During the week of Oct. 31-Nov. 6, President M. Russell Ballard and Elder Neil L. Andersen spoke about the blessings on both sides of the veil ahead of the Pocatello Idaho Temple dedication. President Ballard issued an invitation for Latter-day Saints in the British Isles to share a Christmas gift. Elder Gerrit W. Gong dedicated the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple — the Church's first temple dedicated in 20 months. In the São Paulo Brazil Temple Visitors’ Center, Elder Ulisses Soares spoke to young adults across Brazil about some of their concerns.
Nearly 45 years after a temple was announced in American Samoa, ground was broken for the Pago Pago American Samoa Temple. The locations of 10 Giving Machines in the United States, including three new locations, were announced. Due to civil unrest, missionaries in Ethiopia were transferred to Kenya.
In the week’s Church News podcast, Latter-day Saint musician Wayne Burton spoke about sharing talents to testify of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. And learn about and see pictures of historic Nauvoo, Illinois.
Find links and summaries of these nine articles below.
1. President Ballard set to dedicate Pocatello Idaho Temple
Prior to a final tour of the temple before its dedication today, President M. Russell Ballard and Elder Neil L. Andersen shared their excitement outside the temple on Saturday, Nov. 6.
Standing near the cornerstone that will be sealed as part of the dedication proceedings, President Ballard, the Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, reflected on the role of temples throughout history.
“Temples have always been a part of God’s work — even from the earliest of times,” he said. “Temples are very, very sacred places for us.”
Read more about the Pocatello Idaho Temple open house and dedication
2. British Latter-day Saints asked to share this Christmas gift
At the conclusion of a weeklong visit to the British Isles on Sunday, Oct. 31, President M. Russell Ballard asked Latter-day Saints in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales to exercise their faith and prayers and diligently share the message of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with others.
Between now and Christmas, he said, “let your prayers to your Father in Heaven include a desire that He place one of His children in your pathway, so you can share what you now know is true … . There can be no greater gift that any one of us can give the Savior at Christmastime than to bring someone to Him.”
Read more about President Ballard’s time in the British Isles
3. Winnipeg Manitoba Temple dedicated
Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presided at four dedicatory sessions of the Winnipeg Manitoba Temple on Sunday, Oct. 31. He was joined by Elder Chi Hong (Sam) Wong and Elder Arnulfo Valenzuela, both General Authority Seventies, and their wives: Sister Susan Gong, Sister Carol Wong and Sister Silvia Valenzuela.
The traditional temple cornerstone ceremony was held a day earlier on Saturday, Oct. 30.
Read about the Church's first temple dedication in 20 months
4. In Brazil, 5 concerns from young adults addressed
Standing next to the Christus statue in the São Paulo Temple Visitors’ Center on Sunday night, Oct. 31, Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified that the Savior’s arms are always open, inviting all to come unto Him.
“His countenance expresses this profound love that He has for the children of God,” Elder Soares told young adults across Brazil, speaking his native Portuguese. “I hope you can … perceive how much Heavenly Father loves us, that He sent His Son Jesus Christ in sacrifice so we could one day to return to His presence.”
Read more about his counsel
5. Pago Pago American Samoa Temple groundbreaking
Nearly 45 years after The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints first announced a temple for the South Pacific island of American Samoa, a temple in the capital city of the U.S. territory is officially under construction following the Saturday, Oct. 30, groundbreaking ceremony for the Pago Pago American Samoa Temple.
“This is an historic day for the wonderful Latter-day Saints of American Samoa,” said Elder K. Brett Nattress, a General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the Church’s Pacific Area presidency, who presided at the event.
Read more about the groundbreaking ceremony
6. 10 Giving Machine locations in the U.S.
Nashville, Tennessee; Oakland, California; and Kansas City, Missouri, are the new locations for Light the World Giving Machines across the United States this year, with the initiative’s 10 locations for 2021 to begin opening this month.
Organized by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the annual effort features well-recognized, red Giving Machines where individuals can donate to dozens of local and global charity organizations during the Christmas season. This year’s initiative is named “Light the World With Love.”
The machines will begin operation at various times in November and run through Jan. 1.
Find the locations of the 10 Giving Machines in the U.S. here
7. Missionaries transferred from Ethiopia to Kenya due to civil unrest
Because of increased concerns about civil unrest in Ethiopia, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has temporarily moved its full-time missionaries serving in the Ethiopia Addis Ababa Mission out of the country and into neighboring Kenya.
“Sixty missionaries — including mission leaders President [Robert J.] and Sister [Darice B.] Dudfield — are temporarily being housed in Kenya,” said Church spokesman Sam Penrod in a statement released Saturday, Nov. 6.
Read more about the missionaries’ situation
8. Sharing talents to testify of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ
The New Testament’s parable of the talents teaches us that God gives us everything we need to accomplish the work He has asked us to do, including the special skills and talents to grow and share our testimony with others.
This episode of the Church News podcast features a member musician of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Dr. Wayne Burton. The podcast also includes a small sampling of his music. The medical doctor has chosen to grow his musical talents by writing and producing Latter-day Saint music as part of his discipleship.
Listen to the podcast
9. Exploring historic Nauvoo, Illinois
It was on a bend in the Mississippi River with a bluff that overlooked the river where early leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints decided to build their new gathering place in summer 1838.
Church members had left Ohio and Missouri and took refuge in communities along the Mississippi River, including Quincy, Illinois, and in the Iowa Territory. The area on maps was known as Commerce. Church leaders changed the name of the area to Nauvoo.
Of the 135 sections in the current edition of the Doctrine and Covenants that were written during Joseph Smith’s lifetime, nine of them date from the five years he lived in Nauvoo.
