2026-Mission-leaders
Mission leaders talk to one another at the 2025 Seminar for New Mission Leaders at the Provo Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, on Friday, June 20, 2025. © 2026 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is calling new mission presidents and their companions for 188 missions worldwide, including 55 newly created missions. Most of these couples will begin their three-year service on or about July 1, 2026.
In addition, in advance of the completion of the Salt Lake Temple renovation in 2027 and in anticipation of the Salt Lake Temple Celebration, enhancements will be made to the guest experience on Temple Square this year. Sister missionaries called to Utah will serve both in Utah missions and at Temple Square. Learn more.
Mission Leaders’ Names and Assignments
See the tables below for the names of the mission leaders who have been called and their mission assignments. Five couples will be announced later. New missions are indicated with an asterisk (*).
In the coming months, Church News will publish brief biographies and photos for each couple. Hyperlinks to these articles will be added to the names below.
2026-Mission-Leaders
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is calling new mission leaders for 188 missions worldwide, including 55 newly created missions. These couples will begin their three-year service on or about July 1, 2026. Map numbers indicate the number of missions in the colored areas, which may not correspond to Church areas listed in the article. Graphic courtesy of Church News.Copyright 2026 Deseret News Publishing Company.Africa Central
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Cameroon Yaoundé | Kelly L. and Maria Stotts |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo Kananga | Pierrot and Frida Kabunda |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa East | Tonga J. and Dorothee G. Sai |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa North* | Junior and Annie Banza |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo Mwene-Ditu* | Vally and Christine Tshimanga |
| Ethiopia Addis Ababa | Alexander and Phyllis Tandoh |
| Kenya Kisumu* | Hans and Annie Peterson |
| Republic of Congo Brazzaville | Victor and Edvige Mbengue |
| Tanzania Dar es Salaam | Philip R. and Alice O. Huber |
| Uganda Kampala East* | Lauriano P. Balilemwa and Happiness Kagemulo |
Africa South
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Angola Luanda North* | Odair and Edileude Lira |
| Madagascar Antananarivo South | Rob and Ruth Campbell |
| Malawi Lilongwe* | Nathan N. and Shannon W. Savage |
| Mozambique Maputo | Tyler C. and Karen E. Sorenson |
| Mozambique Nampula* | Solomon and Amalia Dickie Malidadi |
| South Africa Cape Town | Reginald and Vuyo Moyo |
| South Africa East London* | Glenn and Kathy Seninger |
| South Africa Johannesburg | Shawn K. and Beth M. Jones |
| South Africa Pretoria | Kuviwe and Thobeka Mahlangabeza |
| Zimbabwe Harare West* | To be announced |
Africa West
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Benin Cotonou | Matt and Kim Osborne |
| Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan East | Brandon L. and Jennifer M. Taylor |
| Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan North | Paul and Alison Brown |
| Cote d'Ivoire Abidjan South* | Michael A. and Corrie Call |
| Cote d'Ivoire Daloa* | Benjamin W. and Emily LeSueur |
| Ghana Accra East | Johnny and Terri-Dawn Ek |
| Ghana Accra South* | Nathan A. and Amy K. Craig |
| Ghana Sunyani* | James T. and Gina K. Anderson |
| Liberia Monrovia West* | Marc and Cammy Fuller |
| Nigeria Aba | Ikechukwu J. and Freda O. Ibe |
| Nigeria Abuja | Ayodele Orimisan and Olubukola Ojulari |
| Nigeria Port Harcourt South | Gordon and Rose Ondiek |
| Senegal Dakar* | David James and Staccie Williams |
| Togo Lomé* | Kristopher A. and Amy Bailey |
Asia North
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Japan Kobe | Jason and Kristen Sybrowsky Kerr |
