Known as the Cambodia Health Improvement Effort, this expansive initiative by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is transforming medical care, strengthening emergency response systems and renovating schools to serve thousands in need.

On June 7, a celebration unfolded in the Dambae district, where Cambodian government leaders and Church representatives gathered to commemorate a series of humanitarian projects.

A new birthplace of hope

In the heart of Tboung Khmum, the once-incomplete maternity ward at the Seda Senchhey Health Center now stands as a symbol of life and safety. Thanks to funding from the Church, the ward was finished and outfitted with modern OB-GYN equipment, reported the Church’s Cambodia Newsroom.

Serving over 10,000 residents across 13 villages, the center now welcomes eight to 10 babies into the world each month under safe, clean conditions.

Sister Marvel Earnshaw, a senior humanitarian missionary overseeing the project, said, “Seeing the people’s faces and thankful tears of joy made it all worthwhile. We are getting pictures of the first babies born in the new maternity ward. It is such a nice facility.”

The gift is especially meaningful in a province where access to medical specialists is rare. Elder Mark Earnshaw noted that only one specialized eye doctor serves the entire province – nearly 1 million people.

To support the doctor’s work, the Church donated state-of-the-art ophthalmology equipment, prompting a joyful response. “He has not stopped smiling since,” said Elder Earnshaw.

Hospitals with new life

Two referral hospitals — Kroch Chhmar and Dambae — also received significant medical equipment donations, including X-ray machines, patient monitors, ultrasound systems, oxygen units and more.

Before the donation, these hospitals lacked essential tools to serve their combined population of nearly 200,000.

His excellency Chay Borin, Cambodia’s minister of cults and religion, attended the June 7 ceremony, expressing optimism that these efforts would “contribute to improving the quality and efficiency of healthcare for local residents.” Cult, in this context, can be defined as “a system of religious beliefs and ritual.”

Elder Benjamin M.Z. Tai, General Authority Seventy and Asia Area president of the Church, testified of the spiritual foundation of these efforts: “We believe that our physical bodies are gifts from God and, like sacred temples, need to be looked after with great care and reverence. Hospitals and medical facilities are important to us, just as good physical and spiritual health are important.”

Teaching the healers: Emergency medicine training

The Cambodia Health Improvement Effort‘s impact extends beyond equipment and infrastructure. In response to national needs, the Church also launched a major emergency medicine training initiative in collaboration with the Cambodian Ministry of Health.

The training — based on a curriculum from the World Health Organization, International Red Cross and the International Federation for Emergency Medicine — equips doctors and nurses with the skills needed to save lives caused by injuries and acute illnesses.

In March and May 2025, 47 frontline healthcare workers were trained in Kampong Cham and Phnom Penh, with 16 now certified as facilitators, reported the Church’s Cambodia Newsroom.

Sister Earnshaw said, “The Savior is the Master Healer and sets the example of love for all He encounters. We simply have to follow His lead to bless the lives of so many in Cambodia.”

Education and infrastructure for the rising generation

The Cambodia Health Improvement Effort also reached six primary schools across Dambae district, where students now study in renovated classrooms built to withstand Cambodia’s rainy seasons, reported the Church’s Cambodia Newsroom.

Principals reported safer buildings, new desks, improved ventilation and restored hygiene facilities.

Sinoeun Tharon, a school principal, said, “Our old school was ready to fall down. … Now our children want to come to school and learn. The children are very proud.”

Borin praised the Church’s contributions to both education and health, noting that the projects will contribute to building “quality intellectual capital, excellence, ethics and professional ability.”

Looking forward: The Cambodian Health Improvement Effort

Originally started in 2018, the Cambodia Health Improvement Effort continues to grow, building on earlier projects such as heart-surgery training in Battambang, 32 hospital building renovations in Kampong Cham and the construction of the Techo Sen Koh Thom Hospital.

Elder Tai expressed gratitude to Church members worldwide who donate to help.

“We have been commanded to love God and love our fellow humans,” he said. “Our donations of buildings and medical equipment represent the love and sacrifice of our members all across the world.”

Church collaborates on new hospital in Cambodia and renovations to 3 more

Church helps rebuild hospital, train doctors in Cambodia

Church’s nearly $1.5 million donation to help renovate Cambodia hospital, supply equipment in rural area

Serving the Lord in unique ways

Elder Bae Panbong (배판봉) from the Cheongna Ward attended a national service missionary preparation meeting in the Yeongdeungpo Ward in October 2024 after being released as bishop in June. About 300 prospective service missionaries gathered, and several brothers from the Seoul Mission decided to serve together.

“While sharing facility management skills for self-reliance, I invited Han Heunggil (한흥길); Lee Taechun (이태춘), Lee Sogun (이수군), and others to become service missionaries, and now everyone is serving with one heart,” Elder Bae said. He added, “I would like to serve as long as circumstances allow.”

Despite not having served as a young missionary, the Korea Church Newsroom reports that he now has “the sacred opportunity of wearing a missionary name badge and participating in the Lord’s work.”

Sister Kim Sukjin (김숙진) serves using professional certifications obtained earlier in life.

“I’m grateful that all the certifications I’ve prepared are now useful as a service missionary,” she said. “I realized that young missionaries need detailed support around them.”

She invited Sister Nam Hyegyeong (남혜경) to serve with her, and together they continue providing practical support such as ordering supplies, accompanying missionaries to hospitals, handling insurance matters and assisting with social media.

Sister Ahn Bokja (안복자), who became a service missionary after serving in the Relief Society for seven years, said, “I want to offer even my small talent to the Lord” and “I want to serve for a long time.”

Sister Kim Misun (김미선) helps with meal preparation for events with the mission presidency and visits sister missionary apartments. She said, “Through my eight hours of weekly service, I’m experiencing grateful days building my testimony of the living Christ while helping the Lord’s army.”

Apartment visits and repairs

Service missionaries regularly visit missionary apartments to help with cleanliness and facility management, offering their skills for repairs when urgent problems arise.

Elder Song Gyuhyun (송규현), who helps with church building maintenance and apartment management, said, “My desire to build good relationships with missionaries and take care of their needs has grown.”

Elder Park Saenggi (박생기) serves with Elder Song and says that it’s “truly a happy time.”

Seventy-four-year-old Elder Kim Jingon (김진곤), who converted after marriage and whose two daughters served missions, was also called to participate in the Lord’s work by helping with missionary apartments. He said, “I’m grateful and fulfilled that I can help missionaries through work I’ve done for a long time.”

Serving from home

Elder Taeyeon Kwak (곽태연), Sokcho Branch President, serves with Sister Sunduk Nam (남순덕) as a senior service missionary couple. He testified, “Like the counsel to establish houses of prayer, faith, order and God, I’m helping missionaries while developing habits of organizing my own home.”

The Lee Taeho (이태호) and An Ok (안옥) couple in the Taebaek Branch work one-on-one with missionaries, helping them better understand the region.

The joy of senior service missions

All senior service missionaries continue their service from their homes according to their personal schedules. Their dedication extends beyond simple assistance to valuable service directly participating in missionary work.

Senior service missionaries only need to be 26 years old and commit to working 8 hours a week.

Korea Seoul Mission President Alma S. Kim expressed gratitude for their faithful service and encouraged other members to “experience the joy of sharing these blessings.”

‘There’s a mission for everyone’: The power of senior service missionaries

Elder Ronald A. Rasband: ‘How Great Will Be Your Joy’

Read more stories about missionary work in the Church News

From a forested island in Canada to a village in South Korea, from the mountains of East Malaysia to the islands of the Philippines and the conference halls of Italy, the message was the same: Look unto Christ in every thought (see Doctrine and Covenants 6:36).

British Columbia: Leadership and service in action

On Canada’s Southern Vancouver Island, 300 young women from across British Columbia traveled — some more than 1,000 kilometers — to gather at Camp Barnard for five days of devotionals, outdoor adventure and leadership training, reported the Church’s Canada Newsroom.

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, joined the camp and spoke about discipleship and the influence of women in scripture, urging the young women to use their faith and skills to bless families, congregations and communities.

“Young Women’s camp is a great opportunity for the girls to develop spiritually and socially,” she said. “It’s also a wonderful opportunity to practice other skills that will help them be great leaders in the Church, at work and in the community.”

More than 50 participants served as youth camp leaders, ages 16 and up, planning activities, leading devotionals and guiding younger campers.

One youth leader, 16-year-old Amberleigh Mercado from Abbotsford, British Columbia, said: “In the beginning, I felt a sense of responsibility to make this camp a memorable and spiritually uplifting experience [for] the group of girls I was in charge of. This feeling helped me see each one of them as a daughter of God. … I could see, even just a bit, of how the Lord sees us.”

Service stretched beyond Canada’s borders. In a “Love for Lesotho” project, campers painted pictures and wrote messages of comfort for survivors of the June bus accident in Lesotho, Africa.

Elder Vern P. Stanfill, General Authority Seventy and president of the Church’s new Canada Area, also joined the event and said that Young Women camp “teaches youth how to be compassionate and how to care for one another — how to lift one another. I think that’s the most important thing they can learn at this age.”

South Korea: Learning perseverance and patience

From July 31 to Aug. 2, about 40 youth from the Daejeon Korea and Daegu Korea stakes gathered in South Korea for a three-day camp, reported the Church’s Korea Newsroom.

They studied the “For the Strength of Youth” guide, participated in devotionals and joined in a “Journey of Faith” activity designed to help them understand the unity and perseverance of early believers.

“Through my journey of faith, I discovered how to incorporate the gospel into my daily life,” said Bae Seo-yoon from the Daegu Korea Stake.

President Yang Soo Jung, president of the Daejeon stake, told participants that half the value of the camp was in applying what they learned. Elder Woo Cheol Lee, an Area Seventy, told them that the conference was “a precious time from an eternal perspective. I hope you can become friends who will never be alone on your journey to God.”

The camp closed with testimony sharing, strengthened friendships and commitments to continue serving together.

Thailand: Building faith across borders at FSY

From July 31 to Aug. 5, 139 youth from around the Asia Area of the Church gathered in Thailand for a For the Strength of Youth conference — a rare chance to connect with peers who share their faith but live scattered across 13 countries.

Throughout the week, youth participated in devotionals, workshops, scripture study, dances and a service project for children at the Mercy Center in Bangkok. For some, FSY offered their first opportunity to attend such a large Church gathering, reported the Church’s Hong Kong Newsroom.

“There’s only one stake in Singapore, and not enough youth for our own FSY,” said 18-year-old Evelyn Cheong, a recent convert. “I had never met so many Church members my age until I arrived here. The large group makes the experience very powerful.”

Crista Li, 17, comes from Malaysia, where the Church’s presence is also small, with only two youth in her unit. “Although the schedule is intense with packed activities every day, I appreciate how everything here encourages me to prioritize spiritual things, and it’s so much easier to do it together with a group of people,” she said.

