On this episode of the Church News podcast, hosted by Church News editor Ryan Jensen, these newly called Church leaders share their testimonies of Jesus Christ, His restored Church and the blessings that come from obedience to His word.

Listen to this episode of the Church News podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon, Spotify, bookshelf PLUS, YouTube or wherever you get podcasts.

Transcript:

Jon Ryan Jensen: Eight new General Authority Seventies and a new Primary general presidency were sustained at the 196th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Saturday, April 4, 2026. President D. Todd Christofferson, second counselor in the First Presidency, announced the callings in the Saturday afternoon session of the two-day conference.

I’m Ryan Jensen, editor of the Church News. And in this special edition of the Church News podcast, we hear testimonies of these 11 newly called Church leaders as recorded on the Monday following general conference.

0:40

Elder James O. Fantone: Hello, my name is James Fantone from the Philippines, and I am newly called as a General Authority Seventy. And I would like to bear my testimony of the living Christ. I know that our Savior, Jesus Christ, lives, and He did what He did for all of us because He loves us. Our Savior atoned for my sins and for your sins. I know that He loves us and He knows us, each and every one of us.

I would also like to bear my testimony of the Book of Mormon. As a young man, I started reading the Book of Mormon, and I have never stopped reading the Book of Mormon. It is indeed another testament of Jesus Christ. Every day, I get the chance to know my Savior even more as I open the Book of Mormon and read it.

I would also like to bear my testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know that he was the Prophet of the Restoration and that he loves the work of the Lord and that he sacrificed his life so that we can enjoy the gospel even today.

Once again, I would like to bear my testimony that my Savior lives. He lives. He loves each and every one of us. He sacrificed His life, and He taught us how to go back to the presence of our Heavenly Father. Our Heavenly Father has a great plan, and it is called the plan of salvation. It’s a plan of joy. It’s a plan of happiness so that all of us can one day live with Them and experience the life that They truly want all of us to experience, even eternal life.

Once again, I know that God lives, and I share this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

2:24

President Rosemary K. Chibota: My name is Rosemary Khwimani Chibota, and I’ve just been called as the Primary general president. So, the principle of the gospel that has come to the forefront of my mind in the last few weeks since I received this call is the principle of obedience and humility, being teachable. Heavenly Father has taught us in 3 Nephi that we need to become like little children (see 3 Nephi 11:37-38). He actually said that a couple of times, showing the importance to become teachable, just like a little child.

And the other things that have been coming and pressed upon my mind is to build a youth that is firm in the faith and of strong minds, just like the army of Helaman was. And I just am so excited to be able to teach these principles to the children of the Church, both young and old. And I just want to share my testimony. I know that Jesus Christ is my personal Savior. I know that He lives. And I’m so grateful for the events of Easter that we’re celebrating at this time.

I know that Joseph Smith is a true Prophet and that he saw God the Eternal Father and Jesus Christ. And I also have a testimony that today we do have a living prophet on the earth, who’s President Dallin H. Oaks, and also that we do have other men that work with him who are His Apostles and that receive revelation from our Father in Heaven on how to conduct the affairs of the Church.

I am so grateful for prayer. I do have a testimony that Heavenly Father hears all the prayers that we say, and that He speaks to us through prayer and also through the words of our living apostles and prophets and through the scriptures. I have a deep love for the scriptures. And Heavenly Father continues to talk to me and instruct me through His word that was written thousands of years ago. And I am so grateful to live at a time where we do continue to receive revelation. And I share this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

4:35

Elder Kevin J. Hathaway: My name’s Kevin Hathaway. I’m from Idaho Falls, Idaho. I was born and raised in that area. And from the earliest that I can remember, I’ve always had a love for my Savior, Jesus Christ. And I testify that He lives. He’s my Redeemer. That testimony comes from a lot of very small, tender mercies that I’ve experienced in many different experiences throughout my life.

I have a witness of the Book of Mormon, that it’s true. It’s changed my life. It’s brought a lot of joy and happiness into my life. I also have a testimony of living prophets, from Joseph Smith all the way to Dallin H. Oaks. I know that these men speak for our Heavenly Father, and I love them. And I testify of those things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

5:17

Sister Nina M. Garfield: My name is Nina Garfield, and I have most recently been called to be the first counselor in the general Primary presidency. I was born in Tokyo, Japan, but was there for just a short period of just a few months before I moved to the U.S. with my parents. I mostly was raised in Colorado, and then Minnesota we lived, with my husband, and then on to San Francisco. And now I reside in Orem, Utah.

I am so excited for this new calling. I’m so excited to work with the Primary and to visit Primary children and visit with teachers and also with parents of Primary-age children. One of my goals is to try to help parents and Primary organizations learn to teach children more about Jesus Christ and His life and the love that He has for them and that He is there for them.

I want children and parents and teachers to know about the love of Heavenly Father. I want children to know that they are children of our Heavenly Father and He loves them and is aware of them and is there for them and to guide them. I know these things to be true.

I’m grateful for Heavenly Father. I’m grateful for Jesus Christ. I’m grateful for the restored gospel and for the blessings that it has brought into my life. I am a convert to the Church, and I didn’t attend Primary, so this is a great blessing for me to be a part of the Primary now so I can experience being with children and teaching. It’s such a wonderful blessing in my life.

Again, I’m grateful for this wonderful opportunity to work with such fine women and to work in the Primary organization. And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

7:33

Elder Hutch U. Fale: My name is Hutch ‘Unga Papalangi Fale. I am from Muʻa, Tongatapu, Tonga. I was born in Provo but moved back there when I was 5 years old. I attended Tonga Side School and Tonga High School before BYU–Hawaii, and then the J. Reuben Clark Law School and the Romney Institute of Public Administration.

I am so grateful for this opportunity to bear my witness of the reality of the resurrected Christ. Recently, while sharing my testimony, Someone kind of interrupted and said, “You know, or do you believe?” And I said, “I meant what I said.” I know that Jesus lives. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me and all of His children. And I also know that They speak through Their living prophets on the earth today.

I know that there is safety in remembering who we are and who our true identities are. I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God who conversed with God the Father and Jesus Christ and that through him, the gospel and the priesthood keys necessary to bind families together forever were restored to the earth.

I know He loves me. I know He loves you. And it’s my hope and prayer that we will never forget that. And I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

How Elder Hutch U. Fale, new General Authority Seventy, feels blessed and mentored from opposite sides of the globe

9:12

Sister Theresa A. Collins: My name is Theresa Collins, and I’m humbled to have just accepted the responsibility of Primary general presidency second counselor. We live in Draper, Utah. For the last five years, we have been teaching the missionary purpose, both as mission leaders and as mission prep teachers. What a sacred privilege to be doing this with our missionaries as they go to the world.

But it occurs to me that it is very similar to that which we are being asked to do here now as Primary representatives. In the beautiful song, Primary song, “Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way.” Are those same words mirrored? “Teach me [what] I must do to live with Him someday.”

I love that “help” and “receive” end up both in the same message. We have the responsibility, the sacred responsibility — as parents, as teachers, as leaders, as mentors, those who have been entrusted with Heavenly Father’s children, the care of them — to teach them, to lead them, to guide them and to help them to receive their Savior, Jesus Christ.

Our children will be introduced to their Savior and be prepared to make covenants with Him. The most important one that will occur during Primary is that of baptism. And that will be the first gateway opportunity for them to partner with Him. It’s my strong testimony that as we do so, He enters into our life and walks with us every single day.

I know the power that children have to receive Him. I myself have had many opportunities to learn, to see, to feel the Spirit of my Father in Heaven from a very young age. I knew that He knew me and that He was aware of me, and the power that that gave me to make good decisions throughout my life and to partner with Him later as I made more sacred covenants with Him.

I know the capacity that children have to feel Him and to know Him. And I’m so thrilled to help guide them in this journey that we’ll partner with Him. I bear my witness that He knows every one of His children — not just the young ones but each one of them — and that He will help us as we walk with Him daily. And I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

11:40

Elder Christian C. Chigbundu: My name is Elder Christian C. Chigbundu. I am from Nigeria. And I’m humbled and delighted to be a member of the Seventy, having been called and sustained yesterday in the general conference.

To me, it’s an opportunity to continue to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord, even to hasten His work in these latter days. I know with all my heart that our Savior, Jesus Christ, lives. He is the head of His kingdom, and I know with all my heart He loves each and every one of us, notwithstanding our challenges and circumstances. I have felt it in my life. I have seen it. And I want to testify that I also know with all my heart that He atoned for our sins, even the cross of Calvary. He took away our sins, our sorrow, our pains. He knows who we are. He knows us by our names.

I testify with all my heart today that no matter whatever each of us are passing through, look up to the Savior. Trust Him. Believe in Him. He knows you. He will hear you. I know today we are blessed with prophets, seers and revelators. As we hearken to their counsel, they will never, never lead us astray.

I know with all my heart that we are in the right place. This is the restored Church on earth today. I know with all my heart that this gospel brings peace, joy and happiness in each and every one of us that will continue to make covenants and remain in that covenant you have made. In the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen.

The Lord ‘owns the work,’ says Elder Chigbundu, new General Authority Seventy from Nigeria

13:45

Elder Jeremiah J. Morgan: Dear brothers and sisters, my name is Jeremiah Morgan. I am a new General Authority Seventy. And I come from Liberty, Missouri, the same Liberty, Missouri, you think of when you think of the Liberty Jail. And I’ve lived in Missouri essentially my entire life, in all of those Church history sites. So, grateful for the opportunity to be here and to receive this calling.

My testimony is of many things, but I’ll just focus on a few for today. One, I have a testimony of the Book of Mormon. I read — or I should say my mother read to me — the Book of Mormon when I was a young boy, and I gained a testimony right then and right there. And I’ve had it ever since. It is a great, great foundation for me and for my testimony of Jesus Christ.

I also have a testimony of Joseph Smith, the Prophet. My middle name is Joseph after the Prophet Joseph Smith. And I’ve always looked up to him and his teachings, his experiences, what he did, his vision, his energy. All of that was unbelievable. And I know that he was a Prophet of God to lead this dispensation.

I also, of course, have a testimony of Jesus Christ, my Savior and Redeemer. It is a testimony that I began with as a young boy but I have cultivated my entire life, and it continues to grow and grow. The changes that it effects in my life, the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the blessings that come from it, and from the gospel of Jesus Christ, is remarkable.

I leave with you, my friends, my brothers and sisters, my testimony that this is the Church of Jesus Christ upon the earth today. And I leave that with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

15:30

Elder Paul H. Sinclair: So, I’m Elder Paul Sinclair. I am a General Authority Seventy. I was born and raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and we currently live in London, England.

I love the fact that section 1 of the Doctrine and Covenants describes the Church as a “true and living church” (verse 30), because what it says to me is that when we have a living church, it’s based on the fact that we’ve got a living Savior. We’ve got living scriptures. We’ve got living prophets that walk the earth. And all of that becomes part of my testimony that it’s not just globally true but it’s personally true. Those things are alive in my life as well as being true for everyone on the earth. So the fact that we’ve got a living church and living prophets and living scriptures and a living Savior is my testimony.

I don’t know if there’s any special talent or gift or anything like that. But I do know this from my own experience, that whatever situation we find ourselves in — whether it’s of our own making or circumstances beyond our control — that the Lord can take that, He can lay His hands upon it, and He can turn it into something beautiful. So no matter what some situation has had, what impact it has had, on your life in some way, that the Lord can take that and He can make it a beautiful thing.

Isaiah 61:3 is real doctrine, that He can bring beauty from any kind of ashes, that as they’re presented to Him, He puts His hands on it, and He makes it beautiful. And I leave this with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

17:06

Elder Matthew J. Eyring: My name is Matthew Eyring, Matthew J. Eyring. I am from Salt Lake City, Utah. I’m a General Authority Seventy in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I’d just like to bear witness of the Savior, Jesus Christ, and of His pivotal role in God’s plan of happiness. Because of Him, we are able to overcome temporal death and spiritual death. We are able to rise from the grave but also rise individually, each one of us personally, because the Savior suffered for our sins, for my sins, and took upon Himself my burdens, in an unselfish way, that I may be able to become more like my Heavenly Father, become more like the Savior, and I can be able to come back to live with Them again together with my family.

I am so grateful for the Father’s plan and for our Savior, Jesus Christ, and for the sacrifice He has made for me and for every one of us that we might find eternal happiness. And I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Matthew J. Eyring, new General Authority Seventy, has been blessed by righteous mentors

18:25

Elder Thabo Lebethoa: My name is Thabo Kula James Lebethoa. I’ve just been called as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and I’m from Johannesburg, South Africa.

I would like to bear my testimony that I know that God is our Father in Heaven, that He truly cares for us, that He’s given us His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, that through Him we can be able to return and live with Him in the celestial kingdom. I am grateful for the Savior. I know that He is my Redeemer.

I have a testimony of the Book of Mormon. I know that it truly is another testament of Jesus Christ. I also have a testimony of the Holy Ghost. I know that He is a personage of Spirit, a member of the Godhead, who testifies of the Father and of the Son. And I share this thought and testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

19:25

Jon Ryan Jensen: Thank you for listening to the Church News podcast. I’m your host, Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen. I hope you learned something today about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and had your faith in the Savior increase by looking through the Church News window as a living record of the Restoration. Please subscribe, rate and review this podcast so it can be accessible to more people. And if you enjoyed the messages we shared today, please share the podcast with others. Thanks to our guests; to my producer, KellieAnn Halvorsen; and to others who make this podcast possible. Join us every week for a new episode. Find us on your favorite podcasting channels or with other news and updates about the Church on TheChurchNews.com or on the Church News app.

April 2026 general conference: Announcements, talk summaries, photos, session highlights

Learn more about the incoming Primary general presidency

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Having served in the Presiding Bishopric since 2012, Bishop Caussé had met many times with the President of the Church — first with President Thomas S. Monson, then with President Russell M. Nelson and now with President Dallin H. Oaks. But Thursday’s opportunity to speak with the Prophet was different than any time in the previous 13 years. This time, Bishop Caussé, at age 62, would receive a new calling — a calling to serve as the newest member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

“I found myself in a little room, almost knee to knee with him. He expressed his love for me and extended the call, and he said it is on behalf of the Lord,” Elder Caussé said.

His answer to the invitation was no different than the answer he gave when he received his first calling at the age of 12. Having just concluded his time in Primary, Elder Caussé was called to be his Primary’s pianist in France. He grew up in Bordeaux, France, to parents who were the first members of the Church in their family.

Today, Elder Caussé lovingly remembers the efforts of his pioneer parents, whom he called at nearly midnight their time to share the news of his newest calling.

As someone who studied business in college, Elder Caussé said his calling as an Apostle wasn’t likely, based on sheer probabilities.

“The probability for this to happen to me is close to null, if not null,” he said in an interview on Friday morning, Nov. 7, in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building on Temple Square in Salt Lake City.

Knowing how rare this calling is has led Elder Caussé to both reflect on his upbringing and look forward to a future of testifying of the Savior.

“That fills me with a lot of humility,” he said. “It is clear to me that the Lord has paved the road, unknown to me.”

That road, as of the day before, includes a new role serving with the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for the rest of his mortal life. Meeting with each of his new quorum members was both happy and heavy, he said.

“It was one of the most emotional moments of my life. You would expect that this moment is a big load on your shoulders. And it is true,” Elder Caussé said, adding that the feeling was “shocking” due to how unexpected it was for him.

Whether it was that first calling to play the piano for Primary children to sing along to or his newest calling to be a special witness of the Savior to the world, Elder Caussé said he is fulfilled by the chance to help the one.

“The most meaningful part is when I can minister to people,” he said.

He said he has seen the difference the gospel of Jesus Christ makes in the lives of those who accept Him and covenant to follow Him. And he shared words of encouragement to those making the decision to join the Savior’s Church.

“I would tell [new members of the Church] that is the best decision they will ever make in their life, but it is a continuing decision you have to make again and again and renew your covenant in sacrament meeting. The sacrament is an ordinance that is absolutely critical,” he said.

Elder Caussé said he knows what it is like to go through that journey of continuous improvement and refining of a testimony of God.

“My testimony of the Lord has never been so great,” he said. “When I was a young boy, I already knew Him. I knew who He was. I knew He was my Savior and Redeemer. But it is interesting how you can improve in something you think is sufficient. And the experience I had yesterday has only increased my love for the Savior and my desire to follow Him.”

The experience of accepting the call to the holy apostleship does not feel like a culmination to Elder Caussé, but instead he sees it as a new beginning for him.

“I am looking forward to improving, increasing, widening my understanding of what it means to be a special witness of Christ.”

Elder Caussé fills a vacancy left with the death of President Nelson, who then-Bishop Caussé answered to on a regular basis. He said he feels grateful to have learned from President Nelson and to have the chance to now show what he learned about the Savior from the Prophet.

“What a unique experience it is, when you report to the Prophet. And that was my case for seven and a half years,” he said. “I learned a lot from him.”

Elder Caussé said he admired the fact that President Nelson was able to love the world as a whole and “at the same time, being so intimate and being so personal and loving each one.”

While serving as the presiding bishop, Elder Caussé said, he was also able to see how the Church and its members work hard to care for those in need all over the world.

“The Church has always been addressing caring for those in need. It is part of the gospel. If you think of what we call the divinely appointed responsibilities of the Church, one of them is to care for those in need,” he said.

