NEWS OF THE CHURCH New Leaders Sustained at General Conference embers of the Church Seventy, and new members passing of Elder Joseph B. biography in Ensign and around the world par- of the Seventy. The First Wirthlin (1917–2008) last Liahona, May 2003), Yoon Mticipated by Internet, Presidency also announced December. (See biography Hwan Choi, Brent H. Nielson, radio, television, and satellite the reorganization of the on page 133.) Dale G. Renlund, Michael T. during the 179th Annual Young Men and Sunday Elder Donald L. Hallstrom Ringwood, and Joseph W. General Conference held on School general presidencies. of the Seventy was called Sitati (see biographies begin- April 4 and 5, 2009. (See page 27 for a list of to the Presidency of the ning on page 135). During the conference, those sustained and Seventy. (See biography on Seven men were called which was broadcast in released.) page 134.) to serve as members of the 94 languages, the First Elder Neil L. Andersen, Six men were called to Second Quorum of the Presidency announced the senior member of the serve in the First Quorum Seventy (see biographies calling of a new member of Presidency of the Seventy, of the Seventy. Called were beginning on page 137), the Quorum of the Twelve was called to the Quorum Elder Mervyn B. Arnold of 38 were released as Area Apostles, a new member of the Twelve Apostles to the Second Quorum of the Seventies, and 40 new Area of the Presidency of the fill the vacancy left by the Seventy (see Elder Arnold’s Seventies were called. ■ 132 farm, everyone in the family phenomenal. She has a pure contributes. It is a blessing and disciplined faith.” to learn early that work is a After graduating from BYU fulfilling part of life.” in 1975, Elder Andersen At 19, Elder Andersen was received a master’s degree in called on a mission to France, business administration from where the deep devotion of Harvard University in 1977. the members and the con- He and Kathy returned to verting power of the Book of Kathy’s childhood home in Mormon fortified his growing Florida, where he pursued testimony. business interests in advertis- After returning from his ing, real estate development, mission, Elder Andersen and health care. Later he excelled at Brigham Young served as the Tampa Florida University, being named a Stake president. Hinckley Scholar and being In 1989, at age 37, Elder elected student body vice Andersen was called back to president. France—this time as presi- It was there that Elder dent of the France Bordeaux Andersen met the person Mission. “Our four young who would have perhaps the children were courageous in greatest influence on his life: facing a new culture and lan- his future wife, Kathy Sue guage, and we witnessed Williams. The two were mar- close up the Lord’s hand at ried in the Salt Lake Temple work in building His king- on March 20, 1975. dom,” he says. “Once I married her,” Elder Andersen was called Elder Andersen says with a to the First Quorum of the warm smile, “the standards in Seventy in April 1993 at age my life went way up—being 41. Including his years as a absolutely consistent in mission president, he has prayer and scripture study, served 10 of the past 20 years Elder Neil L. Andersen keeping the commandments outside the United States on Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles with precision. Her influence Church assignments. “We upon me and our children is have loved the wonderful uring the 16 years President of the Seventy, Elder Neil Linden explains: “No one is prepared DAndersen has served for a call such as this. It is as a General Authority, he overwhelming, and I feel very has often heard President inadequate. I pray that the Monson teach that “whom Lord will find me sufficiently the Lord calls, the Lord quali- humble and moldable, that fies” (Thomas S. Monson He can shape me into what I quoting Harold B. Lee, “Who must become.” Honors God, God Honors,” Born on August 9, 1951, in Ensign, Nov. 1995, 50). Logan, Utah, USA, to Lyle P. Now more than ever, Elder and Kathryn Andersen, Elder Andersen is holding on to Andersen credits his years those words. working alongside his family Elder Andersen, who has with instilling important been serving as the Senior values. “On a small family MAY 2009 133 people of the Church across 16 years. “President Monson the world,” he says. “The has been a wonderful teacher Elder Donald L. Hallstrom faith, devotion, and testimony to me and many others, as he in every land has been a has taught us to reach out to Of the Presidency of the Seventy bright example for us.” others as the Savior