During the week of Sept. 6-12, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, saluted training missionaries for their “Here I am: send me” willingness.
Elder Clark G. Gilbert of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles reflected on his first Apostolic ministry assignment to West Africa, where he testified of the Savior and taught principles of leadership and education.
Sister Kristin M. Yee, second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, said she saw great faith during her recent ministry assignment in the Europe Central Area.
In temple news, the Montpelier Idaho Temple and the Managua Nicaragua Temple began their open-house phases; and ground was broken for the Piura Peru Temple and the Colorado Springs Colorado Temple. Additionally, Salt Lake Temple open house organizers announced two more batches of tickets will be available within the next month.
Elder Ahmad S. Corbitt, General Authority Seventy, united with faith leaders for a national day of prayer in the Dominican Republic. The Church News reported on the Church’s $1.2 million donation to UNICEF for maternal and newborn health in Pakistan.
On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Church News shared reflections from five Latter-day Saints about experiences that shaped their faith.
Brigham Young University President C. Shane Reese invited students to “hear God more and your earbuds less”; while BYU–Hawaii President John S.K. Kauwe III gave his first devotional since completing cancer treatments.
On this week’s episode of the Church News podcast, BYU researcher Jason Carroll discussed finding hope in the modern dating landscape.
Read summaries and find links to these articles below.
1. President Uchtdorf salutes training missionaries for ‘Here am I; send me’ willingness
Looking out across the sea of missionaries in the Provo Missionary Training Center auditorium, President Uchtdorf saw faces of sacrifice, willingness and faith.
“You all have one huge and decisive thing going for you — you chose to serve a mission,” said the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, then referring to Isaiah 6:8, “In the sacred act of agency, you said to the Lord, ‘Here am I; send me.’”
President Uchtdorf was accompanied by his wife, Sister Harriet Uchtdorf; and his remarks to more than 2,800 during the Tuesday evening, Sept. 8, devotional in Provo, Utah, were broadcast to other MTCs worldwide.
Read more about President Uchtdorf’s devotional here.
2. Elder Gilbert testifies of Christ in his first apostolic visit to West Africa
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is growing at “an amazing pace” in the Africa West Area, said Elder Gilbert.
Elder Gilbert spent Aug. 21-29 in Ghana and Sierra Leone, ministering to local Church members and leaders. He was accompanied by his wife, Sister Christine Gilbert.
Throughout his visit, Elder Gilbert focused on three important themes: Jesus Christ, leadership development and education.
Read more about Elder Gilbert’s ministry in West Africa here.
3. Sister Yee sees great faith in Europe Central Area ministry
Sister Yee met with members, young adults, missionaries and friends of the Church in Germany, Austria, Cyprus and Spain.
Her meetings from Aug. 28 through Sept. 7 included instruction for Relief Society, Young Women and Primary leaders, and devotionals for Relief Society sisters and young women, missionaries, temple workers and other members, reported the Church’s Europe Newsroom.
Read more about Sister Yee’s ministry in Europe here.
4. Temple news: Open houses in Idaho and Nicaragua; groundbreaking in Colorado
Church leaders led media on tours of the Montpelier Idaho Temple and Managua Nicaragua Temple, which are both open to the public through Saturday, Sept. 26, excluding Sundays.
Ground was broken for the Colorado Springs Colorado Temple on Saturday, Sept. 12. The First Presidency also announced a Nov. 14 groundbreaking date for the Piura Peru Temple.
More tickets for Salt Lake Temple open house will be available on Sept. 15 and Oct. 1.
Read more about the Montpelier Idaho Temple open house and media day.
Read more about the Managua Nicaragua Temple open house here.
Read more about the Colorado Springs Colorado Temple groundbreaking here.
Read more about the upcoming Piura Peru Temple groundbreaking here.
Read more about the upcoming ticket releases for Salt Lake Temple open house here.
5. Elder Corbitt unites with faith leaders for national day of prayer in Dominican Republic
Elder Corbitt represented the Church at a national day of prayer and thanksgiving interfaith event held Sept. 7 in the Hall of Caryatids at the National Palace in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, reported the Church’s Dominican Republic Newsroom.
Read more about the national day of prayer and thanksgiving interfaith event here.
6. Church donates $1.2 million to UNICEF for maternal and newborn health in Pakistan
The Church made a $1.2 million donation to strengthen maternal and newborn health services in Pakistan.
It will help launch and sustain a new two-year initiative with UNICEF. The Church is also partnering with UNICEF to help mothers and newborns across South Asia, with care before, during and after childbirth.
Read more about the Church’s $1.2 million donation to UNICEF here.
7. 5 Latter-day Saints reflect on Sept. 11 experiences that shaped their faith
As Americans marked the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Church News has gathered reflections from Latter-day Saints who recounted their experiences in oral histories housed in the Church History Catalog (online at catalog.ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
“I thought a lot about the plan of salvation, the restored gospel and the reality of Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ,” one man said. “I was profoundly aware of all these things, probably like never before.”
Read more 9/11 reflections from Latter-day Saints here.
8. BYU and BYU–Hawaii presidents give devotionals
Speaking to students gathered Tuesday, Sept. 8, in BYU’s Marriott Center in Provo, Utah, for the opening devotional of the fall semester, President Reese encouraged listeners to follow the Savior’s example of reaching out to people.
“I beg you to sit a little longer with a friend in need. Give a few more smiles. Struggle a little harder together on that group project that’s already due two weeks into the semester. Start a conversation with someone you don’t know at the Cougareat,” President Reese said. “Hear God more and your earbuds less.”
Speaking in BYU–Hawaii’s Cannon Activities Center in Laie, Hawaii, during the Sept. 9 opening devotional of the fall 2026 semester, President Kauwe said perhaps even more remarkable than his miraculous physical healing was the peace and confidence he and his family felt. “We know that comes in large measure because of your faith and your prayers and through the power of God.”
Read more about President Reese’s devotional at BYU here.
Read more about President Kauwe’s devotional at BYU–Hawaii here.
9. Church News podcast, episode 311: Finding hope in the modern dating landscape with BYU’s Jason Carroll
Jason S. Carroll, the Family Initiative director at the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University and a marriage preparation teacher for 20 years, joined the Church News podcast to talk about the patterns found in dating research and what the positive outliers can teach about creating a better dating and marriage culture.
