Leaders of Christ’s Church have always strived to teach God’s children in other parts of the world. The medium of sharing has continually evolved. In the first century, the apostle Paul wrote letters, in 1922, President Heber J. Grant gave the Church’s first radio broadcast, in 1949, President George Albert Smith gave the first address on TV, and today, Church leaders share on social media.
This week, leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints testified of Joseph Smith, pioneers and the divinely appointed privilege mothers share of teaching children to pray.
In a July 23 post, President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, testified that “Joseph Smith accomplished more than any mortal man could have accomplished in so short a time.”
He shared that throughout Joseph Smith’s life, he had many visions, received the gold plates, translated the Book of Mormon, organized the Church and received more than half of the revelations in the Doctrine and Covenants before he was 25 years old.
He concluded with his testimony that “The only possible explanation is Heavenly help.”
In a July 24 post, President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, shared photos as grand marshal of the Days of ’47 parade.
He testified that, “The trek Latter-day Saint pioneers made to Utah exemplifies the faith, courage and determination of those truly devoted disciples of Jesus Christ.”
He shared the importance of remembering the pioneers’ stories, traditions, values, struggles, testimonies and contributions.
Even more important, though, is to “remember the Savior and His Atonement, keeping covenants with God, repenting and enduring through life’s challenges and hardships.”
In a July 20 post, President Camille N. Johnson, Relief Society general president, wrote about a recent experience she had in a mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia.
“I saw this mother teaching her daughter to pray,” she wrote.
She then testified: “All over the world, across time zones and political boundaries — women teach children to pray. It is a divinely appointed privilege."
Sharing a painting of Jesus Christ and a lamb, Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified of taking upon the name of Jesus Christ through covenants, in a July 20 post.
“Doing our part is simpler than we might imagine because we need not bring extraordinary talents or abilities to the Lord’s work,” he shared.
He then testified that the Lord’s only requirement is commitment and willingness.
“The Lord can make the willing able, but He cannot or will not make the able willing,” he said. “In other words, if we are committed and willing, He can use us.”
President Susan H. Porter, Primary general president, shared a reel on July 21 of a “hidden gem” to help Primary teachers.
Joined by former general Sunday School president, Brother Mark L. Pace, they talked about the appendix of the “Come, Follow Me” manual.
Now serving as a Sunbeam teacher, Brother Pace shared that the appendix has activities regarding baptism, confirmation, sacrament, the temple, the plan of happiness and priesthood power, authority and keys.
President Porter testified, “As you teach and testify it can go straight to their hearts, and it will have a foundational effect on their lives.”
In a video posted on July 20, Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is shown visiting Latter-day Saints in the Philippines.
“To be here and to be enveloped in the light, the love and the faith of these people is just the most beautiful blessing,” he said.
The video recapped his recent ministry, showing his visits to families, interfaith leaders, congregations, a ward Primary and a school, as well as an interview with a local reporter.
The video concluded with Elder Kearon sharing what the visit meant to him.
“Being with the Church members in the Philippines is like being with a microcosm of members of the Church around the world. We see the best of faith, of joy, of vibrant life, of service and devotion to things here and higher things,” he said.
Sister Tamara W. Runia, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, shared that she loves rollercoasters in a July 22 post.
“The wind in my hair, the twists and turns, that feeling of free-falling. It takes my breath away and I love it all,” she wrote.
What’s most important on a rollercoaster, she wrote, is the safety harness. In life, like rollercoasters, “we have a safety harness to see us through it,” she said.
She shared a list of different types of safety harness Heavenly Father has given His children:
- “Commandments
- “Scriptures
- “Repentance
- “Covenants
- “Prayer
- “Prophets
- “People who love and care for us
- “The Holy Ghost
- “His Son, Jesus Christ.”
“These things can help us through all the ups and downs on this rollercoaster of life,” she wrote. “With our spiritual safety harness on, we can and should feel joy.”
She concluded by promising that Heavenly Father “will never let you down.”
Sister Amy A. Wright posted a reel from her April 2025 general conference talk, on July 21.
“We need to infuse the light of Jesus Christ into every corner of our lives,” she said.
She invited Latter-day Saints to listen to her talk.
“Without Jesus Christ, there is no power to change, no purpose to aspire to and no reconciliation of the travails of life,” she promised.
Young Men General President Steven J. Lund said that “youth who start FSY on Monday are not the same youth that return home on Saturday,” in a July 22 reel.
“They will have had amazing spiritual experiences with prayer, scripture study, service and those around them,” he said of the For the Strength of Youth conferences. “Treat them like the people they’ve become so they can continue to grow in their discipleship to Jesus Christ.
He invited followers to help youth continue to do the things that they learned while at FSY.
Sister Tracy Y. Browning, second counselor in the Primary general presidency, shared a reel on July 22 of a recent devotional she gave at BYU–Hawaii.
She spoke of Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the last supper. In the painting, she explained, “The composition naturally draws our eye to the Savior in the center.”
She invited students, and followers on social media, to put Christ at the center of their lives.
“We, too, can intentionally center our lives on the Savior by choosing habits and practices that direct our energy towards Him,” she said.
During a visit to Fortaleza, Brazil, Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, met 14-year-old Alice Sá. On a July 23 post with Young Women Worldwide, Sister Spannaus shared that Alice recently made a goal to memorize a scripture in multiple languages.
Sister Spannaus explained that Alice wrote the verse on a card and put it in her phone case, where she could see it often.
“It was a beautiful testimony of the love of the scriptures and of, as Jesus Christ invites us: ‘Treasure up in your minds continually the words of life,’” she wrote.
She then invited followers to pick a verse, start to memorize it this week and “share it with someone.”