The efforts made by the Church to work together with organizations and governments around the world to help provide medical care, alleviate suffering, provide educational opportunities and otherwise help uplift those who need temporal support are largely under the care of the Presiding Bishopric.

“As presiding bishop, I was part of the Welfare and Self-Reliance Executive Committee of the Church, working directly with the general Relief Society presidency,” Elder Caussé said. “Those sisters are fantastic. Together, we have led the work of caring for those in need in a way that it has increased and progressed.”

Ultimately, the work of the Church involves bringing people closer to their Savior, Jesus Christ, and helping them be prepared for His Second Coming, Elder Caussé said. And events occurring around the globe underscore how important that preparation is and show how close that day may be.

“A lot of things are happening. I recognize that this is the Lord hastening His work. He has His plans and His timing, and we have to be ready for it,” he said. “We know that the purpose of the restored Church of Jesus Christ is to prepare a people for receiving the Lord when He comes back.”

The preparation ongoing in all parts of the world is particularly important to Elder Caussé and his wife, Sister Valérie Caussé, because they have family on both sides of the planet. When he was called to serve based in Salt Lake City 17 years ago, three of their five children stayed in France to build their families there. Two others came with the Caussés to Utah.

“Those who stayed accepted the sacrifice that they would not have their parents around them and built their families without us around,” he said. “And the other two accepted to go where the Lord wants you to go, and they settled in a new country with a new language. That consecration has been an example to us.”

Following his remarks on Friday morning, Elder Caussé mentioned his love again of his parents for their decision to become pioneers and for their perseverance that shined as an example to him. He paired their example with that of the pioneers of the Church and expressed his admiration for them.

Only a few feet away from him in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building was a grand piano. Elder Caussé sat down at the piano and began to play a hymn, first with a single finger, then both hands, then with his whole heart with the high standard that only a classically trained pianist can exhibit.

The William Clayton hymn “Come, Come, Ye Saints” covers the simplicity and the complexity of emotion and effort and testimony that come in each person’s life, and that is part of why Elder Caussé said he loves to play that hymn.

Just as that hymn covers a spiritual and mortal journey, Elder Caussé said he feels he is ready now for the chance to prove his testimony of the Savior.

“I am grateful for the opportunity — for the incredible privilege it is to be a servant of the Lord until the end of my days,” he said.

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According to the Church’s Spanish-language Newsroom, Elder Villar, a General Authority Seventy and president of the South America Northwest Area, read the First Presidency’s announcement as members of the Church and community gathered at the Francisco Páez Coliseum in Otavalo.

Those in attendance came from the surrounding Imbaya, Imbabura and Ibarra stakes.

Also at the devotional were Elder S. Mark Palmer of the Presidency of the Seventy and his wife, Sister Jacqueline Palmer; Elder Villar’s wife, Sister Carola Villar; and Elder José A. Jiménez, an Area Seventy, and his wife, Sister Cristina Jiménez. President J. Russ Bradshaw and Sister Karen B. Bradshaw of the Ecuador Quito North Mission also attended.

“We are pleased to announce the construction of a temple in Otavalo, Ecuador. The specific location and timing of the construction will be announced later. This is a reason for all of us to rejoice and express gratitude for such a significant blessing — one that will allow more frequent access to the ordinances, covenants and power that can only be found in the house of the Lord,” Elder Villar read.

Otavalo is in the province of Imbabura. More than 125,000 people live there. The Church has four stakes in the area.

The event was also broadcast live to local units.

Elder Renlund’s visit to Otavalo is part of his ministry to Ecuador and other countries in the Church’s South America Northwest Area.

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“We are confident that members will be blessed by these changes,” the First Presidency wrote in a letter released Monday, March 30, 2026.

For the first time since the 2019 adjustment to a two-hour block, Sundays will look different. Now, instead of alternating classes on Sundays, members will meet for all their meetings during the second hour.

The new schedule will take effect the first week of September.

The new schedule has one hour for sacrament meeting, 25 minutes for adult and youth Sunday School and 25 minutes for Relief Society, elders quorum, Young Women and Aaronic Priesthood quorum meetings each Sunday. A five-minute transition period will be held in between each block.

Primary will meet for 55 minutes during the second hour.

The announcement was made in a March 30 First Presidency letter and in a news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

The letter from the First Presidency explains that Sunday School and Primary classes will continue to study the scriptures using “Come, Follow Me — For Home and Church.” Elders quorums and Relief Societies will continue to study messages from the most recent general conference. Youth will use a new and expanded edition of “For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices,” with more information to come.

Quorums and classes will no longer counsel together about a specific topic prior to these lessons, and these second-hour meetings are to each begin and end with prayer, the letter states, which was signed by Church President Dallin H. Oaks and his counselors,President Henry B. Eyring and President D. Todd Christofferson.

What to know about the Sunday second hour changes

What these adjustments will mean

Adjustments to the worship meeting schedule have been made multiple times since the beginning of the Restoration.

A page titled “Changes to the Sunday Class Meeting Schedule on ChurchofJesusChrist.org outlines that the new Sunday class meeting schedule will:

• Focus more on the teachings of Jesus Christ.
• Strengthen gospel learning at home.
• Increase fellowship, belonging and community at church.

In the Church’s news release, general officers and leaders of the Church spoke more about what this will mean for Latter-day Saints.

Sunday School General President Paul V. Johnson:

“Gathering weekly in every class helps deepen gospel learning by connecting it more closely to personal and family study. It also enhances the spiritual support that members get. Though the schedule looks different, the amount of time spent learning together remains the same.”

Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson:

“There is additive strength that comes when we meet each week to counsel, learn and support one another. When we gather in His name, the Spirit is there to teach us, testimonies are strengthened, and we lift each other in discipleship. This weekly time for connection will help us draw closer to the Savior and each other. We find joy in walking the covenant path together.”

Young Men General President Timothy L. Farnes:

“Living prophets have given us the FSY guide. It’s simple but powerful. It will help young men and young women focus on Christ, know His doctrine, and listen to the Spirit. This guide will help youth walk in confidence, rely on His power, and move forward with hope in a challenging world. I find it helpful as a daily part of my scripture study.”

Increasing faith and deep and lasting conversion

In the October 2018 general conference, then-President Russell M. Nelson announced that the Church’s Sunday meetings would change from three hours in length to two hours, with a rotation each week between Sunday School and classes for elders quorum, Relief Society, Young Women and Aaronic Priesthood quorums. That change took place in January 2019.

“The long-standing objective of the Church is to assist all members to increase their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and in His Atonement, to assist them in making and keeping their covenants with God and to strengthen and seal their families,” President Nelson said at the time. “In this complex world today, this is not easy. The adversary is increasing his attack on faith and on families at an exponential rate. To survive spiritually, we need counter-strategies and pro-active plans.”

Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said in the October 2018 general conference: “The most important goal and ultimate blessing of deep and lasting conversion is worthily receiving the covenants and ordinances of the covenant pathway.”

The General Handbook explains that living the gospel of Jesus Christ includes learning and teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ at home and at church (section 1.4.1)

Section 1.5 outlines the purpose of the Jesus Christ’s Church, which is to make the blessings of eternal life available to all through sacred ordinances and covenants.

To help accomplish this divine purpose, Jesus Christ — through His Church and its leaders — provides:

• Priesthood authority and keys.
• Prophetic direction.
• Scriptures.
• Gospel learning and teaching support.
• Service and leadership opportunities.
• A community of Saints.

Sunday meeting schedule in 2019 to have ‘a new balance between gospel instruction in the home and in the Church’

Deepen conversion and enhance scripture study by signing into the Gospel Library app

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From 2022: Church announces Sunday second-hour meetings are to open with a prayer

Jan Woolley stood in the afternoon shadow of the temple in the hour after the dedication. She and her husband, Richard, and friends discussed what they felt while at the dedication.

“I like what President Henry B. Eyring said about coming to the house of the Lord, that we should look at it as we’re coming to be with the Savior here in His house, and it will change our experience,” she said.

In a Church News video titled, “Place of Peace,” the Woolleys and others share their feelings about the Church’s newest temple.

President Eyring dedicates the Lindon Utah Temple as a ‘refuge’ and ‘place of peace’

Elder Renlund dedicates Davao Philippines Temple, a place of God’s power and strength

Montpelier Idaho Temple dedication, open house announced

Elder Renlund, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was accompanied by his wife, Sister Ruth L. Renlund, as they spoke to young adults in the western part of the Salt Lake Valley.

As Elder Renlund taught about the limitless power that Jesus Christ has as the Savior, he showed that the Savior’s ability to help individuals is not reduced when He offers some of that help to others. Elder Renlund said that the Lord’s power is not like a cake with a finite number of pieces. His power, instead, is endless.

“Our despondency and weeping in this world can be turned to boundless joy and rejoicing because of Jesus Christ, His mercy and love,” he said.

Perspective on the prodigal son and his brother

Scripturally, Elder Renlund described this point by teaching about the parable of the prodigal son. Elder Renlund recalled a conversation he had with his sister Anita about this scriptural story.

She said that some people believe they understand infinity because they have seen its mathematical symbol and have learned a simplistic definition of the word.

“Infinite means without limit, immeasurable in scope or duration,” Elder Renlund said.

His sister said that the older brother in the story could not comprehend that the generosity of his father toward the prodigal would not diminish his own inheritance.

“We sometimes do the same thing with God. We put limits on Him, because our minds work within finite constructs. As God said, ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts’ (Isaiah 55:9). We need to trust Him that His promises are sure,” Elder Renlund said.

Knowledge requires effort

Sister Renlund spoke before her husband and invited the young adults to take every opportunity to learn and to gain knowledge spiritually and academically.

“Just like gaining and retaining other knowledge, gaining spiritual knowledge requires work. It’s a different kind of work, but it requires your time and constant attention,” she said.

Sister Renlund explained that she had studied the French language when she was in school. Later, when she and Elder Renlund moved to Africa when he was called to serve in the Church’s Africa Southeast Area presidency, she was excited to use her French skills. However, because she had not maintained those skills, she could not speak or write the way she had previously in her life.

Elder Renlund later taught that maintaining spiritual skills requires consistently engaging in “intentional acts of personal, private devotion.”

The acts are sometimes referred to in the Church as Primary answers, he said. Meaning that those answers are taught to children while they are in Primary.

“However, they are primary — meaning foundational — because they help us capture the awe for the Savior and His power. They are the things that help us course correct and turn to Him. They are the actions that help us become His lifelong disciples and allow us to always have His Spirit to be with us.”

And those same primary and Primary acts are personal because no one can do them on behalf of another individual, Elder Renlund taught.

“Like physical exercise, personal, private acts of devotion are individual work. … They are acts of devotion because the intent is to draw us closer to the Savior.”

Learnings at the killing fields of Cambodia

While ministering in Cambodia in January 2024, Elder Renlund had a personal experience that reaffirmed his understanding of the Savior’s infinite atoning sacrifice.

He visited the genocide museum known as the Choeung Ek Killing Fields to the south of the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh. In the 1970s, more than a million individuals were killed in those and other similar fields.

Elder Renlund recalled asking himself as he visited, “Does the Atonement of Jesus Christ cover even this?”

He said that he felt amazed to receive a feeling of peace and joy despite the horror and suffering that took place there.

“What I understood intellectually before, I understood now in my heart. Anything that is unfair in this life can and will be ‘made right through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.’ This means that the consequences of any unfairness to anyone will be resolved, mitigated or lifted,” he testified.

Elder Renlund ministers in Cambodia, meets country’s leaders and announces donation for cardiac hospital

Elder Dale G. Renlund at April 2026 general conference: ‘Because of Jesus Christ’

Elder Dale G. Renlund at April 2021 general conference: ‘Infuriating Unfairness’

As those young women learn about and begin to embrace the new names of Builders of Faith, Messengers of Hope, and Gatherers of Light, the Young Women general presidency of the Church rejoices with them.

In this episode of the Church News podcast, special guest host Sarah Jane Weaver, Church News executive editor, speaks with Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman and her counselors, Sister Tamara W. Runia and Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus.

Together, they discuss the doctrinal meaning behind each of the three names and the celebrations they hope will take place across the globe. They also explain the divine identity that these new names can help young women feel as they learn about Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation and Jesus Christ and His Atonement.

Listen to this episode of the Church News podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon, Spotify, bookshelf PLUS, YouTube or wherever you get podcasts.

Transcript:

Jon Ryan Jensen: Welcome to the Church News podcast. I’m Church News editor Ryan Jensen. This special episode of the Church News podcast is hosted by Deseret News editor Sarah Jane Weaver as she speaks with the Young Women general presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

0:17

Sarah Jane Weaver: This has been a very exciting week, and we’re here for a special edition of the Church News podcast with the Young Women general presidency. Today, we’re excited to welcome President Emily Belle Freeman and her counselors, Sister Tamara W. Runia and Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus. And we’re here because the Young Women has new age-group designations.

President Emily Belle Freeman: We are so excited about this.

0:43

Sarah Jane Weaver: So, let’s just start and have you tell us what they are.

President Emily Belle Freeman: OK, so the young women will now be named for the 12- and 13-year-olds, Builders of Faith; for the 14- and 15-year-olds, Messengers of Hope; and for 16 years and older, Gatherers of Light.

1:02

Sarah Jane Weaver: Well, I think as far as things that will impact young women and their spiritual identity, this is so important and so exciting.

Now, I want to read what the First Presidency said about this announcement. They wrote that the name should “help young women understand their divine place in God’s work, to represent their spiritual dignity as His beloved daughters and to highlight their progression.”

And so, as we start, let’s just play off of that. How do these names play into the spiritual identity of young women across the globe?

1:39

President Emily Belle Freeman: Oh, that is so fun. And I love — this is one of my favorite parts of that statement, were those three things that they talked about, where they talked about their place, No. 1, what is their place in God’s work? Their dignity, which I love the thought of that. And then the last one, their progression. And as we think about each of those things in this name, I’m sure you both will have things that you want to say on that.

But one of the things that I love the most as we think about these names is looking at women in scripture. And they were not quiet women. They were women who were difference makers. They were interacting in everything that was happening. And we talked a lot about some of the women in scripture that we look up to and admire, including Eve and Mary and the woman at the well and Mary Magdalene and Emma Smith. And each of these women were builders of faith. They were messengers of hope. They were gatherers of light. That’s who they were.

And we spent one whole council together talking with the women in our council about, “Let’s list all of the builders of faith in scripture. And let’s list all the messengers of hope in scripture. And let’s list all the gatherers of light in scripture.” And you wish you could have seen the board with all of these names as we counseled about this and as we think about that dignity and their purpose and their place. This is not just this generation that lives today, but we are building on the shoulders of giants who went before.

3:22

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus: I want to add to everything that you said, that this is showing a path, and how important is it to have a path? Is it to know what’s next? How can I be prepared to do what things? So I think it will be a blessing for the young girls.

3:37

Sister Tamara W. Runia: We often hear the rising generation described as being on this path but also on this kind of lifelong journey of discipleship, this arc of discipleship. And I think these names will help them as they gain testimony, as they progress, as they draw closer to the Savior.

And I think the thing that I love about the names specifically is that two things can happen, as you say, a Builder of Faith. It’s personal. This young woman can think, “OK, I need to increase my faith in Jesus Christ.” But also, that can be the mirror that she sees, but also a window for her to look out and see others and think, “I can help others build their faith. I can be a messenger of hope. I can help gather Christ’s light and reflect that back to others.” And I think that’s such a beautiful thing, that there are two things that are happening with the names. They’re a mirror, and they’re a window.

4:31

Sarah Jane Weaver: Well, and for many years, the young women have been known by their age or maybe as the older young women and the younger young women, and that was fine. But what process does it take?

How do you go about giving an age designation with a name for young women?

4:51

President Emily Belle Freeman: And I think it’s important to talk about this, because at the time that was done, we look at a Relief Society, and when you look at Young Women next to Relief Society, it makes sense that you would have that designated group name. And that’s important. And we will still have that name of “Young Women.” And that is our group, and that is who we will always be.

But one thing we quickly noticed is we are also in a conjoint program with the Young Men of the Church. And so we’re talking a lot about an age group and a quorum. And as we call out those names, we found it was really important for the young women to have a companion name that also allowed them to have a responsibility and a role and something that they could do and be a part of and a cause.

Sarah Jane Weaver: When you compare those to stewardships and responsibilities and potential, they even become more important.

President Emily Belle Freeman: Yes.

5:55

Sarah Jane Weaver: So, the process, how long does it take? How do you go about naming a group?

President Emily Belle Freeman: Yes. It took a long time. We started talking about this at the very beginning of our presidency and found that the previous presidency had also been discussing this. I don’t know if people realize that this isn’t something that just happened overnight, but this took a lot of prayer and a lot of counseling together. And as we counseled, we had to think bigger than just right here.

This is an international Church, and these had to be names that would work across the entire world. And that filled our conversation on our council. We speak four different languages, and between that and then the AOAs [area organization advisers] throughout the world, as we counseled on each of these words and what they would mean and how they would be translated, that became an important part.

And counseling is such an important part of the work that we do. And so it started small and moved to our council, and then it moved to the Quorum of the Twelve and finally to the First Presidency. And at each step, adjustments came and counsel came, and we would go back and think again. Until finally there came a moment where there just was a confirmation that these names would actually work.

