During the week of March 12-18, the Church News reported on how President Russell M. Nelson will receive Gandhi-King-Mandela Peace Prize next month. President M. Russell Ballard, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was featured in a Church News video and visited New York City and Washington, D.C. with Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles completed a 9-day ministry visit to Brazil. A Church News story reported on how Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, attended and participated in the “After-Party” at RootsTech. Two college devotionals on the same day featured Elder Paul V. Johnson of the Presidency of the Seventy, speaking at a BYU devotional, and Elder Peter M. Johnson, a General Authority Seventy, speaking at a BYU–Idaho devotional.

A dedication date was set for the Moses Lake Washington Temple, while the site location has been identified for the Cody Wyoming Temple and open house reservations are now available for the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple. This week’s Church News podcast episode features communications director for Mesa Temple Events, Jill Bishop Adair, on the historic Easter pageant at the Mesa Arizona Temple.

Read summaries of these stories below.

1. President Nelson to receive Gandhi-King-Mandela Peace Prize from Morehouse College

The Rev. Amos C. Brown of the NAACP, left, and President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints participate in a news conference at the Church Administration Building in Salt Lake City on Monday, June 14, 2021.

Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Next month President Nelson will receive the first Gandhi-King-Mandela Peace Prize from the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College, a historically Black school in Atlanta.

The prize — named for Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela — is awarded to “a person who promotes positive social transformation through nonviolent means. The individuals use their global leadership to affirm peace, justice, diversity and pluralism,” according to a news release about the award.

2. New video features how a mission prepared President Ballard for life

President M. Russell Ballard of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, stands in Old Market Square in Nottingham, England on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021, in the place where he preached as a young missionary in 1949.

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

In a new Church News video, titled “My Preparation,” President Ballard shares his memories of missionary work and the testimony he gained.

Meanwhile, President Ballard, 94, addressed missionaries, participated in area instruction meetings and met with Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, Catholic archbishop of New York — speaking about the challenges of the world — during a ministry assignment with Elder Cook on the East Coast of the United States.

3. Elder Andersen’s service and ministry in Brazil

Youth reach to shake — or even just simply touch ‚ the hand of Elder Neil L. Andersen, left, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles follow a March 10, 2023, youth devotional in São Paulo, Brazil.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Elder Andersen recently completed a nine-day ministry in Brazil — starting in the northeastern coastal city of Recife, traveling for a day to the capital city of Brasília in the nation’s interior, and concluding with five days in southeastern mega-metropolis of São Paulo, where he and Sister Andersen lived when he helped lead and mentor Latter-day Saints and leaders during their five-year area assignment.

4. RootsTech ‘After-Party’ young adult panel shares the blessings of family history work

Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shakes hands with a young adult as Elder Gong and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, attend the RootsTech young adult “After-Party” and participate in a young adult panel on Friday, March 3, 2023.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Elder Gong and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, attended the “After-Party” at RootsTech and participated in the young adult panel, the night before they delivered a keynote address during Family Discovery Day.

5. Relief Society 181st anniversary

The Relief Society general presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints beginning Aug. 1, 2022: Sister J. Anette Dennis, first counselor, left, President Camille N. Johnson, center, and Sister Kristin M. Yee, second counselor.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Marking the 181st anniversary of the Relief Society, the organization’s general presidency invited women around the world to celebrate this year by sharing things they have loved and appreciated about Relief Society.

“What HAS happened in 181 years? Inspired women and men and a society focused on providing relief throughout the world have changed lives in beautiful and countless ways through following the Savior’s example of love and service,” wrote Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson.

6. Devotionals at BYU and BYU–Idaho teach students how they can find hope and bless the world

Elder Paul V. Johnson of the Presidency of the Seventy speaks during a BYU campus devotional on March 14, 2023.

Brooklynn Kelson, BYU Photo

Elder Paul V. Johnson of the Presidency of the Seventy told BYU students gathered for a devotional on March 14, “You are those beautiful babies who were born not long ago and now are ready to right wrongs, do God’s work, preach the truth and make a difference in the world.”

The same day, Elder Peter M. Johnson, a General Authority Seventy, spoke at a BYU–Idaho devotional about how to find hope and draw divine power from the doctrine of Jesus Christ.

7. News about Moses Lake Washington, Cody Wyoming and Saratoga Springs Utah Temples

An exterior rendering of the Moses Lake Washington Temple.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

The First Presidency has scheduled a Sept. 17 dedication date for the Moses Lake Washington Temple — the third temple dedication planned for that date.

The First Presidency also identified the site location for the Cody Wyoming Temple.

And tickets are now available to reserve for the public open house of the Saratoga Springs Utah Temple, which is Saturday, April 15, to Saturday, July 8, excluding Sundays.

8. Church News Podcast features communications director for Mesa Temple Events, Jill Bishop Adair, on the historic Mesa Easter Pageant

Jill B. Adair, communications director for Mesa Temple Events, joins the Church News podcast to talk about the Mesa Easter pageant. She is picture with her husband, Scott Adair, and their three children.

Screenshot from YouTube

This episode of the Church News podcast explores the roots and branches of the Easter pageant at the Mesa Arizona Temple with Jill Bishop Adair, who serves as communications director for Mesa Temple Events, has written a book about the pageant and whose love for the pageant began in 1979, when, as a high schooler, she was cast into the production.

9. UVU coach Mark Madsen is balancing basketball success with a young family

Utah Valley University head men’s basketball coach Mark Madsen gives instruction to his team during a game. UVU beat New Mexico n the National Invitational Tournament on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, and will play Colorado in the second round on Sunday, March 19, 2023.

UVU Athletics

Life is good for Mark Madsen.

The head coach of the Utah Valley University men’s basketball team just earned his first Western Athletic Conference Coach of the Year award after leading the Wolverines to the WAC regular-season championship, the team’s second title in Madsen’s last three seasons at UVU.

Now they are playing in the National Invitational Tournament.