would,” For four years, Elder and he says. “He has constantly Sister Andersen lived in emphasized that there is no After serving in the Brazil, seeing the Lord’s work greater joy than knowing you England Central Mission from flourish as never before and have been an instrument in 1969 to 1971, Elder Hallstrom adding lifelong friends from the Lord’s hand to answer an attended Brigham Young a new continent. Later, honest prayer.” University in Provo, Utah, Elder Andersen assisted the While very humbled by where he met Diane Clifton Twelve in the supervision of the call to the holy apostle- of Alberta, Canada. They mar- Mexico and Central America. ship, Elder Andersen ried in the Cardston Alberta When serving at Church expressed in general confer- Temple on July 22, 1972, and headquarters, he directed ence his firm testimony of have four children. Elder the Church Audiovisual the Savior. “I take solace,” Hallstrom graduated with a Department, supervising the he said, “that in one qualifica- degree in economics and filming of The Testaments of tion for the holy apostleship returned to Hawaii, where he One Fold and One Shepherd where there can be no lati- he Church service of was president of a real estate and overseeing the initial tude extended, the Lord has Elder Donald Larry consulting firm. development of Mormon.org deeply blessed me. I do know THallstrom of the Called to the First Quorum in 2001. with perfect and certain clar- Presidency of the Seventy has of the Seventy in April 2000, Elder Andersen gratefully ity through the power of the combined his deep-rooted Elder Hallstrom has served in acknowledges that he has Holy Ghost that Jesus is the testimony with a lifelong Area Presidencies in the Asia had the extraordinary oppor- Christ, the Beloved Son of affinity for the peoples and North Area and most recently tunity to learn under the tute- God” (“Come unto Him,” cultures of the world. the Asia Area, which includes lage of the First Presidency Liahona and Ensign, May Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, China, India, and 23 other and the Twelve these past 2009, 78). ■ USA, on July 27, 1949, to countries—and half of the James and Betty Jo Lambert earth’s population. Hallstrom, Elder Hallstrom Elder Hallstrom is deeply had a childhood rich in multi- touched by the pioneering cultural experiences. His Saints who live in the vast friends were from China, “frontier of the Church,” Japan, Korea, the Philippines, many making long journeys Samoa, and Tonga. “We all to the nearest temple. shared different foods and “I’m continually inspired traditions, and we all by the faith and courage of accepted each other,” he people who rise above recalls. earthly culture and accept At age five he heard gospel culture,” he says. “It President David O. McKay is remarkable to see people (1873–1970) speak in the establish the gospel in their Honolulu Stake Tabernacle. own lives and in their own “When the congregation sang, families.” ■ ‘Who’s on the Lord’s side? Who?’ (“Who’s on the Lord’s Side,” Hymns, no. 260), I wanted to stand up and say, ‘I am! I am on the Lord’s side!’ ” he says. He later became president of that stake. 134 Elder Yoon Hwan Choi Elder Brent H. Nielson Of the Seventy Of the Seventy served two years as a mission- with their children, she says. ary, interrupted halfway Some of their family’s favorite through by three years of activities have been traveling mandatory military service. To and boating. this day, Elder Choi says he She and Elder Nielson and his wife, Bon Kyung Koo, were married in June 1978, in “never deny anything that the Salt Lake Temple. The comes from the Lord.” family has lived in Twin Falls, Elder Choi completed a Idaho, USA, for 30 years. bachelor’s degree in business Elder Nielson was born information management to Norman and Lucille from BYU–Hawaii in 1988 and Nielson in Burley, Idaho, on a master’s degree in business December 8, 1954. “I was lder Yoon Hwan Choi information systems and lder Brent Hatch raised by wonderful parents,” of the Seventy says education from Utah State Nielson of the Seventy Elder Nielson says. Etwo 14-year-old boys University in 1989. He was an Esays his family’s motto Prior to his call to the First brought his family into the instructor at both universi- has been the Savior’s admoni- Quorum of the Seventy, Elder restored Church. ties, a sales manager, and an tion, “Seek ye first the king- Nielson served as a full-time Elder Choi was born on investment director for a ven- dom of God, and his missionary in Finland, a ward May 18, 1957, to Dong Hun ture capital company.