David B. Galbraith and B. John Galbraith

David B. Galbraith and his brother B. John Galbraith — two of Beth and Bruce Galbraith’s 10 children — grew up in Raymond, Alberta, where they worked with their father to make ends meet. “We were poor but never knew it,” President John Galbraith said. “Mom and dad made sure we had the necessities of life. Besides, everyone had financial struggles in our town, so who was counting?”

Living in the small farming community, just 40 miles from Cardston, Alberta, the brothers remember watching their parents attend the temple. “They spoke fondly of their temple experiences and we listened with the ears of youth hardly realizing the influence our parents were having upon us in instilling an absolute desire to be worthy to be [sealed] one day in the temple,” said President David Galbraith.

Their father served in a bishopric and later as a bishop, in the small community. “Growing up, we stayed true to the faith that our parents cherished,” said John Galbraith.

President David Galbraith, the oldest in the family, served in the Swiss/Austrian Mission and President John Galbraith, the third-born, served in Belgium and France.

In many ways both brothers have mirrored each other in Church service. Both taught at Church universities; both served as bishops; both served as stake presidents; both served as mission presidents — one in Siberia, Russia, and the other in Bulgaria.

Each brother also lived abroad. David and Frieda Galbraith lived for more than 20 years in Jerusalem, Israel, while John and Carol Galbraith have spent eight years serving in the former Soviet Union.

“Then, to both be called as temple presidents was a capstone experience in life,” said President John Galbraith.

John and Carol Galbraith are serving as temple president and matron in Kyiv, Ukraine, while David and Frieda Galbraith are finishing their three years as temple president and matron in Montreal, Canada.

“While our time in the temple was spent in the service of others, we quickly learned that it works both ways. As we magnified our calling we, in turn, were magnified,” said President David Galbraith. “We have learned that a temple setting, whether it is in Montreal or Provo, or wherever a temple may be, is truly a ‘millennial’ experience and the more often we attend and immerse ourselves in the things of the Spirit the better it gets.”

Each brother says he owes much to faithful parents, who, as President David Galbraith points out, didn’t know they were “preparing at least two of their sons to be worthy to be called as a [temple] president one day.”

President Santiago Mejia and President Zeniff Mejia

Santiago Mejia smiles when he speaks of the familiar, heartfelt greeting he and his younger brother, Zeniff Mejia, exchange whenever they speak on the phone.

“I will ask Zeniff, ‘How are you, my dear president?’ He will answer, ‘Fine, how are you, my dear president?’ ”

The Mejia brothers share more than a blood relation and family memories. Both preside over temples in their native Mexico — a nation of 12 such edifices that has been aptly dubbed “land of temples.” President Santiago Mejia was called to be president of the Mexico City Mexico Temple in 2009. A year later, President Zeniff Mejia accepted an identical assignment at the Merida Mexico Temple.

Simultaneously presiding over temples “was a surprise” to the Mejia brothers, said Zeniff Mejia — “but it has been a wonderful blessing.”

The brothers grew up in the Church in the Mexican state of Puebla at a time when the Church was establishing deep roots throughout the nation. Both learned early the importance of Church service. They also developed a deep love for family history research that would serve them well in their present callings.

Frequent trips to the Mesa Arizona Temple instilled in the young Mejia brothers a lifelong love for the temple and its eternal purposes. They both rejoiced when Mexico’s first temple — the Mexico City Mexico Temple — was dedicated in 1983 by President Gordon B. Hinckley, then a counselor in the First Presidency.

Since then, they have witnessed the miracle of prolific temple building in their native land. Temples dot the Mexican landscape, from Ciudad Juarez in the north to Tuxtla Gutierrez in the south.

Both men were well prepared when they began their tenure as temple presidents. President Santiago Mejia had served in the Mexico City temple and as a missionary in the Church History Department, along with receiving several local leadership assignments. President Zeniff Mejia, meanwhile, also fulfilled leadership assignments and served as a counselor in the Villahermosa Tabasco Temple presidency prior to his calling in Merida.

The brothers don’t typically seek one another’s counsel in temple administration matters. “The challenges in our districts are different,” explained President Zeniff Mejia.

“But we often speak of the meaning and beauty of the temple and the beauty of the temple ordinances,” added President Santiago Mejia.

President Santiago Mejia is fast approaching his release date at the Mexico City temple. He looks forward to visiting his brother in Merida and worshipping together in the temple. He is confident that any family in the Church can become a “temple family” if they place the gospel and the lessons of the temple at the center of their lives.

President G. Richard Oscarson and President Paul K. Oscarson

For G. Richard and Paul K. Oscarson, their simultaneous service presiding over the St. Louis Missouri and Stockholm Sweden temples respectively is but the latest chapter in a lifelong saga of service to the Lord.

“The Oscarsons have always considered themselves to be a Swedish family living in America,” said President Paul Oscarson. “Both Dick and I had the privilege of serving as full-time missionaries in Sweden. This common experience helped to form a special bond between us.

“We were so excited for him, Linda and their family, when he was called to preside over the Sweden Stockhom Mission in 1975, never imagining that a year later we would be sharing that experience [as mission president of] the Sweden G?eborg Mission.”

He said his older brother was “a true mentor” during that time. “His example as a successful mission president was both inspiring and instructive. Having shared that experience of serving together at a time when there were two missions in Sweden has built a special bond between us and our wives, Bonnie and Linda. Our families were young, and both had children born while in Sweden.”

Not only did the experience mean a great deal to the brothers, but it helped forge a special bond between their wives, who each rose to the challenge of managing a large family in a foreign land, President Paul Oscarson noted.

For his part, President Richard Oscarson said, “Twelve years makes a big difference while brothers are growing up; however, we have felt the differences in age melt away as Paul and I, along with our wives, have been blessed to share many meaningful eternal memories.”

He added, “Paul has been an example of thoughtfulness and diligent faithfulness for our family and all of those he has served. We were thrilled and proud to learn of Paul’s and Bonnie’s call to serve as president and matron of the Stockholm Sweden Temple. We feel our dear deceased parents and Swedish grandparents also rejoiced in their call.”

Their parents, Roy W. and Vera Oscarson, came to St. Louis in the 1940s, where they, with their children, helped pioneer the development and growth of the Church in that city. Even as his two sons were serving simultaneously as mission presidents, Roy Oscarson would be called in 1976 to preside over the newly created Scotland Glasgow Mission.

He did not live quite long enough to see the dedication of a temple in St. Louis, but Vera was present at the temple dedication in 1997. The first temple presidency included their eldest son, Don Oscarson.

Now, President Richard Oscarson is concluding his tenure as president of that temple as President Paul Oscarson finishes his term as temple president in Stockholm.

President Paul Oscarson reminisced about their respective calls: “In the spring of 2009, Bonnie and I had received a call to serve as full-time missionaries in Hong Kong. Shortly before we were to report at the MTC, our assignment changed when this call came to return to Sweden and serve in the Stockholm temple. At the same time, Dick and Linda were called to the temple in St. Louis. In the Seminar for New Temple Presidents, the couples were seated alphabetically by temple location. That meant that ‘St. Louis’ and ‘Stockholm’ were seated right next to each other. It seemed somehow fitting for two brothers who have shared so much to be by each other’s side. Once again we have been blessed to share a common experience. The Lord continues to bless me with a great example and mentor. I often find myself wondering, ‘What would Dick do in this situation?’ ”

President Richard Oscarson remarked, “To have shared in the supernal experiences associated with our callings in the temple, in addition to our family’s experiences in Sweden as mission presidents, has been a privilege and blessing beyond words to express. We humbly acknowledge the hand of the Lord in our lives and in the lives of our families. Our hearts are full as we complete our sacred stewardships.”

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That historic fact works as a first day news headline — and Elder Ulisses Soares is quick to say he’s grateful to hail from a land “where the gospel is growing and the Lord is bringing so many blessings to our people.”

But the 59-year-old said he won’t be compartmentalized. His apostolic calling, he said, knows no borders. Like his counterparts from ancient and modern days, his new ministry is a global charge.

“I was called to be a servant, a representative of Jesus Christ and apostle,” he said a few days after he was sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on March 31. “It so happens that I am Brazilian and from South America — but I could be from anywhere in the world.”

Elder Soares was settling into his new office at the Church Administration Building when he spent a few minutes with the Church News. While reflecting on his new, worldwide calling he uttered the word “overwhelming” several times.

Seated at his side was his wife, Rosana Fernandes Soares. They served at the same time in the Brazil Rio de Janeiro Mission and began dating following a chance meeting at a stake dance in São Paulo after Sister Soares had completed her missionary service. Their partnered dedication to the Lord has defined their adult identities.

The couple rarely says “I” and “me” when discussing their respective lives — opting for the pronouns “we” and “us.”

“We feel very unqualified, but we will do what the Lord asks us to do,” he said.

Sustaining and working alongside her husband “is a marvelous privilege to serve God — He has done everything for us,” added Sister Soares.

An unexpected call

The Soares’ companionship changed forever during an office visit with President Russell M. Nelson a few days before general conference.

“President Nelson walked in and his eyes were very penetrating,” said Elder Soares. “He sat down in front us, knee to knee. He held my hand and my wife’s hand … and then he extended the call. He told us the Savior wanted to me to serve as one of His apostles.”

It was a humbling moment. Emotions gripped the couple. They didn’t feel up to the task.

“But President Nelson was so kind,” said Elder Soares. “He told us the call is not about us but about loving and serving, being a represenative of Jesus Christ.”

A prophet’s clarifying words immediately instilled comfort and confidence. They understood God qualifies whom He calls. “We are simple people,” said Elder Soares, “but we are available to serve in the Lord’s kingdom, no matter the calling.”

A gospel-centered ‘team‘

Elder Soares’ 13 years as a General Authority, including his most recent tenure in the Presidency of the Seventy, has made him the public face of the family. But he knows even the most prominent ship drifts without an anchor.

“Any good thing that happens in our lives is because of my faithful and loving wife,” he said. “She’s devoted to Jesus Christ and His Church. … She is our mentor and blessing.”

Sister Soares said her husband — “my eternal boyfriend” — lives “for our family and our three children and grandchildren.”

Their comfort and happiness is his comfort and happiness. “When he sees I’m tired he will tell me, ‘Go rest, I’ll do whatever needs to be done,’ ” said Sister Soares.

Elder Soares brings rich professional and ecclesiastical experience to his new calling. He received an undergraduate degree in accounting and economics from the São Paulo Pontifical Catholic University, School of Economic Science in 1985 and later received a Master of Business Administration degree. He was an accountant and auditor for multinational corporations in Brazil and, later, director for temporal affairs in the Church area office in São Paulo, Brazil.

Despite his busy work and family duties, Elder Soares served as an elders quorum president, counselor in a bishopric, high councilor, stake executive secretary, regional welfare agent, stake president and president of the Portugal Porto Mission (2000–2003).

Besides his native Portuguese, he speaks English and Spanish.

Elder Soares’ service in the Seventy afforded several opportunities to work closely with members of the Twelve he now counts as associates. He said he has learned from their instruction and example. He’s watched as the apostles and their wives travel across the world, endure flight delays and travel hiccups, hustle from airports to hotels for quick showers — and then rush to be with members and missionaries who are eager to hear from the Lord’s “special witnesses.”

The latter-day apostles, he said, “give themselves to this cause because of their testimony of Jesus Christ. It is beautiful to see.”

Seek revelation

Last June, Elder Soares dedicated the Sixth Crossing Visitors’ Center in western Wyoming. He stuck around for a few hours afterward to enjoy dinner with the senior couples serving missions at the pioneer-themed locale.