| Japan Sapporo | Jeffrey G. and April K. Bickel |
| Japan Tokyo North | Brett and Marcie Keller |
| Mongolia Ulaanbaatar West* |
Brazil
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Brazil Brasília | Teciomar and Karen Abila |
| Brazil Campinas | Thomas L. and Kimberly C. Stone |
| Brazil Feira de Santana | Oriondes and Monica Martins |
| Brazil Florianopolis | James and Traci Welburn |
| Brazil Fortaleza | Carlos A. and Rozinete Santos |
| Brazil Guarulhos* | Joel and Claudia Fernandes |
| Brazil Maceió | Shane J. and Meri Ann Farnsworth |
| Brazil Manaus North | Antonio and Luciana Santana |
| Brazil Recife North | Stanton L. and Connie Marshall |
| Brazil Recife South | Lance R. and Robbi O. Bradford |
| Brazil Rio de Janeiro North | Neverson and Deborah Paes |
| Brazil São Bernardo* | Diego A. and Clézia S. Oliveira |
| Brazil São Paulo Interlagos | Larry and Rachel Cox |
| Brazil São Paulo North | Matt and Marianne Ingersoll |
| Brazil Sorocaba* | Adriano B. and Pamela P. Nogueira |
| Brazil Vitoria | David R. and Joanna C. Layton |
Canada
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Canada Halifax* | Steve and Deborah Montgomery |
| Canada Toronto East* | E. Boyd and Michelle D. Craig |
Caribbean
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Dominican Republic Santo Domingo East | Enrique and María Angélica Mayorga |
| Dominican Republic Santo Domingo West | Robert D. and Beverly J. Dow |
| Puerto Rico San Juan | Paul D. and Janelle F. Hernandez |
| Venezuela Caracas | To be announced |
| Venezuela Maracaibo | Ramón J. and Carmen Maria Martínez |
Central America
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| El Salvador San Salvador East | Christian D. and Ella Walker |
| El Salvador Santa Ana | Todd and Tami Mickelsen |
| Guatemala Guatemala City | German and Alejandra de Laboriel |
| Guatemala Guatemala City Central | Nathan D. and Margaret W. Pace |
| Guatemala Guatemala City East | Eduardo J. and Solange Rex |
| Guatemala Quetzaltenango | José A. and Sonia Fernández |
| Honduras Tegucigalpa | McKay M. and Jodi K. Pearson |
| Nicaragua Managua South | Luis Fernando and Leticia Torres |
Europe Central
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Adriatic North | Jeff and Debbie Moore |
| Albania Tirana | Matthew and Mary Wirthlin |
| Alpine German-Speaking | Brett A. and Janice Greenhalgh |
| Bulgaria Sofia | David J. and Kara I. Ludlow |
| France Paris North | Louis-Marie and Cybèle Liebard |
| France Paris South* | Matthew R. and Rebecca S. Henriksen |
| Germany Frankfurt | Jared and Heather Theurer |
| Greece Athens* | Howard D. and Heather G. McKeon |
| Hungary Budapest | Case M. and Kerri L. Lawrence |
| Poland Warsaw | Jeffrey A. and Jennifer Barnes |
| Romania Bucharest | Matthew O. and Louise M. Leavitt |
| Spain Barcelona | Jayson and Allison Newitt |
| Spain Madrid East* | Jason M. and Karen B. Mattingley |
Europe North
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Baltic | Douglas C. and Carrie Derrick |
| Cape Verde Mindelo* | Chris and Tally Wright |
| Cape Verde Praia | Michael K. and Lori Coons Wood |
| Finland Helsinki | Bert T. and Gigi Dover |
| Sweden Stockholm | Robert and Karin Mayo |
México
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| México Guadalajara East | J. Alejandro and Guadalupe De la Fuente |
| México México City Southeast | Sal and Araceli Zavala |
| México Oaxaca | Jorge W. and Graciela Agustina Pérez |
| México Puebla South | Scott E. and Robin Sears |
| México Tijuana | Randy and Jenny Richardson |
| México Torreón | Manuel and Genny Zapata |
| México Tula* | Dee W. and Kim Morse |
| México Tuxtla | Manuel and Eva Gutiérrez |
| México Veracruz | Allen P. and Julie J. Hilton |
| México Xalapa | Carlos Gabriel and Dayalsi Prieto |
Pacific
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Australia Brisbane South* | Greg and Kristyn Trimble |
| Fiji Suva | Lote Kama and Venina Ucunibaravi Qoroya |
| New Zealand Auckland | James S. and Kylie A. Mackie |
| New Zealand Wellington | Paul W. and Haidee Roberts |
