. Fantone
James Gilwell Osorio Fantone, 54, was born in Manila, Philippines. He was serving as a member of the Eighth Quorum of the Seventy in the Philippines Area at the time of his call. His previous church service includes full-time missionary service, bishop, high councilor, mission president, and Area Seventy. He has professional experience in education administration and leadership development.
Elder Fantone earned a bachelor’s degree in management from Rizal Technological University and completed additional studies at the University of the Philippines.
He and his wife, Cynthia Caseres Uy, have four children.
Elder Kevin J. Hathaway
Kevin James Hathaway, 51, was born in Billings, Montana. He was serving as president of the Arkansas Bentonville Mission at the time of his call. His previous church service includes full-time missionary service in the Russia St. Petersburg Mission, bishop, stake president, mission president, and Area Seventy. He has professional experience in healthcare and business leadership.
Elder Hathaway earned bachelor’s degrees in Russian language and international law and diplomacy from Brigham Young University.
He and his wife, Kali Lewis, are the parents of six children.
Elder Thabo Lebethoa
Thabo Kula James Lebethoa, 50, was born in Soweto, South Africa. He was serving as a Sunday School teacher at the time of his call. His previous church service includes bishop, stake president, mission president, and Area Seventy. He has professional experience supporting welfare, self-reliance, and religious education initiatives.
Elder Lebethoa earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of South Africa.
He and his wife, Andronica Gadifele Matlapeng, have four children.
Elder Jeremiah J. Morgan
Jeremiah Joseph Morgan, 55, was born in Kettering, Ohio. He was serving as an elders quorum instructor at the time of his call. His previous church service includes full-time missionary service in the Micronesia Guam Mission, branch president, bishop, high councilor, stake president, public affairs specialist, and Area Seventy. He has professional experience in public service and law.
Elder Morgan earned degrees from the University of Central Missouri and Brigham Young University.
He and his wife, Rebecca McDavitt, are the parents of five children.
Elder Paul H. Sinclair
Paul Harrison Sinclair, 60, was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He was serving as president of the England London Mission at the time of his call. His previous Church service includes bishop, high councilor, public affairs specialist, stake president, mission president, and Area Seventy. He has professional experience in law and organizational leadership.
Elder Sinclair earned degrees from Brigham Young University, Southern Illinois University, and Gonzaga University.
He and his wife, Mona Marie Hill, have five children.
Emeritus general authorities
The following general authorities were granted emeritus status and thanked for their service:
Elder Craig C. Christensen
Elder Craig C. Christensen was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on Oct. 5, 2002. He is currently serving as president of the church’s United States Southeast Area and has previously served as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy (2012 to 2018); president of the Mexico South, Utah and South America South areas; and executive director of the Priesthood and Family Department.
He received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Brigham Young University and master’s degree in business administration from the University of Washington. He has been a visiting instructor of business and religion courses at several universities, including BYU.
At the time of his call as a general authority, he was a self-employed businessman in the retail automotive, insurance and real estate development industries. He had previously worked as an executive with several privately owned companies and an international accounting and consulting firm.
His previous church service includes as an Area Seventy, president of the México México City East Mission (1995-1998), counselor in a Provo Missionary Training Center branch presidency, bishop and full-time missionary in the Chile Santiago South Mission.
Elder Christensen was born March 18, 1956, in Salt Lake City. He married Debora Jones in 1978; they are the parents of four children.
Elder Eduardo Gavarret
Elder Eduardo Gavarret was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 5, 2008. He is currently serving as a counselor in the South America South Area presidency and has previously served as Caribbean Area president, counselor in the presidencies of the South America Northwest and Brazil areas and an assistant executive director in the Missionary and Temple and Family History departments.
He received a license in administration and management from the Universidad Autónoma de Asunción, a license from Dale Carnegie in human relations and a master’s degree in business administration and marketing from INPG-MBA in Brazil. At the time of his call, he was general manager for GP Pharm S.A. in Peru and regional manager for the company in Central America and Uruguay. He had also worked for Tecnofarma and IVAX Corporation.
