From the acquisition of its first temple built in this dispensation to the dedication of its 200th, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has experienced a number of landmark events and significant news during 2024.
Here is a look back at what has happened in the last 12 months.
January
Jan. 1 — In a New Year’s Day social media post, President Russell M. Nelson invited individuals to “marvel and rejoice.”
Jan. 1 — All young service missionaries became part of teaching missions under the leadership of mission presidents.
Jan. 5 — The names of 144 new mission presidents and companions who would begin serving in July were published.
Jan. 14 — To mark the six-year anniversary of President Nelson’s prophetic leadership, members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles — as well as general Relief Society, Young Women and Primary leaders — shared leadership qualities they have observed from the Prophet.
Jan. 14 — Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple.
Jan. 20 — In his first assignment outside of Utah since his illness last year, President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, spoke to priesthood leaders in the Church’s North America Southwest Area, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Jan. 21 — In a video message posted to his social media accounts, President Nelson repeated his “think celestial” invitation, presented at the conclusion of the October 2023 general conference.
Jan. 21 — Elder Christofferson dedicated the Orem Utah Temple.
Jan. 22 — Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles became the Church’s first leader to meet with Cambodia’s prime minister and announced a donation of more than $2 million for a cardiac hospital there.
Jan. 26 — Elder Christofferson spoke during the 2024 Seminaries and Institutes Annual Training Broadcast. Brother Chad H Webb, the Church’s administrator of seminaries and institutes, outlined new life preparation lessons to help better prepare youth for the complexities of the modern world.
Jan. 27 — Ground was broken for the new Knoxville Tennessee Temple.
Jan. 28 — Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, along with Young Men General President Steven J. Lund and Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman, addressed youth in a worldwide discussion about being a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Jan. 28 — A few months after he was the first Apostle to visit the twin-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles became the first Apostle to visit the small Caribbean island of Bonaire.
February
Feb. 11 — Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles ministered to members and friends of the Church in personal visits and during a special stake conference of the Kahului Hawaii West Stake, six months after wildfires destroyed most of Kahului, Hawaii.
Feb. 14 — In a social media message, President Nelson invited all to use Valentine’s Day as a reminder to recommit to loving their neighbor.
Feb. 18 — In a first-of-its-kind devotional to originate from outside the United States and be delivered in a non-English language, Elder Soares testified of the Savior’s healing power to young adults worldwide from Mexico City, Mexico.
Feb. 22-29 — The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square made their debut visit to the Philippines in their second stop of the multiyear, multicity “Hope” tour.
Feb. 24 — President Holland and Elder Renlund visited Latter-day Saints in Washington, D.C., and testified of God’s work.
Feb. 29 — At the Arizona State University Family Education Night on Feb. 29, Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles encouraged high school students to embrace education.
Feb. 29-March 2 — Thousands of family historians and genealogy enthusiasts came to Salt Lake City and millions more joined online for RootsTech, the largest family history conference in the world.
March
March 1-3 — Elder Hugo Montoya, General Authority Seventy and president of the Mexico Area, addressed a global audience at the International Congress of Families held in Guadalajara, Mexico.
March 4 — Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson addressed the European Union Parliament in Belgium.
March 5 — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints purchased the Kirtland Temple — the first temple built in this dispensation — from Community of Christ church, leaders of both faiths announced in a joint statement.
March 9 — President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, and his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks, joined the Primary general presidency for the Friend to Friend broadcast.
March 13 — Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles encouraged Church members to rely on the Spirit when using artificial intelligence.
March 17 — For the 182nd anniversary of the organization of the Relief Society, President Nelson and the Relief Society general presidency addressed women in a worldwide Relief Society gathering.
March 18-31 — The Church released a series of 15 videos, featuring each member of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints testifying of the many ways the Savior blesses the lives of Heavenly Father’s children.
March 19 — Entries recorded by sister missionaries Eliza Chipman and Josephine Booth — two of the first young women to serve as full-time missionaries for the Church — as well as images and other materials were published online, the Church Historian’s Press announced at a media event.
March 21 — The Church’s Caring for Those in Need 2023 Summary was released, showing that the Church engaged in 4,119 humanitarian projects in 191 countries and territories in 2023 — with 6.2 million hours of volunteer work and $1.36 billion in expenditures.
March 24 — President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, dedicated the Red Cliffs Utah Temple — the second temple in the St. George area.
April
April 4 — During the leadership session of April 2024 general conference, 64 new Area Seventies were announced and presented for a sustaining vote.
April 7 — In his concluding message of the April 2024 general conference, President Nelson announced locations for 15 new temples of the Church, bringing the Church’s total number of houses of the Lord to 350 worldwide — 168 of which President Nelson had announced over the previous six years.
April 11 — International musicians singing with The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square for the Church’s general conference moved from a pilot program to a permanent part of the organization.
April 12 — Emphasizing the importance of the garment of the holy priesthood, the First Presidency of the Church informed general and local Church leaders worldwide of changes to the temple recommend interview questions and the statement on the wearing of the temple garment.
