The week of Nov. 13-19, President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was featured in a new Church News video titled “Our Message.” Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles addressed Church youth and members in Finland. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, also of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, returned to Arizona and reconnected with an old Sunday School friend who shared an inspiring story involving the Apostle.
Elder Quentin L. Cook and Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are dedicating temples in Ecuador and Brazil on Sunday, Nov. 20. Several other members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have also been traveling — Elder D. Todd Christofferson visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Elder Neil L. Andersen visited the Pacific, Elder Ronald A. Rasband visited Brazil, and Elder Gerrit W. Gong visited Central America.
Sister J. Anette Dennis, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, invited missionaries to stay strong in their covenants. The latest episode of the Church News podcast features the first two women appointed to Church’s Military Advisory Committee.
Read summaries of these ten articles below.
1. Why the restored gospel is ‘the most exciting story,’ President Ballard says
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith restored the fullness of the gospel, said President Ballard, testifying of the First Vision in a Church News video titled “Our Message.”
In sharing the restored gospel, “what people feel in relationships is more important than what they hear or what we say in many cases,” President Ballard said.
Watch the latest Church News video featuring President Ballard
2. Elder Holland promises Finnish Latter-day Saints: ‘We will have peace and prosperity for the rising generation’
Visiting Finland from Nov. 10 to Nov. 13 — at the conclusion of a 10-day, three-nation European ministry assignment that also included meetings in Germany and Sweden — Elder Holland addressed Church leaders in the region, young adults in the Church’s Europe North Area, members throughout Finland and Latter-day Saints in Jyväskylä, the location of Finland’s newest stake.
Learn more about Elder and Sister Holland’s time in Finland
3. 1962 to today: Elder and Sister Uchtdorf return to Arizona sites and recall Church service
Elder and Sister Uchtdorf — in Phoenix Nov. 10-13 for weekend leadership trainings — returned to special sites, many from 60 years ago, as they celebrated faith, family and flight.
One site was Glendale, Arizona. In 1962, then-14-year-old Mary Lou Patty knew practically nothing about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when she accepted a challenge from a friend about attending worship services and joined in a Sunday School class with a certain training German fighter pilot.
Read about Elder and Sister Uchtdorf in Arizona and a reunion story 60 years later
4. Weekend of Quito Ecuador Temple and Belém Brazil Temple dedications
Twenty-five years after presiding over the mission there, Elder Carlos A. Godoy of the Presidency of the Seventy returns to participate in the Belém Brazil Temple dedication Nov. 20 by Elder Renlund. The same day, Elder Cook will dedicate the Quito Ecuador Temple.
Discover the last time two temples were dedicated on the same day
5. What Elder Christofferson taught and learned in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
While visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo Nov. 11-13, Elder Christofferson spoke with other faith leaders, met with missionaries and ministered to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Find out more about Elder Christofferson’s time in DR Congo
6. Elder Andersen’s visit to the Pacific leaves members with ‘increased faith in Jesus Christ’
Elder Andersen visited Wellington, New Zealand, the weekend of Nov. 6 before traveling on to Fiji and western Australia. Throughout his travels, Elder Andersen offered counsel, direction and blessings to a variety of Latter-day Saint congregations.
Discover more about Elder Andersen’s time spent in the Pacific
7. Elder Rasband invites members in Brazil to be ‘preachers of peace’
Elder Rasband’s visit to Brazil with his wife, Sister Melanie T. Rasband, included stops in Natal, Recife, Brasília, São Paulo and Porto Alegre. They ministered to members and missionaries and met with government and religious leaders.
Read about Elder Rasband’s visit to Brazil
8. Elder Gong’s Central America visit includes focus on children and youth
While in Central America, Elder Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles met the vice president of Panama, José Gabriel Carrizo, on Nov. 15. They discussed humanitarian projects and the importance of caring for and strengthening Panamanian youth, including helping them in their intellectual, emotional and spiritual development.
Elder Gong showed Carrizo the new “For the Strength of Youth” guide, explaining how it empowers youth to be better people and citizens. He also presented the vice president with a Christus statue and expressed his gratitude for the meeting and for the kind people of Panama.
Read more about Elder Gong’s visit to Central America
9. ‘Always remember who you are,’ Sister Dennis tells missionaries
Sister Dennis spoke with the missionaries about two identities taught by President Russell M. Nelson in a young adult devotional in May. She also talked about miracles during and after an earthquake in Ecuador.
Learn what Sister Dennis said to missionaries in the Provo MTC
10. Church News podcast features first 2 women appointed to Church’s Military Advisory Committee
For the first time, two women are serving on the Church’s Military Advisory Committee. Army Lt. Col. Sonie Munson, media operations chief for U.S. Northern Command, and Andrea Wagenbach, who works for the U.S. Department of Defense, lend their voices and wisdom to the 11-member committee.
