Two days after becoming President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and introducing his counselors in the First Presidency, President Dallin H. Oaks answered questions in his first public interview about leading the global faith of 17 million members.
Toward the end of the interview, published by the Church on Oct. 16, 2025, journalist Jane Clayson Johnson asked President Oaks if there was one phrase or scripture he would want Latter-day Saints to carry with them as he begins his prophetic ministry.
“Jesus Christ is the way,” President Oaks resolutely declared before reading King Benjamin’s teaching in Mosiah 3:17 in the Book of Mormon. “There shall be no other name given nor any other way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the children of men, only in and through the name of Christ, the Lord Omnipotent.”
President Oaks was set apart as 18th President of the Church on Oct. 14, 2025, succeeding President Russell M. Nelson, who died Sept. 27, 2025. President Oaks named President Henry B. Eyring and President D. Todd Christofferson as his first and second counselors in the First Presidency, respectively.
Church members sustained President Oaks and members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers and revelators in a solemn assembly during April 2026 general conference.
Highlights of 94-year-old President Oaks’ first year as President of the Church include an international ministry and temple dedication in Brazil, three new temple announcements and a record number of missionaries serving throughout the world.
Temple dedications in Idaho and Brazil
President Oaks dedicated his first temple as President of the Church on Sunday, Jan. 11 — the Burley Idaho Temple, which became the seventh operating house of the Lord in Idaho. It was an opportunity for President Oaks to revisit his roots in this part of Southern Idaho.
President Oaks said that before President Nelson’s death, the former President of the Church had given his counselors the opportunity to choose a temple to dedicate. “I looked over a long list and immediately asked that I be assigned to dedicate this Burley Idaho Temple,” he said.
President Oaks said temples are essential to Heavenly Father’s plan for His children.
“In these houses of the Lord, we are taught the most important things we can learn and do in mortality,” he said. “The work of temples is centered on our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.”
On Sunday, Aug. 16 — four days after his 94th birthday — President Oaks dedicated the Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple. There he emphasized the Savior and the covenants and ordinance work taking place in Latter-day Saint temples worldwide.
“The temple is a house of the Lord, a house built for the sacred work of the Lord God of Israel, our Savior and our Redeemer, to prepare us for exaltation in the celestial kingdom of God,” he said.
The Belo Horizonte temple dedication served as his first international temple dedication and his first international ministry as Church President. With its dedication, the Belo Horizonte temple became the 12th operating house of the Lord in Brazil.
“We rejoice in the growth and maturity of the restored Church in this great nation,” said President Oaks of Brazil’s more than 1.57 million members in 2,000-plus wards and branches.
Temple announcements in Maine, Washington and Ecuador
President Oaks noted in his concluding October 2025 general conference address that future temple announcements would deviate from the pattern of announcing lists of new temples during the Church’s semiannual general conference.
“With the large number of temples now in the very earliest phases of planning and construction, it is appropriate that we slow down the announcement of new temples,” President Oaks said. “Therefore, with the approval of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, we will not announce any new temples at this conference. We will now move forward in providing the ordinances of the temple to members of the Church throughout the world, including when and where to announce the construction of temples.”
As members of the Portland Maine Stake gathered for a stake Christmas fireside Dec. 14, 2025, they received an unexpected and joyful announcement from the First Presidency — a temple will be built in Portland, Maine.
As part of the announcement, Elder Allen D. Haynie, General Authority Seventy and then president of the United States Northeast Area, shared that “in a recent meeting of the First Presidency of the Church, a decision was made that, when directed by the First Presidency, the announcement of the construction of a new temple should be made on location by a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles or a member of an area presidency.”
During a devotional in the Marysville Washington Stake on April 19, Elder Hugo E. Martínez, General Authority Seventy and then second counselor in the Church’s United States West Area presidency, read a letter from the First Presidency announcing the construction of a temple in Marysville.
Another temple announcement came May 14, during a devotional in Otavalo, Ecuador — the first to be announced outside the U.S. since President Oaks became President of the Church.
Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presided at the devotional as Elder Juan Pablo Villar, a General Authority Seventy and president of the South America Northwest Area, read the First Presidency’s announcement that a temple would be built in Otavalo.
2 new Apostles
On Nov. 6, 2025, President Oaks announced the calling of Elder Gérald Caussé to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Elder Caussé filled the vacancy that was left in the quorum after the death of President Nelson. Elder Caussé — who had been serving as the presiding bishop of the Church at the time of his call — was ordained Nov. 6 by President Oaks and the other members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
About three months later, President Oaks announced Elder Clark G. Gilbert as the newest member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Feb. 12. Elder Gilbert — who had been serving as a General Authority Seventy and commissioner of the Church Educational System at the time of his call — filled the vacancy left in the quorum following the Dec. 27, 2025, death of President Jeffrey R. Holland, president of that quorum.
