Camarillo Mormons Make Leadership Changes

CAMARILLO — A change in church leadership has occurred in three units of the Camarillo Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

John Lassen, 46, will be bishop of the Camarillo Second Ward, replacing Leland Swindel, who had served for more than six years.

Lassen will be assisted by Allen Jenkins and David Kent.

Lassen has lived in Camarillo since 1966. He and his wife, Debi Beecroft, have eight children.

“A bishop in the Mormon Church is a lay minister,” Lassen said. “We’ll be asking others to help serve in our church organization. It’s basically a volunteer service that will take up a lot of my spare time.”

Lassen said he has been in the Mormon Church all his life.

“My parents joined the Mormon Church in Denmark and then immigrated here when I was a year old,” Lassen said. “I was able to serve as a missionary for the church in Denmark for two years.”

David Benson, 38, was recently called to serve as bishop of the Camarillo Fourth Ward for young adults, replacing Charles Stevenson, who had served for three years.

The young adult ward serves the needs of single adults between the ages of 18 and 30.

In Oxnard, Phil Wager, 45, will serve as bishop of the Oxnard First Ward, replacing Gene Figueroa, who had served for six years.