New stakes have been created in Ecuador, Honduras, Samoa and Brazil.

The Ambato Ecuador Stake, which includes the Ambato, El Recreo, Latacunga, Miraflores and Pradera wards, and the Banos, Ficoa and Pelileo branches has been created by Carl B. Pratt, Area Authority.The Comayagua Honduras Stake has been created by Elder Joseph C. Muren of the Seventy. The new stake includes the Circunvalacion, Comayagua, La Paz, San Juan and Siguatepeque wards, and the El Carmen and Piedras Bonitas branches.

The Fagamalo Samoa Stake has been created by Elder V. Dallas Merrell of the Seventy. Included in the new stake are the Fagamalo 1st and 2nd, Fatuvalu, Safotu and Saleaula wards, and the Lefagaoalii, Paia, Patamea and Samalaeulu branches.

The Maracanau Brazil Stake, which includes the Jereissati, Novo Maracanau, Novo Oriente and Rio wards, and the Novo Maranguape branch has been created by Elder Claudio R. M. Costa of the Seventy.

Elsewhere, stakes have been reorganized in Brazil, Canada, Ecuador and Venezuela, and in California, Idaho and Utah.

New stakes

AMBATO ECUADOR STAKE: (Dec. 10, 1995) Created from the Ambato Ecuador District. President - Jorge Humberto Verdesoto, 48, manager of operations for Industrial Gas of Tungurahua, former district president and counselor, branch president, and seminary teacher, married Irene Rosa Lascano. Counselors - Angel Ivan Romo, 27, sales manager, former stake mission president's counselor, ward mission leader, elders quorum president, Young Men president, and branch president, married Tania Giscela Yanez Ramos; Pompeyo Isidro Borja, 34, independent engineer, former district president's counselor, branch executive secretary, branch mission leader, and branch elders quorum secretary, married Ana Wilma Calderon Urrutia.

COMAYAGUA HONDURAS STAKE: (Dec. 17, 1995) Created from the Comayagua Honduras, La Paz Honduras and Siguatepeque Honduras districts. President - Carlos Armando Zepeda Hernandez, 30, auditor for Secretary of Tourism, former district president, high councilor, elders quorum president, Young Men president, and branch president, married Martha Victoria Rosa Ortega. Counselors - Julian Carranza Castellanos, 42, equipment maintenance manager, former district president and elders quorum president, married Alba Luz Madrid Munos; Roberto Antonio Sanchez, 41, brick mason, former district president and branch president and counselor, married Maria Guadalupe Lopez.

FAGAMALO SAMOA STAKE: (Dec. 3, 1995) Created from the Fagamalo Samoa District. President - Pama Endemann, 26, self-employed businessman, former high councilor, district mission president, district clerk, and branch president, married Sapati Young. Counselors - Mareko Taaau, 36, former stake president's counselor, district president's counselor, high councilor, stake executive secretary, bishop, and branch executive secretary, married Aruoga Aunua; Faranisisi Ilaoa, 29, farmer, former high councilor, stake clerk, district clerk, and branch clerk, married Finaurale Patiole.

MARACANAU BRAZIL STAKE: (Dec. 17, 1995) Created from the Fortaleza Brazil Bom Sucesso Stake. President - Raimundo Vieira de Oliveira, 28, technician for House of Otico, former stake president's counselor, bishop's counselor, and branch president, married Silvana Chaves. Counselors - Francisco das Chagas Rida Silva, 40, designer for Esmaltec, former bishop's counselor, and elders quorum president, married Tania Maria Mourao Celestino; Luiz Clovis Nascimento, 36, chauffeur, former bishop and counselor, and elders quorum president and counselor.

Stake reorganizations

BOUNTIFUL UTAH NORTH STAKE: (Jan. 7, 1996) President - K. John Jones, 42, financial executive for Zions Bank Capital Markets; succeeding Keith B. McMullin; former stake president's counselor, high councilor, bishop and counselor, and Young Men president, married Becky Lynn Hixson. Counselors - Brent C. Russon, 46, owner and operator of Russon Brothers Mortuary, former high councilor, stake executive secretary, stake Young Men president's counselor, bishop and counselor, and Sunday School teacher, married Dianne Gibb; David S. Hill, 49, financial specialist for Church Welfare Department, former bishop and counselor, high priests group leader and instructor, Young Men president's counselor, Primary teacher, and assistant Scoutmaster, married Susan Matthews.

BRIGHAM CITY UTAH NORTH STAKE: (Jan. 7, 1996) President - Donald V. Shakespear, 52, elementary school principal; succeeding Preston James Checketts; former high councilor, bishop and counselor, elders quorum president and counselor, and Scoutmaster, married Karma Durfee. Counselors - Ben H. Hadfield, 43, district judge, former high councilor, stake Young Men president, bishop, seventies president, teachers quorum adviser, and Sunday School teacher, married Annette Griffiths; John Higginson Young, 43, self-employed rancher, former stake president's counselor, high councilor, bishop and counselor, Young Men president, and Sunday School teacher, married Bonnie Sue Andrews.