One of the missionaries asked their visitor about dealing with the often-hostile online discussions about the Church, its leadership and its history.

His five word response: Read the Book of Mormon.

It’s the same apostolic guidance he says he would give any of the Church’s 16 million-plus members when their faith buckles a bit. “When you study the Book of Mormon, as our prophets have taught, you receive the influence of the Lord,” he said.

It is a vehicle to the divine; a catalyst for personal revelation. “And if you feed your faith through revelation you will not fall away,” he said. “You just keep going, and you will feel the love of the Lord encircling you.”

The gifts of the gospel are as certain as a mathematical equation, said Sister Soares. Just as 2+2 always equals 4, prayer+scripture study+temple worship+sacrament meeting attendance always add up to blessings.

“If you consistently do the simple things, you will be blessed,” she said.

In the waning moments of the historic “Be One” event, President Russell M. Nelson’s eyes twinkled as he stood on the Conference Center stage and saluted the many performers. Perhaps he was also envisioning people across the globe clasping hands, literally and metaphorically, commemorating a latter-day priesthood revelation that continues to bless legions.

“I wish we could hug and thank everyone one of your for your wonderful performance,” he told the cast members.

All are equal to God, he declared. All have the same opportunities in the gospel.

“On every continent and across the isles of the sea, faithful people are being gathered into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,” he said at the conclusion of the “Be One” — the First Presidency-sponsored celebration marking the 40th anniversary of the 1978 revelation on the priesthood.

“Differences in culture, language, gender, race and nationality,” he said, “fade into insignificance as the faithful enter the covenant path and come unto our Beloved Redeemer.”

The world is largely defined by division and violence. But “Be One” was both a call and a recommitment to unity and love. The event’s wide-ranging offerings of festive music, dance and faith-promoting messages doubled as reminders of the transcendent power of togetherness through Christ.

“We realize that only the comprehension of the true Fatherhood of God can bring full appreciation of the true brotherhood of men and the true sisterhood of women. That understanding inspires us with passionate desire to build bridges of cooperation instead of walls of segregation,” said President Nelson.

The Church’s 17th president concluded his brief remarks invoking a blessing “that we may overcome any burdens of prejudice and walk uprightly with God — and with one another — in perfect peace and harmony.”

The event championed the possibilities of such harmony with colorful musical and dance. The night’s performing artists included Gladys Knight, Alex Boyé, the Bonner family, a missionary choir, and the Be One Choir consisting of members of Saints Unified Voices, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Unity Gospel Choir International.

Events such as the assassination of President John F. Kennedy or the attacks of 9/11 forever persist in one’s memory, said President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency in his message at the beginning of Friday’s event.

“For Latter-day Saints who were adults at that time, the 1978 revelation on the priesthood was an event of such magnitude that it is also etched in memory.”

President Oaks was working in the yard of his mountain home with his two sons when the phone rang, unexpectedly. Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was on the line.

“He told me about the revelation on the priesthood, which was just being announced. We exchanged expressions of joy, and I walked back to the hillside. I sat down on the pile of dirt we had been moving and beckoned to my sons. As I told them that all worthy male members of the Church could now be ordained to the priesthood, I wept for joy.

“That is the scene etched in my memory of this unforgettable announcement forty years ago — sitting on a pile of dirt and weeping as I told my sons of this divine revelation.”

As a student and, later, a young lawyer, President Oaks lived in the U.S. Midwest and the East. The restriction on the ordination and temple blessings of persons of African ancestry was the subject of frequent conversations.

“I observed the pain and frustration experienced by those who suffered these restrictions and those who criticized them and sought for reasons. I studied the reasons then being given and could not feel confirmation of the truth of any of them.”

Prayerful study taught him that the Lord rarely gives reasons for His commandments and directions.

“I determined to be loyal to our prophetic leaders and to pray — as promised from the beginning of these restrictions — that the day would come when all would enjoy the blessings of priesthood and temple. Now that day had come, and I wept for joy.”

He wasn’t alone. Many Latter-day Saints felt joy upon learning of the revelation. The number of members of African descent was relatively small at the time. So many of those who rejoiced were Anglo-Americans “who witnessed the pain of black brothers and sisters and longed for their relief.”

Counted among those who “wept for joy” at the priesthood revelation were Dr. Russell M. Nelson and then Deputy Commissioner of Education Henry B. Eyring.

“In 1978, both of these men had lived outside the somewhat isolated environment of the Mountain West for more than a total of 40 years,” said President Oaks. “They had also witnessed the pain of this restriction among their associates.”

Institutionally, the Church reacted swiftly to the revelation on the priesthood. Ordinations and temple recommends came immediately and membership records continued to make no mention of race or ethnicity.

Meanwhile, “the reasons that had been given to try to explain the prior restrictions on members of African ancestry — even those previously voiced by revered Church leaders — were promptly and publicly disavowed.”

Changes in the “hearts and practices” of individual members did not come suddenly and universally, he said. Some accepted the effects of the revelation immediately. Others accepted gradually.

“But some, in their personal lives, continued the attitudes of racism that have been painful to so many throughout the world, including the past 40 years,” he said. “Others have wanted to look back, concentrating attention on re-examining the past, including seeking reasons for the now-outdated restrictions.”

But most in the Church, including its senior leaders, have concentrated on the “opportunities of the future” rather than the “disappointments of the past.” They have trusted the Lord’s timing and wisdom while accepting the direction of His prophet, he said.

“In doing so, we have received new impetus to fulfill the command that we are to teach the everlasting gospel unto all — to “all nations, kindreds, tongues and people” (Doctrine and Covenants 42:58).

Focusing on what has not been revealed or past explanations by those operating with limited understanding can only result in speculation and frustration, he added.

“To all who have such concerns, we extend our love and this special invitation. Let us all look forward in the unity of our faith and trust in the Lord’s promise that ‘he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female’ ” (2 Nephi 26:33; emphasis added).

One of the most important effects of the revelation on the priesthood is a call to abandon attitudes of prejudice against anyone.

“As servants of God who have the knowledge and responsibilities of His great plan of salvation, we should hasten to prepare our attitudes and our actions — institutionally and personally — to abandon all personal prejudices,” he said.

President Oaks' full remarks from the Church's 'Be One' celebration

President Oaks said celebrating the 40th anniversary of the revelation is about looking forward. “As we do, we express special appreciation for our marvelous members of African descent, especially our African-American members, who have persisted in faith and faithfulness through a difficult transition period of fading prejudice.”

Then it was time to sing and dance.

Traditional African dances and soulful gospel music were kept in step by musicians manning electric guitars, keyboards and drums.

Cast members also delivered dramatized histories of key Latter-day Saints figures such as Mormon Pioneers Jane Manning James and Elijah Abel and Brazilian-born Elder Helvécio Martins, the first General Authority of African descent.

They recounted key figures in the African nations, Brazil and the Caribbean who would build the first foundations of the gospel in their native lands. Prolific missionary work and temple building can now be found in many lands with large populations of African descent.

Count the “Be One” audience as part of the night’s cast. They rose to their feet, clapping and cheering on the performers delivering heartfelt renditions of gospel songs and familiar hymns such as “Let Us All Press On.”

Gladys Knight, a convert and the so-called “Empress of Soul,” performed an unforgettable and apt rendition of “Somewhere” before leading the Be One Choir and an on-its-feet congregation in “Love One Another.”

Even after Odeh Ondoma delivered the benediction, cast and audience members lingered, not wanting to call it a night.

Counted among the many who helped stage Friday’s “Be One” event was choreographer Yvonne Baraketse, a convert and a native of Rwanda. She knows much of division. She lost her father and other loved ones to genocide in her homeland. She has witnessed racism on three different continents.

But the Church, she said, has offered her a community presided over by Christ. “The gospel is what unites us and removes barriers of culture or skin color.”

The historic celebration, she added, “[gave] me an opportunity to perform for God.”

President Nelson's full remarks from the Church's 'Be One' celebration

Instead, they will listen to The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square.

Leaders of the world-renowned choir announced the new name Friday morning — saying the change was made “to better align” with its sponsoring organization, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

An August statement by President Russell M. Nelson prompted the decision:

“The Lord has impressed upon my mind the importance of the name He has revealed for His Church, even the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We have work before us to bring ourselves in harmony with His will.”

Choir president Ron Jarrett told the Church News he anticipated a name change following President Nelson’s statement last summer.

“We are at the forefront of the Church as far as brand recognition, so I knew that we would have the opportunity to change our name,” he said. “It is an opportunity to follow the prophet. It is an opportunity to move the choir forward. It is an opportunity to be where we should be.”

Located prominently on Temple Square, the Tabernacle has been home to the choir since 1867. The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square offers a historical nod to the symbiotic connection between the musical organization and the iconic structure.

“It’s a natural fit,” said Jarrett. “‘Tabernacle,’ because this is our home. ‘Temple Square,’ because that is where we perform. It’s where we are based and where we serve the Church.”

Renowned for its acoustics, the Tabernacle was built long before amplifiers and electronics. But it remains a superior forum for musical performances. The building is still used as a recording studio for the choir today.

Jarrett said the name change also allows for consistency between the choir and its sister organizations, The Orchestra at Temple Square and The Bells at Temple Square.

“It puts us all together in the same big family. People will be able to recognize that they are all coming from the same source.”

While the name of the choir has changed, its mission and message remain the same, said Jarrett. And yes, the weekly “Music and the Spoken Word” broadcast will continue as it has since 1929.

“We will continue to provide the same programming and wonderful music.”

Music director Mack Wilberg said he expects the program’s loyal, global audience to keep growing. “Among the many reasons ‘Music and the Spoken Word’ continues to be relevant worldwide is it conveys hope, joy, and comfort through inspirational music and messages.”

The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square will also continue to play a prominent role in general conference. Choir members, said Jarrett, work to better their own lives so they can be “the conduit” of the music during conference.

“It is important for us to be prepared both musically and spiritually for this event. General conference is the highlight of our year. It is a blessing and an opportunity.”

Coincident with the choir’s name change, its website address will now be thetabernaclechoir.org. The choir’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages have also undergone similar changes.

“He said that we would need that foundation to be effective in the rapidly changing world,” recalled President Eyring at the July 16 ceremony at the University of Utah celebrating completion of the school’s Applied Science Project.

Just weeks after receiving a physics degree from the University of Utah, the younger Eyring, who now serves as the second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was serving as a newly commissioned second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. To his surprise, he was assigned to a leadership position in the military special weapons project.

“The only information that the [Air Force] had about me was that I had graduated from the University of Utah two weeks earlier,” said President Eyring.

“In the two years I served in that assignment, I saw my father’s promise fulfilled as I found myself able to resolve problems and make judgments which had the potential to affect the lives of people and nations across the world.”

Utah’s Crocker Science Complex: A scientific discovery hub

The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the official completion of the school’s Applied Science Project, which combines the newly built L.S. Skaggs Applied Science Building with the renovated historic William Stewart Building and the Crocker Science Center.

The three facilities form the Crocker Science Complex — a 275,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art locale for scientific study and research.

The new Applied Science Building “provides a 56% increase in the capacity of undergraduate physics labs,” Peter Trapa, vice provost and senior dean of the University’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, told the Deseret News.

Almost every STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — student at the University of Utah will learn, collaborate and even conduct research in the building at some point during their time on campus, he added.

In his remarks at the ceremony, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox saluted the individuals and organizations that donated to the university’s science complex project.

“The same values that we use to teach science correlate perfectly to how we do things here in Utah: collaboration and creativity with a commitment to putting the greater good in the forefront and always seeking truth.

“When we invest in science, we invest in people.”