When called as a general authority, he was in the bishopric of the Santa Cruz Ward in the Limatambo Perú Stake. His previous service included as Area Seventy, regional representative, president of the Paraguay Asunción Mission (2003-2006), stake president, stake mission president, stake executive secretary, bishop, branch president and full-time missionary in the Uruguay/Paraguay Mission.
Elder Gavarret was born May 11, 1956, in Minas, Lavalleja, Uruguay, He married Norma Beatriz Gorgoroso Martirena in 1978; they are the parents of three children.
Elder Brook P. Hales
Elder Brook P. Hales was called as a General Authority Seventy on May 15, 2018. He had been serving as secretary to the First Presidency since 2008 and has continued in the role since his call. From 1997 to 2008, he was an assistant secretary to the First Presidency.
He received a banking and finance degree from Weber State College and previously worked in commercial bank operations and in the church’s Finance and Records Division.
His previous church service includes stake president, counselor in a bishopric, high priests group leader, priesthood organist, Sunday School teacher, temple sealer and full-time missionary in the France Paris Mission.
Elder Hales was born April 7, 1956, in Ogden, Utah. He married Denise Imlay Hales in 1981; they are the parents of four children.
Elder William K. Jackson
Elder William K. Jackson was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 4, 2020. He currently serves as second counselor in the Philippines Area presidency and has previously served as an assistant executive director in the Missionary Department.
After three years studying at Brigham Young University, he received a bachelor of science degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and later a doctor of medicine degree from the University of California, San Francisco.
At time of his call, he was medical director of Valley Family Health Care. He had previously worked as a regional medical officer for the U.S. State Department and medical doctor for the Department of the Air Force and at McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah, for his medical residency.
When called as a general authority, he was serving as bishop in a young single adult ward. Previous church service has included as an Area Seventy, president of the India New Delhi Mission (2009-2012), bishop, branch Young Men president, Gospel Doctrine teacher and full-time missionary in the Bolivia La Paz Mission.
Elder Jackson was born March 29, 1956, in Washington, D.C. He married Ann Kesler in 1977; they are the parents of eight children.
Elder Erich W. Kopischke
Elder Erich W. Kopischke was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on Oct. 5, 2002. He is currently serving at church headquarters in Salt Lake City in a number of department and committee assignments and has previously served as counselor and later president of the Europe Area.
After receiving a degree in business, he was a self-employed insurance broker and later managing director of a nationwide insurance company in Germany.
When called as a general authority, he was working for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion in Europe, teaching early morning seminary and institute classes and serving as the area director for the Europe Area.
At the time of his call, he was serving as an Area Seventy and had previously served as president of the Germany Berlin Mission (2003-2006), stake president, district president, high counselor, branch president, bishop and full-time missionary in the Germany Munich Mission.
Elder Kopischke was born Oct. 20, 1956, in Elmshorn, Germany. He married Christiane Glück in 1978; they are the parents of seven children.
Elder Peter F. Meurs
Elder Peter F. Meurs was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 2, 2016. He is currently serving as the president of the Pacific Area and had served previously as a counselor in the presidencies of the Asia and Pacific areas.
He received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Monash University. He worked for Esso Australia and was a founding partner of Worley Limited, an engineering service and project management company. He was also an executive director of the board of Fortescue Metals.
His previous church service includes Area Seventy, mission presidency counselor, bishop, branch president, elders quorum president and full-time missionary in the New Zealand Auckland Mission.
Elder Meurs was born Dec. 21, 1956, in Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia. He married Maxine Evelyn Thatcher in 1979; they are the parents of four children.
Elder S. Mark Palmer
Elder S. Mark Palmer was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 2, 2016. He has been serving in the Presidency of the Seventy since August 2021 and previously served in the presidencies of the Africa Southeast and Africa South areas.
He received a bachelor of commerce degree from the University of Auckland and a master’s degree in business administration from Brigham Young University. He founded SMP Ventures, a real estate development company, of which he was president. Prior to that he was a partner and managing director with Trammell Crow Company.
His previous church service includes president of the Washington Spokane Mission and interim president of the Australia Sydney South Mission and full-time missionary in the New Zealand Wellington Mission.