President Russell M. Nelson testified of Christ on Easter morning through an online video, and the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expressed its condolences following the death of Pope Francis.
Elder Dale G. Renlund taught missionaries throughout the world on Easter Sunday. A new Church News video shows “Peace Through Religious Freedom,” Elder Ulisses Soares says that religious freedom is about preserving “dignity, compassion and respect.”
Latter-day Saints in North and South America created Easter traditions through community art projects, interfaith service, musical performances and sharing testimonies of the Savior. Listen to each of the 16 newly sustained General Authority Seventies’ testimonies of Jesus Christ in this week’s podcast.
Elder Clark G. Gilbert tells BYU graduates to be involved in their communities and live their beliefs courageously, and BYU–Idaho President Alvin F. Meredith III speaks to students about the truths of obedience to God’s standards.
In temple news, the future site for a temple in Nigeria and rendering for a house of the Lord in Alabama have been announced. Artists from more than 2 dozen countries portray works of faith at the Church’s 13th International Art Competition. Leang and Saroeun Eav’s grandchildren are bringing hope to a land their grandparents escaped.
Read summaries and find links to these articles below.
1. President Nelson reaffirms his testimony of the Savior’s Resurrection in Easter morning video
President Russell M. Nelson shared his testimony of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday morning, celebrating the Resurrection of the Savior through a montage of messages he shared at general conferences over the past four decades.
Watch President Nelson’s message here.
2. First Presidency expresses condolences following death of Pope Francis
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expressed its condolences on Monday, April 21, following the death of Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church.
“We feel deep gratitude for the goodness of a life well lived,” the First Presidency said.
Read the message from the First Presidency here.
3. ‘Why celebrate Easter?’ Elder Renlund offers three reasons in Provo MTC devotional
Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Ruth Renlund, spoke to missionaries in training centers throughout the world on Sunday, April 20. Delivered in-person at the Provo Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, their messages were broadcast globally to the Church’s 10 other MTCs.
Elder Renlund taught missionaries three reasons to celebrate Easter.
Read more about this story here.
4. Video: Religious freedom is more than worship, says Elder Soares
Watch the Church News video to find out what Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said at the February 2025 International Religious Freedom Summit in Washington, D.C.
Click here to watch the video.
5. Through city carpets, service, an art show, concerts and testimonies of Jesus Christ, Latter-day Saints celebrate Easter
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints helped create “city carpet” artwork in Guatemala City. In Costa Rica, Latter-day Saints participated in interfaith service. Full-time missionaries in Honduras sang in a Holy Week concert. A stake in Alberta, Canada hosted an art show — including more than 100 submissions from local artists — followed by a concert celebrating Jesus Christ.
Youth in Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay shared inspiring messages, testifying of the Savior. BYU athletes, coaches and teams shared Christ-centered Easter messages on social media.
Read about new Easter traditions in northern South America here.
Read about the celebration of Jesus Christ in Canada.
Learn more about member Easter celebrations in southern South America here.
See what BYU athletes posted about Jesus Christ here.
6. Episode 237: Get to know the newest General Authority Seventies through their testimonies
In Episode 237 of the Church News podcast, the 16 newly sustained General Authority Seventies shared their love of and trust in the Lord and their testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Listen to their testimonies here.
7. Elder Gilbert encourages more than 7,100 BYU graduates to ‘be a light’ while fully engaging in communities
Thursday, April 24, Elder Clark G. Gilbert, General Authority Seventy and Church commissioner of education, spoke at the Winter 2025 Brigham Young University commencement in Provo, Utah. He encouraged graduates to live with faith-filled courage and be actively engaged in their communities.
Read more about this story here.
8. Like a kite string, ‘we need the steady connection of commandments,’ says President Meredith
During the April 22 campus devotional, BYU–Idaho President Alvin F. Meredith III invited students “with all the love and compassion that I can offer” to fully commit to being obedient to the commandments and renew their commitment to observe the Honor Code, including the temporary aspects found in the dress and grooming expectations.
Read more about this story here.
9. Temple news for Eket, Nigeria and Huntsville, Alabama
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the future site of what will be Nigeria’s fourth house of the Lord, the Eket Nigeria Temple.
The First Presidency also released the exterior rendering of the Huntsville Alabama Temple, which will be the second temple in that state.
Find out where the Eket Nigeria Temple will be built here.
See the rendering of the Huntsville Alabama Temple here.
10. Latter-day Saint artists ‘Lift Up the Hands Which Hang Down’ in new exhibit
On Thursday, April 24, the Church History Museum unveiled an exhibit with 150 works of art. The art, created by artists from all over the world, portrays the call to “succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees” (Doctrine and Covenants 81:5).
Entrance to view the exhibit is free to the public during museum hours.
Find out more and how to see the exhibit here.
11. A Cambodian family comes full circle with missionary cousins
Forty-six years after escaping the horrors of the Khmer Rouge genocide, five of Leang and Saroeun Eav’s grandchildren have been called to return to Cambodia with a message of hope. Read about the full-circle journey of overcoming fear through faith, as grandchildren serve in the land their grandparents fled.