April 21 — President Nelson rededicated the Manti Utah Temple.
April 28 — President Oaks dedicated the Urdaneta Philippines Temple — the Church’s 190th worldwide and third in the Philippines.
May
May 1 — President Johnson taught about the power and importance of covenants during the opening keynote address for the 2024 BYU Women’s Conference.
May 5 — Elder Carlos A. Godoy of the Presidency of the Seventy and Sister Mônica Godoy spoke at a Worldwide Young Adult Devotional, addressing how young adults can navigate loneliness, dating, institute, service, missions and marriage.
May 15 — The 195th anniversary of the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood through the Prophet Joseph Smith and his scribe Oliver Cowdery was observed.
May 17 — The 125th anniversary of President Lorenzo Snow’s message on the importance of paying a full tithe was observed. He declared that the time had come for every Latter-day Saint to obey this law and promised blessings to those who did so.
May 19 — Elder Gong dedicated the Puebla Mexico Temple.
May 21 — The Deseret News named Church News executive editor Sarah Jane Weaver as its new editor, the first female editor since the newspaper’s founding in 1850.
May 30 — Six years after The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced it is working to create a new hymnbook for members to use as part of their worship and gospel study, the Church released the first batch of 13 hymns.
May 31 — Elder Stevenson and his wife, Sister Lesa Stevenson, spoke to youth and young single adults in the Philippines in a countrywide devotional and cultural celebration in the Philippines Missionary Training Center.
June
June 1 — President Nelson issued a 100th birthday invitation for Church members to reach out to “the one.”
June 1 — Groundbreaking ceremonies for two houses of the Lord were held — for the Teton River Idaho Temple and the Cleveland Ohio Temple.
June 2 — Elder Gong dedicated the Taylorsville Utah Temple.
June 2 — The Republic of Malawi in southeast Africa saw the creation of its first stake, followed by a second later in the month.
June 9 — Elder Renlund dedicated the Cobán Guatemala Temple.
June 12 — The Relief Society general presidency announced a new combined donation of $55.8 million to help improve maternal and child health worldwide.
June 16 — Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the Layton Utah Temple.
June 16 — Elder Christofferson dedicated the Salta Argentina Temple.
June 20-23 — Nearly 150 couples of mission presidents and companions attended the 2024 Seminar for New Mission Leaders, receiving instruction from the First Presidency, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other Church leaders.
June 21-22 — General Authority Seventies from Africa represented the Church at the sixth annual Strengthening Families Conference in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
June 23 — Derrick Porter, the new announcer for “Music & the Spoken Word,” was featured in his first broadcast.
July
July 11 — Elder Alexander Dushku, a General Authority Seventy, presented at the 2024 Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit in Indiana, discussing the importance of a just and livable peace regarding people with different religious beliefs.
July 18 — The age ranges for the young single adult and single adult members of the Church were adjusted. “Young single adult” now refers to unmarried Latter-day Saints ages 18-35, with the term “single adult” now describing unmarried Church members ages 36 and older.
July 21 — Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé spoke to Latter-day Saint youth in France in the lead-up to the 2024 Paris Olympics, reminding them that they are disciples of Jesus Christ. Joining him were former BYU basketball star and 2024 Olympian Jimmer Fredette; former Olympic gold-medalist gymnast Peter Vidmar; and Rudi Sordes, who composed music for the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
July 24 — Elder Bednar served as the grand marshal of the 2024 Days of ‘47 Parade on Pioneer Day.
July 28 — Olympian members of the Church shared their testimonies at a devotional as they prepared to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
August
Aug. 1 — The Church released four chapters in a new manual with teachings from President Nelson.
Aug. 1 — Members of the new Sunday School general presidency began their service.
Aug. 2-4 — At the multiday Utah Area YSA Conference, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke at a devotional, other Church leaders spoke during the weekend, and YSAs participated in record-breaking events, including a birthday card for President Nelson and speed dating.
Aug. 7 — The correspondence of President Louise Y. Robison, seventh Relief Society general president, became available through the Church History Library.
Aug. 17 — Groundbreaking ceremonies for three future temples of the Church were held — for the Austin Texas, Londrina Brazil and Santiago West Chile temples.
Aug. 19 — Elder Bednar shared a video noting the 10-year anniversary of his invitation to use social media to “flood the earth” with gospel messages on social media.
Aug. 19 — Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles met with Philippines President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. at Malacañang Palace in Manila.
Aug. 19-23 — Elder Andersen spoke at BYU Education Week, along with members of the Relief Society general presidency, the Primary general presidency, the Young Women general presidency and the Young Men general presidency.
Aug. 21 — Elder Soares shared an analogy about mangrove trees and faith communities at the G20 Interfaith Forum in Brasília, Brazil.
Aug. 25 — Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles rededicated the Logan Tabernacle after a 30-month renovation.