A place where ‘dreams will happen’

In his remarks, President Eyring spoke of how science has helped define his educational, professional and ecclesiastical experiences.

He spoke of his appreciation for teachers and professors who “help us to see the vastness of the physical world and the beauty of understanding it and the power that it gives us.

“I am grateful for teachers who strengthen my confidence that there is order in the physical world — which has and will be continuously better understood."

President Eyring then saluted the generosity of donors and university leaders who have made the Crocker Science Complex a reality. “My hope is that those who study here may follow your example to use whatever powers and resources they gain to lift and to bless others in future generations.”

In his remarks, University of Utah President Taylor Randall noted the essential role faith-driven educators such as W.W. Phelps, Orson Pratt and Henry Eyring played in establishing the school’s science bona fides and global reputation.

“This is actually a place where students’ dreams will happen,” said Randall. “Whether they are undergraduates or graduate students, they will happen here. And many of the individuals that enter applied areas later on will begin in this college with physics and mathematics.”

The University of Utah’s College of Science, he added, leads the country with its science research initiative.

“This is a place where dreams will come true,” he said.

Episode 199: University of Utah President Taylor Randall on the value of higher education

Donors express faith in science and research

Gary Crocker, the president of Crocker Ventures, spoke of his and his family’s decadeslong relationship with the University of Utah’s science education community — and his gratitude for Utah’s elected leaders.

Crocker saluted the Eyring family and the generosity of the religious organization in which he serves.

“The pivotal difference that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints makes in our community is literally impossible to measure — and its impact ripples through lives, worldwide."

The new L.S. Skaggs Applied Science Building, Crocker added, is going to “ripple through the lives of tens of thousands of students.

“They will become our future physicians and our future nurses, our future scientists, our future pharmacists and astronomers and environmental scientists.”

New statue at University of Utah honors President Henry B. Eyring’s father

BYU’s new Music Building is a testament to how much the Church values music, says Elder Christofferson

Elder Abrea, an emeritus General Authority since 2003, died Feb. 13, 2021. He was 87.

He is survived by his wife, Maria Chiapparino Abrea, along with three daughters, 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

A Church convert, the Buenos Aires, Argentina, native holds a defining place in Latter-day Saint history from when he was sustained to the First Quorum of the Seventy at the April 1981 general conference, becoming the first General Authority from Latin America.

At the time of that monumental call, the 47-year-old Elder Abrea was serving as a mission president and had already been called to preside over the soon-to-be-built Buenos Aires Argentina Temple.

“I pledge all of my time, talents and efforts, all that I possess, to the work to which I have been called,” he said in his general conference address at the time of his calling.

For countless Latin American Latter-day Saints, Elder Abrea was an example of service and spiritual strength.

Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and a native of Brazil said Elder Abrea played an important role in the lives of many people in South America and around the world.

"His strong personality made him faithful in Jesus Christ and in His gospel," said Elder Soares in a statement. "He influenced many people for good through his teachings and example of a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. I am very grateful for his rich life and for what he taught me at the beginning of my ministry as a new General Authority."

Elder Walter F. González, a General Authority Seventy and another fellow South American, worked closely with Elder Abrea while the former was serving in various ecclesiastical positions in Uruguay and Ecuador.

In an email to the Church News, Elder González said he was blessed by Elder Abrea’s wise direction and advice.

“Elder Abrea was a man of great honor and a great advocate of the kingdom of God wherever he lived,” wrote Elder González. “He helped to establish the Church, especially in South America, sharing with enthusiasm his knowledge of the gospel and the standards of the Church.

“He was a defender of the faith, knowing that God will always provide.”

Angel Abrea was born Sept. 13, 1933, in the Buenos Aires town of Piñeyro to Edealo and Zulema Abrea, according to his obituary.

Ten-year-old Angel, along with his mother and brother, Oscar, joined the Church after a pair of sister missionaries knocked on the family’s door “and brought the good news of the gospel.”

He often spoke of his love for his parents. His mother joined the Church; his father did not. But both were supportive of their son’s decision to become a devout Latter-day Saint.

Young Angel would later share the gospel and baptize his neighbor, Maria Chiapparino. The two were married July 7, 1957, and were later sealed in the Salt Lake Temple in 1966.

An accountant by profession, Elder Abrea’s adult life was defined by Church service.

At age 23, he was called to preside over the Caseros Branch in Buenos Aires. He later served as president of two districts and, in 1966, of the Buenos Aires Stake.

In 1971, he was called to serve as regional representative for the Buenos Aires, Montevideo (Uruguay) and Lima (Peru) areas and, later, as regional representative for all of Argentina. He was presiding over the Argentina Rosario Mission when he was called by President Spencer W. Kimball to be a General Authority.

As a General Authority Seventy, Elder Abrea served in several area presidencies in North America, the Philippines, Mexico, Central America, Peru and Bolivia and in the Temple and Missionary departments.

Elder Abrea’s love for Church service and his fellow Latter-day Saints continued long after receiving emeritus status.

A private family funeral service will be held on Saturday, Feb. 27.

Standing outside the doorway were two Mormon missionaries.

“We opened our home to them, but we knew nothing about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — we didn’t even know about the Mormon Tabernacle Choir,” said Elder Martínez.

Still, the gospel lessons shared by the elders immediately resonated with the young couple.

“When we received the first missionary lesson and the elders talked about eternal families, my mind was just blown away,” said Sister Martínez. “I thought that that was perfect. I could not get enough.”

The couple soon accepted the missionaries’ baptismal invitation.

“And we have not looked back ever since,” he said.

On April 5, Elder Martínez, 57, was sustained to the Second Quorum of the Seventy, becoming the first General Authority from the Caribbean. He is understandably “overwhelmed” by his new assignment.

“But then a sweet sense of peace comes over me and lets me know that the Lord is in charge,” he said.

Elder and Sister Martínez learned early that service is an integral element of the Church. After their baptism, they were both put to work almost immediately in their Mississippi ward. Sister Martínez was called to be a visiting teacher and given a job in the Primary. Later came a call to be the ward Young Women’s president.

“I was so scared,” she said, shaking her head.

Elder Martínez, meanwhile, was called to be a youth Sunday School teacher. He learned the principles of the gospel even as he taught them to his young students.

“The doctrines that I learned teaching that class remain with me today.”

Their growing testimonies were also fortified by the strong examples of their fellow ward members. Their loving friendship made the Martínezes feel immediately at home in their new church. They learned early of the power of fellowshipping in working with new converts.

A year and one month after their baptism, the couple was sealed in the Salt Lake Temple on Oct. 3, 1983.

Today, they are the parents of five children and have five granddaughters.

Elder Martínez was born in 1957 in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, to Hugo E. Martínez-Sandin and Odalist Morales-Alamo de Martínez. While a young man, he chose to follow his father’s professional path and become a physician. He received his medical degree in Puerto Rico and then completed his residency at the University of Mississippi in 1984.

The Martínezes enjoyed living in Mississippi. But after completing his residency, they decided to return to Puerto Rico. Their hearts belonged to the island of their youth.

“We felt we needed to go back and strengthen the Church in Puerto Rico,” he said.

Other difficult choices faced the young couple. Their first child arrived a short time after they were sealed. Others soon arrived. Sister Martínez decided she would practice pediatrics only part time so she could be at home with her children.

“That meant I had to bring home the rice and the beans,” said Elder Martínez, smiling.

Sister Martínez would prove adroit at managing her time. Even while caring for her children, she was able to return to school, earn a law degree and open her own business.

Elder Martínez, meanwhile, would learn the ins and outs of Church leadership through a variety of callings. He served as a bishop, a counselor in a stake presidency, a district president and as a counselor in the Puerto Rico San Juan Mission presidency.

He marvels at the potential for the Church throughout the vast and culturally diverse Caribbean.

“The Church grows quite easily there, and we have wonderful leadership in each area of the Caribbean,” he said. “It is an area rich in good families. There are strong priesthood holders and strong sisters.”

The Santo Domingo Dominican Republic Temple spiritually anchors the entire region, he added.

Elder Martínez retired from his medical practice in 2004. The family was prepared to serve the Lord however He saw fit.

Soon a call came for Elder Martínez to preside over the Guatemala Guatemala City Central Mission. There they enjoyed priceless personal growth even as they labored shoulder to shoulder with the full-time missionaries and the Guatemalan members.

“It was a wonderful experience,” said Sister Martínez. “It was a period of learning and growth and happiness because the joy of serving was with us.”

The work, added Elder Martínez, was “hard, yet joyful.”

“The most wonderful part of our mission was seeing the Lord bless our family in Guatemala and growing alongside the missionaries,” he said.

After returning to Puerto Rico, Elder Martínez served as an Area Seventy — a position he held until his recent call to be a General Authority. He appreciates being on the front lines of the growing Church during this historic period of hastening.

“The Lord has instructed His leaders that this is His time and His work. Everything that has been done in the past has prepared us for this moment. We can see the hand of the Lord allowing us to go forward.”

Elder and Sister Martínez know they are also serving during a period of great challenge in nations across the globe. Latter-day Saint families everywhere face difficult trials.

Safety, testified Sister Martínez, is found in the basics: daily prayers, scripture study and family home evening.

Elder Martínez, meanwhile, is humbled by the opportunity to serve his fellow members worldwide.

“We want to strengthen families and each individual’s faith in Jesus Christ,” he said. “Our aim should be the temple, making covenants with the Lord and then being true to those covenants.”

Elder Hugo E. Martínez biographical information

FAMILY: Full name: Hugo Edgardo Martínez. Born in 1957 in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, to Hugo E. Martínez-Sandin and Odalisa Morales-Alamo. Wife: Nuria Merced Alvarez de Martínez Children: Nuria Merced de Muñoz (Noel Alexander), Lyvia Alaida, Andres Daniel (Leidi Vanessa), Sara Virginia and Gabriel Andres. Five grandchildren.

EDUCATION: Doctor in medicine from the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine in 1981. Family medicine specialty from the University of Mississippi Medical Center Family Medicine Residency in 1984.

EMPLOYMENT: Private family medical practice in Arecibo, Puerto Rico (1984 to 2004); faculty member at the Family Medicine Residency of the Dr. Alejandro Otero Lopez Hospital in Manatí, Puerto Rico, (1984 to 1995); medical director for MMM Healthcare, Inc., San Juan, Puerto Rico (2001 to 2003).

COMMUNITY SERVICE: Support staff to the “Coro de Campanas Jóvenes de Sión,” a community-based handbell choir (2009 to the present).

CHURCH SERVICE: Sunday School teacher, elders quorum president, bishop, counselor in a stake presidency, district president, counselor in the Puerto Rico San Juan Mission, president of the Guatemala Guatemala City Central Mission (2005-2008), Area Seventy.

jswensen@deseretnews.com

The term “tithing settlement” has now been changed to “tithing declaration.”

“This change emphasizes that the primary purpose of this interview is to provide members with an opportunity to declare their tithing faithfulness, not to ‘settle’ an account,” the First Presidency wrote in a letter to general and local priesthood leaders, dated Thursday, Aug. 11. 

“The focus should be on the member’s covenant relationship with Heavenly Father and on teaching the spiritual nature of tithing, especially to children and youth.”

The Aug. 11 First Presidency letter added that tithing declaration interviews can now begin on Sept. 1 of each year “in order to offer bishops additional time to meet with families and individuals.”

The letter was signed by the First Presidency: President Russell M. Nelson and his counselors, President Dallin H. Oaks and President Henry B. Eyring.

In the announcement published Thursday, Aug. 11, on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé said: “What a great blessing to have a time dedicated to discussing the divine law of the tithe.