Isaac Woolford, a coordinator for the conference, said, “It’s so cool that FSY is now going to be a part of that conversion story and why there’s more multigenerational families throughout the Church, especially in developing countries where the Church has just started.”

A special moment of this conference came on Sunday — while most FSY sessions end before the Sabbath, they had permission to extend it one more day.

Elder Benjamin M.Z. Tai, General Authority Seventy and president of the Asia Area, joined them for a special sacrament meeting. Reflecting on that meeting, he said: “Watching the priests, the deacons, passing the sacrament and blessing it with such care and respect was really powerful. I had a vision of the future of the Church: They organize themselves; they administer the ordinances themselves; they make covenants by themselves. It’s very powerful.”

Philippines: Music and ministry in Davao City

In Davao City, Philippines, more than 2,000 youth and young single adults gathered on Aug. 2 for Festival 2025: A Youth Concert — the first event in the country to feature music from the Strive to Be 2025 album, reported the Church’s Philippines Newsroom.

“We love you,” Elder Chi Hong (Sam) Wong, General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the Philippines Area presidency, told the crowd. “The Church and the whole world will need people like you, the rising generation, to help prepare the people and the earth for the return of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”

With performances by both popular Filipino artists and Latter-day Saint musicians, the concert drew an additional 15,000 participants through livestreams.

One of the performers, Brandon Sorilla, expressed gratitude for the lessons he learned while performing.

“I feel really blessed for the opportunity to sing and perform,” he said. “Through this experience, I learned to trust the Lord Jesus Christ more. He sees us. He knows us. He knows exactly what we need at exactly the right time.”

Italy and Albania: Service through school kits

In Grosseto, Italy, 550 youth from Italy and Albania combined faith with action, assembling 1,250 school kits for children in need during their FSY conference, reported the Church’s Italy Newsroom.

The service project included backpacks, notebooks and pencil cases. “When we serve little elementary school children, we are simultaneously serving our Father by helping those beautiful children,” said Elea Deli from Albania, pointing to Mosiah 2:17.

Participants expressed feeling useful while serving. “This feeling brought us all together,” said Giorgio di Martino, adding, “because we knew this service would benefit children in need.”

East Malaysia: Hope of Israel in the rainforest

On June 6 and 7, 38 young women from the Sibu District in East Malaysia gathered for two days of spiritual growth and outdoor fun, reported the Church’s Malaysia Newsroom.

As part of the camp, youth studied Church President Russell M. Nelson and Sister Wendy Nelson’s 2018 worldwide youth devotional, “Hope of Israel." Activities included a “faith walk” based on President Nelson’s five invitations to youth. Other activities included a study focused on life’s big questions, customized covers of their copies of the Book of Mormon and games.

Weena Lim, who participated in the camp, said that she learned “to love others is to serve them.”

“I witnessed how much effort the leaders poured into making this camp meaningful for everyone who attended,” she said. “I could feel a strong presence of the Holy Ghost throughout the camp and was deeply touched by the faith shown by everyone.”

‘Doubt not, fear not’

Whether on a wooded Canadian trail, on a South Korean hillside, in a Thai conference hall, at a Philippine concert stage, during an Italian service project or in a Malaysian rainforest, these youth learned that discipleship is active. They rappelled down cliffs, hiked summits, sang hymns, painted for strangers in need, carried one another’s burdens and stood to bear testimony of Jesus Christ.

“This camp will be a key moment in their discipleship journey,” said Elder M. Travis Wolsey, Area Seventy in British Columbia. Across cultures and continents, young Latter-day Saints studied and committed to Doctrine and Covenants 6:36: “Look unto [Christ] in every thought; doubt not, fear not.”

2025 youth theme: What does it mean to ‘look unto Christ’? Here are 7 quotes from general conference

Youth can ‘love, share and invite’ friends to FSY

2025 Festival: A Youth Concert prerecorded events now available online

But increasingly, a quiet movement of seasoned disciples is changing the face of missionary work — one phone call, one online lesson and one bishops’ storehouse shift at a time.

These are senior service missionaries: everyday Latter-day Saints serving the Lord close to home in powerful ways.

Unlike full-time senior missionaries who serve away from home, senior service missionaries live at home and serve in their local communities.

Men and women aged 26 and older — single or married, retired or still working — are eligible to serve in assignments that align with their schedules, abilities and spiritual gifts.

For instance, Elder Gary Futral and Sister Nancy Futral serve up to 30 or 40 hours a week in their home of Acworth, Georgia.

“Even if you don’t think you can do it because you don’t know anything about it, there’s training for every senior service mission,” Sister Futral said, adding: “The Lord doesn’t want us to just sit around and do nothing. Senior service missions are the perfect opportunity to be of use to the Lord.”

A prophet’s call

The late President Russell M. Nelson spoke about senior missionaries multiple times, calling them “irreplaceable” during April 2022 general conference and “often a literal answer to the prayers of bishops and branch presidents” during April 2016 general conference.

In the same April 2016 address, he also said: “If you are tempted to think you’re not needed, let me reassure you that you are. There is not a mission president in the Church who would not love to have additional couples serving in his mission.”

And during October 2004 general conference, while still a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, President Nelson said senior missionaries are “young in spirit, wise and willing to work. … These dear members are willing to serve and strengthen the lives of others. Even if these seniors don’t know the local language, their accomplishments are great and their spirit of sacrifice is precious.”

President Nelson isn’t the only Church leader who has encouraged senior Latter-day Saints to consider missionary service. In 2011, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said: “Our message to all of our mature couples is simple: we dearly need you. We are doing everything we can to make it as convenient as possible for you to go. The Lord promises unlimited blessings to His servants in the vineyard. So please — go. The times cry out for it. There are people who need you."

More recently, Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke during October 2023 general conference about the need for senior missionaries, stating: “There are so many ways senior missionaries can do what no one else can. You are a remarkable force for good, seasoned in the Church and poised to encourage and rescue God’s children.”

Elder Rasband recognized the many sacrifices senior missionaries make, such as missing significant family milestones; but he reassured senior Latter-day Saints of the blessings that come from making such sacrifices to serve as missionaries, including blessings for their family members.

He also encouraged seniors to consider the “smorgasbord of opportunities” available to them, from serving in mission offices or temples to providing humanitarian aid to working in FamilySearch centers, historic sites, institutes or more.

“As an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, I ask you to serve as a missionary in the gathering of Israel and perhaps even serve again,” Elder Rasband said. “We need you — we need you. We are grateful to you seniors for the lives you have led and the examples you have been in your homes, wards and stakes. I now invite you to take your know-how, coupled with your time-honored testimonies, and go on a mission.”

Heeding the call

Senior missionaries past and present have countless stories of faith, miracles and witnessing the Lord’s love.

Here are some of their testimonies, compiled by the Church’s Service Mission Office and recently shared through the “Joyful Senior Service” Facebook page.

Sister Shauna Kay wrote that she “thoroughly enjoyed the privilege” of serving on the General Young Women History Preservation Committee, where she conducted monthly interviews with Young Women general presidency members and others in that office for the Church History Department.

“There was a different spirit in my home when I was serving in this position,” wrote Sister Kay, who is still serving as a senior missionary. “I was able to listen to and record their stories of service all around the world. They are such loving, caring and kind women. They made me want to be better every time I talked with them. There were a lot of interviews full of both laughter and tears. I always felt the Spirit as I heard how God worked in their lives. … These are ordinary people living extraordinary lives as they serve the Savior.”

Elder Kenneth Lougee wrote that he and his wife, Sister Jan Lougee, serve in the FamilySearch Library — an experience that’s been “nothing like I expected” and yet “perfect” for him.

He continued that he and Sister Lougee work on a team that digitizes books, “a single, essential task in gathering Israel on both sides of the veil. Just as the Church authorities are bringing the temples to the people, by scanning books and making them available on FamilySearch, we are bringing the library to the people so that their search for ancestors can be done anywhere in the world.”

Elder Lougee wrote that service is a mindset, not a specific role, and is about putting energy toward something meaningful.

“Whether it’s a mission at home or abroad, in a quiet office or a bustling location, your service is needed and makes a difference in ways you might not even see,” he wrote. “It’s an uplifting experience that can strengthen your own family while blessing others.”

Sister Lesley Goeckeritz shared her experience serving at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building for eight years until being released in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

She now serves at the Church History Museum, which is “deeply spiritual,” she wrote.

“I’ve learned so much about the history of the Church, and my testimony has grown in many meaningful ways,” Sister Goeckeritz wrote. “The people I serve with are wonderful examples of Christlike living, and I’ve been blessed with several opportunities to bear my testimony. … I feel incredibly blessed to have served as a senior missionary for many years. I truly love meeting and greeting visitors and sharing what I’ve learned about the Church with them.”

Elder Steven B. Lloyd and his wife, Sister Vicki Lloyd, wrote about the both heartbreaking and beautiful experiences they’ve had serving women in addiction recovery at the Utah State Prison.

Elder Lloyd particularly remembers the first time he and Sister Lloyd visited the prison: “As I looked around, I initially saw women serving time for their mistakes. But then the Spirit touched my heart. The Lord spoke clearly to my mind: ‘Steve, I love each of these women as much as I love you. You are no better than any of them. They are my daughters.’

“Tears filled my eyes then, as they do now, remembering that moment. The Spirit taught me something I will never forget: God’s love is the same for all His children — no matter what they’ve been through.”

Sister Lloyd added that she’s amazed at the strength these incarcerated women show as they try to change.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to witness real transformation in their hearts and lives,” she wrote.

Sister Heather Nielsen, who serves at the bishops’ storehouse, wrote about assisting a woman with her food order. The woman was visibly distraught, Sister Nielsen said, and ultimately shared that she’d just learned about her father’s kidney failure.

The woman asked for a blessing, and Sister Nielsen found two senior missionaries to do that. Afterwards, the woman said it wasn’t a coincidence that she was headed to the bishops’ storehouse when she learned of her father’s health issues.

“She said she felt at peace and knew that she would receive the physical, spiritual and emotional help that she needed,” Sister Nielsen wrote. “This experience strengthened my testimony that God knows each of His children, and He allows us to be His hands to bless others.”

‘There’s a mission for everyone’: The power of senior service missionaries

The ‘pioneering’ journey for the first missionary called after the Church allows senior single males to serve

What inspired one woman to serve 5 full-time senior missions for the Church

In a recent Church News podcast, the Olympic medalist, inspirational speaker, author, wife and mother reflected on a journey that included a devastating accident, a 2010 Olympic near miss by one-tenth of a second and a family-first comeback culminating in a 2014 silver medal — all framed around her faith in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

She explained that many saw the Olympic moment and the podium, but that for her it was a journey of sacrifice, struggle, emotion and joy. “I had to struggle through those valleys before I could see the vista.”