7:25

Sarah Jane Weaver: Well, and there had to be some challenges to finding a name that would work. You mentioned language. Were there others?

President Emily Belle Freeman: Yeah, and so, Andrea, talk a little bit about the languages.

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus: So, translation was one. And also cultures, because the Church is global, and so we have different cultures, and we have also different languages. So, we wanted to use a phrase that was easier to convey a concept, and not only one word that you are more tight in order to translate that and translate with everything that we want to convey in that word. So that’s why we were choosing phrases and really prayed for inspiration to do something that it would be fine or able to be translated in different languages with the same meaning.

So, yeah, it was a process, but it was a wonderful process. Counseling also, President Freeman was talking about councils, and I love this phrase from President [M. Russell] Ballard when he said, “When we are united, we are unstoppable.” And we were united. Every presidency, it’s a council, and also with our council, and, well, them. So we were united, and inspiration came.

8:46

Sister Tamara W. Runia: It’s just been a wonderful journey. It’s been exciting, really, to have those different iterations and come back and pray about it and kind of go to the whiteboard. I really wish you had taken pictures of that. Maybe we did, throughout the whole process. But I think there was some historical underpinnings, right? Do you want to talk about that?

9:05

President Emily Belle Freeman: Yeah, so as we thought about names, we wanted these names to be not just something that three women thought of over lunch. We really wanted to put some thought into where we had come from and where we were going.

And at the very beginning of our presidency, one of the very first things that I did was to read everything that I could find about the Young Women program of the Church. And we would sit in those beginning days and go through all of these books and just talk about. Sometimes there is great power if you know where you have come from, and when you can find the roots of who you were, it actually can give life to who you can become.

And in part of the reading of all of these things, there was a moment when I stumbled on names. The young women have been different names for all through the Church. There just have been, at different times, different names. And we kind of looked at each of them and the reason why those were the names at that time. And in the early 1900s, the girls had names that are very similar to what we will be using now. And they called themselves “builders” and “gatherers.”

And when I saw those names, I came and I was like, “Listen, how awesome this is.” They had a work, they had a purpose, they had something to look at and think, “I can do something with this.” And we started there and just thought about, “OK, what would that actually look like today for these girls? What would they be building? What would they be gathering? What would their message be?” And those roots were part of what compelled us to where we got.

That was not the only thing. Then we dove into scripture, like we talked about, and looked at all of the women in scripture. And then we studied the character of Christ and looked at how all of these names would help us to understand that better. And as we did each of those, as we went through that process, we learned things, and we were led. Until finally there was a moment after a lot of counsel and a lot of discussion and a lot of prayer — a lot of prayer — that we arrived at just a sweet moment of confirmation.

And I don’t think any of the three of us will ever forget that day. And one of my favorite parts of that day is we walked out of the First Presidency office. I was in the front, and Tammy and Andrea were right behind me, and they just jumped right on top of me, both of them did, and we just hugged. And Elder [David A.] Bednar was with us on that day, and he said, “There is a lot to remember about this day, but the picture I will keep with me always is the picture of you three standing in the middle of this room in that embrace.” And I think that was a sweet moment for all three of us.

12:36

Sarah Jane Weaver: So, I love that image of an embrace and unity and confirmation from the Spirit, that this was the right designation at the right time.

What can you tell us about that meeting with the First Presidency? They had to also express confidence in these names.

12:57

President Emily Belle Freeman: One of the things that I love the most about President Dallin H. Oaks is how much he loves the women and the young women of the Church. And we have felt that since the very moment he was called to be the Prophet. And as we listened to him speak about these young women and the women of the Church, it is with the highest regard and dignity. And that moment was no different.

As we sat there with him and we listened to him, and as he thought about each of these names and their presidency counseled about these names, what I walked out from that meeting remembering is how much he loves the young women of the Church, but more importantly, how much he believes in the young women of the Church.

13:50

Sarah Jane Weaver: Now, we’re just a few weeks away from sustaining President Oaks as President and Prophet of the Church in a solemn assembly.

What do you want the young women to know and understand about our Prophet?

14:05

Sister Tamara W. Runia: I love this idea that he loves women, he loves Heavenly Father’s daughters. But also, he has an idea, a feeling that they have potential, that they have a future that is bright. And I know that President [Russell M.] Nelson had the same feeling when he talked about them being unusually gifted.

And I have felt that from our prophets, seers and revelators, that these young people, these young women, came to this earth wired for inclusion, for including others, for seeing past differences and outward appearances and present circumstances and just loving like Christ. And I feel like that direction has come from prophets, seers and revelators who trust them, this rising generation, and know their potential, that they’ve been held in reserve to come forth at this time in the winding-up scenes in this last final dispensation.

15:03

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus: Well, to be in the solemn assembly was an experience that I will never forget. It was really special in my heart. I felt the Holy Ghost very, very powerful confirming that this is the Prophet of the Church. So I know that we don’t need to be in Salt Lake City to have that testimony of the Prophet. You can have it wherever you live, just by kneeling and asking Heavenly Father about that. But it was a beautiful confirmation one more time that He is my Prophet. Beautiful.

President Emily Belle Freeman: One of my favorite memories from that moment will be sitting and watching the young women stand up all through the Conference Center and imagining them throughout the entire world and thinking to myself, “These are young women who know who the Prophet is and who sustain him and who follow them.” And there was so much strength for me in that moment.

16:08

Sarah Jane Weaver: And we felt that moment. I was in the Deseret News newsroom, a whole bunch of reporters, and we felt it through the TV. We felt a confirmation of President Oaks being the Prophet for this age.

Now, I want to talk about one thing: three words. That’s a lot of words. That’s two more words than one word.

Sister Tamara W. Runia: Yes, well said.

16:32

Sarah Jane Weaver: When you think about it, is there something that makes phrases easier to translate? Is there a reason for three words?

President Emily Belle Freeman: We’re going to let Andrea talk about this. We were so happy Andrea was in our presidency as we went through this process. Because I only speak English, a little bit of German. You’re un poquito español [a little Spanish].

Sister Tamara W. Runia: Yes, solamente un poquito [only a little].

President Emily Belle Freeman: You have some Spanish there, but not enough to realize how important getting these names right internationally would be. And Andrea became for us a steady sounding board from the very beginning of, “No, that will not work because of this, this and this.” It just was a constant — we were waiting for that confirmation from Andrea that, “Yes, I think in this many languages, this would work.” And at the end of the day, the translation is what took the longest, to settle on something that would work. But you are wiser about that.

17:39

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus: No, you explained very well. Yes, three words, a concept is much easier to understand than when you have only one word, only one choice. And we need to remember that we have Mandarin, we have Quechua, we have so many languages, and sometimes they don’t have a word, exactly the word to translate and to convey all the meaning that we want to have in that word.

So, well, that was the reason for why we have a phrase. And, well, different cultures, different languages, but only one message that we want to transmit and a very important message that we want the girls to really understand.

18:23

Sarah Jane Weaver: Now, last Sunday was Sunday School. This next Sunday, everyone around the world is going to be meeting for Young Women. And for the first time, young women are going to be able to be together with their advisers and celebrate these new names.

What do you want to have happen on Sunday?

18:43

President Emily Belle Freeman: Oh, this is so fun to think about. And can I —

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus: Sorry, you used exactly the word, because it’s a “celebration.” You said that they will be celebrating. This is what we want. We want them to be celebrating on Sunday.

President Emily Belle Freeman: Yes, we do. We want them to be celebrating it. I wondered if I could read a letter that my daughter wrote me the day the names came out. And this was such a sweet experience for me as a mom to think about this. And I don’t know why, but I actually hadn’t thought about Sunday. I had thought about April 20, the day the names were going to be released. And I hadn’t even thought to Sunday until this letter came.

And she said this. She texted this to me: “I wish I had a daughter in Young Women today. And if I did, I would have checked her out of school, and I would have told her about the big announcement. And I would have said, ‘This is who you are meant to be.’ I would have taught her what it means to be a Builder of Faith, a Messenger of Hope or a Gatherer of Light, to learn through doctrine together what it really means to be a young woman in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Because today, every girl was reminded that she has a purpose, and this day should be remembered. We would go buy a new dress to wear to church on Sunday to remember this moment. We would have made a poster to hang in her room.

“I’m so sad I was released from serving in Young Women, or I would have celebrated with my girls this Sunday. I would have decorated the room, made posters and taught my girls about women in scripture who represented each of these names. I would have shown how each of these names pointed to a character of Christ. We, as women, are going to show these girls what it really means to be a Builder of Faith, a Messenger of Hope and a Gatherer of Light.

“How we respond to this will be how these girls learn to see themselves. How we embrace these names is how these girls will embrace their purpose in Young Women, and we all need to remember that. We are God’s girls, and He has a great work for each of us. And today is a day worth celebrating with daughters or with the girls you take care of and love. Today is for the girls, God’s girls, Builders of Faith, Messengers of Hope, Gatherers of Light.”

And I finished reading this text, and I thought to myself — my first thought was, “Yes. What is everyone doing on Sunday?” I was so excited to just think about that moment. And it was so cute to have one of my own daughters hear that announcement and immediately sit down and start texting of this day. This day is for the girls. And what a sweet moment that was.

21:52

Sister Tamara W. Runia: And I will probably show up at one of my granddaughters’ wards, just kind of sneak in. I have granddaughters Grace, Margo, Piper and Dagny who are in the Young Women’s program. And especially for Grace, who is a senior, it’s been six years since she has had a name that has purpose and identity. And so I’m so grateful that this is happening before she graduates, that she’ll have this experience on Sunday. And, yeah, this is going to be a celebration, just as you both said.

22:24

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus: I will add also that I would love for the girls to feel the love of the Savior this Sunday, this particular Sunday, through the love of their leaders. Through their leaders, to feel that, “Yes, this is it.”

Sister Tamara W. Runia: Well, and I think that’s one of the greatest things about a calling. When you’re called and set apart, I believe that you are entitled to an added measure of God’s love for those that you serve and serve with. And we have been able to feel that so keenly, and it’s a really special thing.

Sometimes I’ve struggled to feel God’s love, but I have felt it in such immense ways for these girls, these young women, and it’s been almost a gift for me to realize, “OK, if Heavenly Father feels this way about His daughters that we have watched care over and their leaders, He must feel this way about me.” And so it has been a gift to feel that love for them.

23:18

Sarah Jane Weaver: Well, I have three daughters. They’re all in their 20s now. But the Church News app push went out, and the family text chain immediately was like —

Sister Tamara W. Runia: Did it just blow up?

Sarah Jane Weaver: “Did you see this? Did you see this? There are names now.” And that meant something to them.

But I want to talk about the doctrinal significance, because it probably should have meant more to them than it did.

23:43

President Emily Belle Freeman: And I think for us, one of our favorite parts of these names was looking into scripture that would support each of these names. And as we read about each of those scriptures that go with these names, we loved the lessons that were coming. And this is true, there are so many scriptures we could have chosen. But as we sat down and counseled together and thought through these scriptures with all of the Church leaders that were counseling together, I love the three that we arrived at and the importance that they teach us.

The Builders of Faith who will build their foundation on Jesus Christ, and we find that reference in the book of Ephesians [2:20]. We see that all through scripture, but that thought about being built upon that cornerstone and Jesus Christ was important to us. You love the messengers of hope.

24:45

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus: In Mosiah 18 [verses 8-9], we read about those who “bear one another’s burdens,” “comfort those that stand in need of comfort” and “mourn with those that mourn.” We can be Messengers of Hope and give hope to the people by ministering, by helping them, by comforting them.

So I think that it’s a beautiful scripture that can help us to see, “How am I doing? What else can I do for others? In which way can I help?” And to be a messenger, also, I love that; that, “OK, I have something to do. I can be a messenger of this good news. I can do good for the people in my family, in my ward, at school, in the community. I can do that.

25:30

Sister Tamara W. Runia: And at all times and in all things and in all places. And I love at the end of that chapter when it talks about, “Are you willing to do these things?” And what did those people do? They clapped their hands for joy and said, “This is the desire of our hearts” (Mosiah 18:11). And I hope the young women will have that same sentiment, that “We want to do this. We want to lift those who are feeling down and minister to those who are mourning and all of those things.”

25:57

President Emily Belle Freeman: Yes, as we think about the sacrament covenant, the covenant that we renew every week, and one of the promises that we make in that covenant is to take His name, and another is to always remember Him. And as we mourn and comfort and stand as a witness everywhere, that is the fruits of a covenant to take His name and to always remember Him. And that is part of what we do as Messengers of Hope.

And then you think about our Gatherers of Light. And I love in Doctrine and Covenants 50, verse 24, where it teaches an important principle. And I love this thought for our oldest girls, for our Gatherers of Light, that as you attract light, more light comes. And I love the thought of first what you were saying, that mirror, that they’re going to gather light. They’re going to gather what will increase the Spirit in their life. But then they are going to go forth and reflect that light for others. And what an example that will be for the world as they live up to that purpose and potential.

27:14

Sarah Jane Weaver: Well, and I tell you, when I first heard these, I thought, “Isn’t it amazing?” This is the generation of young women that President Oaks has said can go to serve missions around the world at age 18 instead of 19. And he’s put so much trust in them, and their counterparts, but he’s asked them to build the Church and gather Israel and share a message of hope and light everywhere they go, whether they embrace the opportunity to serve as missionaries or not.

27:47

President Emily Belle Freeman: Yes, I guess this will be what their generation does as we prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. And I love the thought of that, that first in those first years, they build that testimony. And then they begin to message what it is they have learned. And then they go forth, and they will gather others with that light that they carry. And that progression, that watching of them learning and growing every year and then giving what they know felt really important as we counseled about these names.

Sister Tamara W. Runia: And I love the idea that that light chases away darkness. And that can be in the daily discipleship when they’re reading their scriptures or saying their prayers. They can be gathering that light, and it really does push back the darkness.

28:42

Sarah Jane Weaver: Yeah, I love that. At the Deseret News, we often talk about how the darkness in the world — and Sheri Dew, who is our boss, has taught us this — but the darkness in the world is our opportunity for anyone who is willing to spread light.

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus: And when they are emulating Jesus Christ, when they are doing good things, trying to do good things, they are a light for the world.

29:08

Sarah Jane Weaver: For the past three years, the three of you have had the very unique opportunity to pray for and meet and think about and plead with the Lord for the young women of the Church.

What have they taught you?

President Emily Belle Freeman: Well, I think of a young woman in Micronesia on a very small island. And I’ll never forget when I met her. And they kept saying to me, “You have to meet Zoe.” And when we finally got to her, the woman who I was with said, “Ask her what her calling is.” So I said to her, “What is your calling?” And she said, “Oh, I am preparing to get my mission call. I’ve just turned in my papers, and I am waiting to be a missionary.” And I said, “Oh, that is so exciting.”

And the woman with me said, “But ask her what her calling is.” And I said, “But what is your calling?” And she said, “Oh, I teach seminary to all of the kids on the island. I’m the early morning seminary teacher.” And I said, “That is amazing. Are you a senior in high school?” And she said, “Yes, but I’ve been doing it since I was a junior.” I said, “Every morning?” “Yes.” I said, “So, you do your homework at night, and then you plan your seminary lesson?” “Yes.”

And then the woman next to me says, “But ask her what her calling is.” And I say, “But what is your calling?” And she said, “Oh, I am the Young Women president of my ward, and I have these girls.” And I looked at this young woman who was preparing for a mission and teaching early morning seminary and the Young Women president of her ward.

And in that moment, I just had the Spirit bear witness to me of the capacity of the young women of this generation and what they can do, what they bring to the world. They know who Jesus Christ is. They know His gospel. They are rising up and leading and teaching all over the world. And it was just a remarkable moment for me.

31:21

Sister Tamara W. Runia: I had the sweet experience as I’ve traveled to be outside of temples with Young Women groups and just hearing them testify of their love of the Savior and also the strength that they feel when they enter inside the temples of the Lord and how that house of the Lord is a peaceful feeling that settles on them in a world that may feel dark in other spaces.

I’ve loved hearing the young women of the Church sing about the Savior through the hymns and feel their joy in Christ. And it’s just something that I want to emulate and do better at, is singing with that same joy and that feeling the young women have.

32:04

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus: I really think that this generation is amazing. They are really, really amazing. And I love when I teach the devotionals, at the end of the devotional, to sing with them the song, or theme, of that year. So after that, I will ask them, “OK, what is your favorite part in the song?” And I love it because every comment is a small or mini testimony, short testimony, of the Savior. Because they say: “OK, I love this part because of this. I love that part because of that.” And all the hands are up, and it’s so joyful for me. It’s a wonderful moment in that devotional when I see and I’m a witness of the willingness that they have to serve the Lord, to learn about the Lord, to love the Lord. And for me, it’s like a gift.

32:56

Sarah Jane Weaver: Well, and these young women are going to go out into the world and do amazing things. Some of them may get to a point where they question their place in the Lord’s kingdom.

What do you want them to know about that?

