During the week of May 3 to 9, the First Presidency toured the renovated Salt Lake Temple. President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dedicated the Lindon Utah Temple and Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the Davao Philippines Temple.
The Church News reported on Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles presiding over a special conference with members and speaking with over 800 missionaries in the Dominican Republic.
Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles encouraged young adults to deepen their conversion and faith in Jesus Christ during a young adult devotional.
On this week’s episode of the Church News podcast, Elder Mark A. Bragg, a General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Family History Department and FamilySearch International, spoke about the unifying power of the temple and family history work.
The First Presidency announced the dedication dates for the Montpelier Idaho Temple.
President Bruce C. Kusch of Ensign College, President R. Kelly Haws of BYU-Hawaii, and President Brian K. Ashton of BYU–Pathway Worldwide addressed their students in schoolwide devotionals, respectively, marking the beginning of the spring semester.
Elder W. Mark Bassett, a General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Church’s Missionary Department, spoke to missionaries on how to help truth seekers find the “strait gate” and ”narrow” way to eternal life at the Provo Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah.
The Church created a webpage featuring a discussion guide, video and other resources for a fifth-Sunday meeting on May 31.
Read summaries and find links to these articles below.
1. First Presidency tours Salt Lake Temple, ‘a place we cherish’
On Friday, May 8, President Oaks visited Salt Lake City’s historic house of the Lord with his counselors — President Eyring and President D. Todd Christofferson — as well as Sister Kristen M. Oaks and Sister Kathy Christofferson. They were joined by the members of the Presiding Bishopric — Bishop W. Christopher Waddell and counselors Bishop L. Todd Budge and Bishop Sean Douglas — who manage the temporal affairs of the Church.
“It is in the temple that eternal covenants are made that bind us and our families to our Heavenly Father and to one another for eternity,” he wrote on social media after the tour.
Read more about the First Presidency touring the Salt Lake Temple here.
2. President Eyring dedicates the Lindon Utah Temple as a ‘refuge’ and ‘place of peace’
President Eyring dedicated the Lindon Utah Temple on Sunday, May 3.
He said the Lindon temple can be “a refuge” and a “place of peace.” This marks the 216th house of the Lord for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Read more about the Lindon Utah Temple dedication here.
3. Elder Renlund dedicates Davao Philippines Temple, a place of God’s power and strength
Also on Sunday, May 3, Elder Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles dedicated the Davao Philippines Temple. This marks the fifth house of the Lord in the Philippines.
“We know what is going to happen if we choose to follow the Savior. That should give us the greatest optimism in the world,” he said.
Read more about the Davao Philippines Temple dedication here.
4. Elder Rasband ministers to members and missionaries in the Dominican Republic
Elder Rasband ministered in the Dominican Republic where he met with members and missionaries.
He presided over a special conference for the members and met with over 800 missionaries across eight missions.
Read more about Elder Rasband’s ministry in the Dominican Republic here.
5. Elder and Sister Stevenson encourage young adults to deepen their conversion and faith in Jesus Christ
Elder Stevenson along with his wife, Sister Lesa Stevenson, spoke to young adults in a worldwide devotional for young adults. The devotional took place at the Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City and the Orson Pratt Observatory at Brigham Young University.
Elder and Sister Stevenson encouraged young adults to deepen their conversion and faith in Jesus Christ.
Read more about Elder Stevenson’s devotional to young adults here.
6. Montpelier Idaho Temple dedication, open house announced
The First Presidency announced the dedication dates for the Montpelier Idaho Temple. This is Idaho’s eighth house of the Lord and will be dedicated Sunday, Oct. 18 — the same day as the Managua Nicaragua Temple.
Reservations for the San Diego California Temple open house are now available. The house of the Lord closed in 2023 for extensive renovations and will be rededicated in August. The public open house is June 18 to July 11.
Read about the dedication dates for the Montpelier Idaho Temple here.
Read more about the open house reservations for the San Diego California Temple here.
7. Church News podcast episode 293: Elder Mark A. Bragg on how temple and family history unify families in Christ
On this episode of the Church News podcast, Elder Bragg, a General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Family History Department and FamilySearch International, shares how tools, resources and growing interest are helping connect families on both sides of the veil.
Listen to the podcast here.
8. How missionaries can help truth seekers find the ‘strait gate’ and ‘narrow’ way to eternal life
At the Provo MTC, Elder Bassett, a General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Church’s Missionary Department, spoke to missionaries about how they can help truth seekers find the way to eternal life.
“The doctrine of Christ, that is our message. For a missionary, that is the hinge point,” Elder Bassett said.
Read more about the MTC devotional here.
9. Presidents of Ensign College, BYU–Hawaii and BYU–Pathway Worldwide address students in their first spring-semester devotionals
In the first Ensign College devotional of the spring semester, President Kusch highlighted the unique characteristics of Ensign College and gave it a new mantra: “The light of Ensign.”
At BYU-Hawaii, President Haws and Sister Connie Haws offered Christ-centered counsel to students. President Haws testified of the healing power of Christ.
To BYU–Pathway Worldwide students, President Ashton and his wife, Sister Melinda Ashton, spoke of the blessings of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost during their education and beyond.
Read more about the Ensign College devotional here.
Read more about the BYU-Hawaii devotional here.
Read more about the BYU–Pathway Worldwide devotional here.
10. Church provides discussion guide, resources for 5th-Sunday lesson on religious freedom
On May 31, the First Presidency invited all to participate in a united fast of gratitude for religious liberty and hold a lesson on religious freedom. The church released a webpage with a discussion guide, videos and other resources for the fifth-Sunday meeting.
