Newly Called Spokane Stake Presidency Sustained in Historic Conference

In the general session of stake conference held on Sunday, June 2, 2024, Timothy Michael Cobb was sustained as the ninth president of the Spokane Washington Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Phil Huber was sustained as first counselor in the new stake presidency, with Jason Richardson as second counselor. The meeting was the final session of a special stake conference attended by over a thousand members and friends of the Church, and was presided over by Elder Adeyinka A. Ojediran, General Authority Seventy, who was accompanied by Elder Douglas P. Maxfield, of the 11th Quorum of Seventy.

Preceding the sustaining of the new stake presidency, President Darrell L. Moseley and his two counselors, Christopher J. Holland and Ryan K. Jensen, were released with a vote of thanks for their years of dedicated service. The collective gratitude expressed by members of the stake was palpable. Elder Ojediran later noted that he had discovered why the Kleenex holder at the pulpit was so large- to ensure enough facial tissue to address the copious tears shed by all those on the stand.

President Tim Cobb and his wife, Janelle, own Farmland Company, Inc., a farmland management company that provides services to farmers and farmland owners throughout the northwest. He and his family have been members of the Spokane Stake for about 15 years. President Cobb has served a full-time mission in Venezuela, as bishop of the Spokane 6th Ward and later was the first bishop of the Palouse Ward, created in 2016. He has also served as a volunteer seminary teacher. More recently, President Cobb has been serving on the stake high council, with an assignment over missionary work throughout the stake. President and Sister Cobb have four children, including one currently serving a mission in New Jersey.

President Phil Huber is a cardiologist with Providence Spokane Cardiology. He and his wife, Alice, have been members of the Spokane Stake for about 21 years. President Huber has served in various callings in the Church, including full-time missionary in Germany, as a high councilor, bishopric counselor and bishop of the Lincoln Heights Ward. At the time of his call, President Huber was serving as branch presidency counselor in the Regal Branch, a Swahili language branch in the stake. President and Sister Huber are the parents of seven children.

President Jason Richardson is the agency manager for the Spokane Family Services of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He and his wife, Arianne, have been members of the stake for about 16 years. He served as bishop of the Spokane 6th Ward from 2016 to 2021 and past service in The Church also includes a full-time mission to Japan. At the time of his call, he was serving as Stake Clerk. He and Sister Richardson are the parents of four children.

In his first remarks in his new capacity, President Cobb expressed his love for the members of the stake and pledged to serve with all his might. He quipped that his counselors would take care of serving with heart and mind, referring to their individual talents.

Elder Maxfield related to the attendees of the conference the sacred process for extending the call of stake presidency. The assignment given to him and Elder Ojediran was to discern who the Lord had called and then to extend the call.

Following the conference, the new stake presidency was set apart in their respective callings, and President Cobb was conferred the presiding keys of stake president. As the presiding high priest in the stake, President Cobb leads the work of salvation in the stake. The Stake Presidency is supported by the Stake Council, comprised of members of the High Council, and presidents of stake organizations, including the Relief Society, Young Women and Primary. Men and women on the Stake Council work together to identify goals and activities for the stake that will bring members of the Church closer to Christ. They counsel together in planning service projects, training and other opportunities for stake members to grow in faith.