Church News - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

New mission presidents

Published: Saturday, April 19, 2008

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Seven new mission presidents and their wives have been called by the First Presidency. They will begin service about July 1.

Dave A. and Fema G. Aquino
Dave Advincula Aquino, 45, Philippines Olongapo Mission; Naga 2nd Ward, Naga Philippines Stake; counselor in the Philippines Naga Mission presidency and stake Young Men president; former bishop and counselor, high councilor, ward Sunday School president, stake mission president and missionary in the Philippines Davao Mission. Institute director, Church Educational System. Born in Manila, Philippines, to Federico Dimaguila and Leticia Zalameda Advincula Aquino. Married Fema Gines Soliman, three children.

A stake Young Women president and ward temple preparation teacher, Sister Aquino is a former ward Young Women president, counselor in a ward Primary presidency and ward Relief Society teacher. Born in Angeles City, Philippines, to Manuel Castro, Sr and Febe Fernando Gines Soliman.

Jeffry L. and Melodee Cooley
Jeffry Lynn Cooley, 62, Brazil Sao Paulo North Mission; Pueblo (YSA) Ward, Mesa Arizona Pueblo Stake; former bishop, stake president, counselor in a stake mission presidency, Aaronic priesthood adviser and missionary in the Brazil South Mission. Retired farmer. Born in Mesa, Ariz., to Eldon Whipple and Elona Peel Cooley. Married Melodee Elizabeth Turley, six children.

Sister Cooley is a former counselor in stake and ward Relief Society presidencies, ward Relief Society teacher, ward Primary chorister and Cub Scout leader. Born in El Paso, Texas, to Clarence Franklin and Anna Tenney Turley.

Mario H. and Regina Emerick
Mario Helio Emerick, 53, Brazil Recife Mission; Trianon Ward, Sao Paulo Brazil Parque Pinheiros Stake; patriarch; former stake president and counselor, bishop, high councilor and missionary in the Brazil Porto Alegre Mission. Administrator, Godoy Emerick Corretora de Seguros Ltda. Born in Porecatu, Brazil, to Lourival çlvaro and Aida Dutra Lima Emerick. Married Regina Monica De Godoy, four children.

A stake family history consultant, Sister Emerick is a former counselor in stake Relief Society, Young Women and Primary presidencies, ward Primary and Relief Society president and stake family history center director. Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to Ismael de and Ninette Santos Godoy.

Soledad and J. Wilson Gamboa
Jose Wilson Gamboa, 49, Ecuador Guayaquil North Mission; Magdala Ward, Bogota Colombia Granada Stake; area family history adviser; former counselor in the Colombia Bogota South Mission presidency, bishop and counselor, branch president and missionary in the Colombia Bogota Mission. Senior buyer for the Church. Born in Bolivar, Valle, Colombia, to Misael Gamboa Quintero and Irma Galvez Mejia Gamboa. Married Soledad Pulido Barrera, two children.

A ward Relief Society president, Sister Gamboa is a former stake Relief Society secretary, seminary teacher, ward Primary president, counselor in a ward Relief Society presidency and missionary in the Colombia Cali Mission. Born in Bogota, Cundinamarca, Colombia, to Eduardo Pulido Alvarez and Bertha Barrera Merizalde Pulido.

David H. and Dana K. Hill
David Henry Hill, 55, Slovenia/Croatia Mission; Northridge Ward, Carmichael California Stake; stake president; former bishop, counselor in a stake presidency, stake Young Men president, scoutmaster, seminary teacher and missionary in the Germany Hamburg Mission. College counselor/professor, Folsom Lake College. Born in Lehi, Utah, to Clovis Lee and Carol Jane Lunt Hill. Married Dana Katherine Fox, six children.

A seminary teacher, Sister Hill is a former ward Primary chorister, Young Women advisor, Relief Society teacher, ward choir director and ward organist. Born in Van Nuys, Calif., to Angus Cannon, Jr and Geraldeane White Fox.

Colette A. and James B. Lindahl
James Blaine Lindahl, 56, Argentina Mendoza Mission; Foothill Ward, Provo Utah Edgemont North Stake; branch president at the Provo MTC; former bishop and counselor, branch president, high councilor, Scoutmaster and missionary in the Uruguay-Paraguay Mission. Partner, HPSI Healthcare Corp. Born in San Diego, Calif., to Blaine Gray and Joy Green Lindahl. Married Colette Ann Brown, four children.

Serving with her husband at Provo MTC, Sister Lindahl is a former stake Relief Society president and counselor, ward Primary president and branch Young Women president. Born in Walnut Creek, Calif., to Joseph William and Ruth Naylor Brown.

Susan and George J. Van Komen
George Johan Van Komen, 63, Missouri Independence Mission; Monument Park 13th Ward, Salt Lake Monument Park Stake; high priest group leader; former bishop, high councilor, ward mission leader, elders quorum president and missionary in the Netherlands Mission. Physician, Intermountain Healthcare. Born in Amsterdam, Netherlands, to Egbert and Maria Christina Van Maare Van Komen. Married Susan Chipman Smith, three children.

A Sunday School teacher, Sister Van Komen is a former ward Primary president and teacher, ward Relief Society secretary and teacher, nursery leader and Church hostess in the Relief Society Building. Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Willard Le Roy and Ruth Whitaker Chipman Smith.