During the week of Sept. 4 through Sept. 10, President Russell M. Nelson celebrated his 89th birthday. The First Presidency issued a statement following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and wife, Sister Patricia T. Holland, spoke of their health challenges and faith in a new Church News video.
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke to missionaries at the Provo Missionary Training Center. Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles talked about the Church in Africa on the Church News podcast 100th episode.
A video was released about the Hamilton New Zealand Temple open house, and the 2023 youth theme was announced by the Young Women and Young Men general presdencies. Brazil celebrated its 200th anniversary of independence. BYU President Kevin J Worthen and BYU–Hawaii President John S.K. Kauwe III spoke at their schools’ devotionals at BYU and BYU–Hawaii.
1. President Nelson celebrates his 98th birthday
President Russell M. Nelson celebrated his 98th birthday on Friday, Sept. 9. Born to Marion C. and Edna Anderson Nelson in 1924, just five years before the stock market crash of 1929, he grew up in Salt Lake City. He pursued his career in medicine, which included receiving doctoral degrees from the University of Utah and University of Minnesota and additional advanced work residencies in Massachusetts and Washington, D.C. He helped pioneer the development of the artificial heart-lung machine.
Read 98 statements of counsel from President Nelson and see how he spent his birthday
2. The First Presidency’s statement after the death of Queen Elizabeth II
The First Presidency issued a statement of admiration, respect and gratitude shortly after the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, Sept. 8. Queen Elizabeth II, the United Kingdom’s longest-serving monarch, died at age 96 at her Balmoral Castle home in Scotland, having reigned for 70 years.
Read what the First Presidency had to say about Queen Elizabeth II
3. Elder and Sister Holland in video “Earned Empathy”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and his wife, Sister Patricia T. Holland, have both dealt with major health challenges in recent years. In each case, their health deteriorated to the point of life or death.
In this Church News video, titled “Earned Empathy,” Elder and Sister Holland speak about their health. While some may question why those who are faithful suffer, Elder Holland explains trials and challenges have come to the “best people I’ve ever known, and certainly the best people I’ve ever read about.”
Watch the video of Elder and Sister Holland
4. Elder Uchtdorf at the Provo Missionary Training Center
A missionary’s success “is doing well those things over which you have control,” taught Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf to missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints training worldwide.
“Take solace in knowing that God will work through you — even when you do not see evidence of Him doing it,” said the member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in a Tuesday, Sept. 6, devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center. “And He will bless the work worldwide in ways you cannot know.”
He related the experience of a friend who learned how a missionary visit to a foreign prison nearly a half-century earlier resulted in unexpected influences that will ripple through eternity.
Read more about what Elder Uchtdorf told the missionaries
5. Elder Rasband on 100th episode of the Church News podcast
Elder Ronald A. Rasband joins this special 100th episode of the Church News podcast with Elder S. Mark Palmer of the Presidency of the Seventy to talk about the Church in Africa. Sister Sheri Dew, executive vice president of Deseret Management Corp. and a former member of the Relief Society general presidency, is the guest host.
Listen to Elder Rasband on the 100th podcast episode
6. Hamilton New Zealand Temple open house video
With less than 10 days remaining for the public open house of the Hamilton New Zealand Temple, the Church’s Pacific Newsroom has posted a video about the special opportunity to tour the renovated temple prior to its rededication.
The four-minute video features Elder K. Brett Nattress, a General Authority Seventy who presides over the Pacific Area, local Latter-day Saints with ties to the labor missionaries who constructed the temple more than six decades ago and guests who have toured the temple.
Watch the New Zealand temple open house video
7. 2023 youth theme announcement
The 2023 youth theme has been announced by the Young Women and Young Men general presidencies. According to a notice sent to local leaders on Sept. 6, the youth theme chosen for 2023 is “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).
Learn more about the upcoming year’s youth theme
8. 200th anniversary of independence in Brazil
The fruits of leaders, members and many others can be seen with the 10 temples dedicated and another nine announced or under construction in the Luso-Afro-Brazilian world.
As Brazil celebrated the 200th anniversary of its independence on Sept. 7, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can contemplate the role of the nation — one of three in the world with more than a million Church members — in the preaching of the restored gospel on three continents connected by the same language.
Read about Brazil’s 200th anniversary of independence
9. College presidents speak at devotionals at BYU and BYU–Hawaii
In his opening devotional for the fall semester, BYU President Kevin J Worthen drew his message from “an extraordinary event” he attended in May when President Russell M. Nelson — the Prophet of the Lord — invited young adults throughout the world to a special meeting.
BYU–Hawaii President John S.K. Kauwe III and his future wife, Monica Mortenson, were running partners before they were romantic partners. He shared several personal examples from his life to show how to use prayer to seek direction from Heavenly Father for important decisions.
