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SALT LAKE CITY — Elder Patrick Kearon's call to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in December left a vacancy in the Presidency of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and in his previous position as senior president of the presidency.
The church announced Wednesday that Elder Carl B. Cook, who has served as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy since 2018, is now senior president.
Elder Marcus B. Nash, of the Seventy, is now a member of the Presidency of the Seventy.
The Presidency of the Seventy consists of seven general authority seventies who are called to preside over all of the members of the quorum. One of the seven presides over the other six. The church said the Presidency of the Seventy acts under the direction of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Elder Cook, from Ogden, has served as a general authority seventy since 2011. Before his call, he worked in commercial real estate development. He and his wife, Lynette Cook, have five children.
In April 2023, Elder Cook taught about overcoming discouragement with faith in general conference.
"Regardless of the size, scope, and seriousness of the challenges we face in life, we all have times when we feel like stopping, leaving, escaping, or possibly giving up. But exercising faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ, helps us overcome discouragement no matter what obstacles we encounter," he said.
Elder Nash has served as a general authority seventy since 2006 and has served in South America, Africa and North America. Most recently he served as executive director of the church's missionary department.
In that position, he said more missionaries serving will lead to more members sharing the gospel.
"Serving a mission has a generational impact, and we know that as the church. We know the power of this," he said.
Before his call as a general authority, Elder Nash was a partner at a law firm in Seattle. He and his wife, Shelley Nash, have five children.
