During the week of Oct. 30-Nov. 5, President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was featured in a new video “The Voice of Women” and on the latest Church News podcast episode. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke at a BYU–Idaho devotional with a special intermission. Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson wrote an essay about accessing God’s priesthood power.
During a BYU devotional, Primary General President Susan H. Porter described three ways to more fully receive the gifts of God. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles began a three-country ministry tour in Germany with an address to young adults. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke to young adults in Cancún, Mexico about building spiritual foundations with faith in Jesus Christ.
Brother Ahmad S. Corbitt of the Young Men general presidency taught how activism against the Church can blind and mislead ‘valiant’ souls. The third and final Friend to Friend of 2022 taught children about the two great commandments: Love God and love others. Six temple site locations were announced, ground was broken for the Willamette Valley Oregon Temple, and an update on October temple milestones was published.
Read summaries of these articles below.
1. President Ballard says ‘Women are a vital voice’ in new video and is interviewed on Church News podcast
A new Church News video, titled “The Voice of Women,” features President Ballard speaking about the need to include and listen to women in ward councils and other council settings.
In this week’s Church News podcast, President Ballard speaks about pioneers, leadership and testimony. He was joined by guest host Sister Sheri Dew, executive vice president of Deseret Management Corp. and a former member of the Relief Society general presidency.
Watch the new ‘The Voice of Women’ video and listen to the latest podcast episode
2. Elder Bednar speaks at BYU-Idaho devotional, pauses for noteworthy intermission
For the second time in three months, Elder Bednar taught college-age Latter-day Saints that “it is unreasonable to claim that faith in Jesus Christ is unreasonable,” this time during a devotional at BYU–Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho.
For the second time he also paused his instruction for an “intermission” — this time inviting attendees to reflect on the majesty of God’s creations with scriptures and three follow-up questions.
Find out what Elder Bednar said at the BYU–Idaho devotional and during the devotional’s ‘intermission’
3. President Camille N. Johnson on how women and men can access priesthood power
“We need women who know how to access the power that God makes available to covenant keepers.”
This is the plea of our Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, to the women of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He added, “The kingdom of God is not and cannot be complete without women who make sacred covenants and then keep them, women who can speak with the power and authority of God” (“A Plea to My Sisters,” Ensign or Liahona, November 2015).
Read more from President Johnson’s essay
4. President Porter describes 3 ways to more fully receive the gifts of God
In speaking to students and faculty gathered in the Marriott Center on the Provo, Utah, campus, and listening virtually, President Porter declared, “My message today is that the gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of joy because our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are inviting us to receive Them and Their gifts of infinite worth.”
Learn what President Porter said during the BYU devotional
5. Elder Holland in Germany testifies, ‘God is in our lives’
Speaking in a picturesque city located at the crossing point of railways and motorways in the heart of Germany, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland offered a powerful testimony: “God is in our lives,” he said.
“I want to begin with the declaration that God loves you and He loves me. And he loves us in spite of our inadequacies and in spite of our mistakes …,” said Elder Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “We are asked to love Him with all our heart, might, mind and strength. The reason He can ask that is because that is the way He loves us.
See what young adults learned from Elder Holland’s message
6. ‘This is the time for Mexico,’ Elder Gong tells young adults in Cancún
In a Mexico Area young adult devotional on Sunday, Oct. 23, Elder Gong spoke of the Savior’s love and desire to bless every one of Heavenly Father’s children.
“It does not matter if you are the first generation or the fifth generation in the Church. Each of us can be a strong welding link in our eternal family.”
Find out what Elder Gong said to young adults in Cancún, Mexico
7. Brother Ahmad S. Corbitt: How activism against the Church can blind, mislead ‘valiant’ souls
“I would like to address an especially effective tactic Satan is using to blind and mislead the young, those transitioning from other religious traditions and cultures, and even longtime and lifetime members of the Lord’s restored Church,” Brother Corbitt said to Church-endorsed chaplains in early October.
He titled his remarks, “Activism vs. Discipleship, Protecting the Valiant.”
Read a summary of Brother Corbitt’s remarks
8. Children learn how ‘My Heavenly Father Loves Me’ at Friend to Friend
Continuing this year’s Friend to Friend focus on the covenant path, President Susan H. Porter — along with her counselors, Sister Amy A. Wright and Sister Tracy Y. Browning — taught Primary children about the two great commandments: Love God and love others.
The Primary general leaders were joined by an audience of Primary children and a young “explorer” who has been navigating a jungle path representing the covenant path in the two previous Friend to Friend episodes this year.
Learn what was discussed at November’s Friend to Friend broadcast
9. Site locations for 6 new temples, groundbreaking for Willamette Valley Oregon Temple and October temple milestones
The First Presidency released the site locations for six new temples: Fort Worth, Texas; Knoxville, Tennessee; Tampa, Florida; Mexico City, Benemérito Mexico; San Luis Potosí, Mexico; and São Paulo East, Brazil.
The Willamette Valley Oregon Temple is the latest temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to be designated as “under construction,” following its groundbreaking services Saturday, Oct. 29.
And the Church now has 300 temples dedicated, under construction or announced; President Nelson has announced 118 of them.
