General Conference unites members and leaders from around the globe

The 184^th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held on October 4-5, 2014, will unite more than 15 million members of the Church from around the world as they gather to listen to their leaders.

Church members will have the opportunity to be addressed by General Authorities and Auxiliary Leaders from all over the world. Like the membership of the Church, these leaders come from all over the globe. There are eight General Authorities from the Europe Area.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf grew up in Germany and was ordained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 2004. He was later called to be the second counselor in the First Presidency by President Thomas S. Monson in 2008. He served in both the First and Second Quorums of the Seventy and the Presidency of the Seventy.

Bishop Gérald Caussé was born in Bordeaux, France, and was called to the First Quorum of the Seventy in 2008. In 2012, he was called to serve as the first counselor to Presiding Bishop Gary E. Stevenson.

Elder José A. Teixeira was born in Vila Real, Portugal, and currently serves as President of the Europe Area. Previously, he served as a Mission President for the Brazil Sao Paulo South Mission before being sustained to the First Quorum of the Seventy in 2008. He also served as an Area Seventy in the Europe West Area.

Elder Patrick Kearon was born in Carlisle, England. Prior to being called as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy in 2010, he served as an Area Seventy in the Europe West Area. Today, he functions as first counselor to Elder Teixeira in the Europe Area Presidency.

Elder David S. Baxter was born in Stirling, Scotland. He served as an Area Seventy before he was called to be a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy in 2006.

Elder Jörg Klebingat was born in Zweibrücken, Germany. Before being called as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy in April 2014, he served as a Mission President for the Ukraine Kyiv Mission.

Elder Erich W. Kopischke was born in Elmshorn, Germany. He served as Church Educational System coordinator in Germany, President of the Germany Berlin Mission, and Area Seventy before being sustained as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy in 2007.

Elder Francisco J. Viñas was born in Seville, Spain. He was called as a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy in 1996 and then as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1998. Elder Viñas has served as the Church Educational System director and coordinator for Uruguay and Spain, the Mission President for the Argentina Salta Mission and an Area Authority Seventy.

Elder Per G. Malm was born in Jönköping, Sweden. Prior to being called as a member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy in 2010, Elder Malm served as an Area Seventy in the Europe Area and president of the Norway Oslo Mission.

A year ago at the 183^rd Semiannual General Conference in October 2013, Bishop Gérald Caussé, first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, addressed Latter-day Saints from around the world with a speech entitled, “Ye Are No More Strangers.” Bishop Caussé discussed how his calling as a General Authority helped him and his family appreciate the “unity of the people of God throughout the earth.”

“My calling has led me to travel to many countries and has given me the choice privilege to preside in the many meetings. As I look out over various congregations, I often see members representing many countries languages, and cultures. One marvelous aspect of our gospel dispensation is that it is not limited to a geographical area or a group of nations. It is global and universal,” Bishop Caussé said.

The Church has more than 15 million members worldwide. 8.6 million of those members live outside of the United States, with half a million total members in Europe.