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Show Col ton, Merrill To Succeed Moyle And J. A. Widtsoe Two important changes in L..D.S. mission organizations were announced an-nounced from Salt Lake, Tuesday. Don B. Colton, congressman from the Utah first district for 12 years and prominent in church and civic work, in Utah lor many years, was named president of the Eastern States mission, succeeding President Presi-dent James H. Moyle who has been released to accept an appointment as U. S. commissioner of customs. Elder Joseph F. Merriili of the Council of the Twelve, and commissioner commis-sioner of the L. D. S. schools was apopinted as president of the European Euro-pean mission to succeed Elder John A. Widtsoe, also of the Council of t he Twelve who has been in England for more than five years. No definite date for Elder Mer-ri Mer-ri id's departure has been set, but it is expected it will be within the next three or four months. Elder Widtsoe will remain in London until un-til t'he arrival of his successor. No announcement was made in regard to a successor for Elder Merrill as head of the church school system. President Cctton wlil leave for New York Thursday, returning September 1 to accompany his family to their new home. He began his church career as a ibishop's counselor in Uintah stake, later becoming high counselor, coun-selor, then counselor in the stake presidency, and finally president of Uintah stake, in which capacity he served for 11 years, from 1919 to 19lil. Elder Merrill has been prominent in the educational, church and political life of Utah for many years and is a man of proved ability. abil-ity. He was on the faculty of the University of Utah for many years and was named to the Council of Twelve in 1931 following the death of Elder Orson F. Whitney. He had served as commissioner of L. D. S. schools three years prior to that time. He is a brother of Dr. Amos N. Merrill of the Brigham Young university. |