CARACAS VENEZUELA URDANETA STAKE: (Jan. 7, 1996) President - Jorge Alberto Ruiz Limo, 40, real estate sales manager; succeeding Hector Manuel Arraez Rojas; former stake president's counselor, high councilor, and branch president, married Zoraiga del Carmen Ascanio Negron. Counselors - Mario Graterol Rengel Zamora, 29, accounts executive for Infoguia Corporation C.A., former stake Young Men president, bishop, elders quorum president, and Sunday School teacher, married Miriam Ivon Rodriguez Palacios; Felipe Nery Bravo Sanchez, 31, sales representative for Luis Juarez, former stake mission president's counselor, stake Young Men president, bishop and counselor, finance clerk, elders quorum president, and ward Young Men president, married Nancy Soledad Paredes Castillo.

FORTALEZA BRAZIL BOM SUCESSO STAKE: (Dec. 17, 1995) President - Antonio Marcos Cabral De Sousa, retained. Counselors - Jose Batista Dos Santos, retained; Antonio Cesar Costa Oliveira, 26, manager for Luis Brito Miereles, former stake executive secretary and elders quorum president, married Sandra Maria Evangelista.

GUAYAQUIL ECUADOR SOUTH STAKE: (Dec. 10, 1995) President - Francisco Antonio Alvarado Cordova, 41, merchant; succeeding David Hernando Solis Durate; former high councilor, stake clerk, stake Sunday School president, and Sunday School teacher, married Susana Consuelo Choez Zavala. Counselors - Elvis Hernan Cadena Barzallo, 36, merchant and business owner, former bishop's counselor, and elders quorum president, married Patricia Guadalupe Campos Licoa; Ricardo Rivadeneira Rodriquez, 33, visiting physician, former stake executive secretary, stake Sunday School president, bishop's counselor, and family history consultant, married Maria Agustina Mendoza Alava.

ONTARIO CALIFORNIA STAKE: (Jan. 7, 1996) President - James M. Anderson, 41, beverage sales manager for Rykoff-Sexton Inc.; succeeding Douglas Donel Smith; former high councilor, stake Young Men president, bishop and counselor, ward Young Men president, and seminary teacher, married Stephanie Adams. Counselors - Thomas R. Judd Jr., 50, project leader for Nutrilite Products/Amway, former stake president's counselor, high councilor, bishop's counselor, and high priests group leader, married Dorothy May Peyton; Richard Jay Trask, 41, owner of wall covering installation company, former high councilor, stake Young Men president, bishop and counselor, ward Young Men president, and seminary instructor, married Genevieve Diane Trujillo.

OREM UTAH GENEVA HEIGHTS STAKE: (Dec. 10, 1995) President - Albert B. Clark, 46, dentist; succeeding Robert Paul Shippen; former stake president's counselor, high councilor, bishop and counselor, and executive secretary, married Elaine Naomi Hancock. Counselors - Ronald DeGraw Jex, 63, electronic repairman for Geneva Steel, former high councilor, bishop and counselor, and elders quorum president, married Patsy Jean Larabee; David V. Thomas, 44, president and owner of Aztec Engineering Inc., former high councilor, bishop, elders quorum president and counselor, and Young Men president, married Jeannine Allen.

PARIS IDAHO STAKE: (Dec. 10, 1995) President - Jerry L. Nelson, 51, tax accountant and auditor; succeeding Richard Thomas Small; former high councilor, bishop, high priests group leader, high priests group instructor, and seminary teacher, married Ruth Marie Thornock. Counselors - Stuart D. Wamsley, 51, rancher, former high councilor, bishop and counselor, and elders quorum president, married Diane Ruth Kearl; Franklyn K. Crawford, 48, self-employed building contractor, former high councilor, stake Young Men president, bishop and counselor, and ward Young Men president, married Jeri Lou Shirley.

SALT LAKE PARLEYS STAKE: (Jan. 7, 1996) President - D. Miles Holman, 48, attorney; succeeding James L. Parkin; former stake president's counselor, stake mission president, bishop and counselor, elders quorum president and counselor, gospel doctrine teacher, and Scout troop committeeman, married Mary Lou Bekker. Counselors - Eugene F. Fortuna, 60, president of Columbia Development Corporation, former high councilor, stake Sunday School president's counselor, bishop and counselor, high priests group leader, and Young Men president, married Karen Kae Stratford; Richard E. Black, 50, pediatric surgeon, former high councilor, bishop, priests quorum adviser, and Scoutmaster, married Katherine Warner.