President Emily Belle Freeman: Oh, I love that question. And maybe I’ll tell you a story to begin with, that Grace will be sad I’m about to tell. But yesterday morning, I woke up so early, in the 5s, and I had just been thinking about the names that had been released the day before and pondering about them. And all of a sudden, I heard from downstairs, Grace yelled, “Mom, I need help.” And so I jumped up out of bed, and I ran to the stairs, and she said to me, “My alarm didn’t go off. I’m in charge of opening the doors for early morning seminary today. Can you go, and I will be five minutes behind you? Here are the keys.”

So I just threw on my sweats. I jumped in the car, drove down there. I wasn’t even really thinking because it was so early in the morning. I pull up to the seminary, I get out of my car, I start walking, and someone says this: “Is that President Emily Belle Freeman?” And I was like this. I was like, “Wait a minute, why didn’t I think?” And I opened the door, and everyone went in, and I went and sat in Grace’s class till she was going to get there, which was going to be so close.

And someone asked about the names. And I started talking about the great role that women have played in God’s plan since the very beginning of time. And I remember looking at that whole class — some boys and some girls — but right on the front row on the right, there was this girl. And as I spoke and I talked about those women in scripture and these names, I watched her eyes. And they went from early morning seminary eyes to “I just saw this light.” And by the time I was done talking, I just felt this fire burning in her eyes, that she had caught hold of something in that moment.

And as I thought about that and as I watched her, I thought, “This is the moment I want every one of our girls to have.” That moment when that fire just catches hold inside of her of “This is who you are, and this is who you can become. And there is a great work for you. And you come from a long line of women who have been essential to God’s work and the building up of His kingdom.”

35:49

Sister Tamara W. Runia: Beautiful. Beautifully said. I had a Young Women leader in California when I was growing up, Sister Pingree, and I remember she gave me a small booklet. And inside, she wrote this: “Your potential is far beyond your dream.” And that has always stayed with me, because at that time in my life, I didn’t feel like I had much potential. I certainly didn’t have a dream for my life. But I love that idea that these young women have a bright future. And maybe it’s going to take looking with an eye of faith to see that future that maybe they can’t see.

But I really think as we think about testimony that you just talked about and that burning inside them, they will have those moments when they question, when they wonder, “Is this for me? Do I have a place in the kingdom? And is my testimony strong? Is it built on that strong foundation?”

I love Nephi’s humble answer when he’s asked, “Knowest thou the condescension of God?” And he just says, “I know that [God loves] his children; [but] I do not know the meaning of all things” (1 Nephi 11:16-17). And that honest reply, I think, is something that has helped me, because not understanding is not the same as not believing. And there are going to be things that they don’t understand. And I’ve had that experience as well. But I still choose to believe. And they can too.

37:13

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus: Thank you. When I was in Argentina in my Young Women years, I had a teacher that was wonderful, because every lesson she would finish with her testimony, and always she would have a personal experience about something that she was teaching. So my mind was like, “Oh, can I have that experience? Can I have the same thing?” So all this array of possibilities, my mind was absorbing, “OK, I can have this, and I can have this.”

So, if I can express a wish for these beautiful young women around the world, it will be to have a wonderful leader with a firm testimony, a leader who knows God and loves God, and then trust and love the young women. Because the influence that the leaders can have on the girls is amazing. We cannot tell about that. So the most — I always say the same — the most important leader for the girls is the leader in her ward, in her branch. So, this is my wish, to have that kind of leaders that have fire in their hearts that can transmit all this testimony to the girls.

38:36

Sarah Jane Weaver: It’s now been three days since the First Presidency made this announcement. There’s been all kinds of excitement and talk on social media. Each of you have had a chance to contemplate things. And I’m sure things have settled into your heart and into your mind.

And so, we have this tradition at the Church News podcast, and we usually end with the same question: What do you know now? And so, my question for you is: What do you know now since the Church made this announcement three days ago?

President Emily Belle Freeman: That is so good. Do you want to start?

39:12

Sister Tamara W. Runia: You bet. One of my favorite scriptures — and it was our mission scripture — is from Doctrine and Covenants, I think it’s section 123:17. And in the last three days, I have contemplated this scripture, which I think has kind of informed our experience in working on these names and also when they were introduced.

And it is this: “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.” And I feel like that has been our experience. We’ve cheerfully gone about this work of helping these young women to restore their names and their dignity and their identity, but also now to turn this over to the Lord and to just sit back and watch His arm be revealed and have this work roll forward in this Young Women program and have them hold these names close to their heart.

40:21

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus: Thank you. Well, during these three years, we were praying a lot, we were talking about that and really looked for confirmation and inspiration from God to do everything that we were doing. Because this is in our hearts to do the will of the Lord.

So, one night, I remember I was praying to Heavenly Father because I wanted to have a confirmation that everything that we were talking about, that we were counseling about, was really inspiration. And I was asking, “What is the purpose of all these changes and names and everything? What is the purpose?” And I needed a confirmation from God.

So I opened, after I prayed, I opened my scriptures, and my sight was straight to this verse, the part that says, “to stand firm in the day of the Lord.” It was from the Old Testament. So that was my confirmation that the Lord loves so much these youth, and He wants them to be firm in this testimony, to be firm and to be ready to gather, to prepare the children of God for the Second Coming.

So I was very humbled to receive this. And I was grateful to have a very loving and merciful God that can answer our questions and ease our hearts and our minds in the things that worry us. But how beautiful is that He wants His children to be ready and prepared and stand firm in the things that He knows are good for them.

42:08

President Emily Belle Freeman: And I would just add this. I have thought a lot over the past three days. This is a moment that we have looked forward to for years. And April 20 has been on our calendar, and we’ve counted down the days until that moment was going to happen.

And as we have thought about that and we thought about every letter that we’ve received at the Young Women’s office, and we have read every single one of them, of these girls asking for names. And as we prayed about that and thought about that, this was a really important day for us.

And on that first night, I laid in my bed, and I read every comment on every post that I could find. And I listened to the hearts of all of the women who were talking about this and what this was going to look like and what their hopes were and what their fears were and what they were wrestling with at the time.

And as I laid in my bed, I remembered a quote from the books that I had read at the very beginning of this calling. And Susa Young Gates, who wrote about what it looked like to begin the whole Young Women program. And there is a quote that she had that I have carried around with me since the very beginning, our very first day. And I have thought about this so much over the past three days.

She said this: “The sacrifice was big to them” — speaking of the early Young Women leaders of the Church — “The sacrifice was big to them. Small wonder there was shrinking and doubt. The foundation of any great nation or people is always laid by strong and mighty men and women. Only such had the disposition and the capacity to meet and overcome the tremendous obstacles which the beginning of things entails.”

There were giants in those days. And I thought about that quote over and over again and thought about those women who came before us. And they are giants for us. They are women that we talk about all of the time. And they were women who saw the beginning of things. And we stand on their shoulders now. And this is the beginning of a thing.

And I love what Susa wrote: “It came at a time when we needed something to inspire the youth of our people and to prepare them for the greater labor and duty that was before them.” And I just keep thinking about that. And then this last line that she said, “When superior souls fight the good fight and win the victor’s crown, the warfare is made the easier and the better for every soul upon earth and even for the hosts of heaven.”

And I just love the thought for these young women today of this reminder that these names will bring to them of giants who went before, of these women who were at the very beginning of things. And now we stand at a moment in history when all of us, young women and leaders, stand shoulder to shoulder again. And this is the beginning of things for us.

And that thought that it is coming “at a time when we need something to inspire the youth of our people and to prepare them for the greater labor and duty that is before them.” And this feels like a time like that. And how grateful I am to be here and to be with this group of young women and leaders who will bring meaning and substance to these names because of the caliber of women and young women who they are.

46:32

Sarah Jane Weaver: Now, as we leave, we want to give each of you the final word and the opportunity to just share a brief testimony of the Church and of prophets.

Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus: So, yes, I have a firm testimony of Jesus Christ, our Savior, and also our Heavenly Father who created this wonderful plan for us to return to Him, to transform our hearts. We cannot go back to Him the way that we are right now. We need to transform our hearts. And everything that we live here, all the experiences that we have in this world, is just for that, to transform and be different and more like Jesus Christ, our Savior.

So I’m so grateful for that opportunity that I have to live at this time that is a wonderful time, because the Church is fully restored, and we have a prophet. We have a prophet, and he has counselors, and the Quorum of the Twelve and all the leaders that can guide us. So my testimony is found in that, in the scriptures and the plan of salvation, and in my personal knowledge.

One day, I was on my knees asking Heavenly Father about this, and I received that confirmation. And because of that, I will live my life preaching and testifying of that. I love Heavenly Father so much, and I love Jesus Christ. And because of that, I’m doing my best effort to love others and to do the best thing that I can do. So what a beautiful opportunity it is to be working for that, for Them, for His children. And I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

48:24

Sister Tamara W. Runia: Thank you. And before I share my testimony, I just want to express my love for these two sisters of mine, and what a unique and singular experience this has been, especially to be a part of this. We have worked together and cried together and prayed about this and known the desire of the young women and their leaders to have this moment in time, and I feel lucky to have been a part of this process, and we have felt heaven’s help throughout it.

I have a testimony of my Savior, Jesus Christ. I was just reading not that long ago, this is in Alma 5, and it’s when Alma the Younger is talking about his dad’s experience of hearing Abinadi preach. And then in verse 12, he says, “Behold I say unto you that this is all true.” And that’s how I feel right now, is that all of these things that are happening and taking place, that this is real and that the Savior will return.

We were on our mission when President Nelson said, “Time is running out.” And then we were in the Conference Center when he said, “Christ will return.” And sometimes if we can’t imagine how something will look like, we think maybe it won’t happen. But I bear testimony that the Savior will return. And I look forward to that day, whatever it looks like. And I’m just grateful for this experience of being able to point people to Him and testify of Him. And I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

50:05

President Emily Belle Freeman: And I will just add my witness to theirs. First, that Dallin H. Oaks is the Prophet. He is the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. And I am so grateful for the opportunity that is ours to be able to be with him. Serving at this time has been such a privilege. And one thing that I have learned and that I know is that he knows the heart and the needs of the people who he serves. And I am grateful for that witness.

I know that we are beloved daughters of heavenly parents who love us. I know that Jesus Christ is our strength. And I know the Holy Ghost will not fail us if we listen and we respond to His promptings. And I am so grateful for a restored gospel that has taught us these truths. And I testify that these truths are real. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

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Less than a month after all the scaffolding was removed from around the Salt Lake Temple, media was invited to converge on Temple Square to get a first look at the visitors’ center that will welcome guests from around the world for years to come.

“The openness of this visitors’ center will show you how temples look inside,” President Uchtdorf says in a video by Church News.

He and President Freeman showed the “Inside a Temple” experience to the media and spoke about why the Church chose to create something akin to a permanent temple open house.

“We are hoping this will be a place where you can feel reverence. And we are hoping this is a place where you will come to learn that Jesus Christ is the center of our faith,” President Freeman said.

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First look inside the new visitors’ center at Temple Square

The same phrase carried over into sports and outdoor activities as a teenager. It carried over again as I served a mission. And it carried over again when I was in college. As an adult, I try to be a bit more nuanced with my own children, nieces and nephews.

A few weeks ago, however, I found myself trying to be tough through some pain that emerged in my eye the week before general conference. That’s not the ideal week to step away from working at Church News. I determined that I just needed to make it to the Monday after conference, and I’d be fine.

But when I shared my story of wanting to tough it out with the emergency room doctor on Saturday morning, he didn’t think I had made the right choice. And instead of helping my team on one of our busiest weekends of the year, I was relegated to a dark bedroom with a regimen of eye drops, no screens and a pair of not-so-stylish sunglasses.

That’s not what I had planned, and it added additional responsibilities on my team and family that they didn’t ask for or want.

On Monday morning, I visited the eye doctor, and he gave me a stern lecture. He explained that if I had succeeded in my plan to wait until that day to seek medical attention, I would have likely lost the sight in my affected eye.

Whoa.

We walked through a series of steps he had preferred I take to avoid this happening again and to keep me far away from that blinding outcome in the future.

The experience reminded me of the words I heard as I listened to general conference on Saturday morning, two days prior.

Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about the Savior’s power to forgive and His desire to help us avoid sin in the first place in his message, "Because of Jesus Christ."

“Jesus Christ has both the power and the desire to save us from our sins. Because of Jesus Christ, when we repent and follow Him, ‘immediately [will] the great plan of redemption be brought about unto [us]’ (Alma 34:31). The Redeemer suffered the punishment for everyone’s sins, transgressions and mistakes. He can and will declare guiltless all who believe on His name, repent, follow the covenant path and strive to endure to the end. ‘All mankind may be saved’ (Articles of Faith 1:3) because of Him and His atoning sacrifice. All means everyone. If everyone, then anyone. If anyone, then even one. And if even one, then even you,” Elder Renlund said.

Sometimes the imaginary lines between different virtues are self-imposed instead of Spirit-guided.

In my case, I stuck to something I had heard repeated to me a million times growing up. I was determined to be tough when I needed to be humble. My “I can do it” determination nearly turned into a life-changing mistake.

Medically, I am thankful for the hospital, doctor and medicine that met the immediate needs of my ailment. And I’m grateful for the medical care that will help me recover completely and avoid this challenge in the future.

Spiritually, I am thankful for a Savior who offers immediate relief and eternal forgiveness when we repent and get on the path to follow Him. And I’m thankful for the Holy Ghost and prophets who help me avoid sin in the future.

I know I have sometimes committed a sin and decided to tough out the consequences of it. But no amount of rugged determination will allow any of us to pay the price of our own sins. Only a perfect being could pay that price. Only Jesus will ever accomplish that feat.

Being tough and persistent has its place. The scriptures are replete with examples of followers of Christ who were tough, strong and resilient. And many of those same stories show how humility and repentance in Christ’s name helped them use that strength and resilience matched with a humble attitude to feel and follow the Spirit back to the Lord’s presence.

Like Elder Renlund said, if that opportunity is available to all, that means it is available to you.

— Jon Ryan Jensen is editor of the Church News.

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President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman both expressed excitement at the milestone while speaking with the media on Monday morning.

President Uchtdorf said he is grateful for the effort shown by the first members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to seek out a place where they could worship the Savior in peace. He also expressed hope that others will find that peace when they visit the new visitors’ center and eventually the Salt Lake Temple.

“We invite you to come and see, to come and learn,” he said. “We are one family. ... We are all children of Heavenly Father.”

President Uchtdorf dedicated the new visitors’ center in a private meeting earlier in the morning.

The new center features both above-ground and below-ground sections for the public to learn about the role of the house of the Lord in helping individuals draw closer to the Savior and make covenants with Him.

President Freeman said she is particularly hopeful for the youth who will come and learn about the Savior through the visitors’ center experience.

“In the temple is where we learn the beautiful promises God gives to His children,” she said. “I love the quiet moments here, away from the world.”

President Uchtdorf and President Freeman led a tour through the new visitors’ center, which includes replica rooms from the Church’s temples. They explained each as they passed from replicas of a temple entry to a baptistry, to an instruction room, to the celestial room and to a sealing room.

In the celestial room, President Uchtdorf said he hopes visitors will find answers “to the basic questions everyone has.”

“This is a symbol of entering Heavenly Father’s presence,” he said as he invited those on the tour to come back and “sit, reflect, feel peace.”

The visitors’ center will open to the public on Monday, May 18.

The new facility focuses on the Savior, with elements designed to help individuals understand the purpose of temples and their role in the plan of salvation.

Elder Matthew S. Holland, General Authority Seventy, said there is a new “spirit of openness” illustrated by this new visitors’ center that he hopes people will appreciate.

“I think every member who is able to — especially if they are close — should make an effort to come and see, first and foremost because it reflects the love and imagery and focus of Jesus Christ as the center part of our worship," he said.

Framed by large windows, a replica of Bertel Thorvaldsen’s Christus statue is located inside the new visitors’ center. The temple is visible through the windows behind the statue.

President Freeman said that as the Church has prepared to welcome visitors back to the new space, she has thought about the youth and the learning experiences they can have in it.

“I hope that they will come in groups,” she said. “And they will walk through those rooms, and they will ask questions and find answers, and they will see that Jesus Christ is the center of their faith.”

The Salt Lake Temple renovation project began after the temple and much of Temple Square closed to the public on Dec. 29, 2019. In February 2025, the late President Russell M. Nelson announced that the temple would host an open house from April to October 2027.

The opening of the new visitors’ center comes nearly one year before that open house begins.

President Freeman spoke with excitement about the chance for those who are not members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to see and understand parts of the house of the Lord that they haven’t in the past.

“There is so much to share here and so much to learn here,” she said.

According to President Uchtdorf, the Church is prepared to welcome millions of individuals to the Temple Square Celebration. For those who cannot come in person, President Freeman said the Church has taken extraordinary steps to ensure they can still see and be a part of the celebrations virtually through the Temple Square app and revamped TempleSquare.org.

“For some people, they will be able to come here and walk down the walkways and through each of these buildings, but I love that no matter where you live, all over the entire world, there will be an opportunity to experience and be a part of what is happening here,” President Freeman said.

Emily Utt, a Church historian, has helped the Church work on renovations of the temples in Washington, D.C.; Manti, Utah; and Salt Lake City. She said the first visitors’ center on Temple Square opened in 1902 after nearly 30 years of informal tours while the temple grounds were still under construction.

For Utt, the observation that has stood out the most as she has worked on the Salt Lake Temple renovation project is the coming together of the people, in both the past and present.