‘Healing does come’

The lowest valley came just as her dream seemed certain. Ranked number one in the world entering the 2006 Olympic trials, Pikus Pace was struck by an out-of-control bobsled that shattered her leg — and her path to Turin, Italy.

“There was this time in my life where I had to say, ‘Heavenly Father, I thought this is where I was supposed to be. I thought this is what You wanted me to do,” she recalled, adding: “It takes time to heal, whether it’s physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally — but with the Lord by our side, that healing does come.”

As she returned to competition, her prayer shifted from insisting on an outcome to submitting to God’s shaping. “We can have faith, but if we don’t have courage to act on that faith, where does that put us? And by having courage to say, ‘Heavenly Father, oh, I trust You, and I’m going to put my life in Your hands,’ He was able to make something even more beautiful than I could have imagined.”

Relief after fourth place

Four years later in Vancouver, the result that millions remember for its tenth-of-a-second margin is, to her, a lesson in identity and perspective. After her fourth and final run flashed “four” beside her name, she felt something surprising.

“I just remember feeling relief,” she said, adding: “I wanted it to be over before it began.”

She expressed feeling torn, “I wanted so desperately to be with my daughter and my husband. … Every time I was competing I wanted to be home, and every time I was home I felt like I should be competing.”

She felt the need to step away, learned how to be present at home and sought God’s direction anew.

Coming back — as a covenant-keeping family

The decision to return for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, grew out of a shared desire with her husband, Janson, to do it together. “We’re only doing this if we can do this as a family, so that we can show those really good, wholesome family values and share those with the world.”

During that period, she drew strength from leaders’ counsel. As a stake Young Women president, she began wearing her Young Woman medallion again after a leadership message about letting youth “see who you are and where your sights are set.”

“It taught me to live … without excuses,” she said, adding: “God wants a powerful people. He wants us to be strong and capable and use our talents for good.”

Her simple prayer before the final run in Sochi captured her discipleship: “First, last, middle, crash — whatever happens, Thy will be done. Help me know what to say … so that I can be a light and live up to the potential that You can see in me.”

Youth later told her they recognized their fellow Latter-day Saint on TV because they of her necklace.

“I had no idea,” she said, adding: “I didn’t need to say what I planned to say, but Heavenly Father was guiding my life all along.”

Jesus Christ has helped her through every moment. “I need the Savior by my side,” she said.

Finding her true identity

Pikus Pace acknowledged the identity crisis many athletes — and many disciples in changing seasons — feel. She referenced the late President Russell M. Nelson’s teachings on our three-core identities: child of God, child of the covenant and disciple of Jesus Christ.

“In knowing that I am a daughter of God, it helps me to strive to keep my covenants each and every day, and in keeping my covenants each and every day, I know that my path can’t go wrong,” she said. “I know that … everything is going to be OK, and it’s going to be better than OK.”

Listen to the Church News podcast

Sister Neill F. Marriott speaks about Noelle Pikus Pace at BYU devotional

Noelle Pikus Pace: A 'feel-good' story

RootsTech 2015: Noelle Pikus Pace shares inspiration

University President John S. K. Kauwe III and his wife, Sister Monica Kauwe, urged students to keep their covenants, be led by the Holy Ghost and exercise moral agency with purpose, consecration and excellence.

A prophet’s birthday and a shared testimony of Christ

President Kauwe began by noting that the devotional was on President Russell M. Nelson’s 101st birthday and bore witness of his prophetic calling.

“I testify to you that he is God’s prophet. We are blessed to be led by a wise, kind and devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. In his honor, my devotional today emphasizes many of his teachings,” he said.

President Kauwe: Purpose, consecration, excellence and being ‘quick to observe’

President Kauwe framed the semester around three priorities:

1. Purpose — preparing disciples who will live and lead in Oceania and the Asian Rim.
2. Consecration — honoring covenants and university commitments.
3. Excellence — developing talents to bless families and communities.

Citing counsel from Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson’s visit to BYU–Hawaii employees last week, he invited students to emulate the prophet Mormon by being “quick to observe.”

Drawing on his family history and scientific background, President Kauwe offered a brief lesson on Type 2 diabetes — a disease that took the lives of his father and grandfather.

He taught that just as insulin enables the body to use energy, “it is Jesus Christ who enables us to use our agency righteously. With Him, our choices bring lasting joy and eternal life.”

He invited students to make thoughtful, intentional choices in nutrition, sleep, stress and physical activity — and to use available resources to build healthy, lasting habits that support discipleship and future service.

“We have the opportunity to exercise our moral agency to make choices that will change the course of our lives both temporally and spiritually,” he taught. “Choosing to exercise moral agency righteously is the purpose of our mortal experience.”

President Nelson’s promise followed: “Every righteous choice that you make here will pay huge dividends now … and unimaginable dividends eternally.”

President Kauwe counseled students to “elevate the way you exercise that moral agency to take charge of your testimony, to take charge of your learning and build your future.”

Practical ways to seek help and to help others

Being “quick to observe (Mormon 1:2),” President Kauwe explained, means both to notice and to obey. He encouraged listeners to notice their strengths and needs, obey promptings and keep covenants and commitments.

He invited students to take advantage of university and Church resources to help when struggles arise.

He briefly shared his own recent efforts to course-correct his health — consulting with doctors, counseling with Sister Kauwe, praying for support and worshipping in the Laie Hawaii Temple.

“Change requires humility, effort and persistence,” he said. “But I promise you that it is worth it — it is always worth being quick to observe.”

Sister Kauwe: Living with the Spirit — five daily choices

Sister Kauwe also spoke, beginning with a personal memory of her baptism and confirmation, describing “warmth, peace, and love” as her father placed his hands on her head and she received the gift of the Holy Ghost.

That moment, she said, set her on the covenant path — a path President Nelson has taught is the “only path that leads to exaltation and eternal life.”

She emphasized that God’s promise to “always have His Spirit to be with us” requires “effort, consistency and faith,” and highlighted President Nelson’s teaching that charity and virtue unlock confidence before God.

Speaking to returned missionaries and university students, she shared a friend’s reflection: “It is impossible to fully replicate [a mission] environment once we come home — but we can get closer by how we use our time and who we choose to surround ourselves with.“

How has Sister Kauwe made that choice? She gave five choices that “made the difference”:

1. Attend and participate in both hours of Sunday worship and worthily partake of the sacrament.
2. Accept and fulfill callings.
3. Attend Tuesday devotionals.
4. Read the Book of Mormon every day.
5. “Stand in holy places” by choosing uplifting spaces, friends and media.

“The Spirit is not something we stumble into accidentally. We must use our moral agency to choose to be in the presence of the Holy Ghost,” she said, adding: “I invite each of us to make these righteous choices each day and enjoy the promised blessings.”

See the speaker lineup for college devotionals this fall, including 6 Apostles

An investment in the future of BYU–Hawaii: Ground broken for major renovations to renew Laie campus

Read Church News coverage of other devotionals

With a major renovation and equipment donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Connaught Hospital ICU in Freetown, Sierra Leone — long in need of essential upgrades — has been revitalized into a modern, life-saving facility, reported ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

At a ceremony held on June 25, government leaders, hospital staff, Church leaders and members of the community gathered to celebrate what many called a “revival.”

Pointing to He who made the donation possible, the matron of the ICU said, “On behalf of the management and staff of the hospital, I’d first of all like to thank God Almighty for making this event.”

Before this donation, the ICU operated without reliable oxygen, ventilators, vital monitors or even standard patient beds. The conditions were dire, especially for a facility serving as the nation’s only public ICU and the main teaching hospital for the University of Sierra Leone’s College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences.

That critical need prompted hospital administrators to reach out to the Church for help. After visiting and assessing the facility, the Church committed not only to renovating the ICU from floor to ceiling but also to equipping it with state-of-the-art medical tools.

The upgraded unit now includes 12 fully equipped critical care beds, each with ECG machines, vital sign monitors, pulse oximeters, defibrillators, infusion pumps and a centralized oxygen delivery system.

The ICU now meets international fire safety standards and includes an isolation room for patients with infectious diseases.

“This is not just renovation; this is a revival,” said Dr. Mark I. Kapuwa, Connaught’s hospital care manager. “Thanks to the unwavering partnership with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, our ICU has been reborn, renovated from floor to ceiling. Everything has been rebuilt to standard. We are thrilled beyond words.”

Speaking on behalf of the Church, Elder Isaac K. Morrison, General Authority Seventy and counselor in the Church’s Africa West Area presidency, reflected on how this humanitarian project aligns with the teachings of Jesus Christ.

“The Savior’s ministry was filled not only with spiritual teachings but also acts of healing,” Elder Morrison said. “Your ongoing effort to care for the sick and the afflicted is a true reflection of the example of Jesus Christ. Our Church is honored to partner with you. … May these resources further empower you to perform your noble mission of saving lives.”

Pointing to the grateful leper as described in Luke 17, Kapuwa asked the matron of the ICU to represent the hospital in giving thanks.

She said: “On behalf of the management and staff of the hospital, I want to say, from the depths of my heart, to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: Thank you very much. We really, really appreciate your effort and generosity in providing a conducive working environment for us and for our patients.”

First Lady Fatima Maada Bio published a release praising the renovation as a model of collaboration between government and faith-based organizations. She said, “This renovation is not merely a refurbishment; it represents a revival.”

She explained the Church and the government share a similar purpose, “This project has been realized through trust, transparency and a shared purpose, reinforcing Connaught Hospital’s status as a referral and teaching hospital.”

The first lady emphasized that the government is committed to maintaining the facility, not just as a working ICU but as an example of medical excellence that will raise the standard of training for future generations of Sierra Leonean healthcare workers.

“This initiative goes beyond physical infrastructure; it embodies the national aspiration for a high-quality working environment and public health commitment,” she said. “The government has pledged to maintain this facility, ensuring it remains an exemplary teaching and training school, raising the level of medical education and practice in the country.”

Kapuwa called the event “a proud moment of unity and progress.” He wrote on Facebook, “We are building a healthier future — one milestone at a time.”

In his remarks at the ceremony, Elder Morrison reinforced the Christlike motivations behind the Church’s humanitarian work.

“As a Church, humanitarian work is not just charity — it embodies our discipleship,” he said. “As exemplified by the Savior, who healed, loved and comforted, we dedicate this donation to you and to the country. Let it remind us that even in challenging times, we can effect change by working together with compassion and following the Savior’s example.”

Church’s Strengthening Families Conference in Sierra Leone focuses on women, children

Elder Christofferson meets Sierra Leone’s president and first lady

Sierra Leone's first lady visits Salt Lake City

Church efforts in Sierra Leone: ‘Our faith teaches us to care for one another’

In Burkina Faso, a West African nation where 11.5 million people — half the population — lack clean water close to home, her daily school routine used to include more than books and lessons. It also involved thirst.

