At the Saturday afternoon session of the April 2026 general conference, President D. Todd Christofferson of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced eight new General Authority Seventies and a new Primary General Presidency.

President Christofferson also announced that Elder Benjamin M. Z. Tai has been called to serve in the Presidency of the Seventy, effective August 1, 2026. He will replace Elder S. Mark Palmer, who has served in the presidency since 2021.

In addition, seven General Authority Seventies (Elders Craig C. Christensen, William K. Jackson, Brook P. Hales, Eduardo Gavarret, Erich W. Kopischke, Peter F. Meurs, and S. Mark Palmer) will be released and receive emeritus status on August 1, 2026.

New Member of the Presidency of the Seventy

Elder Benjamin M. Z. Tai

Elder Benjamin M. Z. Tai. 2026 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Download PhotoBenjamin Ming Zhe Tai, 53, is from Hong Kong. He has served as an Assistant Executive Director of the Missionary Department and as an Area Assistant in the North America Southeast Area. He was serving as President of the Asia Area at the time of this call. He has served as a General Authority Seventy since 2019. His previous Church service includes Area Seventy, district president, branch president, and full-time missionary service in the Australia Melbourne Mission.

Elder Tai earned a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. He has professional experience in investment banking and real estate development. He and his wife, Naomi Toma, are the parents of six children.

The Presidency of the Seventy is a group of seven General Authority Seventies called as presidents by the First Presidency to preside over all members of the Seventy. One of the seven presidents is chosen to preside over the other six (see Doctrine and Covenants 107:93–94). The Presidency of the Seventy oversees the work of the Seventy and assists the Quorum of the Twelve in their work throughout the world. This work includes traveling to teach the gospel of Jesus Christ; administering missionary, temple, family history, humanitarian, and other efforts; meeting with Church members and missionaries; organizing Church units; working and counseling with local Church leaders; and many other responsibilities.

The other six members of the Presidency of the Seventy are Elders Carl B. Cook (the Senior President), Marcus B. Nash, Michael T. Ringwood, Arnulfo Valenzuela, Edward Dube, and Kevin R. Duncan.

General Authority Seventies

General Authority Seventies are Church leaders called by the First Presidency to be “especial witnesses” and to assist the Twelve in “building up the church and regulating all the affairs” and “preaching and administering the gospel” throughout the world (Doctrine and Covenants 107:25, 34, 38). They act under the direction of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

General Authority Seventies serve full-time in the Church. They are usually released in the year they turn 70 years old and are granted emeritus status.

A brief biography of each new leader is below.

Elder Christian C. Chigbundu

Christian Chiemezuolam Chigbundu, 51, was born in Ahiaba Okpuala, Nigeria. He was serving as president of the Nigeria Enugu Mission at the time of his call. His previous Church service includes bishop, stake president, mission president, and Area Seventy. He has professional experience in finance and mobility services and has served in executive leadership and on professional boards in Nigeria.

Elder Chigbundu holds advanced credentials in accounting, finance, marketing, and law.

He and his wife, Felicia Mgbeodi Ugbor, are the parents of five children.

Elder Matthew J. Eyring

Matthew Johnson Eyring, 56, was born in Palo Alto, California. His previous Church service includes full-time missionary service in the Chile Santiago South Mission, bishop, stake presidency counselor, mission presidency counselor, and Area Seventy.

Elder Eyring earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Utah and a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School. He has professional experience in management consulting, medical technology, and business innovation.

He and his wife, Amy Rebecca Froerer, are the parents of five children.

Elder Hutch U. Fale

Hutch Unga Fale, 46, was born in Provo, Utah. He was serving as a member of the Twelfth Quorum of the Seventy in the Utah Area at the time of his call. His previous Church service includes full-time missionary service in the Tonga Nukuʻalofa Mission, bishop, high councilor, stake president, and Area Seventy. He has worked as an attorney.

Elder Fale earned degrees from Brigham Young University–Hawaii, the J. Reuben Clark Law School, and the Romney Institute of Public Service and Ethics.

He and his wife, Gaylene Rosarine Lilino, have five children.

Elder James O. Fantone

James Gilwell Osorio Fantone, 54, was born in Manila, Philippines. He was serving as a member of the Eighth Quorum of the Seventy in the Philippines Area at the time of his call. His previous Church service includes full-time missionary service, bishop, high councilor, mission president, and Area Seventy. He has professional experience in education administration and leadership development.

