Elder Budge was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 2019. Members of the Church in the Asia North Area welcome Elder Budge to his new assignment and look forward to his leadership and service. A warm welcome is offered to Sister Lori Budge, as well.
Elder Kazuhiko Yamashita, former First Counselor in the Asia North Area, leaves the Asia North Area to begin his new assignment as Second Counselor in the Pacific Area Presidency. Members of the Church in the Asia North Area express their love and thanks to Elder Yamashita, and to his wife, Sister Tazuko Yamashita, for their love and service to the area and wish them the best as Elder Yamashita moves on to serve in the Pacific Area Presidency.
Elder Yoon Hwan Choi
General Authority Seventy
Elder Yoon Hwan Choi was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 4, 2009. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a member of the Eighth Quorum of the Seventy in the Asia North Area. From 2009 to 2011 he served as a member of the Asia North Area Presidency; from 2011 to 2013 he served as an Assistant Executive Director in the Temple Department and a member of the Boundary and Leadership Change Committee. He served as president of the Washington Seattle Mission (2013–2015) and currently serves as President of the Asia North Area.
Elder Choi received a bachelor’s degree in business information management from BYU–Hawaii in 1988. In 1989, he received a master’s degree in business information systems and education from Utah State University. He has been an instructor at BYU–Hawaii and Utah State University; manager of sales, administration, marketing, and customer support at Data General Korea; director of CDC and MBS Venture Capital Company; and the regional manager for temporal affairs for the Church in Korea.
Since joining the Church in 1973, Elder Choi has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Busan Korea and Seoul Korea Missions, counselor in a bishopric, bishop, high councilor, stake mission president, counselor in a mission presidency, counselor in a stake presidency, stake president, and Area Seventy.
Yoon Hwan Choi was born in Seoul, Korea, on May 18, 1957. He married Bon Kyung Koo in September 1982. They are the parents of three children.
Elder Takashi Wada
General Authority Seventy
Elder Takashi Wada was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on March 31, 2018, at age 53. At the time of his call, he had been serving as a Gospel Doctrine teacher.
Elder Wada received a bachelor of arts degree in linguistics in 1990 and a master’s degree in business administration in 1996, both from Brigham Young University. His professional career has included several positions for multinational corporations in the United States and Japan as well as the position of director for temporal affairs for the Church in the North America West, Northwest, and Asia North Areas.
Elder Wada has served in a number of Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Utah Salt Lake City North Mission, branch president, bishop, president of the Japan Tokyo South Mission, seminary teacher, ward young single adult adviser, and Gospel Doctrine teacher.
Takashi Wada was born in Nagano, Japan, on February 5, 1965. He married Naomi Ueno in 1994. They are the parents of two children.
Elder L. Todd Budge
General Authority Seventy
Elder Budge received a bachelor of arts degree in economics from Brigham Young University in 1984. He worked for Bain & Company Japan, Citibank N.A., and GE Capital in both Atlanta and Japan. In 2003 he became president and chief executive officer of Tokyo Star Bank, Limited. From 2008 to 2011 he served as chairman of the board. He retired from the bank in 2011. During that time, he also served as a member of the board of directors for Hawaiian Airlines.
Elder Budge has served in several Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Japan Fukuoka Mission, stake Young Men president, elders quorum president, stake executive secretary, counselor in a bishopric, bishop, stake president, and president of the Japan Tokyo Mission.
Lawrence Todd Budge was born in Pittsburg, California, on December 29, 1959. He married Lori Capener in 1981. They are the parents of six children.