“Tithing is an essential practice of Latter-day Saints, regardless of where they live, their social standing, or their material circumstances. By keeping this law, Church members receive spiritual and temporal blessings in their lives and help further the Church’s divine mission on earth.”

Latter-day Saint prophets and apostles have often promised the blessings that await all who exercise faith and pay tithing.

“To develop enduring faith, an enduring commitment to be a full-tithe payer is essential,” declared then-Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during his April 2011 general conference address.

“Initially it takes faith to tithe. Then the tithe payer develops more faith to the point that tithing becomes a precious privilege. Tithing is an ancient law from God. He made a promise to His children that He would open ‘the windows of heaven, and pour … out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it’ (Malachi 3:10).

“Not only that, tithing will keep your name enrolled among the people of God and protect you in ‘the day of vengeance and burning’” (Doctrine and Covenants 85:3).

In his April 1994 general conference talk, then-Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that the payment of tithing brings the individual tithe payer unique spiritual blessings.

“Tithe paying is evidence that we accept the law of sacrifice,” he said. “It also prepares us for the law of consecration and the other higher laws of the celestial kingdom.”

Prior to the Aug. 1, 2021, Olympics women’s vault finals, Skinner had long been classified as an elite international athlete and a “medal hopeful.” 

But when her second-place finish was announced, she graduated to rarified company that holds no expiration date: Olympic medalist.

Church News readers have long followed the gymnastics career of the Arizona-born, lifelong Church member — stretching back to her teenage days as a Team USA alternate on the 2016 Olympics squad, then as a decorated All-American collegiate at the University of Utah and, finally, as an Olympic medalist who became one of the biggest stars of the Tokyo Summer Games.

Her Latter-day Saint fans also appreciate that Skinner is as comfortable talking about her religious beliefs as she is breaking down her performances on the balance beam or uneven bars.

Days prior to the first anniversary of her 2021 medal-winning performance, Skinner spoke to the Church News, marveling over time’s speedy passage. 

“It’s all gone by pretty fast … sometimes I wonder where the time has gone,” she said. “It’s definitely been crazy — but a good crazy. I’ve been busy doing so many things.”

Skinner’s Tokyo story is well-known: 

Just days before the Aug. 1, 2021, women’s vault finals, her competitive gymnastics career appeared over after initially not qualifying for the apparatus final. But when her friend and American teammate Simone Biles withdrew from the vault competition, a spot opened up.

Skinner seized her unexpected Olympic moment, finishing second in the vault behind Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade. She returned to her homeland with a silver Olympic medal hanging from her neck — and a fortified testimony of personal preparation, prayer, faith and family.

World-class gymnasts practice their routines over and over and over again to eliminate uncertainties. For over a decade, Skinner had been preparing for that magical day when an Olympic medal was on the line.

But nothing Skinner or her coaches trained for in the gym could have fully prepared her for Tokyo’s many Olympic surprises. So she found the additional strength she needed through prayer and the inspired words of her patriarchal blessing — along with the long-distance encouragement of her husband, Jonas Harmer, and her family and many hometown friends, fans and fellow Church members. 

“Even though they weren’t there in person, I could still feel them in my heart. I knew that they were proud.”

Now a year removed from the Games, Jonas Harmer can still recall his own battle with nerves while watching his wife compete in a distant Olympics from his laptop and television screens.

“It was tough but fun,“ he said. “I remember the watch parties with my co-workers and staying up until 4 or 5 in the morning to watch the vault finals.”

Taking her burdens to the Lord

Few Latter-day Saints will claim an Olympic medal after navigating a maze of setbacks and complications. But all will experience setbacks and uncertainties. After all hope of winning a medal seemed lost, Skinner took her burdens to the Lord.

“I remember getting down on my knees and praying,” she said. “I just kept having a feeling that [my Olympics] was not over. … It was as if the Spirit was telling me, ‘This isn’t over.’”

Her husband and her parents, Cris and Kym Skinner, were unable to attend the Olympics in Tokyo because of the ongoing pandemic. But on repeated phone calls and Zoom meetings stretching across two continents and multiple time zones, they encouraged her to remain in Japan even though it appeared her competition was behind her.

The rest of the story is, well, Olympic history.

“But even now, a year later, when I sit back and think about it, it still doesn’t seem real,” said Skinner.

The past 12 months have sharpened Skinner’s appreciation for “growth opportunities” that double as difficulties and trials. “I needed those challenges and struggles to become a better person. I’m a stronger person now — and hopefully I can now walk out of any situation or trial throughout my life.”

Even prior to unprecedented events of the Tokyo Summer Games, Skinner’s path to her Olympic medal was rarely straight. It was never simple. She counts prayer and the guidance of her patriarchal blessing as priceless spiritual friends. They have helped her persevere and find joy in a journey that continues to this day.

“My gymnastics journey is my mission — especially to help the youth of the Church,” she said.

Her gospel testimony, she added, allows her to face whatever the day brings. 

“Life is not easy, but knowing what I know as a Church member helps me know that it’s all going to work out in the end, some way or another.”

Harmer laughs recalling the whirlwind of activities that came in the aftermath of his wife winning an Olympic medal. Immediately after reuniting in the United States, the couple embarked on a wild, exhausting schedule to meet media demands and other promotional events.

Following a welcome breather in Utah, Skinner joined Biles and several other female gymnasts at the end of 2021 for a multiweek gymnastics exhibition tour through dozens of U.S. cities.

“Then we both started back in school, so it was like we’ve never had a chance to really enjoy the moment,” said Harmer. “It’s all been nonstop. The year has passed in the blink of an eye.”

Skinner and her 6-foot-7-inch husband also put their athletic skills to the test during recent appearances on “American Ninja Warrior” — including a couples competition.

On to the next 'rotation'

Now a 25-year-old “retiree,” Skinner is still adjusting to life as a public figure and Olympic medalist. But in her day-to-day interactions with family and friends, she still feels like the same Arizona girl they watched grow up.

“It has been fun to enjoy life and not have to stress about gymnastics anymore, especially after ending my career on such a good note.”

It is humbling, she added, when Latter-day Saints approach her and thank her for representing her Church and her country.

 “One of the great things about being a member of the Church is knowing that there is so much more to my life than just gymnastics,” she said. “I know that that can be hard for a lot of [retired] athletes, especially in the gym world. … But the blessings that we have — like being sealed in the temple for all eternity — give me a bigger picture.”

Skinner is, in her words “super competitive,” so she misses the thrill of matching her skills against other talented gymnasts. “But other than that, I’ve just been enjoying life.”

Harmer and Skinner both have a semester of college to finish. They are looking forward to starting a family. “I definitely want to have kids,” she said.

For now, Skinner is uncertain how involved she will remain in gymnastics. She has considered coaching, but time will tell. Television work is more likely. She is studying sports broadcasting and, no surprise, she’s comfortable in front of the camera talking all things gymnastics.

She also hopes to connect more with Latter-day Saint youth, write a book about her story and perhaps utilize the Harmer-Skinner YouTube channel and their other social media platforms to discuss Church-related items, such as the purpose of temples.

“I’d just like to help the younger generation know that life is going to be hard,” she said, “but you can get through it through Christ.”

Both of Carson’s grandfathers and an uncle were Air Force pilots. Her father served in the U.S. Army. She calls it an honor to follow in their professional footsteps as she begins her own military career.

But Carson is blazing an uncharted trail — becoming the first female military chaplain endorsed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Earlier this month, the returned missionary was set apart by Elder Jeremy R. Jaggi, a General Authority Seventy, and she will begin her military service as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.

Being set apart as a military chaplain “was so beautiful,” she told the Church News. “It was definitely one of the highlights of my life.”

As a newly minted military chaplain, Carson added she is committed to help those she will soon be serving to “know that they are loved by God unconditionally. … I hope that they can feel God’s love.”

The daughter of converts Rupert and Karri Carson, Jenna Carson said the Church has long been an anchoring element of her identity. “It was always just part of who I was.”

While still a girl, she decided to serve others as a full-time missionary and eventually fulfilled a Spanish-speaking assignment in the Florida Tampa Mission. Working with migrant workers and others in need of spiritual uplift helped her discover an empathy that will serve her well in her professional ministry.

Missionary service, she added, “also taught me how the Spirit can teach me to learn.”

Carson received personal revelation during her mission that she would pursue graduate studies after finishing her bachelor’s degree in English at Brigham Young University. But initially she was uncertain which advanced academic field to pursue.

Amy Easton-Flake, a professor in BYU’s religious education department, proved to be a key mentor during Carson’s time as a student at the Church-sponsored school. Carson remembers Easton-Flake asking her: “Jenna, have you thought about Harvard Divinity School?” 

The answer was no. 

“But the Spirit said ‘Yes.’” said Carson, laughing. “I felt this strong fire that divinity school is where I would be going — even though I didn’t know what divinity school was.”

She immediately Googled “Harvard Divinity School” and learned more. While intrigued, it was not an easy decision to apply. Carson was newly married at the time and wondered if continuing her studies in Massachusetts was the correct personal choice. But after much prayer and fasting, she applied to Harvard and was accepted.

At the time, she thought her graduate divinity studies would put her on a path to a legal or academic career. “But during my first semester, in the fall of 2015, I learned what chaplaincy was,” she said. “Once again, I received a strong revelation from the Spirit. … I felt God was calling me to be a military chaplain.”

She reached out to the Church’s military relations and chaplains services office, expressing her desire to become a Church-endorsed military chaplain.

Despite her family’s military background, she had never envisioned herself in uniform until that moment. “Joining the military just wasn’t on my radar, so this decision completely surprised me.”

Still, she could not deny feeling a divine call to serve those who serve — particularly women in uniform. “I know that women serving in the armed forces face a lot of challenges; and I know that they can benefit from having a female chaplain.”

A chaplain in the U.S. armed forces is a non-combatant commissioned officer charged with providing religious services and spiritual support to fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen. A chaplain is also responsible for advising commanders on moral and religious issues.

On the U.S. military side, chaplain candidates must earn a master’s degree in theology or a related field of study. BYU offers a master of arts in religious studies that satisfies the military’s academic requirement.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Defense and the Church have established faith-based requirements that candidates must complete to receive Church endorsement for selection into the chaplaincy.

The Church has selected and endorsed chaplains in the U.S. armed forces for over a century, and many Latter-day Saints have served their country and fellow military personnel in both times of peace and conflict.

But until Carson’s recent endorsement, none in the Latter-day Saint chaplain ranks has been a woman.

Her endorsement process stretched over several years. There were setbacks, and not everyone was encouraging. At the same time, she was also dealing with the personal challenges of a divorce. But Carson remained certain that the Lord wanted her to be a Church-endorsed Air Force chaplain. 

She was also buoyed by the steady support of Frank Clawson, a retired Air Force pilot who was serving as the Church’s military relations director during much of her application process.

Despite occasional bouts of self-doubt, Carson ultimately placed her trust in God. Whatever happened was the will of the Lord. She could accept that.

“I trusted that Heavenly Father,” she said, “would give back to me better than I can even imagine.”

In early 2020, she again reached out to the Church seeking an endorsement to the military chaplaincy. Soon she received a Church endorsement to become a chaplain, initially to the Air Force Reserve.

During the pandemic, Carson was working as a hospital chaplain. Later, in May 2021, she found full-time employment as a Church-endorsed federal prison chaplain.

“I learned so much in that prison ministry,” she said. “It was sometimes hard and dark. But I feel like I had to do that before I started with the military.”

Working with the new director of military relations, Todd Linton, also a retired Air Force pilot, she continued with the Air Force application process and was interviewed to be endorsed by the Church.

