The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently announced that Julius Jonah Flores Barrientos of Novaliches has been called to serve as Mission President of the Laoag Mission. His wife, Maria Lourdes Naredo Jornacion Barrientos, will serve with him.
President Barrientos and his wife were members of the Deparo Ward (parish), Novaliches Philippines Stake (diocese) prior to their call. He was born in Cotabato City to Antonio Abellon and Estrella Fe Barroquiña Flores Barrientos. President Barrientos brings much Church experience with him to this call. He is a former counselor in the Philippines Missionary Training Center (Quezon City) and counselor in the Philippines Cagayan de Oro Mission. He has also served as a Church leader on ward and stake levels along with teaching for the religious educational arm (Seminaries and Institutes) of the Church.
Sister Barrientos was born in Cotabato City, Philippines. She served with her husband at the Philippines MTC as a counselor in the Relief Society and is a former counselor in a stake Young Women presidency, stake public affairs director, counselor in stake and ward Relief Society presidencies, Young Women president, institute teacher and missionary in the Philippines Davao Mission.
They began their service on 01 July 2012 and will normally serve for a period of three years. They have the opportunity to supervise the missionary work in the Laoag area and enjoy serving with the 180 full-time young men and women missionaries who serve in the Laoag mission.
The Church's missionary program is one of its most recognized characteristics. Mormon missionaries can be seen on the streets of hundreds of major cities in the world as well as in thousands of smaller communities.
The missionary effort is based on the New Testament pattern of missionaries serving in pairs, teaching the gospel and baptizing believers in the name of Jesus Christ (see, for example, the work of Peter and John in the book of Acts).
More than 50,000 missionaries are serving missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at any one time. Most are young people under the age of 25, serving in nearly 350 missions throughout the world.