“I think what I’ve seen really is this continuity of connection. We, for generations, have sought God, have wanted to be with Him, have wanted His Spirit,” she said. “We want to find Jesus Christ, and we want to find communities where we can be together.”

Jacobsen Construction is one of many companies working on the Salt Lake Temple restoration project. Executive Vice President Amy Christensen attended the visitors’ center media day and talked about how great it is to see everything coming together after six years of work.

“This is a center of Christianity,” she said. “And you’ll be able to feel that ... as you understand temples through this [visitors’ center] experience.”

Jacobsen alone has had up to 1,000 people per day working six days per week since the project started.

Near the conclusion of the tour he led, President Uchtdorf paused and shared his memories of being sealed together with his family in the temple in Switzerland in the 1950s.

“The sealing is something we have to live up to,” he said, adding that the promises of the Savior through the temple include the doctrine that “imperfect people can become perfect in Him.”

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“I know that children are very precious to our Father in Heaven and that He loves them,” President Chibota said as she sat in the now-calm setting of the Church Office Building lobby on Monday, April 6.

President Chibota and her counselors, Sister Nina M. Garfield and Sister Theresa A. Collins, will have a few months to let the calling set in before they begin their service on Aug. 1.

The three described their feelings and the range of emotions they felt as they participated in the two-day general conference in the Conference Center.

Once the conference concluded, they began to realize the magnitude of the callings they would soon serve in.

Sister Garfield said she knows that the role of a Church-supported focus of gospel teaching includes trying “to help parents learn to teach children more about Jesus Christ.”

And Sister Collins said the presidency’s “sacred responsibility” with Primary children includes making an effort to “care [for] them, to teach them, to lead them, to guide them and to help them.”

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The visitors’ center opens its doors to the public on May 18. Monday’s media day on Temple Square provided the first opportunity to see some of the new experiences individuals can be a part of beginning next month.

The Church released the first official photos of the new visitors’ center on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. The new facility focuses on the Savior, with elements designed to help individuals understand the purpose of houses of the Lord and their role in the plan of salvation.

“The new visitors’ center is a window into our sacred covenants with Christ,” said President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. “It helps people of all backgrounds understand the role our temples play and why they matter to our members and to the communities. Here, guests can discover how temple teachings connect to everyday life and uncover the greater context of Latter-day Saint beliefs and commitment to family and Christ.”

Framed by large windows, a replica of Bertel Thorvaldsen’s Christus statue is located inside the west wing of the new visitors’ center. The temple is visible through the windows behind the statue.

A sculpture titled Come Unto Me by Swiss artist Christian Bolt depicts the Savior after His Resurrection extending His hand to visitors on the main level of the new visitors’ center.

While a General Authority Seventy, Elder Brent H. Nielson (now an emeritus General Authority Seventy) served as the executive director of the Missionary Department. He now serves as the coordinator for the Salt Lake Temple Celebration.

“Our Church leaders really wanted the focus to be on Jesus Christ and the fact that this is His house,” he said. “The visitors’ center gives those not of our faith an opportunity to see inside a temple and better understand what happens there.”

While the temple itself will have open house tours, the six months of events surrounding the open house are being referred to by Church leaders as the Salt Lake Temple Celebration.

The Salt Lake Temple renovation project began after the temple and much of Temple Square closed to the public on Dec. 29, 2019. In February 2025, the late President Russell M. Nelson announced that the temple would host an open house from April to October 2027.

The opening of the new visitors’ center comes nearly one year before that open house begins.

New exhibits in the visitors’ center include a “Inside a Temple” experience, a new scale model of the Salt Lake Temple and a gallery of 11 replicas of houses of the Lord from around the world.

The Church also relaunched the Temple Square app that will help individuals plan their time at Temple Square. The app allows users to reserve times for the “Inside a Temple” experience and other events happening on Temple Square during the Salt Lake Temple Celebration.

‘Inside a Temple’ experience

Most temples in this dispensation have included a public open-house period that allows individuals who do not have a temple recommend to enter the temple, see its rooms and learn what happens there. However, temples don’t allow for such visits once its dedication has taken place.

Inside the new visitors’ center, a guided 30-minute tour allows visitors to visit full-scale replicas of rooms included in many temples. These include a replica welcome desk, baptistry, instruction room, sealing room and celestial room. Each is generic in nature and not a replica of rooms inside the Salt Lake Temple.

Rich Sutton, a senior director in the Church’s Temple Department, said this feature basically becomes a nonstop open house for visitors.

“This will always be available to the public to come and see what a temple is like,” he said. “The rooms themselves, even though they’re not dedicated temple spaces — they sure feel like it. They’re built to the same standards as temples are. And there is a feeling in there that is different. It’s peaceful. It’s quiet. It’s contemplative. It’s even worshipful. And it’s beautiful.”

Reservations for the “Inside a Temple” experience are required and can be made at TempleSquare.org.

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The two days of general sessions began with a solemn assembly to sustain the new Prophet, President Dallin H. Oaks, and a new First Presidency.

This special conference edition of the Church News podcast, hosted by reporter Mary Richards, features excerpts from each of the conference addresses and covers topics such as Easter and Christ’s resurrection, walking His covenant path and sustaining His called prophet on the earth today.

Listen to this episode of the Church News podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon, Spotify, bookshelf PLUS, YouTube or wherever you get podcasts.

Transcript:

President Dallin H. Oaks: But as followers of Christ, we should seek to live peaceably and lovingly with other children of God who do not share our values and do not have the covenant obligations we have assumed. In a democratic government, we should seek fairness for all. In countless circumstances, strangers’ suspicions or even hostility gradually give way to friendship when personal contacts produce mutual respect.

0:39

Mary Richards: This is Mary Richards, reporter at the Church News. Welcome to the Church News podcast. Today, we are taking you on a journey of connection as we discuss news and events of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Millions tuned in Easter weekend, April 4-5, for the 196th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with messages from the President and Prophet of the Church, President Dallin H. Oaks; the First Presidency; the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; and other Church leaders.

This special conference edition of the Church News podcast features excerpts from each of the conference addresses and covers topics such as Easter and Christ’s Resurrection, walking His covenant path and sustaining His called prophet on the earth today.

1:32

General conference began with a solemn assembly introduced by President Dallin H. Oaks as follows.

President Dallin H. Oaks: The conference we convene today is different because it begins with what we call a solemn assembly. For more than a century, this has been an event of great significance to members of the Church. In a solemn assembly, we will sustain members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, voting by quorums and groups. We do this only in the first conference where a new president and prophet of the Church has been called.

I am grateful to be among those whose leadership callings are formally recognized in this way and to express appreciation for your participation in this significant occasion. In advance, I express our gratitude as leaders of the Church for our members’ sustaining vote, prayers and support. We also pray for you to be guided and prospered as you continue the great service you give to the children of God throughout the world.

At this Easter season, I reaffirm our testimony of the resurrected Lord and recognize that He is the head of this Church.

3:15

Mary Richards: Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about his own conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in his mid-20s and how serving in callings has helped him and others go about the Lord’s business.

Elder Patrick Kearon: I have learned over and over again that whatever our offering in the Lord’s economy, we always come out ahead.

When the Savior called Peter, Andrew, James and John to follow Him, they instantly dropped their nets. If a call were ever inconvenient or incomprehensible, it must have been this one on the shore of Galilee, yet with faith they followed. And what of feeling disheartened or flagging? Well, even with all they saw, felt and experienced, those first apostles needed the Lord’s gentle reminding and His repeated invitation to feed His sheep.

Our service is a choice, an offering to God and a blessing. We all know that prayer, study of scripture and worship at church and in the temple are critical to the development of our faith. Have we also come to see our callings as having a foundational role in the expansion of our faith? Callings from the Lord are tailor-made for our growth as we humble ourselves, look outward and learn that indeed when we are in the service of our fellow beings, we are in fact in the service of our God.

4:59

Mary Richards: Sister Kristin M. Yee, second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, testified of the power of ministering to God’s children on earth, sharing love to them one by one.

Sister Kristin M. Yee: Ministering is truly loving and caring for others as the Savior would. It is a way of being. It is the way of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is not a program or a checklist. Ministering is the essence of who God is and who we can become as we follow Him.

We are not called to or released from ministering. It is part of fulfilling the covenants we made at baptism and in the temple. We covenant to take upon us the Savior’s name, becoming as He is as we sacrifice and consecrate our lives to Him. When we minister as He would, we begin to think, feel and love as He would.

Our Father in Heaven carries out His eternal work by ministering to the individual needs of His children one by one. The Savior showed us this pattern often during His mortal ministry as He compassionately blessed, healed and cared for “the one.” He invites us to do likewise, to minister in individual and personal ways, ways that help us to feel the love of God. When we feel loved and seen by Him, it changes everything. And when we bless the one, we bless the whole.

6:27

Mary Richards: The newest member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Clark G. Gilbert, spoke about the Savior’s invitation to come home and highlighted stories of people returning to church.

Elder Clark G. Gilbert: Feelings we don’t belong, struggling with doubts or being limited by traditions are just a few of the reasons we don’t immediately answer the call to come home. But even as societal pressures pull people away from their faith, life’s deeper questions do not go away.

As President Nelson taught, “The truth is that it is much more exhausting to seek happiness where you can never find it.” President Oaks declared that the journey home starts by reanchoring on the Savior. Only Jesus Christ can fully restore that light and joy into your life. We all struggle. We need the patience, service and love from others. To those who are trying to help those they love, hold on to the truth. Keep your covenants. Helping others requires you to stay in your covenants. To those who are struggling to come home, know that it is your Savior who is the one calling you back.

7:55

Mary Richards: Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles urged everyone to continue to endure valiantly to the end, reminding listeners of the promised joy and blessings of pressing forward with faith.

Elder David A. Bednar: Enduring to the end is the joyous quest of a lifetime — a pressing forward with faith in Jesus Christ in a gradual process of trusting in and receiving help from our Savior to become more like Him. As our love for Him grows ever stronger and deeper, we can be blessed to receive spiritual perspective, the Lord’s empowering grace and exceedingly great and indescribable joy.

The scriptural phrase “come unto me” (3 Nephi 9:22) is the Savior’s introductory invitation to learn and act in His doctrine and begin a process of spiritual rebirth. The scriptural phrase “endure to the end” (3 Nephi 15:9) is a repeated reminder of the mighty spiritual change in our hearts that should be ongoing throughout our lives. It also is His promise of what we may become if we truly are possessed of the pure love of Christ.

The Lord revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith, “All thrones and dominions, principalities and powers, shall be revealed and set forth upon all who have endured valiantly for the gospel of Jesus Christ” (Doctrine and Covenants 121:29).

9:37

Mary Richards: Elder Michael John U. Teh, a General Authority Seventy, shared the importance of keeping covenants and testified of following living prophets.

Elder Michael John U. Teh: It is interesting to me that some people would think that God’s prophets live in the past and are not attuned to the times. Everything I know of prophets is the opposite. They actually see into the future as watchmen on a tower.

As we learn in the book of Mosiah, “A seer can know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known” (Mosiah 8:17).

I testify that we are led today by a living Prophet, even President Dallin H. Oaks. He, along with his counselors in the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, are indeed prophets, seers and revelators.

10:52

Mary Richards: Elder Jorge T. Becerra, also of the Seventy, warned of the danger of double-mindedness. He gave advice on overcoming that spiritual dilemma by keeping commandments such as tithing, obedience and sacrifice.

Elder Jorge T. Becerra: For example, the Lord gave Adam and Eve “commandments, that they should worship the Lord their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord. And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me. And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth” (Moses 5:5-7).

Please notice that the Lord commanded Adam and Eve to offer the firstlings of their flock. In other words, he commanded them to put God first to avoid the spiritual dilemma of double-mindedness.

12:03

Mary Richards: President Henry B. Eyring, first counselor in the First Presidency, gave the closing message of the Saturday morning session with an admonition to pray always. He testified of God’s love and His power to grant peace and hope to His disciples.

President Henry B. Eyring: Brothers and sisters, I bear my testimony that the Savior’s promise is true and that a humble prayer for peace in your heart will be honored. I felt it at the funeral of my wife of 61 years. I was surprised at the feeling of peace and almost joy. The people at the funeral must have wondered why I was smiling. It was because the Lord had answered my prayer for peace with an assurance from the Holy Ghost which allowed me to envision the happy reunion ahead with her.

The Lord gave me peace and hope that He had promised His disciples. He said: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:27).

13:42

Mary Richards: Opening the Saturday afternoon session of general conference, Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles invited listeners to contemplate how to be better ministers in charge of the Lord’s precious cargo.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson: Our role as assigned ministering brothers and sisters, adults and youth. Please know you represent the Lord, scripturally aligned, serving those who are “numbered among the people of the church of Christ” whose “names [are] taken, that they might be remembered and nourished by the good word of God, to keep them in the right way” (Moroni 6:4). We are to “watch over” Church members and “be with and strengthen them” (Doctrine and Covenants 20:53).

The greatest success in missionary work comes as we act in normal and natural ways. The same is true in ministering. I invite you to contemplate how you can: Provide Christlike love, caring and service. Offer help and comfort in times of spiritual or temporal need. Prayerfully seek the guidance of the Spirit. Help prepare families to make and keep sacred covenants with God as they receive ordinances.

Consider your ministering assignment as “Christlike caring” of the Lord’s most trusted possessions, who at the end of their mortal journey can be claimed and redeemed by Him.

15:10

Mary Richards: Elder Eduardo F. Ortega, a General Authority Seventy, spoke about how true discipleship is a personal decision, not just an inherited faith.

Elder Eduardo F. Ortega: Becoming a lifelong disciple of Christ is a process; the sum of multiple small, daily personal and spiritual events. President Dallin H. Oaks taught: “We need to be patient ..., even with ourselves. Overcoming doubt ... can be a lengthy process, as with building faith.”

The path of discipleship often resembles climbing a mountain. The shortest path to the top is not always the most appropriate and often not the safest either. Thus, we must choose the firm and safe path, even if it is sometimes the longest and most demanding one. Jesus Christ and His restored gospel constitute that same path that leads us to the true summit.

16:27

Mary Richards: Sharing his conversion to Christianity and the restored gospel, Elder Wan-Liang Wu, also of the Seventy, testified of the power of conversion and coming unto Jesus Christ.

Elder Wan-Liang Wu: The Savior declared, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3). How can we come to know the only true God and obtain eternal life? The Savior responds, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).

The only way we can come to know our Heavenly Father and gain eternal life is by coming unto Christ and following Him. Coming unto Christ is much more than just learning of Christ. It includes faith and works. It means to be converted to Him and to His restored gospel. As we do so, we will have greater happiness, hope, peace and purpose in this life.

17:43

Mary Richards: The first counselor in the Young Men general presidency, Brother David J. Wunderli, shared how abiding in and walking with Christ lightens all burdens.

Brother David J. Wunderli: The Lord promised Enoch, “Mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me” (Moses 6:34).

Like Enoch, many of our youth today are choosing to abide with Jesus Christ. They are choosing to keep Him in their lives. They are walking with Him. They are gathering in record numbers to temples throughout the world. They wake before sunrise to participate in seminary. More are serving missions, resulting in more of God’s children being baptized than ever before. Today’s rising generation has been gifted with talents to gather and attributes of empathy and understanding. More are committed to becoming lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ.

19:09

Mary Richards: Elder Gérald Caussé of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared a personal story of what he has learned as an Apostle. He testified that God’s love is universal yet personal.

Elder Gérald Caussé: Christlike love grows and multiplies as it is shared. When we show others the pure love of Christ, they come to recognize more fully how deeply the Lord cares for them — and in turn, their own capacity to love is enlarged and strengthened.

Years ago, while spending peaceful time in the beautiful countryside, I stepped outside after the sunset to rest on a lounge chair. The night was so dark that I could hardly see anything. Instinctively, I looked up and noticed a tiny flickering point of light. Then another. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, the sky filled with stars. I thought, “This is like our relationship with God.” Some think He is distant, and life feels heavy as a result. But if they pause to reflect on His presence in their lives, they will find that He is near, quietly present, far closer than they imagine.

20:20

Mary Richards: Elder Brian J. Holmes, a General Authority Seventy, invited listeners to follow the living prophet in order to walk with Jesus Christ.

Elder Brian J. Holmes: Our Savior invites us to walk with Him. His way is the covenant path, the one path that leads to our celestial finish line. We choose to walk the covenant path by exercising faith in Jesus Christ unto repentance, receiving the ordinances of His gospel and enduring to the end. These ordinances are essential. As Jesus taught Nicodemus, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5).

Just as the band tethered the blind runner to his guide, covenants bind us to our guide — Jesus Christ. Elder David A. Bednar taught, “The covenant connection we have with our Heavenly Father and His resurrected and living Son is the supernal source of perspective, hope, power, peace and enduring joy.” Once we bind ourselves to our Savior through covenant, only we can sever the tie. Jesus never will.

21:35

Mary Richards: Continuing the theme of walking with Christ, General Authority Seventy Elder Clement M. Matswagothata reminded listeners that they are never lost to Christ.

Elder Clement M. Matswagothata: Just as that family prayed for me, there is someone praying for you. Please remember: Your pain is not a sign that God does not love you. He truly does.

