Emily Belle Freeman called as new Young Women General President
During the recent 193rd Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, new leaders were presented and sustained for both the Young Women and Young Men general presidencies. President Emily Belle Freeman was called as the new Young Women General President, with Sister Tamara W. Runia as first counselor and Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus as second counselor. They will replace the outgoing presidency led by Bonnie H. Cordon, whose service will end on July 31.
President Freeman is an accomplished author, speaker, and teacher who has served as both Relief Society President and Young Women President. Meanwhile, Sister Runia met her husband at Brigham Young University and has spent 20 years on the board for the Food and Care Coalition. For her part, Sister Spannaus served in the Argentina Resistencia Mission and studied early childhood education, art, and interior design.
Changes in the Young Men General Presidency
Joining President Steven J. Lund in the revamped Young Men general presidency are Brother Bradley R. Wilcox as first counselor and Brother Michael T. Nelson as second counselor. Elder Ahmad S. Corbitt, the current first counselor in the presidency, was sustained as a General Authority Seventy during the session’s sustaining of leaders and released from his Young Men call.
Brother Wilcox moves to first counselor within the presidency while Brother Nelson completes the presidency as the new second counselor. Notably, Brother Nelson is currently a chief financial officer at a Utah-based company.
Five New General Authority Seventies Sustained
The recent conference also saw five new General Authority Seventies sustained for service to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are Elder Ahmad S. Corbitt, Elder Robert M. Daines, Elder J. Kimo Esplin, Elder Christophe G. Giraud-Carrier, and Elder Alan T. Phillips.
President Dallin H. Oaks presented the new general officers and presidencies, including the Young Women General Presidency and counselors in the Young Men General Presidency during the conference. Notably, three General Authority Seventies – Elder Benjamín De Hoyos, Elder Juan A. Uceda, and Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita – will receive emeritus status effective Aug. 1.
Profiles of the New General Authority Seventies
Elder Ahmad S. Corbitt previously served as the first counselor in the Young Men general presidency before being sustained as a General Authority Seventy. He holds a Juris Doctor degree and has worked as a trial attorney and in various executive positions.
Elder Robert M. Daines previously served as a stake president and holds a Juris Doctor degree from Yale Law School. He worked as an associate for Goldman Sachs and as a professor of law and business at Stanford University.
Elder J. Kimo Esplin previously served as an Area Seventy and holds a Master of Business Administration degree. He worked as an executive for various companies and served on the board of directors for Savage Cos.
Elder Christophe G. Giraud-Carrier previously served as a stake president and holds a doctorate in computer science from Brigham Young University. He served as a BYU professor of computer science and as a senior lecturer for the University of Bristol.
Elder Alan T. Phillips previously served as an Area Seventy and holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He worked in business, finance, and education, including as an academic director for the Brigham Young University London Centre.
These leadership changes will have significant impacts on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The new presidencies, including the Young Women General Presidency and the Young Men General Presidency, will undoubtedly bring fresh perspectives and approaches to their roles. The new General Authority Seventies will likewise bring their unique backgrounds and expertise to their service.
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