| Papua New Guinea Daru* | Sione and Mele Lavaka |
| Papua New Guinea Madang* | M. Dean and Christine A. Westerlund |
| Samoa Apia West | Gilbert and Ginger Tavita |
| Solomon Islands Honiara* | Matthew G. and Kimberli Court |
| Tahiti Papeete | Jay and Katauna Lucas |
Philippines
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Philippines Angeles | Thomas D. and Patricia C. Burton |
| Philippines Davao | Gerry C. and Charmaine Gaw Guerra |
| Philippines Lingayen* | Erwin and Reggie Brillantes |
| Philippines Lipa* | Federico and Sonia Francia |
| Philippines Manila | David and Jenna Roy |
| Philippines Olongapo | M. Todd and P. Michelle Jones |
| Philippines Ormoc* | Martiniano S. and Lourdes Beata C. Soquila |
| Philippines Ozamiz* | Bon C. and Imelda F. Escobar |
| Philippines Puerto Princesa* | Romeo A. and Olivia Salamanca Campos |
| Philippines Quezon City North | Jeffrey H. and Paige A. Winter |
| Philippines San Pablo | Eden R. and Tonya May Engen |
| Philippines Tacloban | Scott and Heidi McElhaney |
South America Northwest
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Colombia Cali | Jorge and Maria Teresa Portal |
| Ecuador Guayaquil East | Jim and Allyson E. Larkins |
| Ecuador Guayaquil North | J. Brian and Katie Abrams |
| Perú Chiclayo | Yan Carlos and Inocencia Vega |
| Perú Lima East | David and Juanita Bybee |
| Perú Lima Northwest* | John T. and Sharon G. Hutchinson |
| Perú Tacna* | Christopher H. and Kristine D. Clason |
South America South
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Argentina Buenos Aires West | Josh and Katie Garner |
| Argentina Mendoza | Andres L. and Martha Dorado |
| Argentina Resistencia | Ranulfo and Irais Cervantes |
| Argentina Rosario | Lee D. and Jennifer Mackay |
| Argentina Salta | Juan Pablo and Florencia Sajtroch |
| Chile Santiago North | Brian W. and Kristi Baker |
| Paraguay Asunción East | R. Scott and Heidi Rushing |
| Uruguay Salto* | William A. and Alyson Freedman |
United States Central
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Colorado Colorado Springs | James N. and Kimberly Wadsworth |
| Colorado Denver East | Michael and Nichol Gallup |
| Missouri Independence | Blaine H. and Debbie Hill |
| Missouri Kansas City* | Markham D. and Melissa C. Tuttle |
| Wyoming Cheyenne* | Brett D. and Susan Christiansen |
United States Northeast
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Indiana Fort Wayne* | J. Kelly and Linda M. Flanagan |
| Maryland Baltimore | Douglas W. and Tiffany L. Hedger |
| Michigan Lansing | Larry R. and Dawn E. Larson |
| New Jersey Morristown | Chad R. and Sheree H. Argyle |
| Ohio Columbus | Robbie and Karen Bosco |
| Pennsylvania Pittsburgh | Daniel and Rebecca Greer |
| Virginia Norfolk* | Steven C. and Jeanne Merrell |
United States Southeast
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Arkansas Little Rock | Stan and Heidi Hanks |
| Florida Fort Lauderdale | Kevin E. and Brynda Lynn Dickson |
| Georgia Atlanta North | J. Andrew and Shannon Dent |
| Kentucky Louisville | To be announced |
| Louisiana Baton Rouge | Daniel and Allyson Chard |
| Mississippi Jackson* | Graden P. and Sommer Jackson |
| North Carolina Raleigh | Tod M. and Lindie Turley |
| South Carolina Columbia | Derek M. and Stephanie Miner |
| Tennessee Knoxville | Andrew and Vanessa Croshaw |
United States Southwest
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Arizona Flagstaff | Carl C. and Candace D. Cottrell |
| Arizona Phoenix East* | Marty R. and Michelle Page |
| Arizona Phoenix West | Bruce W. and Carolyn S. Ebmeyer |
| Arizona Tucson | Enrique M. and Yesenia Loo |
| Nevada Henderson | David A. and Sherice Lemperle |
| Nevada Reno | Kirk and April Feller |
| Oklahoma Tulsa* | Scott W. and Karla R. Wallentine |
| Texas Austin | Ed and Kari Jorden |
| Texas Dallas East | Travis J. and RaLynne Parry |
| Texas Dallas North* | Brian and Diane Fitzpatrick |
| Texas Fort Worth | Casey and Elizabeth Allman |
| Texas Houston East | Lehi and Melissa Rodriguez |
