During the week of Aug. 30 to Sept. 5, the First Presidency sent a letter inviting all to participate in October 2026 general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, represented Church leaders in announcing the theme for the upcoming Salt Lake Temple Celebration — “Rejoice in Christ,” based on Philippians 4:4 — on the same day reservations were made available for open house tickets. The theme will also serve as the 2027 youth theme.
Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught missionaries at the Provo Missionary Training Center to testify of three “keystones of faith.”
Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles met with the president of Peru as part of a ministry in the South American country.
Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles ministered in Mexico, meeting with members, missionaries, religious leaders, government officials and news media.
The Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple was dedicated by Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
The Church News reported on the beginning of the open house for the Ephraim Utah Temple. Read what Church leaders had to say about the State of Utah’s 26th temple.
In other temple news, a rendering was released for the Charlotte North Carolina Temple, the groundbreaking date was scheduled for the Iquitos Peru Temple, and the site was announced for the Queen Creek Arizona Temple.
On this week’s episode of the Church News podcast, Young Men General President Timothy L. Farnes and Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman talked about ways youth can develop into stronger disciples of Jesus Christ through the new Sunday youth schedule.
Read summaries and find links to these articles below.
1. First Presidency invites all to participate in October 2026 general conference
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent a letter on Sept. 3 inviting all to participate in October 2026 general conference.
The 196th Semiannual General Conference of the Church will be held Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4.
Read more about the First Presidency’s invitation to conference here.
2. Salt Lake Temple Celebration gives reason to ‘Rejoice in Christ’
Leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced the theme for the upcoming Salt Lake Temple Celebration on the same day reservations were made available for open house tickets.
Speaking from the new temple entrance building north of the Salt Lake Temple on Temple Square, President Uchtdorf called the celebration a historic event that will accompany the reopening of the Salt Lake Temple in 2027 following its extensive, seven-year renovation.
“We invite the world — everyone, hundreds of thousands of people, millions of people,” he said. “We expect 5 million people to come and see and enjoy this wonderful experience — what the temple, the house of the Lord, represents.”
Read more about the Salt Lake Temple Celebration and theme here.
Read about the 2027 youth theme here.
3. Elder Cook teaches missionaries 3 ‘keystones of faith’ to anchor each testimony
Speaking to missionaries at a Sept. 1 devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center, Elder Cook taught that “true conversion is the result of the conscious acceptance of the will of God, and we can be guided in our actions by the Holy Ghost.”
He testified of three “keystones of faith” — the divinity of Jesus Christ, the truth of the Book of Mormon and the role of Joseph Smith as the Prophet of the Restoration.
Read more about Elder Cook’s MTC message here.
4. Elder Stevenson meets with Peru’s president, discusses the spirit of peacemaking
Elder Stevenson met with the president of Peru, President Keiko Fujimori Higuchi, as part of a ministry in the South American country on Thursday, Aug. 27, at the Government Palace in Lima, Peru.
The two leaders discussed the importance of being peacemakers in an increasingly divided world.
“Peacemaking is so important,” Elder Stevenson said. “We approach peacemaking first in our hearts. Each of us as Heavenly Father’s children need to have the spirit of peacemaking in our hearts, then in homes and families. As we practice there, peacemaking will spread into our neighborhoods and communities.”
Read more about Elder Stevenson’s meeting with the president of Peru here.
5. Elder Soares ministers in Mexico, inviting thousands to center lives on Jesus Christ
In an Aug. 27-30 ministry in Mexico, Elder Soares met with members, missionaries, journalists, religious leaders and government officials in events centered on dialogue, shared values, service and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
“As we center our lives on Jesus Christ and allow Him to be the most powerful influence in our decisions, our discipleship is strengthened and our hearts become more fully united with Him,” he said in a stake conference.
He also met with several members of the Mexico Senate on Aug. 28. The lawmakers acknowledged the positive contributions of religious organizations — including the Church — in strengthening communities and improving lives.
Read more about Elder Soares’ ministry in Mexico here.
6. Elder Kearon dedicates Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple, where vision ‘draws heavenward’
With an invitation for all to let thoughts, focus and gaze be drawn heavenward, Elder Kearon dedicated the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple on Sunday, Aug. 30.
Everything about the Phnom Penh temple points toward heaven, Elder Kearon said, from the traditional architecture that draws the eye toward the beautiful spires and then heavenward, to the covenants made inside with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
“As we let our gaze be drawn heavenward in this way, we find the inward peace which can be so elusive in our busy lives,” Elder Kearon said.
Read more about the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple dedication here.
Read Elder Kearon’s dedicatory prayer here.
Watch a video about the Cambodia temple here.
7. Ephraim Utah Temple begins open house
The doors of the Ephraim Utah Temple opened to the public on Monday, Aug. 31, as the public open house officially began with guided tours for media and invited guests.
Elder K. Brett Nattress, a General Authority Seventy and assistant executive director of the Temple Department, told members of the media that this temple — located just 7 miles from the Manti Utah Temple — is a testament to the faith of those in the area, because even though it’s close to another temple, this house of the Lord is needed.
“They’re so faithful and so deserving of this house of the Lord,” he said. “The Saints that live here, they understand that happiness comes through serving others.”
Read what Church leaders had to say about the Ephraim Utah Temple and open house here.
Read more about the beginning of the Ephraim Utah Temple open house here.
8. Temple news: Groundbreaking scheduled in Peru, site announced in Arizona and rendering released in North Carolina
An Oct. 10 groundbreaking was announced for the Iquitos Peru Temple, to be presided over by Elder Sandino Roman, a General Authority Seventy and member of the Church’s South America Northwest Area presidency.
The location of the future Queen Creek Arizona Temple was announced.
An exterior rendering for the Charlotte North Carolina Temple was released.
Read more about the upcoming Iquitos Peru Temple groundbreaking here.
Read more about the future site of the Queen Creek Arizona Temple here.
Read more about the rendering of the Charlotte North Carolina Temple here.
9. Episode 310: Sunday youth curriculum has changed. Now what?
Starting this week, youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will shift from rotating each Sunday between their Young Women or Aaronic Priesthood classes and Sunday School classes to participating in both every week.
President Farnes and President Freeman join Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen for this episode of the Church News podcast to talk about the way youth can develop into stronger disciples of Jesus Christ through these adjustments.
“It’s not just learning, it’s about living and becoming lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ,” President Farnes says in the podcast. Hear how he hopes the Sunday change will also bring about positive changes in the lives of the rising generation.
