Deaf-Church-Leadership
President Michael Ballard, second counselor in the Provo Utah South Stake presidency and the first deaf man to serve in a stake presidency, signs during a stake council meeting on May 3, 2023, in Provo, Utah. Photo by Doug Stringham, courtesy of Church News.All rights reserved.This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com. It is not for use by other media.
By Church News Staff, Church News
Note: A stake is a collection of several congregations. A stake president holds the priesthood keys (spiritual authority) to lead the work of the Church in a specific geographical area. He and his two counselors form a stake presidency. They care for Church members living in the stake with love, helping them become true followers of Jesus Christ.
Following is a list of newly created stakes and stake presidencies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from around the world. Lists are compiled and published at the end of each month. The actual date of a stake’s creation or reorganization is in parentheses, following the name of the stake.
New Stakes
A new stake has been created from the Adzope Cote d’Ivoire district. The Adzope Cote d’Ivoire Stake, which consists of the Adzope 1st, Adzope 2nd, Adzope 4th, Adzope 5th, Adzope 6th branches and Adzope 3rd, Affery 1st, Affery 2nd, Akoupé 1st wards, was created by Elder Alfred Kyungu, a General Authority Seventy, and Elder Tonga J. Sai, an Area Seventy.
ADZOPE COTE D’IVOIRE STAKE: (Feb. 2, 2025) President — Brou Yoboue, 42, Inprobois quality controller; wife, Sophie Solange Kouadio Yoboue. Counselors — Agbattou Bernard Agbattou, 59, city hall administrator; wife, Anomba Germaine Agbattou. Seka Clement Seka, 52, self-employed entrepreneur; wife, Nguiassan Seka.
A new stake has been created from the Dar es Salaam Tanzania district. The Dar es Salaam Tanzania Stake, which consists of the Bunju, Kimara, Kinondoni, Mbezi Beach, Oyster Bay, Sala Sala, Segerea, Tabata, Tegeta and Ubungo branches, was created by Elder Paul B. Pieper, a General Authority Seventy, and Elder George Katembo Njogu Munene, an Area Seventy.
DAR ES SALAAM TANZANIA STAKE: (Jan. 26, 2025) President — Juventinus Mwesiga Rubona, 56, PMM Group of Companies HR; wife, Lulu Mpoleza Budili. Counselors — Joel Wilson Onditi, 45, United States Embassy Mission (Peace Corps) Tanzania senior adviser; wife, Nisile Batengas Onditi. Alfred Regnatus Henerico, 40, British High Commission Dar es Salaam Tanzania corporate service transport and logistics; wife, Herieth Luhwavi Omary Henerico.
A new stake has been created from the Santa Maria Brazil West district. The Santa Maria Brazil West Stake, which consists of the São Pedro Branch and Rosário do Sul, Salgado Filho, Santa Marta, São Gabriel and Tancredo Neves wards, was created by Elder Mark D. Eddy, a General Authority Seventy, and Elder Marcelo Louza, an Area Seventy.
SANTA MARIA BRAZIL WEST STAKE: (Jan. 26, 2025) President — Alexandre da Cruz Moreira, 51, Abella Advocacia lawyer; wife, Ozenice Cordeiro Torres Moreira. Counselors — Jeferson Bittencourt Carneiro, 51, businessman; wife, Iuçara Nunes Rangel. Edson Luis Azevedo Gomes, 56, self-employed residential painter; wife, Mari Lucia Molina Souza Gomes.
Reorganized Stakes
ABUJA NIGERIA LUGBE STAKE: (Feb. 2, 2025) President — Eke Steve Onyike, 47, Seven Up Bottling Co. Ltd. production line manager; succeeding Obinna Ubazuo Alaribe; wife, Juliet Uche Ukwadiamor Onyike Eke. Counselors — Adebunmi Abiodun Falodun, 50, High Commission of India Abuja scholarship official and clerk; wife, Temitope Ekundayo Oni Falodun. Emeka Stanley Osuji, 42, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints facilities manager; wife, Ezinna Maria Nwaokonko-Nwaoko Osuji.