| Texas Houston North* | Dale A. and Kristen E. Curriden |
| Texas Houston West | Morgan and Jennie Fife |
| Texas Lubbock | Stuart R. and M. Lisa Schofield |
| Texas San Antonio South* | Martin C. and Veronica Pitarch Rios |
United States West
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| California Anaheim | Curtis R. and Mollie Whetten |
| California Arcadia | David R. and Suzi Williams |
| California Carlsbad* | R. Tyler and Elizabeth Wallis |
| California Fresno | Will and Katie Fritcher |
| California Oakland/San Francisco | Tom and Lori Holmoe |
| California Ontario* | Kelly R. and Joan N. Norman |
| California Riverside | M. Sean and Diana Esplin |
| California Roseville | Scott A. and Amy B. Jensen |
| California Sacramento | Gregory and Hollie Peterson |
| California San Jose | Adam and Natalie Kessler |
| California Santa Rosa | Ben and Natalie Peterson |
| California Ventura | Raymond and Lucinda León Contreras |
| California Victorville* | Greg and Kaele Porter |
| Idaho Coeur d’Alene* | Scott H. and Laura Welch |
| Oregon Eugene | Dave and Shannon Morley |
| Oregon Portland | Stephen and Kim Daley |
Utah
| Mission | Mission Leaders |
|---|---|
| Utah Orem | Carl E. and Tammy Harris |
| Utah Salt Lake City Headquarters | Scott M. and Marcia A. Stanford |
*New mission
Temple-square-missionaries
Sister missionaries stand near the Relief Society building on Temple Square in Salt Lake City on March 31, 2025.2026 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.New Temple Square Missionary Model to Begin in 2026
As they have for many decades, sister missionaries will continue serving on Temple Square but will be assigned to a surrounding mission and divide their time between a teaching area and Temple Square.
The assignment to serve on Temple Square will continue to be made by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve.
This approach mirrors successful models used at other temple visitors’ centers worldwide. This adjustment is designed to enhance the Temple Square guest experience and increase missionary opportunities. With missionaries coming from multiple missions to serve on Temple Square, more can be available during major events and peak visitor periods. And during times of lower visitor traffic, missionaries can spend more time ministering to others in their assigned teaching areas.
As part of this adjustment, a limited number of returned missionaries will be hired as part-time guides to work with the sister missionaries in enhancing the guest experience.
In the coming months, sister missionaries currently assigned to the Utah Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission will be reassigned by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve to one of the surrounding Utah missions. This transition is expected to be completed by July 2026 at which time the Utah Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission will be discontinued.
Volunteers and missionaries serving on Temple Square dates back more than a century:
- 1922: Organized and staffed by part-time and full-time volunteers.
- 1980s: Full-time missionaries began assisting with tours, primarily senior couples, with language support from young missionaries in the Utah Salt Lake City Mission.
- 1995: The Utah Salt Lake City Temple Square Mission was officially formed.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and chair of the Missionary Executive Council served as a part-time guide on Temple Square from 1972 to 1976 during his university studies.
“Missionaries at Temple Square play an important role in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, as they welcome millions of visitors from around the world,” he said. “The Church expresses gratitude for these faithful sisters who have served in this mission over the years. Moving forward, the dedicated service of sister missionaries will continue to be a blessing and allow Temple Square to be a place of inspiration for people of all faiths and backgrounds.”
