During the week of Aug. 9-15, President Dallin H. Oaks marked his 94th birthday and first birthday as President and Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on Wednesday, Aug. 12.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke to missionaries in the Provo Missionary Training Center about the messages shared at the 2026 Seminar for New Mission Leaders.
An open house for the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple has begun and Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles conducted a tour of the temple for senior Cambodian officials, interfaith leaders, and other dignitaries.
Both Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, and Sister Kristen M. Yee, second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, spoke at the 2026 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference in the Salt Palace Convention Center.
The Church News reported on the new Primary general presidency and its hope for children around the world.
In this week’s episode of the Church News podcast, 2026 Utah Area YSA Conference co-chairs Zach Sutton and Shelby Hurst talk about their preparation for the Church’s largest annual gathering of young single adults.
Volunteer applications for next year’s Salt Lake Temple Celebration reopened and now offer one-week service opportunities.
The First Presidency announced that ground will be broken for the Barcelona Spain Temple on Sept. 19 and that the Fort Worth Texas Temple open house will take place Nov. 5-21, with a Jan. 10, 2027, dedication date.
Elder Juan Pablo Villar, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Church’s South America Northwest Area, spoke at the first International Symposium on Religious Freedom in Lima, Peru.
This month, enrollment in seminar and institute programs exceeded 1,090,000, including more than 85,000 friends of other faiths.
Read summaries and find links to these articles below.
1. How President Oaks celebrated his 94th birthday
On Wednesday, Aug. 12, President Oaks marked his 94th birthday and celebrated with his family earlier in the week. This is his first birthday since becoming the Prophet and President of the Church.
Read more about how President Oaks celebrated his 94th birthday here.
2. Elder Rasband’s ‘highlight reel’: Missionary insights from 2026 Seminar for New Mission Leaders
Elder Rasband shared four lessons from the 2026 Seminar for New Mission Leaders with missionaries in a devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah.
“Today I would like to share with all of you what I would like to call a ‘seminar highlight reel’ of sorts and emphasize the messages from the seminar that apply directly to you,” said Elder Rasband.
Read more about Elder Rasband’s devotional at the Missionary Training Center here.
3. Elder Gong attends Phnom Penh Cambodia temple media day as open house begins
Interior and exterior photos have been released of the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple as the open house begins.
Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles guided news representatives on Wednesday’s media-day tour. This is the first house of the Lord in the country of Cambodia.
Read more about the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple open house here.
Read more about Elder Gong at the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple media-day.
4. 2026 Utah Area YSA Conference features both Sister Spannaus and Sister Yee
At the 2026 Utah Area young single adult Conference, Sister Spannaus and Sister Yee were both featured keynote speakers.
Sister Spannaus spoke during the Friday morning keynote session about the role of good friends in staying on the covenant path.
During the Saturday evening keynote session, Sister Yee taught young single adults how to find divine belonging, purpose and peace.
Read more about Sister Spannaus’ message to young single adults here.
Read more about Sister Yee’s teaching at the YSA conference here.
Read about the Utah Area presidency’s message here.
Read what stained-glass artists Gayle and Tom Holdman told young single adults here.
5. New Primary general presidency shares its hope for children around the world
In an Instagram video shared Aug. 2, the new Primary general presidency shared its hope for children around the world and testimonies of Jesus Christ.
The new Primary general presidency began its service on Aug. 1.
Learn more about the hope of the new Primary general presidency here.
6. Podcast Episode 307: Young single adults prepare for Utah Area conference
On this episode of the Church News podcast, Zach Sutton and Shelby Hurst, co-chairs of the 2026 Utah Area YSA Conference, discuss preparations for the multiday young single adult conference. The conference was Friday and Saturday, Aug. 14-15, in Salt Lake City.
Listen to the week’s podcast episode here.
7. Salt Lake Temple Celebration volunteer applications reopen, with 1-week service option
The volunteer application period has been extended for next year’s Salt Lake Temple Celebration. Applications are open through Sept. 14, and volunteers can now register for the one-week service opportunities.
Read about the Salt Lake Temple Celebration volunteer applications here.
8. Temple news: Groundbreaking date set for Spain’s second house of the Lord; Fort Worth Texas Temple dedication, open house planned
Ground will be broken for the Barcelona Spain Temple on Saturday, Sept. 19. Elder James W. McConkie III — a General Authority Seventy and counselor in the Europe Central Area presidency — will preside over the ceremony.
The First Presidency also has announced dedication and open house dates for what will become the sixth operating temple in Texas. The Fort Worth Texas Temple will be dedicated Sunday, Jan. 10, 2027, and an open house will take place Nov. 5-21, excluding Sundays.
Read more about the Barcelona Spain Temple groundbreaking here.
Read more about the Fort Worth Texas Temple dedication here.
9. ‘A fundamental human right’: Elder Villar champions religious freedom at Peru’s first symposium
Elder Villar shared the importance of religious freedom throughout the world at the first International Symposium on Religious Freedom, held in Lima, Peru, Aug. 4-5. The symposium involved religious leaders, legal scholars, academics and other experts from nine South American countries.
Read more about Elder Villar at Peru’s first symposium here.
10. More than 85,000 of other faiths enroll in seminary and institute
According to a notice published on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, seminary and institute enrollment has exceeded 1,090,000, including more than 85,000 friends of other faiths.
In March 2026, seminaries and institutes announced a combined enrollment of more than 1 million students worldwide.