“I often brought water from home in a small can,” she said. “But when it was gone, I had to wait until the end of the lessons to go to the village to get a drink. As the distance is a bit long, I can’t always leave the classroom to go and get a drink because I’d miss some lessons.”

Without a safe water source on campus, students often drank from shallow, hand-dug wells. “We were aware that the water from the well dug in the shallows that we drank before was not to be drunk, but we had no clean water source here,” she said.

The challenge affected hundreds of students and teachers in Oury every day. Without nearby water, students often missed class, faced illness from unsafe sources or went without drink altogether.

That changed in 2024, when WaterAid partnered with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to improve access to clean water in 20 schools and surrounding communities — including Fofana’s school of 264 students and teachers.

At Soubouy school, a new borehole now provides clean water directly on campus. Handwashing stations stand nearby, promoting health and helping reduce the spread of illness so students can attend class more regularly.

“The new borehole at the school has relieved us of certain tasks that we had to do before,” Fofana explained. “Now we have easy access to water on site for all our needs, instead of having to bring it from home or travel long distances to fetch it in the village. Now we have handwashing facilities next to us that we use to wash our hands. That didn’t exist before. Because we didn’t have water, we couldn’t afford the luxury of washing our hands the way we do now. All this put us in a better position to study and succeed.”

For Fofana, whose favorite subjects are history and geography, the change has opened the door to more than just comfort. She dreams of becoming a teacher so she can help others and travel to new places. When she’s not studying, she helps her parents with household chores and work in the fields and enjoys spending time with friends.

With no congregation in the country, the collaboration reflects the Church’s global humanitarian initiatives to relieve suffering, foster self-reliance and provide opportunities for children to learn and grow.

A well of blessings: Ghanaian village celebrates new borehole donated by the Church

Water projects bring clean drinking water to 5 Kiribati islands, water aids in Tonga

The Church collaborates to bring water to remote community in Bolivia

When the streams disappear during the dry season, the community is left in hardship and uncertainty.

But on July 22, joy and hope flowed freely as the people of Addokrom gathered to celebrate a life-changing gift: a mechanized borehole system donated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, reported the Church’s Africa Newsroom.

The new water system includes a solar-powered pump and a 5,000-liter polytank that will provide consistent, accessible and clean drinking water to the entire community. It’s a small structure — but it carries enormous significance for the residents of Addokrom.

‘Without water, there is no life’

At a celebratory gathering held in the village, Chief Nana Agyapong Boateng spoke on behalf of the people. With emotion in his voice, he offered sincere thanks to the Church and its members around the world.

“People of my community,” he said, “you should all join me to extend our heartfelt gratitude to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for giving us such a much-needed project in our town, because without water there is no life. The Church has therefore given us extension of life by this important project.”

He called on the community to protect and care for the new facility, pledging to see to its maintenance so that future generations can continue to benefit from the blessing it brings.

Clean water, made possible by sacrifice

The project was the result of months of coordination, love and generosity. President Prosper Mensah, president of the Ejisu Ghana Stake, officially handed over the keys to the water system during the event. He reminded the residents that the funds for the borehole came from members of the Church across the globe who fast and donate money so others can have their needs met.

“This facility has come from contributions or sacrifices made by individual members of the Church worldwide,” President Mensah said. “The Church does not discriminate; all are children of God. It is our fervent prayer that this project will bring unity and peace among these town folks.”

He also emphasized the spiritual purpose behind the gift: that it may not only bring physical sustenance but also knit the hearts of the community together in unity.

He invited those in attendance to avoid contention in the use of the facility, and to let it be a means of bringing the community closer together.

After speaking, President Mensah took a long drink of cool, clean water — water that now flows freely in Addokrom thanks to the collective faith and giving spirit of Church members across continents.

The Savior’s love in action

Elder Louis Fuell and Sister Brenda Fuell, senior missionaries serving in the Ghana Kumasi Mission, played a key role in coordinating the project. Standing before the villagers, they explained that the borehole was more than a humanitarian gesture — it was a manifestation of the Savior’s love.

They told villagers that the donation was an expression of the Savior’s love for His children as manifested through His Church.

In the gathering that followed, the joy among the residents was palpable. Smiles, laughter and expressions of gratitude filled the air.

“This is indeed the best thing that could happen to us in this community,” one resident said. “We have suffered long for scarcity of clean water. We are very, very grateful.”

A flowing future

Though the borehole stands as a simple structure, its impact is immeasurable. It means less time spent gathering water, fewer health concerns, and more opportunity for work, education and family life.

For children, it means more time to attend school. For mothers, it means more time and energy to focus on other necessities. And for everyone, it means peace of mind.

This donation is one of many humanitarian efforts by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which works globally to provide clean water, medical care, food and emergency relief.

In Ghana and elsewhere, these efforts are building bridges of friendship, strengthening communities and testifying of a loving Savior who knows and watches over His children.

As the villagers of Addokrom now draw clean water from their new borehole, they draw also from a deeper well — a well of hope, faith and connection that reminds them they are not forgotten and that God loves them.

Church donates water systems in 2 African countries

From drought to dance: Pacific villages celebrate clean water donations

The Church collaborates to bring water to remote community in Bolivia

Thanks to a mobile prosthetics clinic led by senior missionaries Elder Matt Bracken and Sister Nylene Bracken, that prayer has finally been answered, as reported by the Church’s Pacific Newsroom.

And the Brackens aren’t doing this alone. With the help of young missionaries and a nonmember physical therapist, dozens have been given the chance to walk again.

While the Brackens’ official mission began in August 2024, the inspiration behind the mission began on a trip to Samoa in 2013.

A mission 11 years in the making

While visiting in 2013, Nylene Bracken met a young sister missionary whose prosthesis wasn’t suited for the warm island climate, causing her prosthetic foot to disintegrate. Due to the pain that this caused, the missionary was scheduled to go home the following day.

While missionaries held a special fast, Matt Bracken fashioned a new prosthesis for the missionary so that she could continue her mission.

The need for prosthetics in Savai‘i

In Samoa, there are two main islands, Upolu and Savai‘i. Two years ago, Elder Bracken learned that of those receiving amputations in Upolu, half of the amputees are from the island of Savai‘i. Elder Bracken discovered that most Savai‘i amputees don’t return to Upolu to get fitted for a prosthetic; for most, it’s too expensive.

From that moment, “I knew exactly what our mission would be,” Elder Bracken said.

A custom-made mission

Elder and Sister Bracken said that with a lot of moving parts, the first step was to find a place to fashion prosthetics, starting at home in Utah a year before their mission.

After a prompting, Elder Bracken transformed a 27-foot trailer into a mobile prosthetic clinic.

Elder O. Vincent Haleck, an emeritus General Authority Seventy and a native of American Samoa, helped Elder Bracken find a way to ship the trailer to Samoa. Fiji water company offered to ship the 15,000-pound trailer for free.

As the Brackens began collecting the prosthetics they would use, they reached out to a number of organizations for help.

ROMP donated six 50-pound boxes of prosthetic feet that the Brackens could use for their amputees.

Limbs for Life donated dozens of expensive knee prosthetics. Each knee would have cost about $2,500.

Arriving in Samoa

In their first week in Samoa, Elder and Sister Bracken fit a woman with a prosthetic. She had spent the past five years with only one foot and no way to get around.

In Samoa, many live in simple homes called “fales.” Elder Bracken shared that in this woman’s fale, there was “no furniture, no beds” and just a “little hot plate to cook with and a small refrigerator-freezer.” The bathroom for most fales is found outside, often on the other side of their property.

Elder Bracken explained: “She had to crawl across about 20-25 feet of lava rock just to get to the bathroom every day.”

As he prepared to fit her for a prosthetic, Elder Bracken felt the Spirit say, “Now you understand why I had you sacrifice so much to be here.” Elder and Sister Bracken had spent $60,000 to $80,000 of their personal money to make their mission a reality.

Sister Bracken testified, “The Lord blessed us so that we could afford it.”

The Savaiian protocol

In the first seven months of their service, Elder and Sister Bracken helped nearly 60 individuals.

Creating prosthetics is a detailed process, from casting the limb to forming the socket. The mobile clinic allows for on-site manufacturing and personalized adjustments

But the work is just beginning when an amputee receives their prosthesis. Ideally, patients would begin rigorous physical therapy immediately, but In Savai‘i, that’s just not possible.

That’s where the help of young missionaries comes in.

“I’ve developed this Savaiian protocol,” explained Elder Bracken. “I fit them, and then I have the young sisters or elders come, and they stand on each side of them and hold them in a position like they are crutches.”

The missionaries visit patients each day, walking with them for 30 minutes until they gain the strength to do it themselves.

Epenesa Young, a Samoan physical therapist, has also donated her time helping Elder Bracken’s patients.

“She sees what we‘re doing with the elders and sisters, and at one point she said, ‘These kids are angels,‘” he explained.

Though Young is not a Latter-day Saint, Elder Bracken said she is “a miracle worker. We‘ve had her come in and teach people how to stand and walk.”

And as a native Samoan, she can speak the language. Sister Bracken explained, “She knows how to walk into a house and assess exactly what that amputee needs.”

Elder Bracken added: “She says she‘s in awe of what I do, but I’m completely in awe with what she can do.”

Walking to serve

Masae Tunavasa, who now has a prosthetic leg and is exercising each day to be able to walk again, explained that she looks forward to regaining mobility so that she can serve others in her congregation and community. Her desire to serve has propelled her through the challenges of the “Savaiian protocol.”

“I want to walk again so I can serve,” Tunavasa said.

Like Christ’s disciples from every dispensation, Elder and Sister Bracken are healing God’s children — one person at a time.

The Brackens have started a Facebook page where they share stories of individuals they help.

More than 500 people fitted with prosthetic limbs in Indonesia

Church brings clean water to Pacific islands

Queen consort opens preschool funded by the Church in Samoa

The Toronto Little Free Pantry Project aims to tackle that need and address it on a local level.

On April 24, Toronto community members gathered at the Toronto Ontario Stake Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to assemble 1,000 soup kits for individuals and families in need, according to the Church’s Canada Newsroom.

The kits were then placed in “little free pantries” throughout the Greater Toronto area. These pantries are community-based resources that offer access to nonperishable food items for anyone in need and supplement traditional food banks. They are accessible 24/7 and often found outside of local churches or community centers. Anyone can take a meal or leave food for others.

The Hearty Harvest Soup Kit project began when the Toronto interfaith group Sharing Sacred Spaces heard about little free pantries and wanted to address food insecurity by filling the pantries with meals in jars.

The soup kits — containers of dry soup ingredients — require only the addition of hot water to create a warm, nutritious meal that can feed two to four people.

