BYU president among 66 Area Seventies released by LDS Church
BYU President Kevin J Worthen speaks in the Marriott Center for the first devotional at the beginning of fall semester at BYU on Sept. 8, 2020.
BYU President Kevin Worthen poses for a portrait in his office Friday, Aug. 30, 2019, in Provo.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the release of 66 Area Seventies as of Sunday.
The continual work of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has made it necessary to conduct some of that out of the normal times set around April and October general conferences.
In April, the church sustained 77 new Area Seventies (regional leaders) during a leadership meeting, rather than in a conference session.
On Thursday, for the first time, it was announced that 66 Area Seventies will be released as of Sunday. That comes two months prior to the October semi-annual conference when the releases would have typically been announced.
“Area Seventies serve as ‘special witnesses’ of Jesus Christ to the geographic areas in which they live around the world,” the church announcement said.
Among those being released from the Twelfth Quorum of the Seventy (Utah Area) are some familiar names, including Brigham Young University Kevin J Worthen and Nu Skin founder and CEO Blake Roney.
Worthen was called to the Seventy in April 2010. He started serving as BYU president in May 2014. Worthen’s release from the Seventy is not an indication or tied to his service as president of BYU.
Roney was sustained as an Area Seventy in April 2016.
Others being released in the Utah area are Brent J. Christensen, Douglas L. Dance and Eric J. Schmutz.
Members of the LDS Church may recognize these names. As part of their assignments as Area Seventy, they travel to and speak at the various stake conferences in the area.
Five leaders were released from the Third Quorum of the Seventy, which covers the areas of Central, South and West Africa.
The Fourth Quorum of the Seventy, which covers Asia and Asia North areas, saw four leaders released.
Only two Area Seventy were released from the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy, which covers the Brazil area.
There were 11 releases from the Sixth Quorum of the Seventy, which covers the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico areas.
There are two releases from the Seventh Quorum of the Seventy which covers the Europe, Europe East and Middle East, and Africa North areas.
The Pacific and Philippines areas that are assigned to the Eighth Quorum of the Seventy had six leaders released.
Ten Area Seventy were released from the Ninth Quorum of the Seventy that covers South America, and Northeast and South America South areas.
The Tenth Quorum of the Seventy, which covers the areas of North America Center, North America Northeast and North America Southeast, had eight releases.
The North America Southwest and North America West Areas in the Eleventh Quorum of the Seventy had 13 leaders released.