Aug. 27 — The Church announced a new initiative designed to provide support for military veterans and their families, organized by the Church’s Military Relations, Chaplain Services and Prison Ministries Division of the Priesthood and Family Department.
Aug. 31 — Ground was broken for the Cagayan de Oro Philippines Temple.
September
Sept. 7 — The groundbreaking ceremony for the Wichita Kansas Temple was held.
Sept. 9 — Family, friends and members from all around the world came together for a special event honoring and celebrating the life of President Nelson on his 100th birthday.
Sept. 11 — The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square filled the grand staircase of the Georgia State Capitol to give tribute to all of the lives lost on this historic date in 2001. It was one of several performances during the “Songs of Hope” tour stops in Florida and Georgia.
Sept. 11 — Church members joined interfaith, volunteer and community groups to promote and organize service opportunities for the National Day of Service and Remembrance, commemorating 9/11.
Sept. 13 — Students, faculty and family gathered for the inauguration of Bonnie H. Cordon, a former Young Women general president, as the 10th president of Southern Virginia University.
Sept. 14 — The Primary general presidency held its September Friend to Friend broadcast, which included messages from President Holland as he explained the principle of sharing the love of Jesus Christ with others.
Sept. 15 — Elder Uchtdorf dedicated the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple.
Sept. 22 — Elder Rasband dedicated the Mendoza Argentina Temple.
Sept. 27 — The groundbreaking ceremony for the Cody Wyoming Temple was held.
Sept. 27 — President Holland and Elder Uchtdorf met with Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, and pledged support for the 2034 Winter Olympic Games, which will be held in and around Salt Lake City.
Sept. 28 — Elder Kyle S. McKay, a General Authority Seventy who serves as Church historian and recorder, dedicated the Kanesville Memorial Historic Site.
Sept. 30 — The “Work and Wonder: 200 Years of Latter-day Saint Art” exhibit opened in the Church History Museum.
October
Oct. 3 — During the leadership session of October 2024 general conference, six new Area Seventies were named and sustained.
Oct. 5-6 — The 194th Semiannual General Conference was held. President Nelson announced 17 temple locations during the Sunday afternoon session. The year marked the 100th anniversary of broadcasting general conference on radio, the 75th anniversary of general conference broadcast via television and the 25th anniversary of live broadcast via the internet.
Oct. 10 — BYU announced the dean of its newly announced medical school — Dr. Mark J. Ott.
Oct. 13 — Elder Renlund dedicated the San Pedro Sula Honduras Temple.
Oct. 20 — Elder Andersen dedicated the Salvador Brazil Temple.
Oct. 25 — The Orchestra at Temple Square celebrated its 25th anniversary with a concert in the Salt Lake Tabernacle.
Oct. 27 — Elder Soares, President Freeman and President Lund invited youth to share the Savior’s light during a worldwide youth broadcast.
Oct. 29 — “Saints, Volume 4: Sounded in Every Ear, 1955-2020,” the final volume in the series, was released.
November
Nov. 2 — Ground was broken for the Tarawa Kiribati Temple.
Nov. 3 — Elder Bednar spoke to young adults in a worldwide devotional about the blessings and dangers of technology, which built upon “Things as They Really Are,” an address he gave 15 years earlier.
Nov. 8 — Elder Soares ministered to flood survivors in Valencia and Catarroja, Spain.
Nov. 10 — President Nelson dedicated the Deseret Peak Utah Temple in Tooele, Utah — the Church’s 200th operating temple.
Nov. 10 — President Holland spoke to more than 8,000 Church members in a multistake conference in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Nov. 13 — Elder Stevenson, joined by President Johnson and Sister Wright, announced the locations of the 107 Light the World Giving Machines available in 2024.
Nov. 13 — FamilySearch marked its 130th anniversary.
Nov. 15 — Elder Uchtdorf participated in the opening of the first Light the World Giving Machines in Hong Kong.
Nov. 16 — Musicians around the world shared their testimonies through song during the 2024 Church Music Festival.
Nov. 24 — Elder Cook dedicated the Casper Wyoming Temple.
Nov. 30 — Giving Machines were unveiled at Sarit mall in Nairobi, Kenya. They are the first on the African continent.
December
Dec. 5 — The Church launched a new website to help Latter-day Saints discover, learn about and visit historic Nauvoo.
Dec. 6 — The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the creation of the new Canada Area, which will go into effect on Aug. 1, 2025.
Dec. 7 — Ground was broken for the Grand Rapids Michigan Temple.
Dec. 8 — The First Presidency’s Christmas Devotional was held. Messages were given by President Oaks; Elder Cook; Elder S. Mark Palmer of the Presidency of the Seventy; and Sister Tamara W. Runia, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency.
Dec. 8 — Elder Kearon dedicated the Tallahassee Florida Temple.
Dec. 11 — A statue of Martha Hughes Cannon was installed in the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C., to represent the state of Utah. President Johnson spoke at the event.
