Starting August 1, 2023, Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella will serve as First Counselor in the Middle East/Africa North Area Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He will replace Elder Alvin F. Meredith III, who was recently named as the new president of Brigham Young University–Idaho (BYU–Idaho).
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Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 1, 2017. He has previously served at Church headquarters in Salt Lake City and as President of Brazil Area of the Church.
Elder Parrella received a bachelor’s degree in communications in 1989 and a master’s degree in business administration in 1991, both from BYU. He worked as managing director at Kodak Polychrome Graphics until 2005, was a partner at Korn Ferry International until 2009 and was a partner at Caldwell Partners.
Since joining the Church in 1971, Elder Parrella has served in numerous Church callings, including full-time missionary in the Brazil Porto Alegre Mission, branch president, bishop, high councilor, stake president’s counselor, Area Seventy, and president of the Brazil Belo Horizonte Mission.
Adilson de Paula Parrella was born in Guarujá, São Paulo, Brazil, in November 1962. He married Elaine Finholdt in 1988. They are the parents of five children.
Middle East/Africa North Area Presidency is going to consist of Elder Anthony D. Perkins assigned as area president, Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella as first counselor and Elder Roland J. Bäck as second counselor.
The administration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is facilitated by geographic areas. Areas are overseen by an area president and two counselors, who are usually members of the Quorums of the Seventy.
Under the direction of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Middle East/Africa North Area Presidency provides spiritual and administrative direction to the local leaders and members of the Church throughout the region.