These changes to the Presiding Bishopric were among several announced Saturday at general conference

Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, left, was sustained to replace Bishop Dean M. Davies as the first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elder L. Todd Budge, right, was sustained as second counselor, the position formerly held by Bishop Waddell. | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

SALT LAKE CITY — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the calls of a new General Authority Seventy, a new member of the Presiding Bishopric and four new Area Seventies during the 190th Semiannual General Conference on Saturday afternoon.

In addition, emeritus status was granted to three General Authority Seventies, among other leadership changes.

Bishop Dean M. Davies, a counselor in the Presiding Bishopric since April 2012, was released and called as a General Authority Seventy. Bishop W. Christopher Waddell was sustained to replace Bishop Davies as the first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric.

Elder L. Todd Budge, a General Authority Seventy since April 2019, was sustained as second counselor in the Presiding Bishopric.

“Bishop Davies has been dealing with a significant health challenge for more than a year, though his current prognosis is positive,” church spokesman Eric Hawkins said in a statement. “We are grateful that he will be able to continue to serve in this new role as a General Authority Seventy.”

Before his service in the Presiding Bishopric, Elder Davies, a 69-year-old native of Salt Lake City, was employed by the church as the managing director of the Special Projects Department and oversaw special purpose real estate, temple design and temple construction. He has served as a mission president, a stake president, stake executive secretary, high councilor, in several bishoprics and as a full-time missionary in the Uruguay/Paraguay Mission. He has earned degrees from Brigham Young University, Stanford and Northwestern universities. Elder Davies and his wife, Darla James, have five children and 17 grandchildren.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Elder Dean M. Davies of the Seventy.

Elder Davies has spoken in general conference four times since 2013 on topics related to following the prophet, the blessings of worship, the law of the fast and how to have a sure foundation in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Elder L. Whitney Clayton, Elder Enrique R. Falabella and Elder Richard J. Maynes received emeritus status.

Elder Clayton, also a native of Salt Lake City, was called as a General Authority Seventy in 2001 and has filled church assignments all over the globe. Elder Clayton also served as a member of the presidency of the Seventy since 2008 and was named Senior President of the Quorums of the Seventy in 2015. He most recently spoke in general conference last April.

Elder Falabella, of Guatemala City, Guatemala, has served as a General Authority Seventy since 2007. As an Area Seventy, he served as president of the church’s Central America Area. Elder Falabella has also served in the church’s Correlation and the Priesthood and Family departments. At the time of his release Elder Falabella was serving as president of the South America Northwest Area. His most recent general conference talk was in 2013.

Elder Maynes, of Berkley, California, has served as a General Authority Seventy since 1997. From 2012 to2017, he served as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy. He previously served in the church’s Family History, Priesthood and Family and Missionary departments. Elder Maynes most recent general conference address was delivered in 2017.

The four new Area Seventies include Laurian P. Balilemwa, of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Jonathon W. Bunker, of Las Vegas; Enrique R. Mayorga, Otavalo, Ecuador; and Konstantin Tolomeev, Anapa, Russia.

The release of 47 Area Seventies was also announced. They are: Ruben Acosta, René R. Alba, Alberto A. Alvarez, Vladimir N. Astashov, José Batalla, Bradford C. Bowen, Sergio Luis Carboni, Armando Carreon, S. Marc Clay Jr., Z. Dominique Dekaye, Osvaldo R. Dias, Michael M. Dudley, Mark P. Durham, E. Xavier Espinoza, James E. Evanson, Paschoal F. Fortunato, Sam M. Galvez, Patricio M. Giuffra, Leonard D. Greer, Daniel P. Hall, Toru Hayashi, Paul F. Hintze, Adolf J. Johansson, Wisit Khanakham, Seung Hoon Koo, Pedro X. Larreal, Johnny L. Leota, José E. Maravilla, Joel Martinez, Joaquim J. Moreira, Isaac K. Morrison, Eduardo A. Norambuena, Ferdinand P. Pangan, Jairus C. Perez, Steven M. Petersen, Jay D. Pimentel, Edvaldo B. Pinto Jr., Alexey V. Samaykin, K. David Scott, Rulon F. Stacey, Karl M. Tilleman, William R. Titera, Carlos R. Toledo, Cesar E. Villar, David T. Warner, Gary K. Wilde and William B. Woahn.

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