During the week of March 1-7, the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints welcomed Estonia’s ambassador to Church headquarters in Salt Lake City.
A new official portrait of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was released to include Elder Clark G. Gilbert. President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, spoke at a devotional at BYU–Hawaii, while Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles addressed students and faculty at BYU in Provo, Utah, later in the week.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles addressed attendees of Family Discovery Day during the 2026 RootsTech event. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the Harare Zimbabwe Temple, that nation’s first house of the Lord, and Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles met with the vice president of Brazil and other government leaders while in Brazil with The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square.
Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared three principles for helping people feel more connected to their ancestors during the 2026 Temple and Family History Leadership Instruction. In his first international ministry since his calling to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Gérald Caussé returned to his native country of France.
A rededication date for the San Diego California Temple has been announced by the First Presidency, in addition to a dedication date for the Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple.
FamilySearch International director of events and RootsTech organizer Jonathan Wing joined the week’s Church News podcast episode to preview RootsTech 2026 and discuss how family history can help individuals and families draw closer to the Savior, Jesus Christ. At RootsTech 2026, Marlee Matlin, Tara Roberts and Steve Young offered keynote addresses, with several others giving virtual speeches.
Read summaries and find links to these articles below.
1. First Presidency welcomes Estonian ambassador
The First Presidency welcomed Estonia’s ambassador to Church headquarters in Salt Lake City. While in Utah, Ambassador Kristjan Prikk spoke at BYU and toured Welfare Square.
Read about the Estonian ambassador’s visit to Church headquarters here.
2. New official photo of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles released
A new official photo of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was released to now include Elder Clark G. Gilbert, who was called to the Quorum of the Twelve on Feb. 11, filling the vacancy created by the death of President Jeffrey R. Holland in December 2025. The photos were first published by the Church on Friday, March 6.
Read more about the current Quorum of the Twelve Apostles here.
3. Apostles speak at Church universities
President Uchtdorf encouraged individuals to lift where they stand and not procrastinate doing good in a devotional given at BYU–Hawaii on Sunday, March 1, 2026.
Elder Cook spoke later in the week at BYU in Provo, encouraging listeners to “choose truth when deception is easy” in a world shaped by evolving technologies.
Read more about President Uchtdorf’s address here.
Read more about Elder Cook’s devotional here.
4. Elder Rasband at Family Discovery Day
Elder Rasband and his wife, Sister Melanie Rasband, shared their own ancestral stories and spoke about the importance of temple covenants during their Family Discovery Day keynote presentation on the third and final day of RootsTech 2026.
Read more about Elder and Sister Rasband’s address here.
5. Elder Gong dedicates first house of the Lord in Zimbabwe
On Sunday, March 1, Elder Gong dedicated the first house of the Lord in Zimbabwe. The Harare Zimbabwe Temple is the Church’s 214th temple worldwide.
Learn more about the Harare temple dedication here.
Read the Harare temple dedicatory prayer here.
6. Elder Soares meets with vice president of Brazil
While in Brazil with The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square for their “Songs of Hope” tour, Elder Soares met the country’s vice president and received an award on behalf of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from the Legislative Assembly of the State of São Paulo.
Read more about this story here.
7. Keep Christ at the center of family history, Elder Patrick Kearon teaches
Elder Kearon addressed listeners during the Church’s 2026 Temple and Family History Leadership Instruction — an annual, 30-minute recorded training released March 5 for Latter-day Saints in stake and ward councils and others with callings supporting temple and family history efforts. Elder Kearon was joined by Elder Mark A. Bragg — a General Authority Seventy, executive director of the Church’s Family History Department and chairman of FamilySearch International. The two identified three principles to help individuals feel more connected to their ancestors.
Read about the 2026 Temple and Family History Leadership Instruction here.
8. Elder Gérald Caussé returns to France to minister as an Apostle
Elder Caussé and his wife, Sister Valérie Caussé, spent several days in the greater Paris area during a multiday ministry. This is the new Apostle’s first international ministry since being called.
Read more about Elder Caussé’s ministry here.
9. San Diego temple rededication, Cambodia temple dedication announced
A late-August rededication date was announced for the San Diego California Temple, which has been undergoing renovations since 2023.
The Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple will be dedicated the same month. Open houses are scheduled for both temples.
Read more about the San Diego temple rededication and Phnom Penh temple dedication here.
10. Behind the scenes of RootsTech 2026 — Bringing families ‘Together’
Jonathan Wing, FamilySearch International director of events, shared his testimony of eternal families and a rundown on what to expect from RootsTech 2026 on the week’s episode of the Church News podcast.
RootsTech 2026 featured a lineup of both in-person and virtual keynote addresses, with actress Marlee Matlin speaking to attendees on Thursday, March 5; National Geographic explorer in residence Tara Roberts on Friday, March 6; and football Hall of Famer Steve Young on Saturday, March 7. Four virtual keynote addresses were given by journalist Jessica Soho, soccer star Zico, dancers the Gardiner brothers and astronaut José Hernández.