Linton remembers being impressed by Carson’s journey to the military chaplaincy to that point.

“Jenna worked hard to prepare for the opportunity she hoped the Lord would provide,” he said. “It is truly a blessing to be led by revelation in this Church because the answer came allowing her to go forth and serve as an active-duty chaplain.” 

Carson will forever treasure the memories of being endorsed by the Church and subsequently being accepted to be a chaplain in the military — a first for a Latter-day Saint woman.

On July 7, 2022, she was set apart by Elder Jaggi.

Elder Jaggi counseled Carson to study priesthood principles to best “accomplish God’s work.”

Her uncle, Greg Carson, a retired Air Force officer, administered the military oath of office that same day.

Carson begins a nine-week officer training course in August in Alabama and will later begin her chaplaincy working with airmen at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. 

Meanwhile, other Latter-day Saint women are currently candidates to become Church-endorsed military chaplains. Carson may be the first Church-endorsed female military chaplain, but she will not be the last.

As she begins her historic service as the first female Church-endorsed military chaplain, Carson is drawing upon Christ-centered counsel she received from U.S. Air Force Chaplain Sam Patnaik, a fellow Latter-day Saint:

“Remember you are here to serve. You are here for other people. As long as you serve them and love them, you will do well in your career.”

Hatch, who has been a frequent subject of Church News stories, received the 2022 accolade along with several other celebrated athletes — including basketball’s Stephen Curry, football’s Aaron Rodgers, baseball’s Shohei Ohtani and Olympian Katie Ledecky.

A former Brigham Young University stand-out and a member of Team USA, Hatch recently snagged headlines of a different sort when she played “tour guide”  during the open house of the Washington D.C. Temple.

On April 26, Hatch accompanied several of her teammates and friends from the Washington Spirit on a tour of the temple hosted by Elder W. Mark Bassett, a General Authority Seventy, and his wife, Sister Angela Bassett.

“It was just a really neat experience,” Hatch told the Church News following the tour. “My teammates didn’t really know what to expect, but they understood [touring the temple] would be a unique opportunity. … I just loved being able to share a huge part of my life with them.”

Hatch added that her teammates enjoyed walking through the temple’s many rooms and learning more about the purposes of temples.

“They all had a lot of questions about the temple and the temple dedication,” said Hatch. “They also asked about other temples around the world. When we went into one of the sealing rooms, I was able to tell them about my own temple marriage [to husband Jeff Van Buren] in the Gilbert Arizona Temple.”

The star striker admitted it was a bit unnerving talking about her religious convictions with women she competes with on the soccer pitch in one of the world’s most competitive women’s soccer leagues.

“I didn’t realize how vulnerable I would feel bringing my teammates to the temple … but I really enjoyed it,” she said. “They were all so great to come and support me.”

A Church communications specialist in her Fairfax, Virginia, ward and a former ward Young Women adviser, Hatch also served on the temple open house’s sports and culture committee. She utilized her Instagram, Twitter and Facebook social media pages to encourage others to visit the D.C.-area temple during the public open house.

“It was such a wonderful experience to be able to share such a huge part of my life with others,” she wrote on her Instagram page. “I’d love to encourage all who live in the [Washington metropolitan] area to visit the temple open house if you have the opportunity. 

“Being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints brings me so much joy and is a huge blessing in my life.”

Wednesday’s ESPY Award — an acronym for Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly — is just the latest soccer highlight for the decorated Gilbert, Arizona, native.

Besides playing a key role in the Spirit’s successful 2021 NWSL title run, Hatch was awarded the league’s 2021 Golden Boot after leading the league with 10 goals. She later finished fourth in the voting for league Most Valuable Player honors and was named to the 2021 Best XI First Team. 

Hatch has become a regular on the  U.S. women’s national team, the world’s top-ranked international squad.

For starters, the 230 young FSY participants who gathered on this urban campus felt a collective “recharge” when they were joined by surprise guests: Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles along with his wife, Sister Harriet Uchtdorf, and several Uchtdorf family members.

The Uchtdorfs were in the United States’ Pacific Northwest for a family reunion and vacation and did not want to pass on an opportunity to spend a few hours with area Latter-day Saint youth.

“This is the highlight of our trip,” Elder Uchtdorf told the young FSY participants. “This is the highlight of our family reunion — to be with you on this day.”

For the youth participants and their young adult counselors, sharing the FSY experience with the Uchtdorfs seemed symbolic of the fellowship and fun found in every FSY event being held this year around the globe.

“I’m here at FSY because I wanted to strengthen my testimony of the gospel and to be around my friends and make new ones,” said Sarah Archibald of Renton, Washington.

Spending the morning with the Uchtdorfs, added Sarah, was an unexpected bonus. “It was fun to see their family unity — and I liked how the Uchtdorfs emphasized that we all have a divine center.”

At both of the Thursday morning devotionals for the young women and the young men, Elder and Sister Uchtdorf offered their audiences encouragement and assurance. The Uchtdorfs also invited their relatives to join them on the auditorium stage, including their children — son Guido Uchtdorf and daughter Antje Evans and their spouses, Carolyn Uchtdorf and David Evans — along with several grandchildren: Eric Evans, Robin Uchtdorf, Jasmin Uchtdorf and Niklas Uchtdorf.

Elder and Sister Uchtdorf were clearly thrilled to be in Seattle with their family — and thrilled to share them with their young FSY friends.

Elder Uchtdorf noted during the devotionals that the youth in the United States and Canada were participating in FSY conferences for the first time this year. Such gatherings have taken place in other parts of the world for over a decade.

“This year, we have about 100,000 of you attending across the United States,” he said. “Next year, we hope to have 120,000 or 130,000 attending. So when you go home, tell the people how wonderful it is so they can come next year.”

Each For the Strength of Youth conference, he added, is designed to help young people know that they belong to Jesus Christ, to His Church and to His gospel.

“You are the strength of the Church, of the future and of the world — and your strength is the Savior. The strength of youth is the Savior Jesus Christ. … He is the center. He is the purpose. He is the One who gives us strength and power.”

“You are the strength of the Church, of the future and of the world — and your strength is the Savior.” — Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

The Apostle encouraged the Seattle FSY participants to follow his lead and carry their “For the Strength of Youth” pamphlets with them. He pulled out a copy of the pamphlet from his shirt pocket and held it high.

“Live up to the standards found in the pamphlet. Study it. Make its standards your own standards. Own them, because you belong to the Church of Jesus Christ. 

“Know that God is with you.”

Elder Uchtdorf promised that every youth who chooses to walk along the Lord’s path “will receive the blessings and the strength they need. The Savior is your strength.”

Sister Uchtdorf expressed her love for each of the FSY youth. She called it a blessing to be with them. She encouraged the young men and young women to discover joy in their journeys — and to lift up and look out for one another.

“Enjoy yourselves,” she said, smiling broadly. “Enjoy being here. Have fun reading the scriptures. Enjoy being together. Enjoy the journey. You will feel enjoyment when you are trying to live the commandments and when you are united with other wonderful young people who love the gospel.”

Sister Uchtdorf also challenged each youth to write a letter to themselves, stating where he or she hopes to be in five years. Then decide today what decisions are needed to become that person in five years.

Decide now to find strength in Christ, added Elder Uchtdorf. The Savior is available to His young followers.

“Focus everything you do on Him,” he said. “He takes you to safe places. The Savior will offer you safety wherever you are in your individual lives and in your communities. … The world needs you. The Church needs you. Heavenly Father needs you. He trusts you — and you may trust Him.”

The youth of the Church ‘strengthen us with their testimonies’

Between Thursday’s young men and young women devotionals, the Uchtdorfs stepped outside to enjoy the cool Seattle summer morning and interact with the FSY participants who were spread out in small study groups across the campus. 

Many of the youth were visibly moved to find themselves interacting with a globally recognized couple they had grown up with and whom they loved.

The Uchtdorfs paused for a few minutes to speak to the Church News about the youth of the Church worldwide.

“There is no better place to be than to be with these young people,” said Elder Uchtdorf. “These young people are the future of the world and of the Church. Each one is so important to our Heavenly Father and they deserve the attention of the servants of the Lord.”

The Apostle then noted this remarkable gospel paradox: “Harriet and I have learned that when we come and try to strengthen our youth, they always strengthen us with their testimonies.”

Sister Uchtdorf discovers joy simply looking into the faces of her young friends.

“They have a certain shine in their faces. They are beautiful, and their goodness shines through them.”

Participating in gatherings such as the For the Strength of Youth conference also helps young people remember their own divinity, added Elder Uchtdorf. Each one is a son or daughter of God.

“Their purpose is to proclaim truth and to lift others through their examples. We are living in a world where there are many negative messages — and we need a positive response. We can be optimistic because the gospel of Jesus Christ offers that positive response.”

Sister Uchtdorf added there is power found in young Latter-day Saints coming together in large numbers. "They learn they are part of something strong and broad. They realize they are not alone. They can connect and become friends forever.”

Life has its challenges — so it is understandable that the youth’s “batteries” can become depleted, noted Elder Uchtdorf. 

“These are moments when they can recharge their batteries.”

FSY: Experiencing life-lasting ‘moments’ — and making new friends

Several Pacific Northwest youth expressed thanks for the “moments” they are experiencing at FSY conference.

“I knew what kind of impact FSY would have on me,” said Elisabeth Jarman. The Renton resident added she was inspired by the Uchtdorf grandchildren and their missionary experiences.

Seattle FSY participant Bradley Krause of Yakima, Washington, said he “loves just being able to sit down with others at FSY and share my feelings about the scriptures and other insights.”

Bradley was also thankful for the Uchtdorfs’ assurance that God knows him and loves him.

Caden Hoffman of Oak Harbor, Washington, said listening to the Uchtdorfs on Thursday has helped him decide to serve a full-time mission. 

“I decided to come to FSY to learn more about the gospel — and it’s been a fun opportunity to meet new people.”

Moving really, really quickly is what Wayment does best.

Just weeks after claiming the women’s steeplechase title at the 2022 NCAA track and field championships in a BYU uniform, Wayment donned a Team USA jersey and qualified for Wednesday night’s final of the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the world track and field championships in Eugene, Oregon.

On Saturday, July 16, the Layton, Utah, native finished fourth in the second of three heats — crossing the finish line just 0.57 of a second behind heat winner Alice Finot of France, who finished with a time of 9:14.34. The steeplechase race includes hurdles and water jumps.

Wayment’s heat time — the seventh-fastest of the day — was enough to secure her a spot in Wednesday’s prestigious world title race (7:30-11 p.m. ET on USA Network, NBCSports.com and NBC sports app).

“My goal was to make the final. … I just want to put no limits on myself and give myself a shot,” she told a media gathering immediately after her qualifying heat.

Despite just coming off her outdoor collegiate season at BYU, Wayment said she felt fresh for the world championships. Her spirits were also boosted by encouragement she received from her college coach, Diljeet Taylor: “Have confidence and know that you belong here.”

After winning the NCAA title last month, Wayment spoke to the Church News about how her athletic career has been fueled by her faith, supportive family members and wise coaches.

A lifelong Latter-day Saint, Wayment believes the gospel allows her and anyone else “to use our talents, our hard work and our passions to represent Jesus Christ.”

She added that such opportunities are not the sole claim of elite athletes.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re working a 9-to-5 job or if you’re a stay-at-home mom or if you’re an athlete winning a national championship — God cares about you. He knows you. He knows what’s important to you. And He genuinely cares. He wants you to have happiness and joy in your life.”

Wayment’s husband, Tanner Smith, along with her parents, Mark and Becky Wayment, made the trip to Oregon to support their fleet-footed relative.

