Seven General Authority Seventies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be released from their assignments and given emeritus status effective Aug. 1, 2026.
President D. Todd Christofferson, second counselor in the First Presidency, presented the upcoming changes for the seven as part of the sustaining of the Church’s general authorities and general officers in the Saturday afternoon session of the April 2026 general conference on April 4. Eight new General Authority Seventies were sustained, along with a new Primary general presidency.
The seven General Authority Seventies to be released from assignments and given emeritus status on Aug. 1 are:
All together, the seven totaled nearly 95 years of combined service as General Authority Seventies.
Elder Craig C. Christensen, General Authority Seventy | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Elder Craig C. Christensen
Elder Craig C. Christensen was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on Oct. 5, 2002. He is currently serving as president of the Church’s United States Southeast Area and has previously served as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy (2012 to 2018); president of the Mexico South, Utah and South America South areas; and executive director of the Priesthood and Family Department.
He received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Brigham Young University and master’s degree in business administration from the University of Washington. He has been a visiting instructor of business and religion courses at several universities, including BYU.
At the time of his call as a general authority, he was a self-employed businessman in the retail automotive, insurance and real estate development industries. He had previously worked as an executive with several privately owned companies and an international accounting and consulting firm.
His previous Church service includes as an Area Seventy, president of the México México City East Mission (1995-1998), counselor in a Provo Missionary Training Center branch presidency, bishop and full-time missionary in the Chile Santiago South Mission.
Elder Christensen was born March 18, 1956, in Salt Lake City. He married Debora Jones in 1978; they are the parents of four children.
Elder Eduardo Gavarret, General Authority Seventy | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Elder Eduardo Gavarret
Elder Eduardo Gavarret was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 5, 2008. He is currently serving as a counselor in the South America South Area presidency and has previously served as Caribbean Area president, counselor in the presidencies of the South America Northwest and Brazil areas and an assistant executive director in the Missionary and Temple and Family History departments.
He received a license in administration and management from the Universidad Autónoma de Asunción, a license from Dale Carnegie in human relations and a master’s degree in business administration and marketing from INPG-MBA in Brazil. At the time of his call, he was general manager for GP Pharm S.A. in Peru and regional manager for the company in Central America and Uruguay. He had also worked for Tecnofarma and IVAX Corporation.
When called as a general authority, he was in the bishopric of the Santa Cruz Ward in the Limatambo Perú Stake. His previous service included as Area Seventy, regional representative, president of the Paraguay Asunción Mission (2003-2006), stake president, stake mission president, stake executive secretary, bishop, branch president and full-time missionary in the Uruguay/Paraguay Mission.
Elder Gavarret was born May 11, 1956, in Minas, Lavalleja, Uruguay, He married Norma Beatriz Gorgoroso Martirena in 1978; they are the parents of three children.
Elder Brook P. Hales, General Authority Seventy | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Elder Brook P. Hales
Elder Brook P. Hales was called as a General Authority Seventy on May 15, 2018. He had been serving as secretary to the First Presidency since 2008 and has continued in the role since his call. From 1997 to 2008, he was an assistant secretary to the First Presidency.
He received a banking and finance degree from Weber State College and previously worked in commercial bank operations and in the Church’s Finance and Records Division.
His previous Church service includes stake president, counselor in a bishopric, high priests group leader, priesthood organist, Sunday School teacher, temple sealer and full-time missionary in the France Paris Mission.
Elder Hales was born April 7, 1956, in Ogden, Utah. He married Denise Imlay Hales in 1981; they are the parents of four children.
Elder William K. Jackson, General Authority Seventy | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Elder William K. Jackson
Elder William K. Jackson was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 4, 2020. He currently serves as second counselor in the Philippines Area presidency and has previously served as an assistant executive director in the Missionary Department.
After three years studying at Brigham Young University, he received a bachelor of science degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and later a doctor of medicine degree from the University of California, San Francisco.
At time of his call, he was medical director of Valley Family Health Care. He had previously worked as a regional medical officer for the U.S. State Department and medical doctor for the Department of the Air Force and at McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah, for his medical residency.
When called as a general authority, he was serving as bishop in a young single adult ward. Previous Church service has included as an Area Seventy, president of the India New Delhi Mission (2009-2012), bishop, branch Young Men president, Gospel Doctrine teacher and full-time missionary in the Bolivia La Paz Mission.
Elder Jackson was born March 29, 1956, in Washington, D.C. He married Ann Kesler in 1977; they are the parents of eight children.
Erich W. Kopischke, General Authority Seventy | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Elder Erich W. Kopischke
Elder Erich W. Kopischke was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on Oct. 5, 2002. He is currently serving at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City in a number of department and committee assignments and has previously served as counselor and later president of the Europe Area.
After receiving a degree in business, he was a self-employed insurance broker and later managing director of a nationwide insurance company in Germany.
When called as a general authority, he was working for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion in Europe, teaching early morning seminary and institute classes and serving as the area director for the Europe Area.
At the time of his call, he was serving as an Area Seventy and had previously served as president of the Germany Berlin Mission (2003-2006), stake president, district president, high counselor, branch president, bishop and full-time missionary in the Germany Munich Mission.
Elder Kopischke was born Oct. 20, 1956, in Elmshorn, Germany. He married Christiane Glück in 1978; they are the parents of seven children.
Elder Peter F. Meurs, General Authority Seventy | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Elder Peter F. Meurs
Elder Peter F. Meurs was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 2, 2016. He is currently serving as the president of the Pacific Area and had served previously as a counselor in the presidencies of the Asia and Pacific areas.
He received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Monash University. He worked for Esso Australia and was a founding partner of Worley Limited, an engineering service and project management company. He was also an executive director of the board of Fortescue Metals.
His previous Church service includes Area Seventy, mission presidency counselor, bishop, branch president, elders quorum president and full-time missionary in the New Zealand Auckland Mission.
Elder Meurs was born Dec. 21, 1956, in Warrnambool, Victoria, Australia. He married Maxine Evelyn Thatcher in 1979; they are the parents of four children.
Elder S. Mark Palmer of the Presidency of the Seventy | The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Elder S. Mark Palmer
Elder S. Mark Palmer was sustained as a General Authority Seventy on April 2, 2016. He has been serving in the Presidency of the Seventy since August 2021 and previously served in the presidencies of the Africa Southeast and Africa South areas.
He received a bachelor of commerce degree from the University of Auckland and a master’s degree in business administration from Brigham Young University. He founded SMP Ventures, a real estate development company, of which he was president. Prior to that he was a partner and managing director with Trammell Crow Company.
His previous Church service includes president of the Washington Spokane Mission and interim president of the Australia Sydney South Mission and full-time missionary in the New Zealand Wellington Mission.
Elder Palmer was born Feb. 11, 1956, in Te Puke, New Zealand. He married Jacqueline Ann Wood in 1981; they are the parents of six children.