So, as President D. Todd Christofferson taught, “In the midst of [the] refiner’s fire, rather than get angry with God, get close to God.” You see, not only does the Savior know you, but He also wants you to come to know Him and His Father. In His great Intercessory Prayer, He declared, “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3).

He is the Good Shepherd who leads us to green pastures and still waters. He is the Light of the World who lights our paths so that we need not walk in darkness. The question should never be “Will the Savior walk with me?” He will. The real question is “Will I walk with Him?”

22:50

Mary Richards: The concluding speaker of the Saturday afternoon session of general conference was Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He outlined why abiding in Christ and His gospel is vital, as Jesus Christ is the True Vine.

Elder Ulisses Soares: Throughout His ministry, the Savior spoke on several occasions the sacred words “I am.” Using sublime metaphors to bear witness of who He eternally is, the great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Son of God, the promised Messiah.

Among these declarations is one of the most solemn and tender teachings of His ministry, spoken on the night preceding His suffering and death. “I am the true vine, … ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:1, 5). Through this beautiful and moving metaphor, the Savior teaches that He is the true, trusted and essential source of spiritual nourishment for our souls.

Through Him we receive strength beyond our own, to not only survive the challenge of life but to grow and thrive. Through Him becomes more hopeful and more joyful, and the fruits of the Spirit are manifested in us.

24:27

Mary Richards: The acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, was the first speaker of the Sunday morning session on Easter. He testified of the resurrected Christ and how the Savior helps people overcome obstacles.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf: But the bold message of the empty tomb is that Jesus Christ is not merely a historical figure. We do not seek Him among the dead. He is risen. We understand He is not confined to the pages of a book any more than He was confined to that grave of stone. The scriptures teach us not only who Jesus was but who He is. Because of what happened on that Sunday morning, we can speak of Jesus Christ in the present tense. He lives. Today. At this moment.

He lives and is an active, ongoing influence in His Church and in the personal lives of those who follow Him. He guides, comforts, listens, calms our fears and wipes away our tears. The message of the risen Christ is that with His strength, all obstacles can be overcome. Because Jesus Christ conquered death, surely He can conquer any danger, confusion or doubt we face.

26:06

Mary Richards: Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman held a copy of the “For the Strength of Youth” guide and bore testimony of the strength that can come on the best and worst days through following the gospel standards in the document.

President Emily Belle Freeman: On that worst day with Greg several weeks ago, I opened my “For the Strength of Youth” guide, wondering if the eternal truths, invitations and promised blessings from the guide could really help Greg and I find strength in Christ. Here is what I read. Maybe these words will help you:

“God’s plan is for you. ... He has all power and knows all things. You can trust Him, even when life is hard.”

“God wants to communicate with you.” He knows you. He knows your name. “Pour out your heart to Him. ... Be still and listen for His answers.”

“Jesus Christ will help you. ... When you are worried, afraid or struggle in any way, He will comfort you.”

“Walk in God’s light. ... You make better choices when you can see things clearly.”

“Temple ordinances and covenants give you greater access to God’s blessings,” help you navigate your life with divine guidance, increase your companionship with the Spirit and with angels, and enable you to live up to your privileges and draw upon the power of God.

Finally, “Jesus Christ brings joy. ... You might have a bad day, a bad week or a bad year. [Just remember,] joy is not the absence of sorrow in your life; it is the presence of Jesus Christ in your life.”

27:51

Mary Richards: Elder Pedro X. Larreal, a General Authority Seventy, spoke about the power of elevating personal spiritual preparation and reverence for partaking of the sacrament each Sunday.

Elder Pedro X. Larreal: The ordinance of the sacrament makes the sacrament meeting the most sacred and important meeting in the Church. During the sacrament, we should try to remove every worldly thought from our minds. That is time to be prayerful and reverent; not a time for reading secular books or magazines, nor is it a time for checking our cell phones. This sacred time is to feel His love for us and remember Him to know that we are never alone, and this Spirit will be with us to help us during trials and challenges.

President Dallin H. Oaks taught, “By participating weekly and appropriately in the ordinance of the sacrament, we qualify for the promise that we will ‘always have his Spirit to be with [us]’ (Doctrine and Covenants 20:77).”

29:10

Mary Richards: Another General Authority Seventy, Elder Edward B. Rowe, invited listeners to enter and follow the covenant path, reminding them that Christ truly is the perfect guide.

Elder Edward B. Rowe: Though our paths in life are unique, each is to be within the covenant path, for that is Christ’s path. We enter that path and connect ourselves to Jesus Christ as our guide through exercising faith in Him, repenting and making sacred promises, or covenants, with Him. We follow in His footsteps within the covenant path by being in holy places, like the temple, and by having sacred experiences through partaking of the sacrament, praying, studying the scriptures and ministering to others.

The more time we spend with our guide in this way — and strive to follow His example — the more we will develop a deep bond and special relationship with Him and our Heavenly Father. We will feel the Savior’s love, be blessed with His strength and have greater trust in Him. Even our very natures will change to become more like Him.

30:30

Mary Richards: On Easter Sunday, Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified of the reality of the Savior’s Resurrection and His powerful gift of resurrection for all, including lost loved ones.

Elder Ronald A. Rasband: Some years ago at a general conference, I spoke of our grandson Paxton, who was born with a very rare chromosomal deletion. His parents would have carried him to the Savior when He called for all “afflicted in any manner” to come that He might “heal them” (3 Nephi 17:7).

Paxton lived three treasured years. He could not speak, crawl, walk or run after his brothers. But little Paxton’s hands reached out to ours and to our Savior with love and affection. I remember the first time Paxton’s father and I gave him a priesthood blessing, that, as it says in the scriptures, “the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John 9:3). They were. He brought immense joy to our families. Families with such a precious member know what a privilege it is to be blessed with one with special needs. Associating with Paxton, our whole family gained an increased, deep and abiding trust in the Lord.

Then, God reached out and took him home. The words of the Psalmist say it all: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

32:16

Mary Richards: Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave an address about celebrating Christ this Easter season and His infinite capacity to empathize and send comfort.

Elder Dale G. Renlund: Reflect on these reasons we celebrate Easter. First, Jesus Christ conquered death. He literally rose from the tomb. Because of Him, resurrection is a universal and unconditional gift for everyone who comes to earth. Death is not the end because the spirit and the body will be reunited, never again to be divided.

Second, Jesus Christ has both the power and the desire to save us from our sins. Because of Jesus Christ, when we repent and follow Him, “immediately [will] the great plan of redemption be brought about unto [us]” (Alma 34:31). The Redeemer suffered the punishment for everyone’s sins, transgressions and mistakes. He can and will declare guiltless all who repent and believe on His name and follow the covenant path and strive to endure to the end. “All mankind may be saved” (Articles of Faith 1:3) because of Him and His atoning sacrifice. “All” means “everyone.” If everyone, then anyone. If anyone, then even one. And if even one, then even you.

34:00

Mary Richards: Elder Thierry K. Mutombo, a General Authority Seventy, spoke about Jesus Christ’s Atonement. He said an understanding of the Atonement can help strengthen all, even in their darkest days.

Elder Thierry K. Mutombo: And sometimes we need the faith in Jesus Christ that all will work out in the end. Now, you may say, “I’m not facing the same challenge. How does this apply to me?” During this mortal life, each of us will face our own dark days, times when things are not going as hoped. When you face this darkness of sorrow, please remember that dark day when Jesus Christ was humiliated, bruised, abused, reviled and lifted on the cross for you and me.

That day was filled with devastating, consuming sorrow that gnawed at the souls of those who loved and honored Jesus Christ. But the doom of that day did not last forever. The despair did not linger, because on Sunday the resurrected Savior overcame the bonds of death. So no matter how dark your days are, please remember that Sunday will come.

35:21

Mary Richards: Elder Alan R. Walker, also of the Seventy, talked about becoming “a peculiar treasure” of the Lord by obeying the Savior’s voice and commandments.

Elder Alan R. Walker: Becoming the Lord’s treasure and receiving His divine acceptance is not something casual or accidental. It requires patient effort, faithful persistence and sacrifice. We must be willing to lay aside the lesser things of the world — habits, ambitions or comforts that distance our hearts from Him — so that we may offer ourselves wholly and without reservation. As we choose to follow prophetic counsel, even when it stretches us or when it feels inconvenient, We demonstrate our love for the Lord and show that we cherish Him above all worldly desires.

President D. Todd Christofferson has taught that as we walk in faithful obedience to our covenants, there flows into our lives a “continual [stream] of blessings” from God, divine power that enables us to endure trials and even “convert tribulation into triumph.”

36:44

Mary Richards: Closing the Sunday morning session, President Dallin H. Oaks invited all to follow the resurrected Lord by being peacemakers in families, communities and beyond.

President Dallin H. Oaks: Each of us can strive to follow our Savior in His teachings about how to relate to one another. This does not mean surrendering our values. The covenants we have made inevitably position us as devoted participants in the eternal contest between truth and error.

We balance our various responsibilities. This balancing is not easy. When we seek to keep all the commandments in our personal lives, we are sometimes accused of having no love for those who don’t. When we show personal love and support loving causes, we are sometimes misunderstood as implying support for results that contradict our other religious duties.

But as followers of Christ, we should seek to live peaceably and lovingly with other children of God who do not share our values and do not have the covenant obligations we have assumed. In a democratic government, we should seek fairness for all. In countless circumstances, strangers’ suspicions or even hostility gradually give way to friendship when personal contacts produce mutual respect.

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that we should “pour forth love” to all people. Speaking of our Savior, the Apostle John wrote, “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). We can follow the example of Jesus Christ, who is our role model, by choosing to love others — even if they show little or no love toward us. He declared, “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). Peacemakers. How it would change the world if followers of Christ would forego harsh and hurtful words in all their communications.

39:25

Mary Richards: As the beginning speaker in the Sunday afternoon session, President D. Todd Christofferson, second counselor in the First Presidency, taught listeners about acquiring the character of Christ to prepare for His Second Coming.

President D. Todd Christofferson: In summary, Jesus acts and thinks out of pure love. He yearns to bless and lift others, and He delights to do the will of God. With faith in Christ, we can pray that the Holy Spirit will effect a mighty change in us to instill these same divine motivations in our heart and help us practice the attributes of a Christlike character. We can keep repenting to improve as we strive to follow the Lord’s example, “which faith and repentance bringeth a change of heart” (Helaman 15:7). We can “become the people God needs us to be.”

I return to the matter of Jesus Christ’s Second Coming. Adopting the character of Christ is not only a question of our personal preparation but a primary element of preparing the world for the Lord’s return and His glorious millennial reign. We tend to underestimate the influence of Christlike individuals in the world. But working one by one has always been Jesus’ approach to changing society and establishing His kingdom. It is the aggregation of individual choices over time that forms and changes societies for good or ill. No one of us alone can change the world, but each of us can have an influence in the world.

On this joyful Easter Sunday, I bear testimony of the resurrected, living Jesus Christ. He is the head of this, His Church. President Dallin H. Oaks is called by Him to preside over the Church on the earth and to be the Lord’s prophetic spokesman to the world.

41:32

Mary Richards: Elder Chi Hong (Sam) Wong, General Authority Seventy, read and expounded upon five times in the Book of Mormon where readers are reminded to “remember, remember.”

Elder Chi Hong (Sam) Wong: The Book of Mormon was written for our day and for our future. As we study its pages, we come to know the truth. As we understand its teachings, they begin to shape our hearts. As we internalize its messages and immerse ourselves in its words, we will be guided to discern right from wrong and empowered to use our God-given agency wisely.

Do you still remember the five sets of “remember, remember” verses in the Book of Mormon? They are: One, we can dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness if we keep His commandments (see Mosiah 2:41). Two, we will be cut off from God’s presence if we do not keep His commandments (see Alma 37:13). Three, we can only be saved through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ (see Helaman 5:9). Four, we will not fall if we build our foundation upon Jesus Christ (see Helaman 5:12). Five, we were given knowledge and agency to choose and act wisely (see Helaman 14:30).

42:54

Mary Richards: Elder Aaron T. Hall, also of the Seventy, outlined the many names of Jesus Christ, what they mean and the blessings that come from knowing Him.

Elder Aaron T. Hall: Brothers and sisters, what names of Jesus Christ help you glory in Him? Perhaps Master, Counselor or Friend. When life feels infuriatingly unfair and finding the strength to glory in the Lord seems difficult, reflect on the meaning of His divine names, and let Him restore peace to your soul.

With perfect understanding of our mortal experience, Jesus Christ lovingly extends this promise: “Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me” (Doctrine and Covenants 88:63). To draw near to Him, He invites us to learn of Him, listen to His words and to walk with Him. To find Him, He invites us into a covenant relationship where we can receive direct access to His power and an extra measure of His love and mercy.

44:07

Mary Richards: Primary General President Susan H. Porter said Heavenly Father’s children can say, like the Savior, “Here am I, send me” (Abraham 3:27), a lesson that can be applied to everyone on earth.

President Susan H. Porter: Heavenly Father knew that when we came to earth, we would make mistakes and would need help to return home to Him. Do you know who Heavenly Father chose to help us? Yes, Jesus. Jesus Christ had so much love for Heavenly Father and for us, He said, “Here am I, send me” (Abraham 3:27).

Heavenly Father sent Jesus to earth. He showed us how to live to be happy. He taught us how to love God and love others. In Gethsemane, Jesus suffered the pain of all our sins and challenges. He died on the cross. And then, in the greatest miracle of all, He was resurrected. That is what we celebrate today on Easter. Jesus, our Lord and Savior, won the battle over everything that is hard and unfair in our lives.

Jesus Christ knows you. He understands you, and He loves you. Jesus has done everything to help you.

45:39

Mary Richards: Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified of the sacred sealing power of the holy priesthood that binds families together forever.

Elder Neil L. Andersen: The sacred ordinance binds us together with our eternal companion and with God. We solemnly vow to keep the covenants, and the Lord promises us, as we are faithful, unspeakable blessings in mortality and beyond, including thrones, powers and dominions in the eternal world.

Our even greater hope, however, is a desire to refine our very nature, to become more like our Savior, allowing us one day to live with Him. Within our sacred marriage, bound to God and to each other, we find ourselves in a crucible of spiritual development where the vital qualities of sacrifice, charity, patience and being a peacemaker — as President Oaks spoke of this morning — the very character of Christ, as President Christofferson said, can become a greater part of us.

As we increase our love for the Savior, our love for each other grows. Like our own discipleship, our eternal marriage is not a short-term experiment but a journey, an eternal journey of becoming who God desires us to become.

47:16

Mary Richards: Reflecting on Easter, Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said the sealing power was restored to the earth through the prophet Elijah on an Easter Sunday 190 years ago.

Elder Quentin L. Cook: It is my witness that His Atonement accomplished His Father’s plan of salvation and provides the way for everyone who has ever lived to be free of death unconditionally and free of sin on condition of repentance. Therefore, the seminal doctrines of the Resurrection and the Atonement have been accomplished by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

This Easter Sunday also coincides with a magnificent vision of the Savior that occurred in the Kirtland Temple on Easter Sunday of 1836, 190 years ago, just one week after the Kirtland Temple was dedicated. That day, like today, was one of those times when Easter and the Passover season overlap.

The appearance of the Savior to the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery and the keys committed by Moses, Elias and Elijah are central to the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the latter days. The role of Elijah in restoring the priesthood keys of the sealing power is crucial in our journey of returning to our Father as a covenant people.

48:49

Mary Richards: Continuing the theme of eternal families, Elder Taniela B. Wakolo, General Authority Seventy, said Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know every family’s story.

Elder Taniela B. Wakolo: God keeps His promises — but in His timing. These stories are not about statistics. They are about souls. I witness that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know every family represented in these stories. They know the tears, the prayers and the patience. They know the feelings of every waiting spouse, every praying heart and every child. They know every sacred promise. These things remind us that conversion is personal. Timing is individual. Agency is sacred.

To those in part-member families, do not lose heart. To those who are waiting, do not give up. To those who are invited, know that the invitation is rooted in Christlike love. To all members of the Church, let’s continue to minister one by one and ensure that no one sits alone.

49:56

Mary Richards: Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles testified of the comfort Christ can give as people learn to walk with Him.

Elder Gerrit W. Gong: Each Sabbath, we invite all to come worship Jesus Christ in the community of His restored Church. In the sacramental ordinance, we covenant that we are willing to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ, always remember Him and keep His commandments. He promises we can always have His Spirit to be with us. As we witness and remember Jesus each week, we abide and walk with Him.

Just as the disciples on the road to Emmaus asked Jesus to abide with them, Jesus Christ promises to abide with us. In the Gospel of John, chapters 14 and 15, Jesus teaches His disciples and us how He can remain, belong and walk with us. His faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death. When we have a question, problem or joy, Jesus Christ says, “I am your answer, your way, your truth, your life.”

51:18

Mary Richards: The concluding speaker of the April 2026 general conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was the Prophet and President of the Church, President Dallin H. Oaks.

We give him the final word on this special episode of the Church News podcast as he testifies of Jesus Christ and invites everyone to share Christlike love with all God’s children.

51:44

President Dallin H. Oaks: Truly, Jesus Christ is the way to peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come. He knows us and loves each of us perfectly and invites us to walk with Him, abide in Him and follow His example of ministering to others one by one in charity and love.