The organizing committee from Sharing Sacred Spaces included members from the Manor Road United Church, Toronto Buddhist Church, Gursikh Sabha Gurdwara, Church of Scientology and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The group was joined by members and missionaries of the Toronto Ontario and Brampton Ontario stakes. Bishop Paul Baui of the Eglington Ward invited his ward’s youth to attend the activity.

“It was an amazing opportunity for the community to come together to do a good service with people of all ages,” he said.

Lentils, rice, split peas and seasonings were added to each container, which was labeled with cooking instructions — all done in assembly lines.

Kim Tylka, a Latter-day Saint and Sharing Sacred Spaces committee member, explained coming together could have a big impact.

“In a world where it sometimes feels like problems and hardships overflow and that a person has little power to do much to make it better, the simple act of filling jars might not seem like it will make much of a difference,” said Tylka. “But uniting with members of many faiths shows that love and small acts of kindness can go a long way and give hope to both the giver and the receiver.”

Beyond meeting their goal of 1,000 soup containers, volunteers also expressed gratitude for being able to work together.

Mandeep Singh, a Sikh and member of the Gursikh Sabha Gurdwara, said: “Thank you to this community for organizing such a meaningful event. It exuded generosity and dedication and is truly inspiring.”

One Latter-day Saint, Edianny Gomez, was ready to serve together again. “We should do more of this more often. People want to do something to help.”

Les Tanaka, committee member from the Toronto Buddhist Church, said: “It was so beautiful to see people come together. I am so blown away by it all.”

Earl Smith, a member of the Church of Scientology, explained that “life is a group effort.”

“We need each other, and it is our love for our fellow beings and our desire to help anyone that brings us here tonight. You think maybe these things don‘t help, but this can be a start to help someone,” he said.

Julie Nelson, communication director for the Toronto Ontario Stake, added: “It is such an incredible experience to be able to work alongside so many of our faith and various faiths across the city in a single goal and purpose. It is humbling to see what we can do when we work together.”

President Holland meets with Canada's Jean Augustine in Toronto

President Holland rededicates Toronto Ontario Temple

Toronto Ontario Temple

But now, thanks to a donation from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the night no longer signals the end of learning. Solar-power lights are illuminating not only the students’ study spaces but also their hopes for a brighter future.

Gavuone Primary School headmaster Dahra Latha explained, “We have a problem where children in the community do not do their homework because of no lights in the house.”

The Church, in collaboration with Australia-based nonprofit Solar Buddy, is bringing light to these students after a donation of solar-powered light kits to families in Papua New Guinea who would otherwise spend their evenings in darkness, according to the Church’s Papua New Guinea Newsroom.

In December 2024, young members of the Port Moresby Papua New Guinea Stake met to assemble 500 kits provided by Solar Buddy.

After assembly, the kits were transported to Gavuone, Papua New Guinea, an isolated community of about 2,000 people on the Gulf of Papua.

At a ceremony on April 15, 2025, the assembled kits were distributed to students at the Gavuone Primary School. Every student at the school received a Solar Buddy kit; many immediately opened their lights and began charging them under the bright sun.

The kits charge with daylight and then light homes during the night. Latha explained that this donation would have a huge impact.

“My children really need these solar lights.” He added: “Providing these kinds of lights to them will help them do a better job with their homework and will improve their studies especially in the home.”

In the Church, light is often associated with knowledge and learning. Doctrine and Covenants 50:24–25 teaches: “That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day. And again, verily I say unto you, and I say it that you may know the truth, that you may chase darkness from among you.”

Now many of these students will have the opportunity to experience increased light and truth.

Many of the students began using the lights the night they received them. In the home of 15-year-old Thara Obea, the young student was able to complete her homework in the evening, when the rest of the home had fallen dark.

“I love this,” said Obea. “It’s wonderful. I can read and study now at night.”

Other students, like 17-year-old Benjamin Koio, would often build fires at night so that they could study. But now, he can just flip a switch.

“I can do my work at night without bothering my family,” said Koio. “I really needed something like this.”

Since the Church’s collaboration with Solar Buddy began in 2023, Latter-day Saints have helped assemble and distribute over 11,000 light boxes around the world.

In Papua New Guinea, the recent donation from the Church is making a tangible difference, allowing students to continue their studies after dark. As the community looks toward the future, the glow of these solar lamps serves as a powerful reminder that even a small light can spark significant change.

Church brings water to Pacific Islands, Papua New Guinea

Elder Soares visits Papua New Guinea Saints

Pacific Latter-day Saints light the world, literally

In June 2025, a group of American Latter-day Saints arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, hauling suitcases packed with vision-testing equipment and thousands of glasses.

In the space of five days, they examined over 1,300 Kenyans, distributing glasses to those who couldn’t afford them, identifying cases of cataracts and embracing each person with Christlike care.

A short time after the last eye exam, dozens of Latter-day Saints — including some who had just received their first pair of glasses — were gathered again in those same chapels to receive patriarchal blessings.

Serving like Christ

The roots of this story stretch back decades when Dr. John Larcabal was a young newlywed finishing his optometry training in California. There he met for the first time Elder Jeffrey N. Redd, then the ward bishop and now a senior missionary. The two became friends, drawn together by a shared love of service and the gospel.

“He always had a generous spirit,” Elder Redd recalled. “Everybody in the ward loved him.”

He explained Larcabal’s disposition as if the latter is saying, “I’m a doctor, but I’m not above you. I’m here to serve you.”

Larcabal said, “Most of the inspiration I’ve received in my life occurred while I was serving others.”

In 2019, Elder Redd and his wife, Sister Janeen Redd, were called as mission leaders in the México Aguascalientes Mission. Just before they left, Larcabal called. He had an idea. “I’ve been doing these humanitarian projects all over the world,” he said. “Could I come to your mission in Mexico?”

They made it happen. With a model that combined medical expertise, missionaries and chapels as clinic spaces, they examined over 1,000 people across multiple cities, offering free eye screenings and distributing lenses.

Missionaries welcomed guests, tested vision and handed out scriptures to people who, for the first time in years, could finally see to read.

“When they put on their glasses,” Elder Redd said, “we’d hand them a pamphlet, or they’d pick up a Book of Mormon, and they’d say, ‘Wow — I can read.’”

Many of them would go on to receive the missionaries and be baptized.

A call to Kenya

When the Redds were called again — this time as senior missionaries in Nairobi in 2024 — Larcabal knew what to do. He asked Elder Redd if he could do the same thing in Kenya.

But Kenya wasn’t Mexico.

In Kenya, government regulations posed an immediate challenge. Doctors from outside the country were required to pay $750 each for temporary medical licensing. And importing medical supplies triggered much more in customs and inspection fees.

“We hit a roadblock,” Elder Redd said. “I have a friend I’ve developed here in Nairobi who is the head of medical care for Nairobi County.”

After a quick conversation, Nairobi County agreed to sponsor the event as a government-endorsed “medical camp.” With that status, the team could bypass the licensing and customs fees and carry in their equipment and supplies.

Bringing sight to Kenyans

Dr. Roger Pickering — a Latter-day Saint optometrist from Lehi, Utah, and an associate of Larcabal — had served on similar trips before, in South America, the Pacific and more. But Africa was new.

“I was really curious,” he said. He had never been to Africa and wanted to meet new people, see a new continent and serve.

He quickly saw the profound need.

“I’ve been to poor places before,” Pickering said. “I could honestly say that the need for aid — just compassion and help there — is as great or greater than any other place.”

With the help of partners like CharityVision Kenya and EyeCare4Kids, the team got to work.

Over five days, they saw more than 1,300 people. Dozens of full-time missionaries assisted. Larcabal said the change made in their lives was drastic.

“It’s very moving, where some of the people start to cry. They’re so excited because they haven’t been able to see for years. And now, all of a sudden, their vision is returned,” he said. “Now they can start to work again ... and help improve their quality of life.”

A visit to an orphanage

One of the most poignant moments came unexpectedly. The group had planned four clinic days in Nairobi — but added a fifth to attend to a small village. Then came a sixth day and another addition: a visit to a Nairobi orphanage.

There, 175 children — many with no parents and no possessions — waited.

Pickering described the moment as “heartbreaking and spirit-affirming at the same time.”

Elder Redd explained that they brought toys and bright-colored sunglasses.

“Every kid in the place got glasses,” he said. “They sang to us. They hugged us.”

Fifteen-year-old Daxton Boyer, Larcabal’s stepson, explained that the children “were all so excited to see us.”

He said, “I thought it was amazing that they are just like every other kid, but it’s sad what their circumstances are.”

A miracle named Gabriel

One day, a Nigerian man named Ugbong Gabriel-Mario Adie walked into the clinic with a camera. He was volunteering for EyeCare4Kids, helping document its charity work. Elder Redd struck up a conversation.

Adie had studied for nine years to become a Catholic priest. One year from ordination, he experienced what he described as a revelation. Elder Redd recounted Adie saying, “Why would I want to be a priest when I could be a dad and a husband?”

He left seminary, became a psychologist and now helps victims of sexual trauma in Nairobi.

When Elder Redd asked him, “Did you see any miracles today?” — he didn’t mention the glasses.

He said, “The biggest miracle I have seen is that people would come from America at their own expense, with no thought of any money paid, and do this out of the goodness of their hearts. These people are true disciples of Jesus Christ.”

Adie is now reading the Book of Mormon and wants to bring his wife to church.

“He’s become a dear friend,” Elder Redd said.

A spiritual type of vision

Just days after the last exam, something else happened — bringing a different type of vision to the rural area the doctors had added to their trip.

At the suggestion of senior missionaries, leaders of the Kyulu Kenya Stake worked to get a patriarch called so Saints could finally receive their patriarchal blessings.

Many — even lifelong members — didn’t even know what a patriarchal blessing was. Some had never met a patriarch. Others had never thought it possible for them in rural Kenya.

Finally, after a call and subsequent training, the 1-year-old stake received its first patriarch.

Only one month after being called, the patriarch, Francis Kiio Mbai, traveled to the remote town of Wote, Kenya, so 27 Latter-day Saints could receive their patriarchal blessings.

Some had just received their first glasses just days earlier. Now they came to the same chapels — this time not for physical healing but for spiritual vision.

Elder Brooke Jones and Sister Paula Jones were two of the senior missionaries who organized the day of patriarchal blessings.

Giving 27 patriarchal blessings in just a few days may seem exhausting, but the patriarch told Elder Jones that he felt energized and had loved the whole day.

The patriarch’s first visit focused primarily on giving blessings to branch leaders, but future visits will allow every desiring member to receive a patriarchal blessing.

Sister Jones added, “We found that there were also six missionaries who had not received this blessing, so they were so excited to have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Going forth with sight

The clinic is over. But the work is not.

