New Zealander Ian S. Ardern, a General Authority Seventy in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has received a change in his assignment with the world-wide Church.
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President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency of the Church announced that Elder Ardern was released and will receive emeritus general authority status, effective August 1, 2024. This announcement was made during the Saturday morning session of the Church’s 194th annual General Conference, 6 April 2024.
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President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (left) is greeted by Elder Ian S. Ardern, General Authority Seventy, before he met with then New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in Wellington on Monday, 20 May 2019.© 2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Elder Ardern was among eight presently serving General Authorities to receive such status, including Elders Shayne M. Bowen, Paul V. Johnson, S. Gifford Nielsen, Brent H. Nielson, Adrián Ochoa, Gary B. Sabin, and Evan A. Schmutz.
Elder Ardern, who is serving as President of the Church’s Central Africa Area, also served in the Pacific Area Presidency from 2017 to 2022—three of those years as President.
Elder Ardern was sustained as a General Authority Seventy of The Church on April 2, 2011. He has served in several Church callings, including full-time missionary in France and Belgium, stake Young Men president (a leader over teen-age boys in a group of local congregations), high councilor, counselor in a bishopric, bishop (the leader of a local congregation), counselor in a stake presidency (leaders over a group of local congregations), president of the Fiji Suva Mission, and Area Seventy.
Born in Te Aroha, New Zealand, Elder Ardern and his wife, Paula, are the parents of four children.