During the week of Oct. 18-24, President Henry B. Eyring dedicated the Church’s 225th temple, in Montpelier, Idaho, and Elder Ronald A. Rasband dedicated the first temple in Nicaragua.
The Church News reported on Elder Dale G. Renlund speaking at the the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship on eternity and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. At the G20 Interfaith Forum, Elder Gerrit W. Gong offered a counterpoint to Humanity’s Last Exam on artificial intelligence.
Bishop L. Todd Budge spoke during a devotional at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, explaining the purpose and effects of tithing. There were temple updates in Austria, Mexico and Texas. A two-day Church History Symposium explored how Latter-day Saints delve into the past.
In light of the 55 new missions in 2026, Church News explored how missionaries are called, service missions, senior missionary service and other aspects of missionary word.
This week’s podcast episode has historian and biographer Richard E. Turley Jr. discussing President Dallin H. Oaks’ first year as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The latest updates in the Church’s General Handbook include revisions to sections about Sunday meetings, Young Women, teacher council meetings, sealings, disability specialists and military relations.
1. President Eyring dedicates Montpelier Idaho Temple
When President Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, dedicated the Montpelier Idaho Temple on Sunday, Oct. 18, he did so with a hope and a promise to those who would serve in it and any other house of the Lord.
Read about the Montpelier Idaho Temple dedication.
2. Elder Rasband dedicates Managua Nicaragua Temple, the country’s first
Elder Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the Managua Nicaragua Temple on Sunday, Oct. 18, bringing the Central American country its first house of the Lord. Local Saints and former missionaries gathered to celebrate the milestone.
Read more about the Managua Nicaragua Temple dedication.
Take a look at how former missionaries celebrated the temple.
Read about Nicaraguan Saints rejoicing for the dedication.
3. Elder Renlund on infinity, eternity and the power of Christ’s Atonement
Elder Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about the Savior’s Atonement and the concept of infinity at the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
Read about Elder Renlund’s address here.
4. Elder Gong proposes a new test for AI: Humanity’s First Exam
Humanity’s Last Exam provides a challenging deductive reasoning test for AI models, with 2,500 questions ranging from math and physics to chemistry, humanities and more. Nearly two years after its release, Elder Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles is calling for an equally powerful new way to test AI models on their moral reasoning.
Learn more about Elder Gong’s proposal for AI models.
5. Bishop Budge on the use of tithing funds
Bishop Budge, first counselor in the Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, listed some of the Church’s temporal concerns: humanitarian efforts, building meetinghouses, printing scriptures and producing temple garments.
Watch Bishop Budge’s devotional address at Brigham Young University.
6. Church memorials should point to Jesus Christ, Elder McKay says at Church History Symposium
A Church History Symposium explored the theme “Memorials and Commemoration: How the Saints Remember and Celebrate History” at BYU in Provo, Utah, on Thursday, Oct. 22 and the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City on Friday, Oct. 23. “In all your remembering, always remember Him,” said Elder Kyle S. McKay, a General Authority Seventy who serves as the Church historian and recorder.
Check out the Church History Symposium plan here.
Read about Elder McKay’s message here.
7. The latest in temple news
In other temple news, the Vienna Austria Temple’s progress is in motion after its groundbreaking on Saturday, Oct. 17, the Torreón Mexico Temple open house is well underway, and the location for the El Paso Texas Temple has been announced.
Read about the Vienna Austria Temple groundbreaking here.
See more about the Torreón Mexico Temple open house.
Learn about the upcoming El Paso Texas Temple.
8. A look at missions for the Church of Jesus Christ
With the addition of 55 new missions in 2026, Church News takes an inside look at how missionaries are called, what young service missionaries are up to and the ins and outs of senior missionary service.
Find out about the 506 missions around the world.
Learn about how missionaries are called.
Read about young service missionaries here.
Check out what is involved in serving a senior mission.
See more articles from the Missionary Work magazine.
9. Church News podcast, Episode 317: President Oaks’ leadership after 1 year as Church President
The first year of President Oaks as the leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints showed both members of the Church and friends of the faith the type of individual he is. It also showed the hope that he has for the future of the Church and the world. In this episode of the Church News podcast, Rick Turley speaks with Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen about what he saw over the past year.
Listen to or watch the podcast here.
10. See the latest updates to the General Handbook
The latest updates to General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints include guidance about the new Sunday meeting schedule and teacher council meetings, adding the Young Women age-group names, giving clarification about certain sealings, providing more information about disability specialists, and revisions about military relations and chaplains.