BOISE IDAHO WEST STAKE: (Feb. 9, 2025) President — Skye Adam Root, 41, Capstone Partners managing director and Root Agricultural Advisory CEO and owner; succeeding Kendall Lee Miller; wife, Rebecca Louise Rogers Root. Counselors — Steven Eugene Dial, 64, Boise Fire Department, retired; wife, Pauline Monteen Freeman Dial. Robert Scott McMinn, 53, Idaho Central Credit Union commercial regional sales manager; wife, Janelle Howard McMinn.
COLLEYVILLE TEXAS STAKE: (Feb. 16, 2025) President — Drew Richardson Johnson, 56, Gauge Capital owner; succeeding Christopher Robert Klemann; wife, Joanna Barbara Wrigley Johnson. Counselors — Rustin Deon Floyd, 50, Alcon global director of health care professional training and education; wife, Emily Jacobson Floyd. Ryan Anthony Moore, 59, Medtail Markets founder and managing partner; wife, Melissah Elizabeth White Moore.
DALLAS TEXAS STAKE: (Feb. 9, 2025) President — Jonathan Albert Leland Penn, 42, United States Attorney’s Office attorney; succeeding Mark William Romney; wife, Abbilynn Spencer Penn. Counselors — Ricardo Villarreal, 63, Lockheed Martin mechanical engineer; wife, Liah Figueroa Villarreal. Stephen Lee Moore, 57, CarMax regional senior human resource manager; wife, Sarah Elisabeth Wilhite Moore.
GRANTSVILLE UTAH STAKE: (Feb. 16, 2025) President — Ryan Scott Orgill, 46, Spectrum Eye Care optometrist; succeeding Jason Kenneth Killian; wife, Stefanie Robin Jensen Orgill. Counselors — Set Zeniff Meono, 47, Triumph Group Inc. senior manager; wife, Emily Janel Matravers Meono. Carl Mitchell Mouritsen, 42, Pura Scents Inc. senior software engineering manager; wife, Rachel Jefferies Mouritsen.
GUARULHOS BRAZIL STAKE: (Dec. 1, 2024) President — Renan Cicero Coelho Silva, 40, União Química Farmacêutica Nacional S.A. research and development analyst; succeeding Odair Angulo Elizeu; wife, Raissa Fernanda Belmiro Coelho. Counselors — Murilo Pereira Santos da Silva, 39, Caixa Econômica Federal employee; wife, Joyce Elizabeth Ferreira da Silva. Paulo Cesar dos Santos, 56, entrepreneur; wife, Mônica Aparecida Santana Santos.
HENDERSON NEVADA GREEN VALLEY STAKE: (Feb. 2, 2025) President — Scott Bradley Boman, 62, physician; succeeding Grant Darren Cox; wife, Connie Lee Christensen Boman. Counselors — Gregory James Morris, 65, attorney; wife, Julie Henderson Morris. Miguel Martin Gonzales, 43, University of Nevada Las Vegas associate professor; wife, Vanessa Noemi Alpentista Gonzales.
LIMA PERÚ CALLAO STAKE: (Jan. 19, 2025) President — Yoel Modesto Jamjachi Perez, 42, OCA Global operative; succeeding Sebastian León León; wife, Maria Elena Lourdes Escalante de Jamjachi. Counselors — Carlo Duilio Silva Roggero, 38, Banco Falabella customer service coordinator; wife, Giovanna del Pilar de Silva Panduro. Groberg Lehi De Los Santos Medina, 39, Entel Perú commercial executive; wife, Jackeline Leslie Villanueva de De los Santos.
MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA GIPPSLAND STAKE: (Feb. 16, 2025) President — Matthew David Phillips, 55, barrister; succeeding Graham Frederick Smith; wife, Adelle Joanne Mauger Phillips. Counselors — Kenneth Donato Cerna-Ortiz, 44, Aged Care Developments building designer; wife, Minerva Fabros Ramos Cerna-Ortiz. Alexander Centennial Alesana, 36, Catalent for Blackmores production services machine operator; wife, Shanel Aovai Burgess Alesana.