The prescription lenses are being prepared in a local lab. Full-time missionaries will deliver them personally, house to house, building relationships and teaching opportunities.

Meanwhile, those who received patriarchal blessings are now studying them, praying with them and talking about them with family and friends. They are seeing their lives differently — more clearly.

First, the glasses let them read, then the blessings let them see.

Caring for those in need through health care, vision and mobility projects around the world

Latter-day Saint branch organized in this Kenyan refugee camp

The Church helps rebuild eye clinic in Beirut following deadly explosion

The milestone was commemorated at the 10th National Congress on Religious Freedom, where Elder Sean Douglas, a General Authority Seventy and president of the Mexico Area of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, urged participants to see religious liberty as more than a legal right, reported the Church’s Spanish Newsroom.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by La Iglesia de Jesucristo (@iglesiadejesucristomexico)

“Religious freedom dignifies the human being, and when it is respected and protected, it becomes a powerful tool for the construction of peace,” Elder Douglas said.

Episode 250: Law professor Steven T. Collis on peacemaking and the need for religious freedom worldwide

Laws and values

Speaking to religious leaders, scholars, human rights advocates and government officials, Elder Douglas reminded listeners that the strength of any law is rooted in the values of the people who create it.

“In free societies like Mexico, laws are created by representatives of the people, therefore the quality of the law depends on the values of the people. For the good of the nation, it is vital that honest and upright values be cultivated in the minds and hearts of the people,” he said.

When practiced responsibly, he added, religious freedom inspires people to foster peace and build community.

Overcoming contention

Citing President Russell M. Nelson, Elder Douglas called on believers to bring peace to a contentious world.

“The world needs peacemakers. The world needs people willing to set aside contention and build bridges of understanding,” he said.

He encouraged moderation and unity, even in moments of difference: “The best is yet to come. This is our time to seek moderation and unity, and build peace together.”

Service and shared responsibility

Elder Douglas concluded by tying freedom of religion to the moral duty to serve. “Religious freedom and peace are deeply intertwined,” he said, inviting faith traditions to unite in service to migrants, victims of violence and those living in poverty or exclusion.

He reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to interfaith dialogue, education and community service as means of strengthening peace.

Faith as a unifying force

Guanajuato Gov. Libia García Muñoz Ledo attended the event and spoke about the role of faith in public life.

“Faith must today call us to unity. Faith must call us to build a better society,” she said, noting her government’s continued work with the Interreligious Council of Guanajuato.

Growing interfaith collaboration

Cristian Badillo Gutiérrez, general director of Conciencia Nacional por la Libertad Religiosa, described how the past decade has transformed interfaith relations in Mexico.

He pointed to a shift from dialogue to “effective collaboration between faith communities,” along with growing cooperation between churches and government “for the benefit of communities.”

“The religious sector is a relevant player for the public life of the country — socially, culturally, politically and economically,” he said.

Diverse voices

The congress drew participants from Catholic, evangelical, Muslim, Orthodox, Jewish and Hare Krishna communities, along with academics and defenders of human rights.

Among those who shared messages were Monsignor Ramón Castro Castro, president of the Mexican Episcopal Conference; Abdelrahman Sayed, director of religious affairs of the Mexican Islamic Council; Madre Yasoda of the International SRI Krishna Chaitanya Mission; and Pastor Javier Misael Ramírez Pérez of the Apostolic Church of the Faith in Christ Jesus.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks champions religious freedom in Mexico

Mexico's interfaith Easter celebrations

130+ quotes from Church leaders and scriptures about being peacemakers

Read more coverage of religious freedom in the Church News

At the helm of this movement is Luduina Williams, a Latter-day Saint and president of the Cook Islands World Day of Prayer committee.

“We come from different denominations, but we all belong to the same God,” Williams said, summarizing the spirit that defines the World Day of Prayer in her island nation.

World Day of Prayer is an international, ecumenical movement driven by women who come together each March — and throughout the year — to pray, worship and serve their communities, reported the Church’s Pacific Newsroom.

This year, the global focus of the prayer movement was the Cook Islands. Women in more than 170 countries offered heartfelt prayers on behalf of Cook Islands women. Williams and her committee returned the blessing by praying for their own people, leaders and land.

As part of the 2025 theme, “I Made You Wonderful,” drawn from Psalm 139:14 — “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” — Williams said she hoped to inspire women across the islands with a message of divine worth and sisterly love.

“What I hope that I, as a president, was able to show to the women of our country is love — to share love and to understand each other,” she said.

For Williams, prayer is not just a ceremonial gesture. In her role as president for the past seven years, she has consistently turned to God to help guide the diverse committee of women she leads.

“There are a lot of things that we don’t agree on, and there’s a lot of differences,” she explained. “I’m always asking the Lord to guide me today. ‘I am stuck with this decision, help me or show me a way how I can solve this problem with the women.’ We have concerns, so I’m always taking my concern to the Lord to help me make the right decision.”

That prayerful leadership has had a tangible impact.

When the women of the Cook Islands gathered to pray for their government this year, the country’s prime minister and his wife personally met with Williams to thank her.

“We prayed for our prime minister to make the right choice in leading our country,” she recalled. “He came and met with me — he and his wife — and he thanked me for praying for him.”

Beyond the events of a single year, Williams also honors the legacy of those who built the foundation she stands on.

Alongside her committee, she recently visited the grave of Akaiti Ama — the woman who first brought the World Day of Prayer to the Cook Islands in 1971.

Flowers were laid, stories were shared, and Ama’s son spoke about her dedication to uniting women through prayer. Her legacy continues in the growing fellowship of Christian women across the islands today.

Workshops, worship services and community visits throughout the year are all expressions of that legacy — and are animated by a shared belief in the power of prayer to bring understanding and peace amid diversity.

“Always trust the Lord, and He will have an answer,” Williams said, showing the same faith that has guided generations of women before her — and which continues to shape a united, prayerful future for the Cook Islands.

Cook Islands: a legacy of faith

As the tiny island nation of Kiribati prepares for a temple, Elder Cook teaches principles of peace and unity

From drought to dance: Pacific villages celebrate clean water donations

Years later, Porter and Carlie Ellett now find themselves on NFL sidelines, raising a family centered on Jesus Christ and learning, as Carlie Ellett recently said on the Church News podcast, to “trust the process and trust Him.”

‘God is in the details’

Porter Ellett grew up in Loa, Utah, loving competition but attending a high school too small for football.

A childhood accident left his right arm nonfunctional; at 16, he chose amputation. Years later, a BYU ward calling to collect fast offerings put him face to face with Carlie McKeon, a lifelong sports fan from Granite Bay, California, who recognized him from a New Era profile her grandfather had given her.

“It’s incredible how God is in the details of the little things,” Porter Ellett said of the meeting that followed.

Episode 264: Porter and Carlie Ellett discuss faith and football

‘Left-hand man’

Marriage followed, and after a demanding stint with investment banking company Goldman Sachs, the Elletts prayerfully considered a change. On paper, a sports management program in San Francisco, California, seemed obvious. But both felt directed instead to a sports management position at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.

The choice soon tested them. Doors into the football program initially stayed closed, and a scandal rocked Baylor’s program. Looking back, they see protection in that detour.

“It was a huge blessing that [God] kept us from getting a job within the football organization,” Carlie Ellett said.

Eventually, a former BYU colleague, strength coach Devin Woodhouse, introduced Porter Ellett to Kansas City Chiefs head coach and Latter-day Saint Andy Reid and his wife, Tammy Reid.

After the 2016 season, Reid called with a job: “You’ll be my right-hand man.”

Ellett quipped, “As long as you’re OK with your right-hand man not having a right hand.”

Reid laughed: “You’ll be my left-hand man then.”

‘Remember who you are’

The mentorship that followed, the Elletts said, shaped both their discipleship and their daily priorities. Porter Ellett recalled Reid telling him, “It’s important that you stay humble and remember who you are.”

For Ellett, that meant returning each year to the family farm in Loa and remembering that being a faithful husband and father comes before any win-loss record.

He also shared the “special relationship” and spiritual influence that the Reids have had on him and his wife. He explained that Reid and he often give each other priesthood blessings.

Ellett also remembered Reid leaning over after a time when they blessed the Elletts’ son, saying, “Now that the important stuff’s out of the way, maybe we can go win a football game.” For the Elletts, that line captures ordered discipleship — faith first, then everything else.

‘The Savior at the center’

Carlie Ellett added a conviction that has steadied their home: “We’ve just always kept the Savior at the center.”

On game-day Sundays, she takes the children to church before heading to the stadium, a weekly message that “Dad has a job. It’s not your job, and your job is to go to church on Sunday.”

Their oldest son, Brigham, has shaped that worship in unexpected ways.

After two traumatic brain injuries in early childhood, he was diagnosed with autism apraxia and is nonverbal. The Elletts do not romanticize the hard days, but they see grace in them.

“You have moments that are really hard, where you feel alone, completely exhausted or completely broken down,” Porter Ellett said. “And it’s amazing how he knows, and he’ll just give you a hug or a kiss and just lay by you.”

‘What do you know now?’

Asked the podcast’s closing question — “What do you know now?” — Carlie Ellett answered with a scripture that framed her childhood and their marriage: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart” (Proverbs 3:5).

“As you trust the process and trust Him and trust the answers He’s given you and trust His plan,” she said, “it works out and blesses your life in a way that you could have never orchestrated on your own.”

Porter Ellett said, “Looking back on our lives, I think it’s important that you own your life.”

He said that can help “you become extremely grateful for a Savior.”

Concluding with his testimony, Ellett shared that he is “so extremely grateful for Carlie and for our Savior, for the gospel of Jesus Christ that we can lean on and study and go to the temple and pray about decisions in our lives and receive guidance for them.”

How Latter-day Saint star punt returner Britain Covey brings faith into his NFL locker room

How a Latter-day Saint seminary class learned from — and ministered to — an injured NFL football player

NFL player, former BYU star Kyle Van Noy talks about the power of prayer following son’s ordeal

Read more conference study helps here

About this talk

• “Blessed Are the Peacemakers”
• Elder Gary E. Stevenson | Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
• Saturday morning session of October 2025 general conference.
• Theme: Peacemaking begins in hearts, homes and families.

Read the full message here.

Read a summary of Elder Stevenson’s message here.

