Church Calls New Philippines Area Presidency

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Philippines area has 680,859 members in 1,137 congregations.

This month, a new Area Presidency for the Philippines was announced. Elder Brent H. Nielson began his service as Area President, with Elder Ian S. Ardern as First Counselor and Elder Larry J. Echo Hawk  as Second Counselor. Coming from diverse backgrounds on law, education and one serving as a former Obama Cabinet member, they bring a wealth of experience to their new callings.

Under the direction of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the highest governing bodies of the church, the area presidency provides spiritual and administrative leadership to members and leaders of the church in the Philippines.

Elder Brent H. Nielson was sustained a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 4, 2009, at age 54. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy in the Idaho Area.

Elder Nielson attended Brigham Young University and received a bachelor of arts degree in English in 1978. Then in 1981, he received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Utah Law School. He was a partner in a Twin Falls, Idaho, law firm for 27 years.

Elder Nielson has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary in Finland, ward Young Men president, bishop, high councilor, stake president’s counselor, stake president, and Area Seventy. He served as a counselor in the Pacific Area Presidency from 2009 to 2011.

Brent Hatch Nielson was born in Burley, Idaho, on December 8, 1954. He married Marcia Ann Bradford in 1978. They are the parents of six children and have twelve grandchildren.

Elder Ian S. Ardern was sustained a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 2, 2011, at age 57. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Eighth Quorum of the Seventy in the Pacific Area.

Elder Ardern received a bachelor's degree in education in 1982 and a master’s degree in education from the University of Waikato, New Zealand, in 1994. In 1981 he joined the Church Educational System as a teacher and later was principal of the Church College of New Zealand. In 2004 he became the Pacific Church Educational System area director and later worked as the institute director and seminary coordinator for the Church Educational System in New Zealand.

Elder Ardern has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary in France and Belgium, stake Young Men president, high councilor, bishop's counselor, bishop, stake president's counselor, president of the Fiji Suva Mission, and Area Seventy.

Ian Sidney Ardern was born in Te Aroha, New Zealand, on February 28, 1954. He married Paula Ann Judd in January, 1976. They are the parents of four children and have six grandchildren. Elder and Sister Ardern currently reside in Manila, Philippines.

Elder Larry Echo Hawk was sustained a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on March 31, 2012, at age 63.

Elder Echo Hawk received a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University in 1970 and a Juris Doctor degree in law from the University of Utah in 1973. A member of the Pawnee Nation, Elder Echo Hawk was elected attorney general of Idaho in 1990, the first American Indian in U.S. history elected as a state attorney general. He had served as the Bannock County prosecuting attorney since 1986. Before that, he served two consecutive terms in the Idaho House of Representatives, from 1982 to 1986. He subsequently worked as a law professor at Brigham Young University’s J. Reuben Clark Law School. At the time of his call to the Seventy, he was serving as Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Elder Echo Hawk has served in numerous Church callings, including bishop, high priests group instructor, and stake president.

Larry Echo Hawk was born in Cody, Wyoming, on August 2, 1948. He married Teresa Joanne Pries in December 1968. They are the parents of six children and reside in Arlington, Virginia.