LDS Church Names New Mission President for Idaho Coeur d'Alene Region

Scott H. Welch, 63, and his wife Laura Welch will become the founding leaders of a mission that didn't exist until this year. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints named the Houston-area couple to lead the Idaho Coeur d'Alene Mission, a newly created territory covering North Idaho that will begin operations in July 2026.

The announcement came March 27 as part of a Church News release naming leadership for 16 missions, three of which are brand-new: the Greece Athens Mission, the Mississippi Jackson Mission, and the Idaho Coeur d'Alene Mission. The Coeur d'Alene mission is one of 55 new missions the Church announced in October 2025, all launching July 1, 2026. The expansion brings the total worldwide mission count to 506, with 14 of the 55 new missions located in the United States.

North Idaho's new mission was formed by redrawing the boundaries of existing missions to create a dedicated territory for the region. Kootenai County and the city of Coeur d'Alene sit at the center of that new territory.

Scott Welch carries substantial Church leadership experience into the role. He has served as a stake president, temple ordinance worker, and stake presidency counselor. He and Laura are members of the Waller 1st Ward in the Bridgeland Texas Stake and are parents of four children.

Mission presidents typically serve three-year terms, placing the Welches' tenure through approximately mid-2029. As the mission's first president, Scott Welch will oversee its organizational launch, establish relationships with local congregations, and direct the work of full-time missionaries across North Idaho from the ground up.