Church leadership changes announced in Saturday afternoon General Conference session

President Henry B. Eyring announced a number of leadership changes in the Saturday afternoon session of General Conference. Changes include one new General Authority Seventy, one new member of the Presiding Bishopric and four new Area Seventies.

Bishop W. Christopher Waddell was called as the new first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, to replace Bishop Dean M. Davies, who was called as a new General Authority Seventy. Elder L. Todd Budge, who became a General Authority Seventy in April 2019, was called as the new Second Counselor in the Presiding Bishopric.

“Bishop Davies has been dealing with a significant health challenge for more than a year, though his current prognosis is positive,” said Church spokesman Eric Hawkins, in the recent Church Newsroom announcement. “We are grateful that he will be able to continue to serve in this new role as a General Authority Seventy.”

Four new Area Seventies were also announced, including Laurian P. Balilemwa, Jonathon W. Bunker, Enrique R. Mayorga and Konstantin Tolomeev. Other changes include releases of 47 Area Seventies and three General Authority Seventies: L. Whitney Clayton, Enrique R. Falabella and Richard J. Maynes.