Six new mission presidents were called to serve in Butuan, Cagayan De Oro, Cauayan, Naga, Quezon City and the newly created Ilo-ilo mission.

Philippines Butuan Mission

Mernard Pagulayan Donato, 46, was called to serve as the second mission president of the Philippines Butuan Mission. He and his wife, Gemma Addatu Puyat Donato, started their service on July 1, 2010. They now attend Butuan 3^rd Ward, Butuan Philippines Stake.

President Donato served in various capacities prior to this calling in Tuguegarao 2^nd Ward, Tuguegarao Philippines Stake. He served in various capacities from being a stake president to a Sunday school teacher. He also served as a full-time missionary in the Philippines Davao Mission.

Born in Manila to Quirino Sumabat Donato and Mercuria Gammad Pagulayan, President Donato finished his post-graduate studies and earned a master’s degree in Business Administration at St. Paul University. He worked as an Administrative Officer IV in the Provincial Agricultural Office when he and Sister Donato received the call. They are blessed with five children.

Serving 132 missionaries in Philippines Butuan Mission, President Donato urges them to let the primary song “Follow the Prophet,” be their guide. “Sister Donato and I, together with the Saints and the missionaries will work hard to make Philippines Butuan Mission a “Preach My Gospel Mission“.

Philippines Cagayan De Oro Mission

William Apostol Hernaez, 49, and Llywyllyn Corcuera Galvez Hernaez received the call to serve in Philippines Cagayan de Oro Mission on November 20, 2009. It was extended to them by President Dieter Uchtdorf of the First Presidency. They now attend Carmen Ward, Cagayan De Oro Philippines Stake.

President Hernaez served in the Church as a counselor in the mission presidency, stake president, young men president, regional welfare specialist, bishop and a full-time missionary in the Philippines Baguio Mission. He also worked in the Church as a Coordinator in the Church Educational System (CES). After serving a full-time mission, he continued his studies and earned a degree in nursing. He worked for over a year as a nurse before joining the CES in 1985. President Hernaez pursued his master’s degree in Public Administration (MPA) and completed it in 2000. Sister Hernaez graduated with a degree in economics but preferred to be a full-time mother.  Both of them were born in Davao City and are blessed with six children.

President Hernaez finds joy in serving others which is why he reminds the 134 missionaries, currently serving in the mission, that they should obey the Lord’s commandments with exactness so that excellence would be seen in their work.

Philippines Cauayan Mission

President Rodolfo Alalay Carlos, 61, and Brenda Roine Langer Carlos from Sioux Falls 1^st Ward, Sioux Falls, South Dakota Stake were called to serve in Philippines Cauayan Mission.

Back home, President Carlos had served in different callings as stake high council member, counselor in the stake presidency, bishop, temple ordinance worker and a full-time missionary in Hawaii Honolulu Mission. President Carlos worked as Area Manager in Novartis Pharmaceuticals when he received the call. He was born in Manila to Gregorio Soriano and Virginia Alalay Carlos. Sister Carlos also served as ward Young Women president, stake Primary president, ward Relief Society president, temple ordinance worker and ward choir director. They are blessed with two children.

Philippines Ilo-ilo Mission

President Ryan Virola Pagaduan, 36, together with his wife, Cristina Diaz Magbitang Pagaduan, was called to serve as the first mission president in the newly organized Philippines Ilo-ilo Mission. Both were natives of Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija and are blessed with two kids.

Prior to this call President Pagaduan served in various Church callings as counselor in the stake presidency, bishop, counselor in the bishopric, high council member, stake Young Men president and stake Sunday school president. He served a full-time mission in Philippines Cebu Mission. President Pagaduan worked as the Manager of Training and Operations in the Philippines Missionary Training Center when the call was extended to him.

Sister Pagaduan’s served in various capacities as Primary president, counselor in a ward Young Women presidency, counselor in a ward Relief Society presidency, gospel doctrine teacher, and ward enrichment leader.

Philippines Naga Mission

President Ronald Dale Bliesner, 60, and Jill Petersen Bleisner of Nibley 5^th Ward, Nibley, Utah Stake were called to serve in Philippines Naga Mission. President Bleisner serves as a priest quorum adviser prior to the call. He also had served as stake president, counselor in the stake presidency, high councilor, bishop and 11-year-old scout leader. He was the president of Keller-Bliesner Engineering.

Sister Bliesner served as gospel doctrine teacher and ward organist. She was a former counselor in the stake Young Women presidency, ward Relief Society president, ward Primary pianist and ward Young Women adviser. They have two children.

Philippines Quezon City Mission 

President David Wills DeLa Mare, 53, and Kayla Harris DeLa Mare were called to serve as mission president in Philippines Quezon City Mission. President DeLa Mare was born in Salt Lake City, Utah to Donlon Philip and Ardith Kimball DeLa Mare.

He served in his homeward in Westwood Heights 2^nd Ward, Kearns Utah Stake in various callings: ward Young Men President, stake president, bishop, high council member, and missionary in the Philippines Manila Mission. He was working as the vice president of Mountain America Credit Union when the call was extended to him.

Sister DeLa Mare also served in the Church as ward Relief Society President, counselor in a stake Young Women presidency, ward Young Women president, counselor in a ward Relief Society presidency and ward Primary music leader. Born in Murray, Utah to Norman Kendall and Diana Cutler Harris. They are blessed with six children.