Outline

• As general conference begins, many mourn loss and feel uncertainty caused by tragedies around the world.
• • Text | Video

Capernaum in Galilee

• Imagine a young teenager in Capernaum during the ministry of Jesus Christ, and the thoughts and feelings that might have come from listening to Him speak.
• • Text | Video
• Christ often invited listeners to become peacemakers. In a world of commotion, is it possible to be a peacemaker? As peacemaking begins in hearts, then homes and families, it can spread to streets and villages.
• • Text | Video

Fast forward 2,000 years

• Today, many youth feel pressures from the difficulties of life. Gratefully, young men and women are drawn to “Sermon-on-the-Mount moments” and invitations from living prophets to be peacemakers.
• • Text | Video
• The rising generation is filled with testimonies of Jesus Christ and hope for the future. With that hope, becoming a peacemaker is possible.
• • Text | Video

Peacemaking in our hearts

• All are born with divine inclinations toward kindness and compassion. Peacemaking begins within oneself.
• • Text | Video

Peacemaking at home

• Peacemaking in the home begins with persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness, kindness, meekness and love unfeigned (see Doctrine and Covenants 121:41).
• • Text | Video
• A struggling family made peacemaking a family affair by forgiving and deliberately building up others instead of tearing them down.
• • Text | Video

Peacemaking in our communities

• A Muslim imam and a Christian pastor from Nigeria overcame contention, forgave and now travel side by side as peacemakers.
• • Text | Video

A one-week peacemaker plan

• To become a peacemaker, commit to building a contention-free home zone, share goodness online and repair and reunite strained relationships.
• • Text | Video

Conclusion

• Peacemaking is a Christlike attribute. It has been taught by Christ, scripture and modern-day prophets. As God’s children strive to become peacemakers, they fulfill a divine role given by Heavenly Father.
• • Text | Video

Reflection questions

What can you do to allow peacemaking to enter your heart more fully?

What can you do to help create a contention-free zone in your home?

How can you transform your social media into a place of peace?

Who in your life can you apologize to, minister to or reunite with?

Why is peacemaking important in our day?

Speaker quotes

• “Today, peacemaking still begins in the most basic place — in our hearts. Then in homes and families. As we practice there, peacemaking will spread into our neighborhoods and communities.”
• • Text | Video
• “When we come to know the glory of God, then we ‘will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably’ (Mosiah 4:13). In our congregations and our communities, may we choose to see one another as children of God.”
• • Text | Video
• “Peacemaking is a Christlike attribute. Peacemakers are sometimes labeled naive or weak — from all sides. Yet, to be a peacemaker is not to be weak but to be strong in a way that the world may not understand. Peacemaking requires courage and compromise but does not require sacrifice of principle. Peacemaking is to lead with an open heart, not a closed mind. It is to approach one another with extended hands, not clenched fists. Peacemaking is not a new thing, hot off the press. It was taught by Jesus Christ Himself, both to those in the Bible and the Book of Mormon. Peacemaking has since been taught by modern-day prophets from the earliest days of the Restoration even to this day.”
• • Text | Video

Reference scriptures

• “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.”
• • Matthew 5:9
• “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
• • John 14:27
• “And ye will not have a mind to injure one another, but to live peaceably, and to render to every man according to that which is his due.”
• • Mosiah 4:13

View this post on Instagram

Invitations and promises

• “A contention-free home zone: When contention starts, pause and reboot with kind words and deeds.”
• • Text | Video
• “Digital bridge building: Before posting, replying or commenting online, ask, ‘Will this build a bridge?’ If not, stop. Do not send. Instead, share goodness. Publish peace in the place of hate.”
• • Text | Video
• “Repair and reunite: Each family member could seek out a strained relationship in order to apologize, minister, repair and reunite.”
• • Text | Video

Stories

• Imagine a young teenager hears Christ speak in Capernaum, near the Sea of Galilee. They travel home, sharing what they learned from Him. They ask their parents if it’s possible to become a peacemaker in a world of commotion. Their father tells them that it’s possible — it begins in hearts, then in homes and families, finally in streets and villages.
• • Text | Video
• Children in a family struggled with a relationship with an adult whose demeanor is grumpy, condescending and curt. As the family spoke about those struggles, each committed to be deliberate with kind words and thoughtful deeds. The children found joy in the transformation that occurred from those changes.
• • Text | Video
• A Muslim imam and a Christian pastor in Nigeria stood on opposite sides of a painful religious divide. Through the healing power of forgiveness, they each set aside their differences and became friends. They established a center for interfaith mediation. Their efforts helped others, and they eventually became nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize.
• • Text | Video

Additional resources

• Related image: “And He Opened His Mouth and Taught Them” by Michael Malm
• Related video: “How To Show Christlike Kindness to Others”
• Related hymn: No. 1011, “Holding Hands Around the World”

Recent conference talks on peacemaking

• President Russell M. Nelson: “Confidence in the Presence of God” (April 2025)
• President Dallin H. Oaks: “Following Christ” (October 2024)
• Elder Quentin L. Cook: “Be Peaceable Followers of Christ” (October 2023)

Who is Elder Stevenson?

• Elder Gary E. Stevenson was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on Oct. 3, 2015. He lived in Japan for more than nine years and attended two Japan temple dedications and one rededication as an Apostle.

Remember conference — President Dallin H. Oaks: ‘Introduction’

Download a PDF of talk summaries from October 2025 general conference

October 2025 general conference: Announcements, talk summaries, photos, session highlights

In its 23rd year, the annual cultural celebration hosted by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will feature around 1,000 volunteer performers from across the Americas.

This year’s theme — “Paz que Ilumina” (“Peace that Shines”) — focuses on finding and sharing the peace of Jesus Christ amid a turbulent world, according to an event notice on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

How to watch the celebration

Performances will begin both evenings at 8 p.m. MST in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Tickets are required to attend the event in person.

With tickets for the live performances already sold out, viewers can watch the Saturday, November 8, performance live in Spanish at 8 p.m. MST on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. English and Portuguese subtitles will also be available.

The event will later be available on-demand on broadcasts.ChurchofJesusChrist.org, the Gospel Stream app and YouTube in Spanish, English and Portuguese.

“‘Luz de las Naciones’ is intended to spiritually lift our friends in the Latino community through music, dance and inspired messages,” said Elder Jorge T. Becerra, a General Authority Seventy and second counselor in the Utah Area Presidency. “This year, the theme ‘Peace that Shines’ will bring a large measure of the Savior’s peace that is needed in these days of trouble and strife. Our hope is to help the Latino community find a greater measure of peace that comes through Jesus Christ as we help them increase their faith in Him.”

“We invite all who participate in this year’s event, both audience and the large number of volunteers, to feel once again the peace that surpasses understanding.”

Elder Jorge T. Becerra

Honoring a century of growth in South America

This year’s “Luz de las Naciones” carries added meaning: it coincides with the centennial of the Church of Jesus Christ in South America.

“Many have increased the feeling of joy in their lives as they have heard and embraced the message of peace that comes from the Savior and His teachings,” Elder Becerra said.

Director Israel González-Nieri, who has long been part of the production, said this anniversary deepens the spirit of the celebration.

“One hundred years of history, service and growth have transformed communities and blessed the lives of millions,” he said. “For me, this anniversary is not only a remembrance of what we have received but also an invitation to continue sharing the light of Christ that brings peace and hope to the world.”

‘A living testimony’

The event showcases a tapestry of traditions, music and dances from across Latin America, including Puerto Rico, Bolivia, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, Brazil and Argentina. Performers wear traditional clothing and share music that reflects both cultural and spiritual heritage.

“This event is not just a concert or a cultural performance; it is a living testimony of the faith, diversity and brotherhood we share as children of God,” González-Nieri said.

During last year’s “Luz de las Naciones,” then-Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke to those in attendance in Spanish.

“I am grateful for you and for the blessing to be here this joyful night together,” he said. “I invoke the richest blessings upon all of you.”

Celebrating a century: Latter-day Saints commemorate 100 years in South America

Thousands celebrate Latin American culture at 22nd annual ‘Luz de las Naciones’

‘Luz de las Naciones’: Celebrating unity and gratitude through music and dance

Read more conference study helps here

About this talk

• “Simplicity in Christ”
• Elder Michael Cziesla | General Authority Seventy
• Saturday afternoon session of October 2025 general conference.
• Theme: Applying the doctrine of Christ in a simplified, focused way helps individuals find joy in daily life.

Read the full message here.

Read a summary of Elder Cziesla’s message here.

Outline

1. Introduction

• As a missionary in the Utah Ogden Mission, Elder Cziesla was impressed by the discipleship of many Latter-day Saints and the scale of fully functioning Church programs. He was determined to return to raise a family.
• • Text | Video
• After his mission, while serving as the ward Young Men president, Elder Cziesla learned that the joy of discipleship has very little to do with the size of Church meetings or the scale of programs. He and his wife decided to stay in their home country of Germany to raise a family.
• • Text | Video

2. The simplicity that is in Christ

• In a world that is increasingly secular, disciples can remain focused on “the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). The doctrine of Christ is so simple that even little children can understand it.
• • Text | Video
• Following Christ requires constant effort and continual change. Applying the doctrine of Christ in a simplified and focused way will help individuals find joy in their daily lives.
• • Text | Video
• Choosing to follow Christ’s example and move forward with faith in Him brings love, hope, gratitude and patience. Those who center themselves on applying pure and simple doctrine can see how the gospel works wonderfully for them, even in challenging circumstances.
• • Text | Video

3. Oma Cziesla

• Oma Cziesla, Elder Cziesla’s grandmother, embraced the gospel in East Prussia. Although she was far away from the nearest congregation, she continued to pray, read the scriptures and sing the songs of Zion. She gave her children a “100% home-centered Church experience.”
• • Text | Video
• After almost 25 years of being too far away to attend church, Oma Cziesla found a congregation just 20 miles away. She attended the next Sunday with her son, Elder Cziesla’s dad, then 17 years old. Hearing the songs of Zion he learned as a child pierced his heart, and he knew immediately the Church was true. He was baptized three weeks later.
• • Text | Video

4. Small and simple things

• The “small and simple things” of the gospel (Alma 37:6) and faithfully focusing on Christ lead to true joy, bring about mighty miracles and grant confidence in promised blessings.
• • Text | Video

Reflection questions

How can you simplify your approach to the gospel of Jesus Christ?

When has applying the doctrine of Christ “in a simplified and focused way” brought blessings to your life?

How can you create an effective “100% home-centered Church experience”?

What is one small, simple thing you can do to strengthen your faith in Christ this week?

Who can you help see the beauty in the “small and simple things” of discipleship?

