Geoffrey H J Willmott was a native of London, having been born in north London in 1946. His great grandfather had joined the church in 1851, making Geoff’s family a rare multi-generational British LDS family. The example of his parents and extended family enabled him to base his life on the principles and teachings of his Saviour, Jesus Christ. 

He was ordained an Elder in 1966, and served as the Stake Elders Quorum President for a time. In 1970 he was called as the Stake Mission President and ordained a Seventy. In 1977 he was ordained a high priest and called to the Stake High Counsel. He was first called to the office of Bishop in 1979 in the Enfield Ward. He went on to become a counsellor in the stake presidency under Vance Leavitt then under Len Boydell.

On 5 June 1988, Geoff was again called as a bishop, this time serving in the Britannia First Ward. In that capacity he performed numerous weddings of ward members, “a most enjoyable part of my calling”, he recalls. During his time as the Britannia bishop, he had the opportunity to work with several counsellors, including Craig Pickup, Donald McMillan, Clifford Herbertson, John Alsop, David Rutley, Kelvin Felix, and two senior missionary elders. He was also able to call over 20 missionaries from the ward, who served all over the world, including Marty Chakravarti, one of the first missionaries to serve in India.

Professionally, Geoff worked for Xerox as an electrical mechanical engineer and trainer for many years. After his retirement, he and his wife were called as full-time humanitarian missionaries, serving in Greece with the LDS Charities from 2016-2018. Geoff and Sue also served as temple workers at the London temple for a number of years.

In addition to his church callings, Geoff has been involved over the years in numerous other community organisations such as Scouts, school governors, and now U3A in Leicester where he and his wife now live.

Geoff and Sue have three children and ten grandchildren. So far three grandchildren have completed full time missions and another one follows next year – in Greece!   Currently, the Willmotts serve as Family History Directors for Leicester Stake as well as being on an 18-month assignment to support a local branch within the Stake.