MIDDLETON IDAHO STAKE: (Feb. 9, 2025) President — Derek Christman Howell, 48, Deloitte Tax senior manager; succeeding Jason Rex Radford; wife, Rachael Lynn Eucker Howell. Counselors — Brian Jay Gunnell, 47, HR Help Consulting owner and human resources consultant and International Minute Press franchise owner; wife, Melanie Walker Gunnell. Thomas Edward Mortensen, 51, Silverado Auto Sales LLC president; wife, Shana Irene Witters Mortensen.
NUEVO LAREDO MÉXICO STAKE: (Feb. 23, 2025) President — Miguel Gerardo Mendoza Galarza, 34, Mendoza Cuéllar y Asociados independent public accountant and Universidad Tecnológica de Nuevo Laredo teacher; succeeding Leonel Andrade Acosta; wife, Veronica Eloisa de Mendoza Cuellar. Counselors — Raul Marchan Salgado, 48, jewelry store owner; wife, Angelica de Marchan Villegas. Cesar Andrade Acosta, 53, APTIV manufacturing manager; wife, Claudia Nancy de Andrade Vazquez.
QUITO ECUADOR LA OFELIA STAKE: (Jan. 12, 2025) President — Edison Geovanny Sisalima Coyago, 43, Ingenieria para el Desarrollo Acurio y Asociados S.A. planning and operations coordinator; succeeding Carlos Alberto Ramirez Espinosa; wife, Vanessa Beatriz Toro de Sisalima. Counselors — Luis Giovanny Flores Herrera, 31, Servicat key accounts executive; wife, Fanny Alexandra Mazón de Flores. Carlos Ivan Luzuriaga Valencia, 31, Constructora Aguirre y Luzuriaga general manager; wife, Scarlett Lissette Arboleda Paredes.
PLEASANT GROVE UTAH MOUNT MAHOGANY STAKE: (Feb. 16, 2025) President — K Blake Murdock, 44, Murdock Auto Group operating partner and owner; succeeding Russell Joel Osguthorpe; wife, Katie Leigh Marshall Murdock. Counselors — Cody Earl Gillen, 46, Great Western Landscape owner; wife, Amanda Lee Woffinden Gillen. David Carlisle Blake, 52, ClientSuccess founder and CEO; wife, Bobbi Jo Hill Blake.
TEGUCIGALPA HONDURAS ROBLE OESTE STAKE: (Feb. 23, 2025) President — Luis Armando Gallo Rios, 43, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints welfare and self-reliance manager; succeeding Alberto Elias Sierra Zeitun; wife, Vanessa Jaqueline Aceituno Andino. Counselors — Marvin Ulises Nolasco Rivera, 32, Ceutec technical programs academic coordinator; wife, Nohelia Sarai Rivas Mendoza de Nolasco. Royden Orlando Cano Andino, 35, Ministry of Health budget analyst and planner; wife, Maryorie Antoneth Vasquez Trujillo de Cano.
VICTORVILLE CALIFORNIA STAKE: (Feb. 9, 2025) President — Angel Ernesto Orantes, 43, Excelsior Charter Schools science teacher; succeeding Arlan Kenneth Garcia; wife, Erika Perry Orantes. Counselors — David Alan Petersen, 49, Snowline School District teacher; wife, Kiley Force Petersen. Michael Hamilton, 54, Imperial Industrial Supply global B2B development manager; wife, Maria Puefua Hamilton.
WASHINGTON UTAH RIVERSIDE STAKE: (Feb. 23, 2025) President — Nathan Spencer Bybee, 38, Hafen Buckner PC shareholder; succeeding Spencer Richards Swift; wife, Jamie Marie Ellsworth Bybee. Counselors — Chad Brent Atkinson, 52, HintonBurdick CPAs & Advisors partner; wife, Cassie Jo Naegle Atkinson. Adam Phil Baker, 48, Washington County School District elementary principal; wife, Martha Everett Baker.