Speaker quotes

• “Regularly asking, ‘What would the Lord Jesus Christ have me do?’ reveals profound direction. Following His example provides a safe path through uncertainty and a loving, guiding hand to hold from day to day. He is the Prince of Peace and the Good Shepherd. He is our Comforter and Deliverer. He is our Rock and Refuge. He is a Friend — your friend and my friend. He invites us all to love God, keep His commandments and love our neighbor.”
• • Text | Video
• “We sometimes underestimate the strength we receive from simple acts like prayer, fasting, scripture study, daily repentance, partaking of the sacrament weekly and regular worship in the house of the Lord. But when we recognize that we don’t need to ‘do some great thing’ and we center ourselves on applying pure and simple doctrine, we start to see how the gospel ‘works wonderfully’ for us, even in the most challenging circumstances. We find strength and ‘confidence before God,’ even when we experience heartache.”
• • Text | Video
• “Applying the simplicity that is in Christ makes us prioritize people over processes and eternal relationships over short-term behaviors. We focus on ‘the things that matter most’ in God’s work of salvation and exaltation instead of getting caught up in managing our ministering. We make ourselves free to prioritize the things we can do rather than being weighed down by the things we cannot do.”
• • Text | Video

Reference scriptures

• “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
• • Proverbs 3:5-6
• “Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.”
• • Doctrine and Covenants 64:33
• “Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.”
• • Alma 37:6

Invitations and promises

• “Applying the doctrine of Christ in a simplified and focused way will help us to find joy in our daily lives, give guidance in our callings, answer some of life’s most complex questions and provide strength to face our greatest challenges.”
• • Text | Video
• “As we choose to follow His example and move forward with faith in Christ, embrace the power of His Atonement and remember our covenants, love fills our hearts, hope and healing raise our spirits, and bitterness and sorrow are replaced by gratitude and the patience to wait for promised blessings.”
• • Text | Video
• “I have learned through my own experience that the small and simple things of the gospel and faithfully focusing on Christ lead us to true joy, bring about mighty miracles and grant us confidence that all promised blessings will come to pass.”
• • Text | Video

Stories

• As a missionary in the Utah Ogden Mission, Elder Cziesla was impressed by the discipleship of many Latter-day Saints and the scale of fully functioning Church programs. He was determined to return to raise a family. After his mission, while serving as the ward Young Men president, Elder Cziesla learned that the joy of discipleship has very little to do with the size of Church meetings or the scale of programs. He and his wife decided to stay in their home country of Germany to raise a family.
• • Text | Video
• Elder Cziesla’s grandmother Marta Cziesla — whom he called Oma Cziesla — embraced the gospel in East Prussia. She married a nonmember in 1930, and although she was far away from the nearest congregation, she continued to pray, read the scriptures and sing the songs of Zion. When she had children, she gave them a “100% home-centered Church experience.”
• • Text | Video
• After almost 25 years of being too far away to attend church, Oma Cziesla found a congregation just 20 miles away. She attended the next Sunday with her son, Elder Cziesla’s dad, then 17 years old. Hearing the songs of Zion he learned as a child pierced his heart, and he knew immediately the Church was true. He was baptized three weeks later.
• • Text | Video

From the footnotes

• 2. Reference to the famous last sentence from “Music & the Spoken Word,” first introduced by Richard L. Evans: “Again we leave you from within the shadows of the everlasting hills. May peace be with you this day and always.”
• 7. “Keep on the covenant path” was President Russell M. Nelson’s message to every member of the Church during his first address as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (“As We Go Forward Together,” Liahona, April 2018).

Additional resources

• Related image: “Jesus Kneeling in Prayer and Meditation” by Michael Jarvis Nelson
• Related hymn: No. 1038, “The Lord’s My Shepherd”
• Related video: “Echoes of Paul: Teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ Across Generations”

Recent conference talks on doctrine

• President Henry B. Eyring: “Simple Is the Doctrine of Jesus Christ” (October 2024)
• Elder Quentin L. Cook: “Be One With Christ” (April 2024)
• Elder Dale G. Renlund: “The Powerful, Virtuous Cycle of the Doctrine of Christ” (April 2024)

Who is Elder Cziesla?

• Elder Michael Cziesla was sustained as a General Authority Seventy in April 2025 general conference. Born in Neumünster, Germany, Elder Cziesla worked as an attorney and partner for SJ Berwin LLP and became a senior corporate partner at McDermott Will & Emery.

Remember conference — Elder Gerrit W. Gong: ‘No One Sits Alone’

Download a PDF of talk summaries from October 2025 general conference

October 2025 general conference: Announcements, talk summaries, photos, session highlights

Read more conference study helps here

About this talk

• “The Eternal Gift of Testimony”
• Elder Kevin G. Brown | General Authority Seventy
• Saturday afternoon session of October 2025 general conference.
• Theme: A sure witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ comes as believers choose Him and take charge of their testimony.

Read the full message here.

Read a summary of Elder Brown’s message here.

Outline

• Truths from the Restoration have blessed Elder Brown’s life. Those truths have guided him on a journey toward a sure witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
• • Text | Video

1. God is our loving Heavenly Father

• God is omniscient, omnipotent and constantly seeking to bless His children.
• • Text | Video

2. Agency is the gift to choose and act for ourselves

• Agency is the responsibility to choose well. The purpose of agency is to choose good, Christ and eternal life.
• • Text | Video

3. Our testimony comes through the power of the Holy Ghost

• The Holy Ghost is the preeminent witness of the Father and the Son. A testimony from the Holy Ghost can come suddenly, gradually or intermittently.
• • Text | Video

Finding testimony in Jamaica

• While growing up in Jamaica, Elder Brown was criticized for being a Latter-day Saint. While that time was painful, a spiritual experience with the Holy Ghost dulled the pain. The gift and witness of the Holy Ghost are available to all.
• • Text | Video
• A testimony-building experience occurred after Elder Brown was invited by a sister missionary to read the Book of Mormon. He still knows exactly where and when he received his witness. “That experience changed me.”
• • Text | Video
• A personal testimony is an eternal gift to be multiplied, not buried. Belief, hope and trust are significant particles of faith toward receiving a sure witness. All Latter-day Saints can pursue the path to testimony and a sure knowledge.
• • Text | Video

Take charge of your testimony

• While some choose to criticize the Church, choosing to receive the gift of testimony is a wise and powerful way to use agency. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, and the prophetic mantle continues under Jesus Christ’s direction today.
• • Text | Video
• As individuals take charge of their testimony and choose to believe, it will be an anchor and a motivator through difficult times.
• • Text | Video
• The world needs more sure witnesses of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Now is the time to lay hold on this gift.
• • Text | Video

Reflection questions

What “good gifts” from God have you received?

How can you more intentionally choose Christ in your daily life?

What experiences have personally strengthened your testimony?

What blessings do you see as you “choose to believe”?

Who in your life has had an influence on your testimony?

Speaker quotes

• “A testimony through the Holy Ghost can come in many ways. Like a light bulb in a dark room, it can come on dramatically and suddenly. It can come like the sunrise gradually and over time. It can come like rays of light, intermittent exposure to pure intelligence. Whatever the way, it comes through the Holy Ghost.”
• • Text | Video
• “Brothers and sisters, a testimony is not given for temporary use. This gift from our loving Heavenly Father is meant to be eternal because the giver is eternal. A testimony should not have an expiration date. It should not weaken or diminish because something in my life has changed or something in the world has changed. It should get stronger because, like the servant’s talents in the parable of the talents, my personal testimony is a gift to be multiplied — not buried.”
• • Text | Video
• “If you know, you know. I know that I know. We need more sure witnesses of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Get there. Seek it. It is urgent. This is the final dispensation — the dispensation of the fullness of times.”
• • Text | Video

Reference scriptures

• “But unto him that keepeth my commandments I will give the mysteries of my kingdom, and the same shall be in him a well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life.”
• • Doctrine and Covenants 63:23
• “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”
• • Matthew 24:35
• “And again I would exhort you that ye would come unto Christ, and lay hold upon every good gift, and touch not the evil gift, nor the unclean thing.”
• • Moroni 10:30

Invitations and promises

• “My dear brothers and sisters, let the small seedling of testimony work in you until it springs up to an everlastingly glorious sure knowledge.”
• • Text | Video
• “I invite you to think about your path to a sure witness of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Take charge of your testimony; use your agency wisely and acknowledge the giver and all His glorious attributes. I bear witness that the power is within you. No one can choose for you. No one can take this gift away. You can choose to believe.”
• • Text | Video
• “I promise that as you [choose to believe], your testimony will be a ‘well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life’ (Doctrine and Covenants 63:23). It will be an anchor and a motivator, and it will sustain you through difficult times. It will enable you to develop spiritual gifts. It will help you in your personal ministry and service. It will be a weapon against Satan and your adversaries. Your testimony will be a joy as you see it replicated in your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and in those you love and serve. It will be powerful when you share it and use it to testify.”
• • Text | Video

Stories

• While growing up in Jamaica, Elder Brown was criticized for being a Latter-day Saint. While that time was painful, a spiritual experience with the Holy Ghost dulled the pain. This occurred after Elder Brown was invited by a sister missionary to read the Book of Mormon. He still knows exactly where and when he received his witness. “That experience changed me.”
• • Text | Video
• When Parley P. Pratt felt disgruntled with the Prophet Joseph Smith, he chose to criticize the Church. Pratt warned John Taylor not to follow Joseph. Then Taylor said to Parley: “Before you left Canada, you bore a strong testimony to Joseph Smith being a prophet of God. … If Joseph Smith was then a prophet, he is now a prophet.”
• • Text | Video

From the footnotes

• 3. “Just because God is God, just because Christ is Christ, they cannot do other than care for us and bless us and help us if we will but come unto them, approaching their throne of grace in meekness and lowliness of heart. They can’t help but bless us. They have to. It is their nature” (Then-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, “Come Unto Me,” Brigham Young University devotional, March 2, 1997).
• 19. “The spiritual witness I gained from the Holy Ghost ... has not passed away. In fact, it has grown stronger. The things I learned in my youth about the fundamental principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ have been my firm foundation throughout my life” (Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Nourish the Roots, and the Branches Will Grow,” October 2024 general conference).
• 24. “Receiving a gift is not passive but an intentional and meaningful process that goes far beyond merely opening a package. To receive is to appreciate and connect with both the gift and the heart of the giver in a way that strengthens the bonds between the giver and receiver” (Elder Patrick Kearon, “Receive His Gift,” April 2025 general conference).

Additional resources

• Related image: “A Young Woman Praying”
• Related video: “Excerpts From ‘The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles’”
• Related hymn: No. 137, “Testimony”

Recent conference talks on testimony

• President Jeffrey R. Holland: “And Now I See” (October 2025)
• Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf: “Nourish the Roots, and the Branches Will Grow” (October 2024)
• President D. Todd Christofferson: “The Testimony of Jesus” (April 2024)

Who is Elder Brown?

• Elder Kevin G. Brown was sustained as a General Authority Seventy in the April 2025 general conference. Born in Manchester, Jamaica, Elder Brown spent his career with the Church’s Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, where he served as an institute coordinator, division director of training services and associate administrator.

Remember conference — Elder Jeremy R. Jaggi: ‘Humble Souls at Altars Kneel’

Download a PDF of talk summaries from October 2025 general conference

October 2025 general conference: Announcements, talk summaries, photos, session highlights