Elder Fantone earned a bachelor’s degree in management from Rizal Technological University and completed additional studies at the University of the Philippines.

He and his wife, Cynthia Caseres Uy, have four children.

Elder Kevin J. Hathaway

Kevin James Hathaway, 51, was born in Billings, Montana. He was serving as president of the Arkansas Bentonville Mission at the time of his call. His previous Church service includes full-time missionary service in the Russia St. Petersburg Mission, bishop, stake president, mission president, and Area Seventy. He has professional experience in healthcare and business leadership.

Elder Hathaway earned bachelor’s degrees in Russian language and international law and diplomacy from Brigham Young University.

He and his wife, Kali Lewis, are the parents of six children.

Elder Thabo Lebethoa

Thabo Kula James Lebethoa, 50, was born in Soweto, South Africa. He was serving as a Sunday School teacher at the time of his call. His previous Church service includes bishop, stake president, mission president, and Area Seventy. He has professional experience supporting welfare, self-reliance, and religious education initiatives.

Elder Lebethoa earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of South Africa.

He and his wife, Andronica Gadifele Matlapeng, have four children.

Elder Jeremiah J. Morgan

Jeremiah Joseph Morgan, 55, was born in Kettering, Ohio. He was serving as an elders quorum instructor at the time of his call. His previous Church service includes full-time missionary service in the Micronesia Guam Mission, branch president, bishop, high councilor, stake president, public affairs specialist, and Area Seventy. He has professional experience in public service and law.

Elder Morgan earned degrees from the University of Central Missouri and Brigham Young University.

He and his wife, Rebecca McDavitt, are the parents of five children.

Elder Paul H. Sinclair

Paul Harrison Sinclair, 60, was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He was serving as president of the England London Mission at the time of his call. His previous Church service includes bishop, high councilor, public affairs specialist, stake president, mission president, and Area Seventy. He has professional experience in law and organizational leadership.

Elder Sinclair earned degrees from Brigham Young University, Southern Illinois University, and Gonzaga University.

He and his wife, Mona Marie Hill, have five children.

Primary General Presidency

The new Primary General Presidency comprises Rosemary K. Chibota (President), Nina M. Garfield (First Counselor), and Theresa A. Collins (Second Counselor). The new presidency members will begin service on August 1, 2026.

The Primary is an organization for children ages 18 months to 11 years. It teaches them the gospel of Jesus Christ and helps them build faith. The Primary General Presidency works to strengthen children and families throughout the Church. Members of the Primary General Presidency meet with and teach Primary leaders and children throughout the world. They counsel with other general and local Church leaders as they serve children and families.

Rosemary K. Chibota

Rosemary K. Chibota, 58, is of Malawian origin and was raised in Zimbabwe. She now resides in South Jordan, Utah. She works as a human resources generalist for the Church and previously worked as a senior executive assistant in the Quorum of the Seventy office. She holds a master’s degree in management and leadership from Western Governors University and a bachelor of science degree in information technology from Colorado Technical University. She currently serves as a Sunday School teacher and with her husband as a stake mission preparation instructor. Her previous Church assignments include ward activities chair, ward Relief Society presidency, Primary teacher, ward Primary presidency, seminary teacher, district Young Women president, Relief Society teacher, and branch Young Women president. She and her husband, Joel, served together as mission leaders in the Alabama Birmingham Mission from 2022 to 2025. They have one child.

Nina M. Garfield

Nina M. Garfield, 67, lives in Orem, Utah. She was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and an American father and joined the Church in high school through the influence of good friends and their families. She is a homemaker and studied at Brigham Young University. Sister Garfield currently serves as stake Relief Society president. Her previous Church assignments include ward Relief Society president, stake Primary presidency, ward Primary presidency, stake Relief Society presidency, and stake Relief Society president. She and her husband, David (deceased), are the parents of five children.

Theresa A. Collins

Theresa A. Collins, 64, lives in Draper, Utah. She is a homemaker and studied special education at Utah State University. She currently serves as a nursery leader, a temple ordinance worker, and, with her husband as a stake mission preparation instructor. Her previous Church assignments include stake Young Women presidency, ward Relief Society president, ward Young Women president, and ward Primary teacher. She and her husband, Richard, served together as mission leaders in the Arkansas Bentonville Mission from 2021 to 2024. They have four children.