Six new presidents of missionary training centers have been called by the First Presidency.

The new presidents and the countries where they will serve are Kenji Akagi, Japan; Grady Edenfield, Samoa; Wilford Farnsworth Jr., Mexico; Robert Lemmon, Argentina; John O'Donnal, Peru; and Arthur Sperry Jr., England. The new directors are being trained this week at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, and will begin service about Feb. 1."The training of missionaries at the missionary training centers throughout the Church fills a very important role," said Allen C. Ostergar, administrative director of training. "Because the number of missionaries from outside the United States and Canada is increasing, about one-fourth of the total now come from these areas."

The other centers use the same training materials, guides and handbooks as the center in Provo, he said. As a result, missionaries throughout the world can work together, regardless of where they receive training.

"The presidents of these other centers do very well in training missionaries, although their operations are much smaller. The Provo Missionary Training Center trains 18,000 missionaries a year. Other centers might train from 200 to 800 missionaries each year."

The new leaders are experienced in Church leadership.

Pres. Akagi, 65, of Wahiawa, Hawaii, is former president of the Japan Kobe Mission, and has served as high councilor, seventies quorum president, and bishop's counselor. His wife, Jean Yoshiko Tanda Akagi, has served in the presidencies of Primary, Relief Society, and Young Women.

Pres. Edenfield, 60, of Mapleton, Utah, a returned missionary from Samoa, has served in a stake presidency and as a high councilor. His wife, Jane Ann Ivie Edenfield, has served in various capacities in Relief Society, Primary and Sunday School.

Pres. Farnsworth, 67, of Phoenix, Ariz., a former mission president in Puerto Rico, has served as stake president's counselor, district president, high councilor, and branch president. His wife, Ella Hull Farnsworth, served a mission in Hawaii, and has served as stake and district Relief Society president, and in other capacities in the auxiliaries.

Former president of the Chile Concepcion Mission, Pres. Lemmon, 66, of San Diego, Calif., has served as patriarch, high councilor, branch president and ward executive secretary. His wife, Patricia Helene Walker Lemmon, is a former ward Relief Society president, stake Primary inservice leader, ward Primary president's counselor, and Young Women adviser.

Pres. O'Donnal, 73, of Gilbert, Ariz., is former president of the Guatemala City Temple and the Guatemala Quetzaltenango Mission, and has served as mission president's counselor. His wife, Carmen Galvez O'Donnal, has served in presiding positions in district and mission auxiliaries.

Former president of the Philippines Davao Mission, Pres. Sperry, 71, of Salt Lake City, is a former temple president, bishop and high councilor. His wife, Ruby Carol Jones Sperry, has been Relief Society and Primary president, and teacher in the auxiliaries.