During the week of May 31 to June 6, the Church News reported on President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, acting president of the Quorum the Twelve Apostles, meeting with the president of Germany during a recent ministry in Europe.
Also, Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the Bacolod Philippines Temple on May 31. Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles ministered in four Pacific nations and territories — Australia, New Caledonia, Samoa and American Samoa.
Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke to missionaries at the Provo Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. While ministering in the Church’s Africa South Area, Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared a Botswana expression and its connection to ministering to others.
The Church News reported on Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman’s recent ministry to youth in Puerto Rico.
Sister Amy A. Wright, first counselor in the Primary general presidency, spoke to students during an Ensign College devotional about the Savior’s invitation to “Behold.” Sister Tracy Y. Browning, second counselor in the Primary general presidency, addressed attendees at the “Onward, Ever Onward!" United States Northeast Area Women’s Conference.
In temple news this week, information on how to make reservations for the “Inside a Temple” tour on Temple Square was released and the Naga Philippines Temple groundbreaking date was announced.
In this week’s Church News podcast, Michael Hall discussed the testimony-refining process of creating sculptures of the Savior’s mortal life and of Joseph Smith’s First Vision.
Read summaries and find links to these articles below.
1. President Uchtdorf meets with president of Germany, dedicates 2 stake centers
President Uchtdorf met with the president of Germany on Thursday, May 28, and dedicated new stake centers in Austria and the Czech Republic on successive Sundays — May 24 for the Salzburg Austria Stake and May 31 for the Prague Czech Republic Stake.
Read more about President Uchtdorf’s ministry in Europe here.
2. Honoring area pioneers and looking to the blessings of the temple, Elder Andersen dedicates the Bacolod Philippines Temple
Elder Andersen dedicated the Bacolod Philippines Temple on Sunday, May 31 — the sixth house of the Lord in the Philippines and the third dedicated in the country this year.
“There’s been a great heritage of faithfulness and devotion to the restored gospel,” said Elder Andersen.
Read more about the Bacolod Philippines Temple dedication here.
Read the dedicatory prayer here.
3. Elder Stevenson testifies of God’s love, joy of the gospel during 4-nation ministry in Pacific
During a 10-day ministry, Elder Stevenson visited with members in four Pacific nations and territories.
Elder Stevenson delivered a universal message testifying of God’s love for each of His children throughout Australia, New Caledonia, Samoa and American Samoa.
Read more about Elder Stevenson’s ministry in the Pacific here.
4. Elder Renlund offers 5 ‘cairns’ to guide missionaries ‘confidently and joyfully’ through their mission
Elder Renlund spoke to missionaries at the Provo Missionary Training Center and compared hiking to missionary work, noting how cairns can lead to “remarkable vistas" and lifelong discipleship of Christ.
As cairns — intentionally placed piles of stones — are used to guide hikers, Elder Renlund discussed five metaphorical cairns to assist missionaries in serving their missions “confidently and joyfully.”
Read more about Elder Renlund’s MTC devotional here.
5. Elder Gong sees ‘pula a e ne’ and invokes blessings on countries in Church’s Africa South Area
While in Botswana, Elder Gong learned the phrase “Pula a e ne” or “Let it rain” and shared a the expression and its connection to ministering to others with members, missionaries and leaders. “Rain falls on all of us, as it says in scripture (see Matthew 5:45). When blessings from heaven come to us, it is meant to be for everyone,” he said.
Throughout his nine-day ministry — including in South Africa, Angola, Mozambique and Madagascar — Elder Gong encouraged members, missionaries and friends of the Church to turn to the Savior and seek the blessings of the temple
Read more about Elder Gong’s time in the Church’s Africa South Area here.
6. President Freeman sees how youth in Puerto Rico ‘walk with Him’
President Freeman saw how much the youth of the Church are striving to follow Jesus Christ during a ministry throughout the Church’s Caribbean Area. She visited Caguas, Guaynabo and Toa Baja in Puerto Rico, speaking to local Church leaders, missionaries, members and friends of the Church.
“As I have spent time here with the youth in all of these islands, I have seen how they walk with Him,” she said.
Read about President Freeman’s ministry in Puerto Rico here.
7. Sister Wright invites Ensign College students to pay attention to the Savior’s invitations to ‘Behold’
During an Ensign College devotional, Sister Wright shared five of the Savior’s invitations to “behold,” highlighting the associated blessings.
“How grateful I am to know that we worship a compensatory God who heals, restores, gathers, sanctifies, exalts and fixes things that are broken,” Sister Wright testified.
Read more Sister Wright’s devotional at Ensign College here.
8. Sister Browning teaches ‘Jesus noticed women’ to thousands in recent NYC women’s conference
Sister Browning addressed over 2,000 Latter-day Saint Women during the “Onward, Ever Onward!” United States Northeast Area Women’s Conference on Saturday, May 30. She spoke about becoming a female follower of Jesus Christ.
“The Lord continues to need women who know Him, who trust Him, who hear Him, who follow Him and who help others find Him,” she said.
Read more about Sister Browning’s address at the conference here.
9. Reservations for Temple Square’s ‘Inside a Temple’ tour and the Naga Philippines temple groundbreaking date set
Reservations will be available in batches for the “Inside a Temple” tour of the Temple Square Visitors’ Center in Salt Lake City. Tickets will become available every other Monday for no cost at TempleSquare.org or in the Temple Square app.
Also, the First Presidency released a groundbreaking date for the Naga Philippines Temple and it will be on Saturday, Aug. 8. Fourteen houses of the Lord are dedicated, under construction or announced in the Philippines.
See how to make reservations for Temple Square’s “Inside a Temple” tour.
Naga Philippines Temple groundbreaking date set
10. Church New podcast, episode 297: Sculpting a testimony with Michael Hall
Hall has created two sculptors for the renovated Salt Lake Temple grounds — one depicting the Restoration of the Lord’s Church and another depicting the life of Jesus Christ. During this episode of the Church News podcast, he discusses how the sculpting process refined his testimony.
