During the week of Feb. 2-8, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Harriet Uchtdorf, gave counsel during a Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults on Sunday, Feb. 2.
Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Mary Cook, spoke at a Tuesday night, Feb. 4, devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center. Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke during the International Religious Freedom Summit opening reception in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Feb. 3.
This week’s Church News video highlights Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson, who was honored at the 2025 Sundance Institute Women’s Leadership Celebration, presented by Zions Bank, with the Global Service Leadership award. The Young Women general presidency discussed the “For the Strength of Youth Guide” in a live video on the Young Women Worldwide accounts.
In this week’s episode of the Church News podcast, Sunday School General President Paul V. Johnson and his first counselor, Brother Chad H Webb, and second counselor, Brother Gabriel W. Reid, introduce themselves as well discuss what they hope Latter-day Saints will learn from this year’s “Come, Follow Me” curriculum and the Doctrine and Covenants.
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the groundbreaking date of the Antananarivo Madagascar Temple as well as the site location of the Florianópolis Brazil Temple.
Elder Kevin R. Duncan, a General Authority Seventy, spoke to Brigham Young University students on Tuesday, Feb. 4. Elder S. Mark Palmer of the Presidency of the Seventy spoke to students during a BYU–Pathway devotional on Friday, Feb. 7.
BYU–Idaho President Alvin F. Meredith III and his wife, Sister Jennifer Meredith, shared their thoughts and perspective about education. RootsTech announced three more virtual keynote speakers for the March 6 event.
Read summaries and find links to these articles below.
1. Worldwide devotional: Elder Uchtdorf counsels young adults on making decisions with God’s help
Elder Uchtdorf counseled young adults worldwide during a devotional on Feb. 2 on making decisions with God’s help and assured that heavenly answers are worth the wait.
“You may not see it until much later, but you will look back and know that the Lord never abandoned you, even when He let you make a lot of decisions for yourself,” he said. “Following in His path, following in His way, you will see that the dots do connect.”
Read more about this devotional here.
2. Elder Cook outlines ‘4 loves of missionary work’ in MTC devotional
Elder Cook underscored “the four loves of missionary work” that missionaries should develop and magnify during the devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center on Feb. 4.
The four — loving one’s companions, loving the people, loving the mission leaders and loving the Lord — are “four broad relationships that I believe should be of particular importance to you as you are commencing your sacred service as emissaries of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” he said.
Read more about this devotional here.
3. Elder Soares makes the case for compassion at International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, D.C.
In his remarks on the importance of religious freedom in building peaceful societies, Elder Soares said peace requires dialogue and action to protect it and spread it throughout society.
He said: “Protecting human rights is crucial for preserving peace. … As religious, government and community leaders, it is our responsibility to strongly support the protection of human rights worldwide.”
Read more about this story here.
4. Video: Relief Society leader honored for group’s work in ‘Blessing Women and Children’
In a new Church News video titled “Blessing Women and Children,” President Johnson talks about some of the ways she has seen communities blessed by the work done to help women and children in different parts of the world.
Watch the video here.
5. ‘Do your best’ when working to make inspired choices, says Young Women general presidency
Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman and her counselors, Sister Tamara W. Runia and Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus discussed chapter 1 of the “For the Strength of Youth” guide during a live video on the Young Women Worldwide Instagram account and Facebook page on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
Making inspired choices is not about getting a “yes” or “no” about every possible decision; it is about living in a higher and holier way — the Lord’s way. It is also about “doing your best,” explained the Young Women general presidency.
Read more about this story here.
6. Episode 226: The Sunday School general presidency on studying the ongoing Restoration with ‘Come, Follow Me’ in 2025
The Sunday School general presidency join this week’s podcast episode to introduce themselves as well as share how studying the ongoing Restoration can help shape stronger testimonies of Jesus Christ and His restored gospel.
They discuss what they hope Latter-day Saints will learn from this year’s “Come, Follow Me” curriculum and the Doctrine and Covenants.
Listen to this week’s podcast episode here.
7. Temple news: Groundbreaking date set for Antananarivo Madagascar Temple, plus the First Presidency releases site for Florianópolis Brazil Temple
On Monday, Feb. 3, the First Presidency announced the groundbreaking of the Antananarivo Madagascar Temple will be on Saturday, March 15. The First Presidency also released the site location of the Florianópolis Brazil Temple on Monday, Feb. 3.
Read more about the Antananarivo Madagascar Temple here.
Read more about the Florianópolis Brazil Temple here.
8. Elder Duncan speaks at BYU devotional, Elder Palmer speaks at BYU–Pathway devotional
Speaking in the Marriott Center on Brigham Young University’s campus during the weekly campus devotional, Elder Duncan shared his personal witness that the Savior’s power and love can overcome any challenge in this world. “As you prepare for miracles that will surely come, and at the same time face challenges that will test you to the very core, the power of Jesus Christ will sustain you as you steadfastly put your trust in Him,” he said.
To BYU–Pathway Worldwide students, Elder Palmer relayed the words of Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who taught that self-reliance is not an end goal but a means to an end. To that, Elder Palmer added: “We seek to become self-reliant so we can serve others. This is captured so well in the motto of BYU in Provo, ‘Enter to learn, go forth to serve.’”
Read more on Elder Duncan’s devotional here.
Read more on Elder Palmer’s devotional here.
9. 3 lessons from President and Sister Meredith since taking the helm of BYU–Idaho
A year and a half after their surprise call to Rexburg, President and Sister Meredith shared their thoughts and perspective about education, the mission of BYU–Idaho and three lessons they’ve learned over the past year and a half.
Read more about this story here.
10. RootsTech 2025 announces 3 virtual keynotes sessions
RootsTech has announced three virtual keynote speakers for its 2025 conference, adding to a lineup that features four other keynote speakers.
The virtual keynote messages will be available to view on March 6, 2025, at RootsTech.org, according to a Jan. 16 news release.
