During the week of Feb. 26 through Mar. 4, Church President Russell M. Nelson, President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the 193rd Annual General Conference to be held April 1-2, giving time to prepare for it. President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, spoke to missionaries in the Church’s MTCs worldwide, and a few days earlier to BYU business students.

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles ministered in India and Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles ministered in Mozambique.

Elder David A. Bednar and Elder Gerrit W. Gong, also of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, led a panel of Church leaders in a council-type discussion. At RootsTech 2023, Elder Gong took audiences on a journey from Hawaii to Ireland. This week’s Church News podcast episode featured leaders of the Family History Department discussing RootsTech 2023, where singer Jordin Sparks shared music and meaningful memories.

The First Presidency welcomed the spiritual leader of Muslims in Azerbaijan during his visit to Salt Lake City.

The Church celebrated publication of several landmark projects that spotlight Latter-day Saint women’s experiences, during the “Symposium on Women, Religion and Records.” A state of emergency was declared following the severe tropical Cyclone Judy, postponing the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple groundbreaking.

Read summaries of these stories below.

1. First Presidency announces 193rd Annual General Conference, set for April 1-2; how to prepare for April 2023 general conference with a talk a day

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the upcoming 193rd Annual General Conference, scheduled for April 1-2.

If someone wanted to prepare by re-reading the talks from October 2022 conference in order, he or she would start Feb. 25 to finish by Friday, March 30.

2. President Ballard connects with ‘fellow missionaries’ at Provo MTC devotional and tells BYU business students the lives of the people ‘we’ve been able to help’ are important

Tuesday night, Feb. 28, in a devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center that was broadcast to the Church’s MTCs worldwide, President Ballard repeatedly emphasized the importance of teaching and testifying of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the Prophet Joseph Smith and the power of doing that by studying and internalizing the fundamental missionary principles taught in “Preach My Gospel.”

Speaking at an event celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Melvin J. Ballard Center for Social Impact, at the Brigham Young University Marriott School of Business, the Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said reflecting the love of Jesus Christ in word and deed is what matters most.

3. ‘The Lord will help lift us’: Elder Uchtdorf ministers in India, emphasizing loving God, neighbors

During his ministry in India, Elder Uchtdorf shared how he and Sister Harriet Uchtdorf “were deeply impressed” as they met with Church members, missionaries and friends. 

4. Latter-day Saints and missionaries joined by hundreds of friends in Mozambique to hear an Apostle of Jesus Christ

Every ministry trip made by members of the Quorum of the Twelve includes opportunities for individuals to hear an Apostle bear testimony of the Savior. Few see 518 people who aren’t members of the Church come to hear the message.

That’s what happened on Sunday, Feb. 26, in Maputo, Mozambique, when Elder Quentin L. Cook spoke at a combined stake conference. Missionaries and members of the Church invited friends to learn from a current Apostle, and they came. Many arrived hours early to have a seat at the front of the hotel ballroom where the meeting was held.

5. 2023 Temple and Family History Leadership Instruction and Family Discovery Day

Elder Bednar and Elder Gong led a panel of Church leaders in a council-type discussion for the 2023 Temple and Family History Leadership Instruction. And Elder Gong and Sister Susan Gong took audiences on their family journey from Hawaii to Ireland during RootsTech Family Discovery Day.

6. Azerbaijani Sheikh ul-Islam meets with First Presidency

The First Presidency of the Church welcomed the spiritual leader of Muslims in Azerbaijan. Haji Allahshükür Hummat Pashazade, sheikh ul-Islam and grand mufti of the Caucasus, spent March 1-3 meeting Church leaders and seeing how the Church functions.

“I wish the First Presidency and elders [of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles] longevity and blessings from the Almighty to let them serve people … as long as possible,” Sheikh ul-Islam said.

7. Church News podcast: Elder Kevin S. Hamilton and FamilySearch CEO Steve Rockwood on how RootsTech 2023 is ‘Uniting’ family history fans worldwide; singer Jordin Sparks gets RootsTech underway with music and meaningful memories

RootsTech 2023 was held in person for the first time since 2020 with the theme “Uniting.” The latest episode of the Church News podcast featured Elder Kevin S. Hamilton, a General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Family History Department for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elder Hamilton was joined by Steve Rockwood, CEO of FamilySearch International, to talk about the importance and global reach of family history.

RootsTech 2023 got off to a high-powered start Thursday with the music and meaningful memories of multiplatinum recording artist and actress Jordin Sparks.

8. Historians reflect on the work of Kate Holbrook, records of early Latter-day Saint women

The Church celebrated publication of several landmark projects that spotlight Latter-day Saint women’s experiences, during the ‘Symposium on Women, Religion and Records.’

9. Cyclones targeting Vanuatu: Missionaries safe, but temple groundbreaking rescheduled

All full-time missionaries have been confirmed safe by local Church leaders, according to Pacific Newsroom. However, the Saturday, March 4, groundbreaking service for the Port Vila Vanuatu Temple has been postponed due to the pair of cyclones, the damages and the state of emergency.