Her success at the ongoing world championships now takes her one step closer to her ultimate athletic ambition: “My goal is to be an Olympian. I would love to represent the U.S. on a national and world level.”

Update

Courtney Wayment placed 12th in the Wednesday, July 20, final race.

Yes, the evidence of those links can be found in numerical data: There are approximately 130,000 Latter-day Saints in Japan worshiping in 261 congregations. And the Tokyo temple — the Church’s first in Asia when originally dedicated in 1980 — now has two sister temples operating in Fukuoka and Sapporo. Another temple in Japan is under construction in Okinawa.

But the “missionary-temple” impacts being felt by individual Japanese Latter-day Saints are as meaningful as the statistical particulars. Such impacts are reflected in the lives of seasoned leaders such as Elder Yuichi Imai and Sister Makiko Imai — and by young Japanese Latter-day Saints such as 18-year-old Kira Odake, who was baptized just months ago.

Through missionary work and temple service in Japan, “we can bring our families, relatives, friends and the human family into the presence of the Lord with unity of hearts,” Elder Imai, an Area Seventy, told the Church News.

Added Odake: “Every day, I feel I have a reason to be grateful.”

Prior to accepting the missionaries’ message, Odake said she was focused primarily on her own needs. “But after becoming a member, I have felt a change. I look at others first and I try to love and serve them.

“The Church has made me a better person.”

Faith lifts vast island nation

More than a century ago, in 1901, Church President Lorenzo Snow announced the commencement of missionary activities in Japan, signaling a perpetual — albeit sometimes turbulent — Latter-day Saint presence in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Counted among the first missionaries sent to Japan were future Church President Heber J. Grant and Horace S. Ensign, assistant conductor of the Tabernacle Choir. The Asia Mission headquarters was established in Tokyo, becoming first Church mission to operate in a non-Christian nation.

Church records note that the missionaries’ arrival at Yokohama Port was chronicled in that day’s local newspaper. Some comments were friendly; others, not so much. But like the legions of the elders and sisters who would follow, Japan’s initial Latter-day Saint missionaries came to love the Japanese people and their unique culture and language.

The work was difficult. But they persevered.

In March 1902, Japan’s first convert — Hijime Nakazawa — was baptized on Tokyo’s Omori coast. Seven years later, the Church marked another pivotal milestone — the publication of the first Japanese translation of the Book of Mormon. 

Leather-bound copies were reportedly presented to Japanese Emperor Meiji and Crown Prince Taisho.

Over time, anti-American sentiment slowed missionary work in Japan — and all missionary activities were suspended in the country following the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.

Missionary-related interruption continued through the dark days of World War II. But even amid global conflict, Latter-day Saints in Japan looked faithfully to better days ahead. 

Following the war, many Latter-day Saint soldiers stationed in Japan began holding worship services. And in 1948, missionary activities on the archipelago were resumed, with President Edward L. Clissold called to preside over the Japanese Mission.

Gathering Israel in a Pacific land

For decades, faithful Japanese Latter-day Saints would typically travel to Hawaii to claim their individual temple blessings or be sealed to their families. The journey from Japan to, say, the Laie Hawaii Temple came at great financial cost, but many lived frugally for years to make the trip.

Then, on Aug. 9, 1975, during an area conference in Tokyo, President Spencer W. Kimball announced plans to build a temple in the Japanese capital. The scores of Japanese Latter-day Saints gathered at the Tokyo Budokan arena that day to listen to President Kimball rejoiced. Many wept.

Five years later, President Kimball returned to Japan to dedicate Asia’s first temple — the Tokyo Japan Temple. Now faithful Japanese members could enjoy the gospel’s blessings in full without having to leave their country.

The work of gathering Israel in this powerful Asian nation has continued. It is rarely easy work. Only 3% of the population identifies as Christian. But contemporary Church leaders such as President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency; Elder Neil L. Andersen and Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; and many others have challenged the members and the missionaries to “open their mouths” and invite their loved ones and neighbors to discover the gospel and the temples now dotting Japan.

Witnesses of the gospel’s work

Elder Taku Yamashiro has witnessed the power of missionary work from multiple angles. 

Just four years ago, he was referred to the missionaries by his mother, who had joined the Church.

“My mom told me the gospel had given her great comfort and peace,” said Elder Yamashiro, 19, who now serves in the Japan Tokyo North Mission.

Serving a mission was not something the young elder could have imagined when he initially found himself in the company of the full-time elders. But he enjoyed their friendship and their hopeful messages. He began reading the Book of Mormon, felt the Spirit and decided to be baptized. 

Initially, Elder Yamashiro did not plan to serve a mission. He worried the two-year commitment would interrupt his educational ambitions. But over time, he felt prayerful direction to serve full time in the field. 

He was originally called to serve in England, but those plans were foiled by the ongoing pandemic. The Okinawa resident was reassigned to Tokyo serving among his fellow Japanese. 

The passage of time and his own faith have allowed Elder Yamashiro to recognize the blessings of serving a mission in his homeland. The Book of Mormon, he added, continues to teach him that the Lord remembers His people.

Since beginning his mission, Elder Yamashiro’s younger sister has accepted the teachings of his fellow missionaries and been baptized. And the recent Tokyo temple open house and rededication allowed the young missionary to feel closer to his late grandfather, who was supportive of his educational wishes when others doubted him.

The Lord, Elder Yamashiro testified, is leading His work in Japan.

As a full-time missionary, “I’m learning to preach the gospel by the Spirit and become a lifelong disciple of Christ. I want to serve others and help the Church in Japan continue to grow.”

Elder Yamashiro and others are building the Church in Japan under the direction of wise men and women. Leaders such as Elder Imai — himself a convert — serve as shepherds, mentors and friends. They are living witnesses of the power of missionary and temple work.

Japan Tokyo South Mission President Akihiro Node and his wife and missionary companion, Sister Yukie Node, are quick to note they are not pioneers of the Church in Japan. They were born into Latter-day Saint families in the cities of Tokyo and Akita, respectively.

But both President and Sister Node have the missionaries and the temple to thank for offering them lives of meaningful service and direction. Their parents were found, taught and baptized by the missionaries. 

When President Node was a little boy, his family moved to the United States so his father, Yoshihiro Node, could pursue educational opportunities. In 1980, their small family was sealed in the Provo Utah Temple.

“The first thing my parents wanted was for our family to be sealed together in the temple,” President Node told the Church News.

Years later, he would answer a call to the Japan Kobe Mission.

Sister Node (née Shio), meanwhile, was still a little girl when the Tokyo temple was dedicated. She remembers little about the actual ceremony, but she learned early the importance of the temple in her native Japan after her grandparents became two of the first senior missionaries to serve in the Tokyo Japan Temple.

“I remember how happy they were to serve,” she said. “They always told us how wonderful it was to serve in the Tokyo temple.”

Sister Node grew up in the Church and eventually reported to the Japan Missionary Training Center to prepare to serve her own full-time mission in the Japan Okayama Mission. There she met fellow Japanese missionary Akihiro Node. At the conclusion of their missions, the two met again at a reunion of the MTC district. 

A year later, in 1999, they were married in the Tokyo Japan Temple.

Now serving as mission leaders in Japan, the Nodes are both humbled and excited by the possibilities that await their fellow countrymen and countrywomen. And again, those opportunities will be linked to missionary and temple work. They Nodes won't forget how much that work has blessed their own lives.

“I’m very grateful for the missionaries’ service, for their love of the gospel and for the preaching of the gospel to the Japanese people. … Without missionary service, we would not be where we are today," said President Node.

Sister Node added that even though the vast majority of Japan’s people are not Christian, they still carry the light of Christ. They can feel the Spirit and recognize truth. “We tell the missionaries to believe in what God can do for the Japanese people.”

“Never,” added her husband, “set a limit on what God can do.”

The gospel’s abundant joy in Japan

Moments after stepping from Japan Tokyo Temple following the July 3 rededication, Elder and Sister Imai were still feeling the emotion of the moment. Later, Elder Imai testified of the blessings that await the Japanese people as they connect with their late ancestors and help gather Israel through temple work.

“As we find many names of our ancestors and perform their [proxy] ordinances in the temple, we are healed and our joy is multiplied,” he said. 

President Russell M. Nelson, he added, has called Latter-day Saints to share their gratitude and joy with others. “And now that the Tokyo temple has reopened, I too want to continue to share this joy.”

Eighteen-year-old Kira Odake was unable to participate directly in the recent rededication of the Tokyo Japan Temple. She has not been a member long enough to receive a temple recommend. But she already feels a connection to that dedicated edifice — and to the gospel's dynamic work in Japan. 

She is happy to be a part of that work.

“I understand that the temple is a special, holy place,” she said. “I want to become a better person so I can prepare to enter the temple.”

For the first time since March of 2020, the choir and orchestra performed in front of the general public for a choir/orchestra event. (The choir has participated live in recent general conferences and other events for limited audiences.)

The thousands who attended Friday’s event — timed to coincide with the upcoming Pioneer Day celebration in Utah — were thrilled to once again be sharing an evening of  music and message with the storied choir and orchestra.

“I enjoyed the evening so much; the best music in the world,” said Roslyn Geertsen of Cedar Hills, Utah.

Her husband, Jay Geertsen, added “there were so many songs tonight that spoke to my heart. So uplifting and positive.”

Titled “Love Thy Neighbor,” the concert included music and narration issuing a call for all to follow Christ’s example and care for one another, especially during the turbulent times of the day.

An anchoring mission of the choir and orchestra is to inspire and lift others — and Friday’s concert fulfilled that sacred charge.

Musical highlights Friday included tributes to the Latter-day Saint pioneers, along with songs that harmonized with the evening’s theme: “Love thy neighbor” (Matthew 22:39).

Selections included the hopeful “Fill the World with Love” from “Goodbye, Mr. Chips,” “Love One Another,” “Where Love Is,” “This Little Light of Mine” and “Hold On” from “The Secret Garden.”

And no Tabernacle Choir Pioneer Day concert is complete without a performance of “Come, Come Ye Saints.”

Friday’s concert also included several performances from featured soloist, baritone Shea Owens — including “There But for You Go I” from “Brigadoon.”

Owens, now the director of opera at Brigham Young University, was recently a member of the ensemble at Theater St. Gallen in Switzerland. He also recently sang his first performances of the title role of Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” with BYU’s choirs at the Cathedral of the Madeleine. He also returned this season to Utah Opera as Samuel in “The Pirates of Penzance.”

The concert, which was conducted by choir music director Mack Wilberg and associate music director Ryan Murphy, also featured stories and narrations anchored to the evening’s theme, “Love Thy Neighbor” —  including the Savior’s account of the Good Samaritan.

Friday’s event included a new, interactive feature. Audience members were invited to scan a QR code that opened a link to a new music video demonstrating the joy found in “loving one’s neighbor.” The audience was then given a few minutes during the concert to share the link with friends and on social media. 

“We both posted the video on our Facebook pages,” said Jay Geertsen.

Consider Friday’s new video a Pioneer Day gift from the choir and orchestra.

The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square will return to the Conference Center on Saturday, July 16, to again perform “Love Thy Neighbor: A Special Tabernacle Choir Event.”

The event will also be streamed on Saturday, July 16, at 8 p.m. Mountain Time on the choir’s YouTube channel, on the choir’s website and the Church’s Live Broadcast page. It will be aired  on BYUtv on Sunday, July 24, at 3:30 p.m. Mountain Time and will also be available on BYUtv.org, the BYUtv app and the KSL TV app. 

A new exhibition dedicated to exploring the many aspects of such Christian symbolism is now on display at Brigham Young University’s Museum of Art.

