On Jan. 6 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released the names and assignments of 134 mission presidents and companions.
The newly assigned couples will begin their service in July. It is anticipated that each couple will serve for a period of three years.
The list of new assignments includes mission presidents for the six new missions announced in November: Cote d’Ivoire Abidjan North, Democratic Republic of the Congo Kananga, Nigeria Aba, Nigeria Abuja, South Africa Pretoria and Romania Bucharest.
Alan Dutson, a mechanical engineering professor at BYU-Idaho and his wife, Joanna Dutson, have been called to serve as mission president and companion for the Brazil Rio de Janeiro North Mission.
Both Alan and Joanna Dutson expressed the peace that came with the call to serve a three-year mission in Brazil.
“It’s one of those things where you feel the responsibility,” Alan Duston said. “But, in both cases, I think we both just felt very peaceful.”
Alan and Joanna Dutson have seven children and two grandchildren. Their youngest son, still in high school, will be going with them to Brazil.
The decision to serve was not hard for Alan and Joanna Duston. Both said that the decision to go where God directs them has been a foundational principle in their lives.
“I think we’ll see miracles because President Nelson said that if we focus on our testimonies, miracles will happen,” Joanna Dutson said. “I expect we will see a lot of miracles in the mission field.”
Alan Dutson served in the Brazil Rio de Janeiro Mission from 1989 to 1991, and Joanna Dustson served in the Argentina Neuquén Mission from 1992 to 1993.
All new assignments can be viewed through the Church newsroom.