Changes in assignments for area leadership have been announced by the First Presidency. The changes are effective Aug. 15, 2004.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve have completed assignments as Presidents of the Philippines Area and Chile Area, respectively. Each began service in August 2002. It was the first time in nearly half a century that a member of the Quorum of the Twelve had been assigned to live abroad.

Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve will serve as President of the Europe Central Area.

A First Presidency letter to priesthood leaders June 4, stated that "Area Presidencies in the United States and Canada will be discontinued, and those areas supervised directly by the Presidency of the Seventy, under the direction of the Quorum of the Twelve." While the entire presidency is responsible for overseeing the work in the 11 affected areas, each member of the presidency has been assigned to a specific area.

Responsibility for the U.S. and Canada areas is as follows:

Elder Earl C. Tingey, North America Northeast, North America East; Elder D. Todd Christofferson, North America Southeast; Elder David E. Sorensen, North America West, North America Northwest; Elder Charles Didier, North America Southwest; Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, North America Central; Elder Merrill J. Bateman, Utah Salt Lake City, Utah North, Utah South; and Elder John H. Groberg, Idaho.

Except for Elder Perry, all members of the area presidencies belong to the First or Second Quorum of the Seventy unless otherwise noted.

Presidency of the Seventy

Earl C. Tingey

North America East

North America Northeast

D. Todd Christofferson

North America Southeast

David E. Sorensen

North America Northwest

North America West

Charles Didier

North America Southwest

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

North America Central

Merrill J. Bateman

Utah North

Utah Salt Lake City

Utah South

John H. Groberg

Idaho

Mexico North

Ned B. Roueche

First counselor

Robert J. Whetten

President

*Jorge A. Rojas

Second counselor

Mexico South

Clate W. Mask Jr.

First counselor

Craig C. Christensen

President

*Benjamin De Hoyos

Second counselor

Central America

W. Douglas Shumway

First counselor

Spencer V. Jones

President

*E. Israel Perez

Second counselor

South America North

Walter F. Gonzalez

First counselor

Claudio R.M. Costa

President

*Roberto Garcia

Second counselor

South America West

James M. Dunn

First counselor

Carlos H. Amado

President

*Willy F. Zuzunaga

Second counselor

Brazil North

Mervyn B. Arnold

First counselor

Robert R. Steuer

President

*Pedro J. Penha

Second counselor

Brazil South

Adhemar Damiani

First counselor

Neil L. Andersen

President

*Paulo R. Grahl

Second counselor

Chile

Carl B. Pratt

First counselor

Francisco J. Vinas

President

*Oscar W. Chavez

Second counselor

South America South

Lynn G. Robbins

First counselor

L. Whitney Clayton

President

*Carlos E. Aguero

Second counselor

Europe West

Gerald N. Lund

First counselor

Harold G. Hillam

President

*David S. Baxter

Second counselor

Europe Central

Bruce C. Hafen

First counselor

L. Tom Perry

President

W. Craig Zwick

Second counselor

Europe East

Robert F. Orton

First counselor

Dennis B. Neuenschwander

President

Wayne S. Peterson

Second counselor

Africa West

H. Ross Workman

First counselor

Sheldon F. Child

President

R. Conrad Schultz

Second counselor

Africa Southeast

Christoffel Golden Jr.

First counselor

Steven E. Snow

President

William W. Parmley

Second counselor

Asia

Daryl H. Garn

First counselor

John B. Dickson

President

*D. Allen Andersen

Second counselor

Asia North

William R. Walker

First counselor

Yoshihiko Kikuchi

President

*Won Yong Ko

Second counselor

Philippines

D. Rex Gerratt

First counselor

Richard J. Maynes

President

David R. Stone

Second counselor

Australia/New Zealand

John M. Madsen

First counselor

Kenneth Johnson

President

*Lindsay T. Dil

Second counselor

Pacific Islands

Dennis E. Simmons

First counselor

Robert K. Dellenbach

President

Spencer J. Condie

Second counselor

*Area Authority Seventy