Effective August 1, 2017, Elder Paul V. Johnson will begin his service as the new President of the Europe Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elder Gary B. Sabin will serve as First Counselor and Elder Massimo De Feo as Second Counselor. The new area presidency was announced in May.
The administration of the Church worldwide is facilitated by geographic areas, currently 25. Today, the Presidency of the Europe Area presides over 480,000 members in over 1,300 congregations across more than 40 countries and 31 missions. There are also 13 temples, either operating or under construction or renovation. Under the direction of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the highest governing bodies of the Church, the new area presidency will provide spiritual and administrative direction to the leaders and members of the Church in this region.
Elder Paul V. Johnson was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 2, 2005. He has served as commissioner of the Church Educational System, as a member of the Chile Area Presidency, and as the administrator of religious education and elementary and secondary education. Elder Johnson has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Norway Oslo Mission, counselor in a stake presidency, high councilor, bishop, elders quorum president, and Young Men president.
Elder Johnson was born in Gainesville, Florida, on June 24, 1954. He married Jill Washburn in August 1976 and received a doctoral degree in instructional technology from Utah State University in 1989. They are the parents of nine children.
Elder Gary B. Sabin was called to be a General Authority Seventy at the April 2016 general conference. Prior to that call, he was serving as a member of the Fifth Quorum of the Seventy in the North America West Area. Elder Sabin has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary service in the Netherlands/Belgium mission, elders quorum president, high councilor, bishop, Primary teacher, stake mission president, deacon and teacher adviser, Scout leader, stake president and Area Seventy.
Elder Sabin was born in Provo, Utah on April 7, 1954, and holds a master’s degree in Management from Stanford University. He married Valerie Purdy in August 1976 and they are the parents of five children.
Elder Massimo De Feo was called to be a General Authority Seventy at the April 2016 general conference. Prior to that call, he was serving as a member of the Third Quorum of the Seventy in the Europe Area. Elder De Feo has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary service in the Italy Rome Mission, branch president, district president, counselor in a bishopric, high councilor, stake president and Area Seventy.
After serving as a full-time missionary, he began his career in international relations when he was hired by the U.S. Department of State and accredited at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the diplomatic mission in Italy. After more than 30 years of service, he recently served as the deputy regional federal benefits officer of the Social Security Administration for the Europe South, North Africa and Middle East Areas. Elder De Feo was born in Taranto, Italy on December 14, 1960. He married Loredana Galeandro in August 1984. They are the parents of three children.