We have been reminded of the central role of marriage and families in our Heavenly Father’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children. May we all demonstrate the pure love of Christ in our families, in our communities and in all of our interchanges with God’s children.

As the messages from this conference are published, we invite all to study and ponder them prayerfully and to act in faith on the principles they explain. The Lord has promised, “Unto him that receiveth I will give more” (2 Nephi 28:30).

As we treasure up and act upon the teachings of this conference, the Lord will continue to teach and inspire us with personal revelation and guidance. I promise this to each of us as we follow the directions of the servants of the Lord and “look to God and live” (Alma 37:47). In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

April 2026 general conference: Announcements, talk summaries, photos, session highlights

Episode 261: October 2025 general conference — Healing, family and appreciation for the life and lessons of President Nelson

Listen to more episodes of the Church News podcast

Each of those leaders’ messages and the opening solemn assembly are now published on ChurchofJesusChrist.org and in the Gospel Library app in English.

The same talks are generally published in Spanish, Portuguese and French the Friday following general conference. Other languages will be published in coming weeks.

Individuals can read, watch or listen to the talks. When logged in with a Church account, individuals can also highlight and save notes while studying the conference messages. Audio of each message can be streamed or downloaded. And video can also be watched or downloaded in different sizes and resolutions.

The complete text will also be printed in the Church’s Liahona magazine for those who want to have a physical copy of the leaders’ messages.

Videos of each message are also available to watch on the Church’s general conference YouTube channel. The sessions are available to stream on the Church’s Gospel Stream app that works with many smart TVs, iOS and Android devices, Roku and Amazon Fire devices.

Summaries of each talk are available in English, Spanish and Portuguese on TheChurchNews.com and also in downloadable PDFs in the same languages, plus French.

“General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” instructs elders quorum presidencies at the ward and branch levels to select general conference messages to study when the quorum meets together.

“The focus should be on topics in one or more talks from the most recent general conference. The elders quorum presidency prayerfully selects conference messages for quorum members to discuss. They make these selections based on members’ needs.”

Ward and branch Relief Society presidencies are instructed similarly for their meetings:

“The focus should be on topics in one or more talks from the most recent general conference. The Relief Society presidency prayerfully selects conference messages for the sisters to discuss. They make these selections based on sisters’ needs.”

April 2026 general conference: Announcements, talk summaries, photos, session highlights

Download a PDF of talk summaries from April 2026 general conference

April 2026 general conference begins with a solemn assembly

Elder Becerra’s talk summary

In the Book of Mormon, the prophet Alma taught the people of Gideon to avoid a dilemma experienced by their neighbors in Zarahemla. That dilemma was a type of double-mindedness.

“A double-minded person is one who is wavering, indecisive or conflicted; someone who lacks commitment to a single purpose or belief.”

Focusing first on God brings blessings.

“From the beginning of time God has taught His children to put Him first in their lives.”

The Lord commanded Adam and Eve to worship God and offer the firstlings of their flocks as a sacrifice to Him.

“Payment of tithes and offerings will enhance our spiritual capacity as we put God first and offer our ‘firstlings of the flock.’”

Spiritual power and direction that individuals have not previously had will come into their lives as they honor the law of obedience and the law of sacrifice.

“Evidence of this truth is found in the simple statement of the Lord after Adam had offered sacrifice, ‘And in that day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam’ (Moses 5:9).”

Jesus Christ is the perfect example of putting God first. He laid down His life as a symbol of submission to His Father’s will.

Read the full text of Elder Becerra’s talk: ‘Tithing — Putting God First’

Notable quotes

“From the beginning of time God has taught His children to put Him first in their lives.”

“Payment of tithes and offerings will enhance our spiritual capacity as we put God first and offer our ‘firstlings of the flock.’”

“Jesus Christ is the perfect example of how to put God first in our lives.”

Who is Elder Becerra?

• Elder Jorge T. Becerra is a General Authority Seventy serving as the second counselor in the Utah Area presidency.
• Elder Becerra served a mission as a young man in the California Arcadia Mission, where he met fellow missionary and his future wife, Sister Debbie I. Schneberger.
• Elder and Sister Becerra later returned to the California Arcadia Mission when he was called to be the mission’s president.

What has Elder Becerra done recently?

• Elder Becerra spoke in the April 2021 general conference about lifting those in need.
• Elder Becerra presided at the media day of the Lindon Utah Temple days before that temple’s public open house began.
• Elder Becerra presided at the groundbreaking of Colombia’s third temple — the Cali Colombia Temple — in March 2025.

Read Elder Becerra’s previous general conference addresses.

April 2026 general conference: Announcements, talk summaries, photos, session highlights

President Oaks also spoke during the Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon sessions.

President Oaks’ talk summary

Most of the Church’s 17 million members know that general conference is hosted twice each year. Saturday’s session is different than most because it begins with a solemn assembly.

Solemn assemblies happen in only the first conference after a new president and prophet of the Church has been called.

“I am grateful to be among those whose leadership callings are formally recognized in this way, and to express appreciation for your participation in this significant occasion.”

Church members sustain the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other senior leaders by voting in blocks of quorums and groups.

“I express our gratitude as leaders of the Church for our members’ sustaining vote, prayers and support.”

Church leaders pray for its members to receive guidance as they serve God’s children throughout the world.

“I reaffirm our testimony of the resurrected Lord and recognize that He is the head of this Church.”

‘Love even your enemies,’ President Oaks says during Sunday morning session of April 2026 general conference

President Oaks' closing remarks during the Sunday afternoon session of the April 2026 general conference

Notable quotes

“[I] express appreciation for your participation in this significant occasion.”

“I am grateful to be among those whose leadership callings are formally recognized in this way.”

“I reaffirm our testimony of the resurrected Lord and recognize that He is the head of this Church.”

Read the full text of President Oaks’ talk: ‘Introduction’

Who is President Oaks?

• President Dallin H. Oaks was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1984 and as the first counselor in the First Presidency in January 2018. In 2022, he became the 19th latter-day apostle to reach the age of 90. Following President Russell M. Nelson’s death, he became the senior apostle and leader of the Church as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. On Oct. 14, 2025, President Oaks was set apart as the 18th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
• President Oaks was a law clerk to Chief Justice Earl Warren at the U.S. Supreme Court and served as a Utah Supreme Court justice until his call to apostleship in 1984.
• As president of Brigham Young University from 1971 to 1980, he oversaw creation of the J. Reuben Clark Law School and the graduate business school.
• President Oaks and his late wife, Sister June Dixon Oaks, are the parents of six children. She died July 21, 1998. On Aug. 25, 2000, he married Sister Kristen M. McMain in the Salt Lake Temple.

What has President Oaks done recently?

• During October 2025 general conference on Sunday afternoon, President Oaks spoke about the importance of the family. “The doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints centers on the family.”
• At a devotional at Brigham Young University, President Oaks offers the way to overcome any doubt — draw closer to the Savior.
• Read how President Oaks has defended religious freedom throughout his apostolic ministry.
• President Dallin H. Oaks dedicated the Burley Idaho Temple, a place of “much significance to him.”
• President Oaks says he feels the responsibility of the prophetic mantle, which is”‘very holy.”

Read more of President Oaks’ general conference addresses, or follow him on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and X/Twitter.

April 2026 general conference: Announcements, talk summaries, photos, session highlights

What is a solemn assembly?

First Presidency extends twofold Easter invitation, testifies of Christ’s love in new video

That Saturday morning, everything was happening in slow motion for me.

Our regular coach wasn’t at the game. Instead, a quorum adviser was there. Sports didn’t seem to appeal to him. So I didn’t expect much from him until he called a timeout after what felt like my hundredth turnover in the first few minutes of the game.

He hopped off the stage that served as the bench on the side of the basketball court. He walked right over to me and asked calmly if I knew what was going on. I gave a poor explanation, and he listened. When I stammered through my frustrated thoughts, he pointed to the spot on the court where I had turned over the ball. He asked me what I did in the second immediately following the steal. I told him I didn’t remember.

He then acted out what he had seen me do. He told me I did the same thing every time I made a mistake in that game.

He acted out the ball being taken, and then he held out both of his hands and shook his head in mocking disbelief. He quickly turned in the direction of the opposing basket and put his hands on his hips while imaginarily watching the other team make a layup.

I laughed at his mirror of my actions.

He laughed and told me it looked even funnier when I did it.

Then he said something that has mattered to me ever since — both on the court and in other aspects of life.

“You react so much, and you react so emphatically, that you forget to act,” he said.

He told me the ball would probably get stolen from me again. But he told me that the next time it happened, I had one second to catch up with the opponent who stole the ball and get it back.

He taught me to act instead of react.

I won’t say that game completely turned around or that we won. It took a while for me to break some bad, reactionary habits.

The same thing can happen with us as we act and react to the challenges we have in life.

Gossip? Reactionary.

Hurtful memes or text messages? Reactionary.

Many hand gestures? Reactionary.

Swearing? Reactionary.

Road rage? Reactionary.

Conversely, acting requires intent. It requires me to choose what I want to happen and to strive to make that happen.

As Jesus went about His mortal ministry, He frequently taught the value of acting in a way that helped individuals move forward.

In Matthew 5:44, the Savior said, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

He doesn’t appear to leave room to curse back and then love. He didn’t invite doing good while still holding a grudge. Love. Do good. Pray. None of these are reactions. They are separate and intentional actions.

When He was being crucified, Jesus asked the Father to forgive the soldiers, not to retaliate.

“Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do,” He said in Luke 23:34.

Still, Jesus submitted to mortal death on the cross.

As had been prophesied and made clear as part of the plan of salvation, the Savior did not stay dead.

He arose with a resurrected body. He would not be defeated.

After the Resurrection, He did not go to those who were responsible for His death to seek retribution. He went to His disciples to continue teaching. He went to others around the earth to teach them. While in the Americas, He continued to teach love over anger and animosity.

“This is not my doctrine, to stir up the hearts of men with anger, one against another,” He said in 3 Nephi 11:30. “But this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away.”

One chapter later, in 3 Nephi 12:20, the Savior says, “Come unto me and be ye saved.”

As we commemorate the Savior’s love for all of Heavenly Father’s children at this Easter season, may we remember that invitation and receive an eternal victory only God can give.

— Jon Ryan Jensen is editor of the Church News.

Church News stories about Easter

President Dallin H. Oaks: ‘Divine Helps for Mortality’

President Dallin H. Oaks: ‘Love Your Enemies’

The new leaders were sustained during the Thursday, April 2, meeting as published on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Doctrine and Covenants 107:25, 34 and 38 outline that Area Seventies of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are called by the First Presidency to be “especial witnesses” and to help members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in “building up the church and regulating all the affairs” and “preaching and administering the gospel” in assigned areas. They act under the keys and direction of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

All Seventies have equal authority, but some are designated as General Authority Seventies and others as Area Seventies. Area Seventies are called and set apart to serve in specific geographical areas but may also be assigned to serve in other areas as needed. While General Authority Seventies serve full-time typically until the year they turn 70, Area Seventies are not called to full-time service and typically serve for five years.

New Area Seventies

Third Quorum of the Seventy (Africa Central, Africa South and Africa West areas)

• Nuno A. Campos, 39, Luanda, Angola; currently serving as president of the Luanda Angola Stake; former branch president and stake presidency counselor; wife: Jessica; six children.
• Samuel E. Eghan, 52, Accra, Ghana; currently serving as president of the Tanzania Dar es Salaam Mission; former bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor and stake president; wife: Paulina; four children.
• Fredrick N. Igweh, 52, Port Harcourt, Nigeria; currently serving as a high councilor of the Port Harcourt Nigeria North Stake; former bishop, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Evelyn; five children.
• M. Franck Ilunga, 42, Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of the Congo; currently serving as president of the Kolwezi Democratic Republic of the Congo Joli Site Stake; former branch presidency counselor, branch president, district presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Kabongo; four children.
• Anani Kouegan, 52, Lome, Togo; recently released as president of the Lomé Togo Be Stake; former branch presidency counselor, branch president, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Kokovi; three children.
• Sawman Machakaire, 43, Harare, Zimbabwe; currently serving as a seminary teacher in the Harare Zimbabwe Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor, branch presidency counselor, high councilor and stake president; wife: Mary; seven children.
• Philip J. Mathemera, 62, Hatfield, Zimbabwe; currently serving as a temple preparation teacher of the Harare Zimbabwe South Stake; former bishopric counselor, branch presidency counselor, mission president, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Barbara; three children.
• Patrick O. Mawongo, 53, Kananga, Democratic Republic of the Congo; currently serving as high councilor of the Malandji Democratic Republic of the Congo Stake; former branch presidency counselor, branch president, district presidency counselor, high councilor, mission president, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Sampembi; five children.
• Ngqabutho F. Moyo, 44, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe; currently serving as branch mission leader of the Queens Park Branch; former branch president, bishopric counselor, mission president and stake president; wife: Faithful; three children.
• Dennis K. Ocansey, 45, Accra, Ghana; currently serving as president of the Nigeria Abuja Mission; former branch president, bishopric counselor, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Rita; three children.
• Jimmy C. Okot, 51, Gayaza, Uganda; recently released as president of the Gayaza Branch; former branch presidency counselor, branch president, bishop, bishopric counselor, district presidency counselor, district president, mission president and stake president; wife: Amanda; five children.
• Sylvain G. Onagnelin, 53, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire; currently serving as a high councilor of the Abobo Côte d’Ivoire East Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Yolande Aya; two children.
• Sunday F. Oyedeji, 49, Egbeda, Nigeria; currently serving as president of the Lagos Nigeria Egbeda Stake; former bishopric counselor, high councilor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Cecilia; four children.

April 2026 general conference: Announcements, talk summaries, photos, session highlights

Fourth Quorum of the Seventy (Asia and Asia North areas)

• Peter Bushi, 46, Bangkok, Thailand; currently serving as a temple preparation teacher of the Bangkok Thailand West Stake; former branch president, bishop, district presidency counselor, high councilor, mission presidency counselor, mission president and stake presidency counselor; wife: Kamalakshi; three children.
• Odgerel Ochirjav, 58, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; currently serving as a Sunday School teacher of the Tuul Ward; former branch president, district presidency counselor, district president and stake president; wife: Ariunchimeg; two children.
• Thịnh Phúc Phan, 41; recently released as a district president; former branch presidency counselor and branch president; wife: Nữ Xuân Quyên; two children.

Fifth Quorum of the Seventy (Brazil Area)

• Paulo M. Araujo, 59, São Paulo, Brazil; currently serving as stake president of the São Paulo Brazil Raposo Tavares Stake; former branch president, bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor, mission presidency counselor and mission president; wife: Renata; three children.
• J. Joel Fernandes, 65, Campina Grande, Brazil; recently released as president of the Belém Brazil Temple; former bishop, bishopric counselor, mission presidency counselor, mission president and stake president; wife: Maristela; four children.
• Orson S. Lemos, 56, Recife, Brazil; currently serving as Sunday School president of the Imbiribeira Ward; former bishopric counselor, high councilor and stake president; wife: Fabiana; two children.
• Luis H. Silva, 47, Nova Iguaçu, Brazil; currently serving as a mission presidency counselor of the Brazil Rio de Janeiro Sul Mission; former branch president, bishop, high councilor, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Jane; two children.

Sixth Quorum of the Seventy (Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico areas)

• Rafael Alcántara, 58, Mexico City, Mexico; currently serving as president of the México City Chapultepec Stake; former bishop, high councilor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Cristina; three children.
• J. Gerardo Álvarez, 54, Metepec, Mexico; currently serving as a temple worker in the Mexico City Mexico Temple; former branch president, bishop, bishopric counselor, mission president, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Ana Laura; three children.
• Lenin Cerón, 45, Toluca, Mexico; currently serving as an Aaronic Priesthood adviser in the Aeropuerto Ward; former bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor, mission president and stake presidency counselor; wife: Cristina; two children.
• Victor Cortez Padilla, 61, Mazatlán, Mexico; currently serving as a temple worker in the Guadalajara Mexico Temple; former bishop, bishopric counselor, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Martha; three children.
• Alirio B. Díaz, 52, San Juan Ostuncalco, Guatemala; currently serving as a service mission leader in the Guatemala Retalhuleu Mission; former bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor, mission president and stake president; wife: Mirian; three children.
• Paul E. Higueros, 57, Villa Canales, Guatemala; recently released as president of the Perú Huancayo Mission; former bishop, high councilor, mission president and stake presidency counselor; wife: Lisbett; three children.
• Hans A. Martineau, 51, Metepec, Mexico; currently serving as president of the Metepec México Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Alma; two children.
• Cesar A. Morales, 40, Mixco, Guatemala; currently serving as a mission presidency counselor of the Guatemala Antigua Mission; former bishop, bishopric counselor and stake president; wife: Lucia Carolina; three children.
• Víctor Orozco, 40, Juchitán de Zaragoza, Mexico; currently serving as an institute teacher in the Juchitán México Las Flores Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor and stake president; wife: Patricia Nataly; three children.
• N. Benjamin Poóu, 52, Cobán, Guatemala; currently serving as a stake presidency counselor of the Cobán Guatemala Stake; former bishop, high councilor, mission presidency counselor and mission president; wife: Hilda; five children.
• Luis D. Santana, 46, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; currently serving as president of the Perú Lima East Mission; former branch president, bishop, district president, high councilor, mission presidency counselor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Diana; three children.
• Edgar D. Valdez, 38, Tijuana, Mexico; currently serving as a mission presidency counselor of the Mexico Mexicali Mission; former branch president, bishopric counselor, high councilor and stake president; wife: Yoana; one child.