“Of Souls and Sacraments: Symbol and Context in Christian Art” features dozens of artworks from the museum’s collection and private lenders. The religious exhibition doubles as an art history lesson. An array of stylistically diverse works spanning from the 14th century to the present day are included in the new installation, which will be on display for the next two years.

“Of Souls and Sacraments” replaces the popular “Rend the Heavens” as the museum’s new long-term religious exhibit.

Curators hope legions of museum patrons of all ages, religious and academic backgrounds will take in the exhibition again and again.

“One of the things we’ve really tried to do is to look at the idea of art and symbolism in the devotional life of a Christian — and that’s something that goes back centuries,” Ashlee Whitaker, the exhibition’s curator, told the Church News. 

“It’s a shared experience among a lot of Christians.”

Many of the Christian symbols displayed in “Of Souls and Sacraments” will be familiar to most Latter-day Saints, she added. Others, less so.  “But all of these symbols that we are focusing on are key parts of the story of Christian salvation. Really, they all come back to Christ."

Visitors to “Of Souls and Sacraments” will discover sacred Christian symbols such as the cross, Christ’s mother, Mary, and the New Testament’s witness of “the Word being made flesh” (John 1:14).

“These kinds of symbols were very present in worship over the centuries — and they were messages that gave people hope,” said Whitaker. “They spoke of empathy and compassion and, ultimately, a call to come to Christ and receive salvation.”

Whitaker and others at the museum hope the artistic symbolism found in the new exhibition will offer visitors “something that can touch their hearts and help open up new channels of understanding about what the Savior’s atonement means.”

Thanks to the generosity of various artists, collectors and donors, and the talents of art conservators, the BYU museum was able to acquire and curate from “celebrated old masters” such as Jusepe de Ribera, Anthony van Dyck and Benjamin West.

The works of those venerable painters hang harmoniously alongside the works of contemporary artists such as Jorge Cocco Santangelo, Paige Anderson, J. Kirk Richards and Lisa DeLong.

“Of Souls and Sacraments” will obviously be a draw to art history and religious studies students at the Church-sponsored university. But families, faith groups, Sunday school classes and tourists will all likely discover something in the exhibition that remains with them long after they leave the museum.

“Visitors will find a familiar gallery transformed into an edifying space for contemplation, meditation and conversation,” added the museum’s head of education, Philipp Malzl, in a museum release. “I am confident that this exhibition offers something of value to each visitor who comes seeking to be uplifted and inspired.” 

“Of Souls and Sacraments” is open to the public free of charge until July 2024. Additional details on the exhibition, including a preview of select artworks, are available on the MOA website at https://moa.byu.edu/of-souls-and-sacraments/ .

Those two physical structures — one, a lovely traditional Japanese lantern; the second, the newly refurbished Tokyo temple — stand together harmoniously. They seem apt symbols of this long-awaited “history meets future” day for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints here. 

Now Japanese members have joyously returned to a historic structure they have loved for decades, even while focusing on the future blessings that will spring from this rededicated edifice.

“This temple is our source of inspiration,” said Tokyo Latter-day Saint Shinji Takabori. “Many templegoers, including patrons and temple workers, have been waiting for this day when our temple reopens.”

President Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, presided over Sunday’s three rededicatory sessions. At each session, he was joined by Elder Stevenson, a fellow Apostle with strong ties to Japan.

Also in attendance were Elder James R. Rasband and Elder John A. McCune, General Authority Seventies and members of the Asia North Area presidency; their wives, Sister Mary Rasband and Sister Debbra McCune; and Sister Naomi Wada, wife of Elder Takashi Wada, General Authority Seventy and president of the Asia North Area.

Japan’s ‘remarkable temple-going people‘

A day prior to Sunday’s rededication, President Eyring and Elder Stevenson spoke of their love for and confidence in the Japanese Latter-day Saints — and for the blessings the rededicated temple will bring to families and neighbors.

While visiting Japan in 1998, nearly a quarter-century prior to Sunday’s rededication, President Eyring spoke of his high expectations for the Japanese members. He knew then that they possessed the faith and desire to speak to others about the gospel. The Lord would lay down a foundation that would bring forth miracles and prompt Latter-day Saints to action.

“And I can see that it is happening,” he said in an interview with Church media. “The members of the Church are more eager and are sharing the gospel.”

Japan, of course, is part of Elder Stevenson’s “spiritual DNA.” As a young full-time missionary, he served in the Japan Fukuoka Mission, acquiring a love for the Japanese culture and language that would later serve him well in ecclesiastical duties he could not have imagined as a young man.

He presided over the Japan Nagoya Mission from 2004 to 2007 and, as a General Authority Seventy, served as both a counselor and later the president of the Asia North Area.

Now a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Stevenson pointed to the recent Tokyo temple open house as evidence of Elder Eyring’s hopeful expectations for the missionary-minded in Japan.

“We had 19,000 people come to the temple open house — including many influential people in Japan from government, commerce, education and religion,” he said. 

Added President Eyring: “We had hoped and prayed this would come — and I think it’s here.”

The two leaders underscored the intrinsic link in Japan connecting strong members to prolific temple building.

“It is hard not to talk about temples, when you talk about how the Japanese members will be able to grow and strengthen themselves in their families,” said Elder Stevenson, adding “Japanese people are already remarkable temple-going people. It is their culture.”

Besides the rededicated temple in Tokyo, temples are operating in the Japanese cities of Fukuoka and Sapporo. A future temple is under construction in Okinawa.

When President Eyring views the garden area near the entrance of the Tokyo Japan Temple, he pictures in his mind young people gathering at the placid spot for photos before entering the temple to serve and learn.

“The temple,” he said, “is going to have a tremendous impact on the faith growing among the youth. … Young people are going to set a goal to be married in the temple. And when you get families sealed together, the future gets brighter and brighter.”

Read more: Tokyo Japan Temple begins public-facing phase with tours, photos, video

During the recent open house of the Tokyo temple, many Japanese people not of the Latter-day Saint faith came to understand the temple is defined by families and honoring one’s ancestors.

The temple, noted Elder Stevenson, provides “a wonderful way to honor our families and loved ones — and to honor the Lord by gathering Israel on the other side of the veil.” 

President Eyring echoed a principle often taught by President Russell M. Nelson: Everything in the temple points to Jesus Christ.

“The temptations and the difficulties will come, but the young people will be able to pass through them to the extent that they always remember the Savior and think of Him.”

Only a tiny percentage of Japan’s people are Christian. “So knowledge of Jesus Christ is a pearl of great price that our young people possess,” said Elder Stevenson. “They can find strength in that — and give strength to others because of their testimony in Jesus Christ.”

The rededicated Tokyo Japan Temple will serve more than 92,000 members in 20 stakes in the Tokyo area.

A beloved edifice steeped in history

“Our temple.”

That’s a phrase a visitor hears often from Latter-day Saints living across this sprawling Tokyo region in the weeks leading up to Sunday’s rededication.

Even as local Latter-day Saints here look to future opportunities to worship, learn and grow within the walls of the rededicated Tokyo Japan Temple, they remain mindful of its key place in Church history.

When President Spencer W. Kimball dedicated the Tokyo Japan Temple on Oct. 27, 1980, it marked not only the opening of Japan’s first temple — but the first temple built across the vast Asian continent.

Faithful Japanese members who once had to save for years to travel to the Laie Hawaii Temple now had a dedicated temple within the borders of their own homeland. And it became available to small but growing memberships in other Asian nations.

Read more: Video shows installation of floor-to-ceiling art at visitors’ center of Tokyo Japan Temple

The lives of legions of Japanese Latter-day Saints are eternally linked to this lovely yet unpretentious house of worship in southern Tokyo and built across the street from the city’s historic Arisugawa Memorial Park.

While performing the same functions as dedicated temples worldwide, the refurbished 53,779-square-foot Tokyo Japan Temple is distinctly Japanese. Besides the stone Japanese lantern, several exterior features and much of the foliage encircling the temple are indigenous to the region — including landscaping improvements that include Japanese maples and bamboo.

Two Japanese-style shallow ponds and a waterfall round out the exterior highlights.

Meanwhile, interior patterns used in the art glass, carpets and fabrics were inspired by traditional Japanese patterns seen in kimono fabric, shoij screens and other historic Japanese art.

Six consoles found in the corridors of the refurbished temple’s third and fourth floors were customized to include hand-painted doors based on historic Japanese screens. A trio of featured scenes include the cherry blossom, the chrysanthemum and the pine tree.

The temple closed in 2017 for extensive renovations to its interior and exterior. A four-story annex added to the temple houses a visitors’ center, chapel, area and mission offices and a family history center.

Improvements were also made at the temple to meet current seismic standards.

An injection of enthusiasm and courage

Sunday’s rededication was especially sweet for Bishop Kojiro Matsuo, who presides over the Abiko Ward, Japan Matsudo Stake.

Bishop Matsuo and his family have faced health challenges over the past year — including a battle with COVID-19 that kept the Matsuos from volunteering during the recent Tokyo temple open house.

“We felt bad because we knew the open house was likely a once-in-a-lifetime event,” he told the Church News.

But the bishop is quick to add that spending a Sabbath Day with President Eyring and Elder Stevenson at Sunday’s temple rededication will forever be a happy family memory.

Bishop Matsuo has already seen the positive influence on members of his ward. He is also certain the temple will be a blessing to all of Tokyo. The public open house injected in many members the enthusiasm and courage needed to speak to their friends and neighbors about the sacred work of temples.

Read more: The dedication of the Tokyo Japan Temple

Bishop Matsuo’s fellow Latter-day Saint, Kanako Nakamoto, was just 18 years old when she sang in the Tokyo Japan Temple dedication choir in 1980. The choir practiced for almost six months prior to the dedication. She remembers choking back emotion as she sang in the celestial room just steps away from President Kimball. 

“I was the youngest member of the choir, and I was certain that the dedication would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she said. “Then I received an invitation to say the closing prayer at one of today’s sessions.”

Nakamoto marvels at the number of Latter-day Saints from across Asia who have served inside the continent’s original temple over the past four decades. 

“We have received so many blessings from this temple.”

A mother of seven, Nakamoto was able to share Sunday’s dedication with some of her children.

“Elder Stevenson has counseled us to ‘love, share and invite’ — and we’ve tried to do that,” she said. “This rededication is just the beginning for us, especially the young people who will receive a lot of blessings from this temple.”

President Eyring: ‘I feel like I’m coming home‘

President Eyring and Elder Stevenson agree that the blessings of the rededicated temple in Tokyo will extend beyond the local members. Many from the vast Tokyo community learned the gospel’s “happy news” during the temple open house. 

Meanwhile, the permanent visitors’ center on the temple grounds echoes the temple’s truths regarding eternal families and one’s lasting connection to ancestors.

Many who visited the temple open house, said President Eyring, felt something special inside. “That will change attitudes. It will make people much more open to accepting our people as admirable citizens.”

President Eyring loves Japan and its people. Many of his relatives have served missions in the Land of the Rising Sun.

“When I come here, I feel like I’m coming home,” he said.

A rededicated temple in Tokyo, he added, “is a great thing for this nation. It is a great thing in the world to have a temple of God. I feel grateful just to be here.”

“But most specifically, He knows your hearts,” she said during the Saturday session. “He knows your desire to serve Him in whatever part of His vineyard you are called, He knows the concerns that you have for your families. And He knows the miraculous, faith-filled, soul-stretching experiences that are about to unfold.”

The Lord will magnify the efforts of each new mission leader, she added. “You shall be the means for doing much good in this generation.”