Historic missionary announcements
On Oct. 24, 2025, the Church announced the creation of 55 new missions, effective July 1, 2026. The new missions gave the Church 506 missions worldwide — the most ever in Church history.
Another historic missionary announcement came Nov. 21, 2025, as the Church lowered the minimum age of missionary service for women from 19 to 18, effective immediately.
In his message at the 2026 Seminar for New Mission Leaders on June 20, President Oaks noted the more than 87,000 full-time missionaries serving at that time and the incoming wave of 18-year-old sisters beginning their service. “In coming weeks, we will have the largest number of full-time missionaries in the Church’s history,” President Oaks said.
“You are called to lead missionaries at an historic time,” he told the new mission leaders. “Missionary work is soaring to new heights.”
On July 14, the Church announced a new all-time record of 88,500 missionaries. The Church announced the worldwide missionary force surpassed 90,000 on Sept. 16. The Church reached the latest milestone thanks to the largest cohort of young women serving full-time missions — more than 30,000.
Speeches and devotionals
President Oaks became the first President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to speak at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., as he delivered a landmark address on peacemaking and religious freedom on the eve of Constitution Day in the United States, Sept. 16.
“I have always regarded the United States Constitution as a model for a diverse people to achieve self-government,” said President Oaks, who has been a student of the U.S. Constitution for seven decades.
President Oaks highlighted five inspired principles of the Constitution and pointed to the Constitution as a key tool for peacemaking and finding common ground.
“The Constitution compels a divided people to build coalitions to allow them to act together. ‘Compels’ is a strong word, but it is exactly what the Constitution does,” President Oaks said. “It puts what we now call ‘peacemaking’ at the heart of the Constitution’s process for achieving freedom and unity, and fairness for all.”
On Feb. 10, President Oaks delivered his first devotional address as Church President at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. The way to overcome any doubt or concern connected with the Church — historical, doctrinal or social issue — is to draw closer to the Savior, he taught.
To help Latter-day Saints overcome present or future doubts, President Oaks shared four ways to draw closer to the Savior: strengthen faith in Him, increase humility, seek help from others and be patient.
Those of diminishing faith and activity in the restored Church are a major source of concern to the leaders of Christ’s Church, he said. “We love you, young and old, men and women. So does the Lord! God is relentless in His loving pursuit of each of you. Keep the commandments and be true to the covenants so many of you have made to guide you along the covenant path.”
Other Church announcements, news, events
What else happened during President Oaks’ first year as Church President?
• Sunday schedule: On March 30, the Church announced a new Sunday class meeting schedule effective Sept. 6. The new schedule has one hour for sacrament meeting, 25 minutes for adult and youth Sunday School, and 25 minutes for Relief Society, elders quorum, Young Women and Aaronic Priesthood quorum meetings each Sunday.
This change means members meet for all meetings during the second hour rather than alternating weeks for Sunday School and class and quorum meetings. The new schedule is intended to help members focus more on the teachings of Jesus Christ; strengthen gospel learning at home; and increase fellowship, belonging and community at church.
• Temple Square: The Church announced the theme of the Salt Lake Temple Celebration is “Rejoice in Christ” and began releasing tickets for the open house, which will be April 5 through Oct. 1, 2027. The new Temple Square Visitors’ Center opened its doors to the public on May 18.
To prepare for the Salt Lake Temple open house, the Church announced an adjustment in early January to how sister missionaries serve at Temple Square. Sister missionaries will continue serving on Temple Square but will now be assigned to a surrounding mission, sharing their time between a teaching area and Temple Square.
• Caring for Women and Children Initiative: The Church invited leaders from seven global humanitarian and nongovernmental organizations to participate in its second annual Caring for Women and Children Initiative Consortium in the Church Office Building on Temple Square on Aug. 6-7. Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson announced an additional $65 million donation, bringing the Church’s total investment in this project to $184 million over three years.
• United States’ 250th anniversary: As the United States celebrated the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the First Presidency invited to participate in a unified fast of gratitude for religious liberty. The fast was held Sunday, July 5 — the day after Independence Day in the U.S. on July 4. The Church donated truckloads of food to all 50 states for America’s 250th anniversary.
• New Humanitarian Center: The First Presidency toured the Church’s new Humanitarian Center in Salt Lake City on May 22, five days before it was dedicated. President Oaks said the new 250,000-square-foot facility “will serve an important role in preparing and distributing emergency supplies to meet global needs.”
• Young Women group names: On April 20, the First Presidency announced new names for Young Women groups: Builders of Faith (young women turning 12-13), Messengers of Hope (young women turning 14-15) and Gatherers of Light (young women turning 16 or older).
The purpose of the names is to “help young women understand their divine place in God’s work, to represent their spiritual dignity as His beloved daughters and to highlight their progression,” explained a letter from the First Presidency.
• General conference: On Nov. 19, 2025, the First Presidency announced a renewed focus on the daytime general conference sessions, discontinuing the Saturday evening session.
