The week of Jan. 8 through Jan. 14, a new Church News podcast featured three of the children of President Russell M. Nelson. They offered a glimpse into his role as a father. Fifteen individuals shared experiences of how they followed President Nelson’s invitations, and the Church News compiled a list of 99 announcements and changes in the Church since he became President of the Church five years ago. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Sister Patricia T. Holland spoke to young adults worldwide about hope.
Three General Authority Seventies led groundbreaking services for Querétaro Mexico Temple, and the Barcelona Spain Temple location was announced. New leaders for Church’s 10 MTCs gathered together for first time. Five Church school presidents spoke during their opening devotionals of 2023.
FamilySearch announced a new name for Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Ukrainian members are learning emotional resilience and coping skills from Church seminars. A Latter-day Saint who is a Vietnam veteran was reunited with his lost dog tag after 56 years.
Read summaries of these nine articles below.
1. Church News podcast: A glimpse into President Nelson’s role as a father
This episode of the Church News podcast features three of President Nelson’s 10 children: Gloria Irion, Laurie Marsh and Russell Nelson Jr. They talk about President Nelson’s Church leadership and offer a unique glimpse into his role as a father, husband and teacher.
2. 15 experiences of people who followed President Nelson’s invitations
The Church News asked readers to send in their experiences of following President Nelson’s invitations, including focusing on the temple. Other readers shared experiences about taking charge of their own testimonies, building a spiritual foundation, increasing capacity for revelation and following the covenant path. They have shared how accepting the invitations and making changes has helped them.
3. Elder and Sister Holland ask young adults to ‘shine the brightness of your hope’
Addressing young adults worldwide on Jan. 8 with his wife, Sister Patricia Holland, Elder Holland offered a powerful declaration that young people must never lose sight of hope or its sister virtues — faith and charity. Hope, he said, is essential to receive the inheritance God has prepared for His faithful children (Ether 12:32).
4. 3 General Authority Seventies lead groundbreaking services for Querétaro Mexico Temple
Led by a trio of General Authority Seventies from Mexico, the Saturday, Jan. 7, groundbreaking ceremony for the Querétaro Mexico Temple marked the start of construction for one of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ 23 temples in that country.
Also, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the site location for the Barcelona Spain Temple.
5. New leaders for Church’s 10 MTCs gather together for first time
For the first time, all new leaders called to preside over The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ 10 missionary training centers worldwide gathered at the same time and site before departing to begin their two-year assignments.
The three-day 2023 Seminar for New MTC leaders started Tuesday morning, Jan. 10, at the Provo MTC, as the Missionary Department welcomed the 10 couples who will serve as MTC presidents and MTC Relief Society presidents. And sitting beside each couple was the manager of operations at the respective MTC.
6. What the 5 Church school presidents taught during opening devotionals
On Tuesday, Jan. 10, all five presidents of the institutions within the Church Educational System began a new year and a new semester by addressing their respective students. Three of the five centered their remarks on counsel given by President Nelson during the Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults last May.
7. FamilySearch announces new name for Family History Library
FamilySearch announced the name changes to the public on Tuesday, Jan. 10. A notice from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was sent to local leaders and those with family history-related callings.
“The name changes will better align local centers with FamilySearch’s expanding global brand,” according to the FamilySearch news release.
8. Ukrainian members learn emotional resilience, coping skills from Church seminars
On Sunday nights for the past few weeks, Ukrainians living in the country or elsewhere as refugees have tuned in online to hear presentations from professionals about emotional health and well-being.
One participant from Ukraine told organizers: “The seminar for me is God’s answer to my prayers. Thank you for your support in a very difficult period of my life. I once again received evidence that God is very close.”
9. How this Latter-day Saint Vietnam veteran was reunited with his lost dog tag 56 years later
Martin Skougaard had only been in Vietnam about six months when a grenade blast in his foxhole seriously injured his leg and sent him home.
His dog tags — a soldier’s metal identity tag worn on a chain around his neck — were somehow blown off in the explosion.
More than 55 years later, the small engraved piece of metal that also identified him as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was placed in his hands once again by a thoughtful stranger.