The first counselor in the Primary general presidency, Sister Wright said new mission leaders can find an example and kindred spirit in the Old Testament’s Nehemiah, who drew upon his devotion, courage and unifying spirit to perform remarkable tasks.

Read more talk summaries and see photos from the 2022 Seminar for New Mission Leaders here

“One of the powerful messages of Nehemiah is how much you can accomplish when you align your heart, might, mind and strength with the will of God and inspire others to do the same,” she said. “Nehemiah and his followers were ordinary men and women who were invited by God to do the extraordinary.”

Sister Wright said she knows what it is like to feel small and simple. “But I know that with the help of the Lord, by small and simple things are great things brought to pass.”

Like Nehemiah, mission leaders are placed in a unique position of trust and influence. Nehemiah is an example of one who utilizes prayer and fasting to fulfill sacred duties.

“The Lord answered Nehemiah’s prayers in miraculous ways — and He will answer our prayers too when we invite and encourage members to offer prayers of faith. … Prayer is undeniably one of the greatest missionary tools.”

The Book of Mormon, she added, contains countless testimonies of the power of prayer in softening hearts, opening doors and expanding vision.

The Lord always responds to the faith and righteous prayers of His people. Sometimes His answer is “Yes.” Sometimes His answer is “Not now.” And sometimes His answer is, “I have a better way.”

“I testify that such answers will come in common and ordinary ways — and other times they will be nothing short of miraculous,” she said.

The Lord always assists His children in their efforts when they first seek out the welfare of others.

Sister Wright spoke of being a stage IV cancer patient and facing the inevitability of mortality. During that frightening time, she discovered comfort in focusing on ways to bless others. Even while receiving treatment at the cancer clinic, she made new friends and shared her gospel beliefs and testimony of the plan of salvation.

“It is impossible in this life to fully comprehend the ripple effect of the good we do, the kindness we render or the invitations we extend,” she said. “May we always remember that when we talk about gathering Israel or building the kingdom of God we are talking about people. We are gathering people. The kingdom of God is people.”

The Savior provides the perfect example of how to invite others to enjoy the blessings of the gospel. It requires personal sacrifice. “Inviting others should not simply be an invitation to passively receive. An invitation to do something is one of the sweetest expressions of love.”

Latter-day Saint youth and even Primary children can also be powerful tools in the work of salvation and inviting others to Christ, added Sister Wright.

“You will see mighty miracles unfold as the youth (and children) seek and act upon personal revelation,” she said. “Such miracles will inspire not only their peers, but also adults to come and belong.”

Many will oppose and try to stop the work of the Lord. 

“But we can be comforted knowing that we are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with many of the great and noble covenant-keeping men and women throughout the history of the world,” she said, “We will be standing on holy ground — and we will not be standing alone.”

Sister Wright warned that the adversary is doing all he can to thwart the work of the Lord, including utilizing social media to cause distraction. But when used wisely, social media can be a valued tool. The Church’s “Share Light Messages” email subscription service focuses on “giving members practical opportunities, simple resources, and new ideas to share the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Never underestimate the power of example, she added. 

“Sharing the light that comes from living the gospel of Jesus Christ may be the greatest missionary work we will ever do. The world is watching. We need to be where we are supposed to be and do what we are supposed to be doing.”

Nothing will bring Latter-day Saints greater joy than to come unto Christ, make and keep sacred covenants — and then help others do the same. The Lord knows His sheep. 

“Christ also knows you,” assured Sister Wright. “He knows the righteous desires of your heart. He knows the members that you will serve with and the sacred experiences that await as together you help to build the kingdom of God.”

The Lord, she concluded, trusts and loves His servants. ”And the Lord needs every single one of us to help prepare the way for His triumphant return.”

And instead of a customary business satchel, the member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was carrying several fishing rods.

But Elder Gong was not playing “hooky” from the 2022 Seminar for New Mission Leaders. His fishing gear was an apt reminder that missionaries are wise to keep “multiple lines in the water” in their inspired efforts to find people to teach.

In a memorable presentation imbued with humor and straightforward instruction on finding investigators, Elder Gong shared a number of sketches that included a group of young returned missionaries and a returned mission president and companion, all of whom were selected because of their success in missionary finding. 

As “Preach My Gospel” teaches, nothing happens in missionary work until missionaries find somebody to teach.

“Presidents and sisters,” taught Elder Gong, “very successful missionaries everywhere use four key principles to find by the Spirit ‘at all times and in all places’.”

Principle 1: Each missionary keeps multiple lines in the water.

“Varied lines in different places find more effectively than one line in one place,” he said.  “Lines in the water are more effective than lines dangling above the water.”

Principle 2: Balance your finding mix.

Multiple lines in the water” does not mean more missionaries in the same place. “Multiple lines” means different ways, sources, even locations and times of day. Each companionship is finding the Lord’s elect all the time. 

Principle 3: Mission Finding Summary. 

“Your ‘Mission Finding Summary’ shows which mixes of finding methods are working best. Let your area mission specialist help you,” said Elder Gong.

Principle 4: Adapt to your mission and missionaries. 

In the first sketch, Craig and Gayle Teuscher, who served as mission leaders in the New York New York City Mission, played the familiar roles of leaders in a Mission Leadership Council identifying good information to inspire finding.

The young “missionaries” participating in the council sketch reported to President and Sister Teuscher that they were enjoying success in finding people to teach by working closely with youth leaders in their assigned wards, joining the members in volunteer service efforts and effectively using social media.

Read more talk summaries and see photos from the 2022 Seminar for New Mission Leaders here

Another missionary spoke of the value of utilizing the Area Book to find would-be investigators.

Elder Gong asked the Teuschers how they are inspiring their missionaries to “find by the Spirit.”

“Many of our best contacts come from people we are currently teaching,” observed President Teuscher. “Our missionaries constantly ask those they know who else might be interested. Those individuals are much more likely to be taught and baptized than people found randomly by knocking on doors.

“Of course, when we involve members in finding, our teaching and baptizing rates are even higher.”

A good mix of “finding practices” increases the effectiveness of the missionaries, taught Elder Gong.

“Help your missionaries adapt to local circumstances, social and cultural practices, their individual strengths, time of day, even weather,” he said. “Teach your missionaries to pray and ask continuously, ‘How do we find the people who are prepared here and now?’ ‘And how can we partner with members to help make that happen?’” 

Subsequent sketches demonstrated the finding power of utilizing social media, partnering with local members to serve those in need and working closely with local leaders to identify individuals who might be open to the message of the gospel.

“Christlike service is a normal and natural expression of love and community. It’s its own ‘line in the water’,” said Elder Gong.

Another sketch demonstrated the importance of mission leaders allowing young missionaries to seek the Lord’s help on their own to find inspired solutions to finding people to teach.

“Sometimes the best thing President Teuscher and I can do is simply stay out of the way and let the Spirit speak directly to the elders and sisters,” said Sister Teuscher.

Missionaries can also instruct and lift one another by sharing their “finding” success stories.

In one sketch, Elder Gong played the role of a man sitting on a train. The missionaries asked if they could share a message about Jesus Christ with him. He politely declined — but responded positively when the elders asked if he knew someone who would be open to listening to their message.

“Keeping multiple lines in the water, these good elders turned rejection into opportunity,” said Elder Gong at the conclusion of the sketch. “They used good inspiration.”

The sketches also taught the importance of following the Savior’s example and utilizing “good nets” in the missionaries’ finding efforts.

In some parts of the world, finding people is relatively easy. But it takes intentional, organized effort to find people ready to receive Christ’s gospel. That’s where “good nets” come in, he taught.

“Woven together, ‘multiple lines’ become strong ‘nets’,” said Elder Gong. “Internet supports finding and teaching. Fellowshipping networks connect new friends and members, valuable resources for future finding. Tenets of faith help us act and receive promised blessings. Local congregations are a safety net for those entering the covenant path.

“All these ‘nets’ help missionaries focus on their end goal.”

In closing, Elder Gong promised the mission leaders that they will receive divine guidance as they adapt proven principles of inspired finding.

“I promise the Holy Ghost will inspire you, if I may say it, line upon line,” he said. “I promise your balanced multi-line finding successes will open the way for teaching and baptizing. I promise you and your missionaries will see miracles.”

The men and women gathered for the new mission leaders seminar, he added, have all answered the Lord’s call to become “fishers of men and women” and to find and invite all to come unto Him.

“[Jesus Christ] promises that — as you do so by His Spirit, one by one and many by many — you will find and testify of ‘miracles of fishes’ in our day, and for generations to come.”

“I hope this seminar has been able to lift a burden and provide answers to questions you had and ideas you need for your service,” reassured Elder Dale G. Renlund in his Saturday, June 25, instruction at the annual seminar.

Elder Renlund then shared suggestions on how mission leaders can assess their success.

A mission leader’s task is two-fold. One pertains to helping missionaries become disciples of Jesus Christ. The second other pertains to gathering scattered Israel. 

Helping missionaries become disciples 

A mission leader’s success is measured primarily by his or her commitment to helping each missionary become a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. 

How long, asked Elder Renlund, does it take to make and measure that commitment to the missionaries?

“It can happen today,” he said. “If a burning desire in your heart is to help each missionary become a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, you are a successful mission leader.”

Read more talk summaries and see photos from the 2022 Seminar for New Mission Leaders here

Success is also realized when mission leaders “fulfill their duty.”

“To fulfill your duty, you seek inspiration from heaven to guide you, do the best you can, and try to get better over time.

“Simply stated, make a reasonable effort. The effort should be aerobic, not anaerobic.”

As Joseph Smith once promised: “Therefore, dearly beloved brethren [and sisters], let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.”

Gathering scattered Israel

Missionaries are called to preach the gospel to every creature.

“This is what missionaries are called to do,” said Elder Renlund. “As they work hard to accomplish this commission, the Lord will be pleased with their efforts to gather scattered Israel. In many ways, mission leaders are the ones who help missionaries become committed, who stir their passion, motivate them to work, and raise the sights for the missionaries to help the Lord in His purpose.”

These two functions — helping each missionary become a faithful disciple of Christ and preaching the gospel —  might appear to be in tension with each other. Focusing disproportionately on one function or the other, will result in less than optimal results.

But mission leaders, he said, have the challenge and opportunity to optimize both functions.

“The optimization occurs best by helping a missionary focus on his or her purpose, not on his or her receiving the personal benefits of missionary service,” Elder Renlund taught.

“A missionary that is simply seeking those personal blessings is unlikely to receive those blessings. The best way to turn a missionary into a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ is for him or her to be focused on the missionary purpose, by being outwardly directed, focused on those he or she teaches.”

Missionaries who serve others will soon find their purpose to be meaningful and will experience personal growth. By focusing on their purpose, missionaries develop the very fiber of being a lifelong, faithful disciple of Jesus Christ.  

Elder Renlund then invited several mission leaders participating in the seminar to discuss their own mission-directed path to discipleship.

The leaders shared with Elder Renlund several mission-taught insights — including the knowledge that God loves them, discovering personal revelation through study of the Book of Mormon and witnessing daily miracles as they served others.

Concluding, Elder Renlund asked all the mission leaders in attendance to consider this question: “Based on what you have heard, how will you help missionaries experience the lasting impact of a mission?”

Several mission leaders from around the world offered brief responses, such as inspiring the missionaries to come unto Christ and feel His spirit and helping each young elder or sister realize and appreciate his or her own potential.

“You can be successful,” assured Elder Renlund. “You do so by being committed to helping all your missionaries become faithful disciples of Jesus Christ by helping them focus on their missionary objective.

“You have the confidence and faith of the leaders of the Church and most importantly the Lord Jesus Christ.”