2026 Mission Leadership Assignments Announced

Sister missionaries will serve both in Utah missions and at Temple Square

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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.

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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.

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— Aoydele Orimisan and Olubukola Abiodun 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*— To be announced

 

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— To be announced

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 Gutiérrez— 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*— Chris and Kristy 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

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Sister missionaries stand near the Relief Society building on Temple Square in Salt Lake City on March 31, 2025.

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.”