Seventh Quorum of the Seventy (Eurasian, Europe Central, Europe North, and Middle East/Africa North areas)

• Hikombo Hitoto, 50, Aigné, France; currently serving as president of the Paris France South Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor, branch presidency counselor, high councilor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Valérie; six children.
• Harri J. Myllylä, 51, Espoo, Finland; currently serving as stake president of the Helsinki Finland Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Marju; three children.

Eighth Quorum of the Seventy (Pacific and Philippines areas)

• Demetrio P. Agudo III, 54, Metro Manila, Philippines; currently serving as president of the Taguig Philippines Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Ronelle; six children.
• Felix O. Bentayen Jr., 45, Lucena City, Philippines; currently serving as a mission presidency counselor of the Philippines San Pablo Mission; former bishop, high councilor and stake president; wife: Katrina; three children.
• Jerome G. Galotera, 49, Iloilo City, Philippines; currently serving as president of the California Anaheim Mission; former branch president, bishop, bishopric counselor, district president and stake president; wife: Beverly; four children.
• Josue G. Jundos, 43, San Fernando, Philippines; recently released as president of the San Fernando La Union Philippines Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor and stake president; wife: Millicent Pajarillo; five children.
• Thelmo P. Navarra Jr., 47, Kabankalan City, Philippines; currently serving as president of the Binalbagan Philippines Stake; former branch president, bishop, district presidency counselor and high councilor; wife: Maria Dolour; four children.
• Stephen F. Notarte, 51, Makati City, Philippines; currently serving as a high councilor of the Makati Philippines Stake; former branch president, bishop, bishopric counselor, mission president and stake presidency counselor; wife: Catherine; two children.
• D. Dan Nuñez, 46, Cebu City, Philippines; currently serving as president of the Cebu City Philippines Stake; former bishop, high councilor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Love; three children.
• Wilfredo E. Rellora Jr., 44, Imus City, Philippines; currently serving as president of the Bacoor Philippines Stake; former bishop, high councilor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Michelle; three children.
• Jon P. Reyes, 42, Batangas, Philippines; currently serving as president of the Batangas Philippines Stake; former bishop and bishopric counselor; wife: Calixta Clarice Evangelista; four children.
• Graham F. Smith, 64, Tamborine, Australia; currently serving as Sunday School president of the Windaroo Ward; former bishop, bishopric counselor, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Elaine; four children.
• Michael J. Stone, 64, Biggera Waters, Australia; currently serving as elders quorum presidency counselor of the Helensvale Ward; former bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor, mission president, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Sharon; three children.
• Paul J. Thomas, 52, Parrearra, Australia; recently released as president of the Australia Melbourne Mission; former bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Nadene; four children.
• Manea Tuahu, 46, Arue, French Polynesia; currently serving as president of the Tahiti Papeete Mission; former bishop, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Vahinui; four children.

Ninth Quorum of the Seventy (South America Northwest and South America South areas)

• Jorge R. Cardozo, 61, Resistencia, Argentina; currently serving as president of the Argentina Resistencia Mission; former branch president, bishop, mission presidency counselor and mission president; wife: Iris; three children.
• Juan Pablo Cortez, 48, Montevideo, Uruguay; currently serving as president of the Montevideo Uruguay East Stake; former bishop and bishopric counselor; wife: Eliana; four children.
• Miguel A. Honores, 42, Valparaíso, Chile; currently serving as president of the Valparaíso Chile Stake; former branch president, bishop, bishopric counselor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Yannina; four children.
• Kleber A. Litardo, 56, Guayaquil, Ecuador; currently serving as president of the México Guadalajara East Mission; former bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Miriam; three children.
• Osvaldo E. Martinez Carreño, 57, Buenos Aires, Argentina; currently serving as a high councilor of the Los Angeles Chile South Stake; former bishop, mission president, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Adriana; four children.
• Andres D. Moreno, 49, Cañuelas, Argentina; currently serving as president of the Cañuelas Branch; former bishop, bishopric counselor, branch presidency counselor, high councilor and stake president; wife: Virginia; four children.
• Marcelo J. Paz, 54, Buenos Aires, Argentina; currently serving as president of the México Oaxaca Mission; former bishop, bishopric counselor, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Adriana; five children.
• Carlos J. Rodriguez, 44, Trujillo, Peru; recently released as president of the Trujillo Peru Central Stake; former high councilor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Melody; three children.
• Martin R. Tello Sotil, 54, Lima, Peru; currently serving as president of the Lima Perú Villa Salvador Stake; former bishopric counselor, high councilor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Isabel; two children.
• Jose J. Trovato, 48, San Pablo, Argentina; currently serving as elders quorum president of the Manantial Ward; former bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor, mission presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Evelin; five children.
• Juan F. Vásquez, 47, Santiago, Chile; currently serving as president of the Santiago Chile San Miguel Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Natalia; four children.
• Andres Villegas, 57, Jamundí, Colombia; currently serving as a stake presidency counselor of the Cali Colombia San Fernando Stake; former bishop, mission presidency counselor and mission president; wife: Sandra; two children.

Tenth Quorum of the Seventy (Canada, U.S. Central, U.S. Northeast, and U.S. Southeast areas)

• Brett V. Benson, 52, Nashville, Tennessee; currently serving as president of the Nashville Tennessee Stake; former bishopric counselor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Lacy; three children.
• Christopher B. Bingham, 53, Apex, North Carolina; currently serving as president of the Apex North Carolina Stake; former bishop, high councilor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Nellie; six children.
• Rhett R. Hintze, 55, Etters, Pennsylvania; currently serving as president of the Harrisburg Pennsylvania Stake; former bishop and bishopric counselor; wife: Melissa; three children.
• R. Wade Litchfield, 63, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida; recently released as president of the Côte d’Ivoire Abidjan West Mission; former high councilor, mission presidency counselor, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: London; three children.
• Scott M. Naatjes, 59, Credit River, Minnesota; currently serving as a mission presidency counselor of the Minneapolis Minnesota Mission; former branch president, bishopric counselor, high councilor, mission president and stake president; wife: Jodi; five children.
• M. Shayne Olsen, 58, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada; currently serving as president of the Vernon British Columbia Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Cyndy Jane; four children.
• Joshua K. Perkes, 47, Elkhorn, Nebraska; currently serving as a temple worker of the Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple; former bishop and stake president; wife: Brooke; four children.
• Ryan A. Robinson, 51, Fortville, Indiana; currently serving as president of the Fishers Indiana Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor and high councilor; wife: Heidi; three children.
• Kurt F. Scherer, 45, Windermere, Florida; currently serving as president of the Orlando Florida South Stake; former bishop and bishopric counselor; wife: Allison; four children.
• Christopher L. Thomas, 56, Highlands Ranch, Colorado; currently serving as a high councilor of the Highlands Ranch Colorado Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor, mission presidency counselor, mission president and stake presidency counselor; wife: Sheryn; four children.
• Kevin C. Thompson, 51, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; currently serving as a Sunday School teacher of the Inverness Ward; former bishop, high councilor, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Tracey; four children.

Eleventh Quorum of the Seventy (U.S. Southwest and U.S. West areas)

• Troy A. Bair, 50, Rescue, California; currently serving as president of the El Dorado California Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor and high councilor; wife: Darce; four children.
• Brandon J. Child, 50, East Wenatchee, Washington; currently serving as president of the Wenatchee Washington Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Emily; four children.
• Brandon C. Ellison, 45, Benbrook, Texas; currently serving as president of the Fort Worth Texas Stake; former bishop and bishopric counselor; wife: Stacy; four children.
• Nathan R. Fernley, 49, Long Beach, California; currently serving as president of the Long Beach California East Stake; former bishopric counselor, high councilor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Dara Lynn; three children.
• Marcus F. Johnson, 39, Tempe, Arizona; currently serving as an elders quorum instructor in the Alameda Ward; former high councilor and stake president; wife: Alexandria; six children.
• John L. Merrill, 55, Newbury Park, California; currently serving as president of the Newbury Park California Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor and high councilor; wife: Marrianne; four children.
• Jason T. Morris, 52, Henderson, Nevada; currently serving as a priests quorum adviser of the Palm Canyon Ward; former bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor and stake president; wife: Stephanie; five children.
• Daniel W. Packard, 57, San Antonio, Texas; currently serving as a seminary supervisor of the San Antonio Texas Hill Country Stake; former bishop, high councilor, mission president, stake mission president and stake presidency counselor; wife: Alison; four children.
• Gary M. Riding, 62, Highland Village, Texas; currently serving as a senior service missionary; former bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor, mission president, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Melissa; seven children.
• B. Brondon Shaheen, 42, Gallup, New Mexico; currently serving as president of the Gallup New Mexico Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor and high councilor; wife: Megan; five children.
• Nathan Y. Sharp, 49, College Station, Texas; currently serving as an institute teacher of the College Station Texas Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor and stake president; wife: Holly; five children.
• Craig R. Spangler, 55, Port Orchard, Washington; currently serving as president of the Bremerton Washington Stake; former bishop, bishopric counselor and stake presidency counselor; wife: Krisette; four children.
• Christopher Stephenson, 51, Penryn, California; currently serving as a Sunday School teacher of the Loomis 1st Ward; former bishop, branch presidency counselor, district presidency counselor, high councilor, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Rebecca; four children.
• Paula S. Tonga, 58, San Bruno, California; currently serving as temple worker of the Oakland California Temple; former bishop, bishopric counselor, stake presidency counselor and stake president; wife: Vika; three children.
• Brian J. Willey, 49, Coppell, Texas; currently serving as president of the Carrollton Texas Stake; former bishop and bishopric counselor; wife: Kathryn; four children.

Twelfth Quorum of the Seventy (Utah Area)

• Andrew E. Dadson, 50, Vineyard, Utah; currently serving as president of the Vineyard Utah Grove Park Stake; former bishop and high councilor; wife: Milli; five children.
• Matthew R. Hall, 54, Salt Lake City; currently serving as choir director of the Wasatch 5th Ward; former bishop, bishopric counselor, branch presidency counselor, high councilor and stake president; wife: Julie; five children.
• Lincoln D. Nadauld, 49, Santa Clara, Utah; currently serving as president of the Santa Clara Utah Stake; former branch president, bishop, bishopric counselor and high councilor; wife: Lindsay; five children.
• Nadmid B. Namgur, 49, South Jordan, Utah; recently released as president of the Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Mission; former branch president, bishop, bishopric counselor and high councilor; wife: Mayumi; two children.
• Reid L. Neilson, 53, Bountiful, Utah; currently serving as a mission preparation teacher of the Bountiful Utah Heights Stake; former high councilor and mission president; wife: Shelly; five children.
• Ritch N. Wood, 60, Alpine, Utah; currently serving as a branch presidency counselor at the Provo Missionary Training Center; former bishop, bishopric counselor, high councilor, mission president and stake president; wife: Rebecca; six children.

Area Seventies to be released on or before Aug. 1

• Third Quorum of the Seventy (Africa Central, Africa South, and Africa West areas): Samuel Annan-Simons, Lauriano P. Balilemwa, Frederick M. Kamya, Enefiok Ntem, Charles O. Oide and Tonga J. Sai.
• Fourth Quorum of the Seventy (Asia and Asia North areas): Ross A. Chiles, John Gutty, Yuichi Imai and Dong Hwan Jeong.
• Fifth Quorum of the Seventy (Brazil Area): Marcelo Andrezzo, Moroni Costa, Odair Lira and Alexandre Ret.
• Sixth Quorum of the Seventy (Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico areas): Ranulfo Cervantes Soler, Félix Conde, Tomás Familia, Claude R. Gamiette, B. Helaman Ixcot, Julio E. Lee, R. Darío Lorenzana, Héctor Méndez, Russell A. Robinson, Raul Tapia, Carlos Torres and Bruno E. Vásquez.
• Seventh Quorum of the Seventy (Eurasian, Europe Central, Europe North, and Middle East/Africa North areas): Erik Bernskov and Franck A. Poznanski.
• Eighth Quorum of the Seventy (Pacific and Philippines areas): Eduardo M. Argana, Benjamin Cinco, Ernesto A. Deyro Jr., Bartolome L. Madriaga, Damon Page, Frédéric T. Riemer, Martiniano S. Soquila Jr. and Iotua B. Tune.
• Ninth Quorum of the Seventy (South America Northwest and South America South areas): Juan P. Casco, Leandro J. Curaba, Enrique M. Loo, Hernán D. Lucero, Enrique Mayorga, Ricardo J. Nieves, Lorenzo Norambuena, Juan L. Orquera, Roberto C. Pacheco, Leonardo S. Rojas and Victor H. Suazo.
• Tenth Quorum of the Seventy (Canada, U.S. Central, U.S. Northeast, and U.S. Southeast areas): Daniel P. Amato, Rodney A. Ames, Fernando R. Castro, Corbin E. Coombs, Nathan A. Craig, David S. Kinard, Quinn S. Millington, T. Michael Price, M. Travis Wolsey and Richard G. Youngblood.
• Eleventh Quorum of the Seventy (U.S. Southwest and U.S. West areas): Jonathon W. Bunker, Jonathan G. Cannon, David C. Clark, Jorge A. Contreras, Tommy D. Haws, Hal C Hunsaker, Douglas P. Maxfield, Steven C. Merrell, Siegfried A. Naumann, Douglas A. Rozsa and Lee M. Shumway.
• Twelfth Quorum of the Seventy (Utah Area): Mark E. Bonham, K. Bruce Boucher, Thomas K. Checketts, Stephen K. Christensen and Vance K. Smith.

What is the difference between a General Authority Seventy, Area Seventy and general officer?

Find out more about the General Authority Seventies called in 2025

The letter — which was signed by President Dallin H. Oaks and his counselors, President Henry B. Eyring and President D. Todd Christofferson — says that conference gives individuals a chance to receive answers to their prayers.

“General conference provides an opportunity to receive personal revelation as general Church leaders give counsel and direction from the Lord. We encourage all to listen to, study, ponder, and apply the counsel given.”

The 196^th Annual General Conference of the Church will take place on Saturday and Sunday, April 4-5, 2026. That Sunday is Easter Sunday.

The conference will be the first opportunity for the general Church membership to simultaneously sustain President Oaks as President of the Church following the death of President Russell M. Nelson on Sept. 27, 2025. President Oaks presided at the October 2025 general conference as the senior member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He was announced as the Church’s newest President on Oct. 14, 2025.

This conference will have two sessions each day, following the announcement in November 2025 that the Saturday evening session has been discontinued.

The First Presidency letter may be read in each sacrament meeting of the Church prior to general conference.

This conference will be held in the Conference Center despite the center being closed to the public March 30, 2026, through March 1, 2027. The building will be used for some major events during its closure in preparation for the Salt Lake Temple’s open house celebration that is scheduled to begin in April 2027.

First Presidency letter

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

We are pleased to announce the upcoming 196th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Easter weekend. The First Presidency, members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and other General Authorities and General Officers of the Church will share messages of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

General sessions for all individuals, families, and friends will be held on Saturday, April 4, and Easter Sunday, April 5.

General conference provides an opportunity to receive personal revelation as general Church leaders give counsel and direction from the Lord. We encourage all to listen to, study, ponder, and apply the counsel given.

Sincerely yours,

The First Presidency

Dallin H. Oaks

Henry B. Eyring

D. Todd Christofferson

Viewing conference

As has been the custom in recent years, the conference sessions are scheduled to last two hours each. They will begin at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time (UTC 1600 and 2000) both Saturday and Sunday.

“Music & the Spoken Word” will air during the 30 minutes prior to the Sunday morning session at 9:30 a.m. MDT (UTC 1530).

The conference will be broadcast live with interpretation in more than 60 languages. Additional languages will be made available in the weeks following the conference’s conclusion.

General conference can be viewed on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, the Church’s YouTube channel and local television stations in various locations around the world. Check local listings for specific times and availability.

April 2026 general conference: 4 sessions and a solemn assembly over Easter weekend

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

A talk a day: Preparing for April 2026 general conference

‘Remember and reflect’: Resources to support study of October 2025 general conference messages

President Paul V. Johnson, Brother Chad H Webb and Brother Gabriel W. Reid joined Church News editor Ryan Jensen on the Church News podcast to talk about the Old Testament and how members of the Church can study it more fully this year in life’s different scenarios.

“The Lord says that ‘his mercies [are] according to the conditions of the children of men’ (Doctrine and Covenants 46:15),” President Johnson said. “He dealt with them according to the conditions that they were in. He deals with us according to the conditions we’re in.”

President Johnson and his counselors share this and other observations from their time together as a presidency. They also say they hope members of the Church will better understand the role of counseling together both at church and at home as individuals study the scriptures together.

Listen to this episode of the Church News podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon, Spotify, bookshelf PLUS, YouTube or wherever you get podcasts.

Transcript:

President Paul V. Johnson: I think if we can realize that these events and these people lived thousands of years ago and their culture was so different, and if we were transported in time back to their time, it would be a shock to us to see some of these things. You know, in the Doctrine and Covenants, in section 46, the Lord says that “his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men.” He dealt with them according to the conditions that they were in. He deals with us according to the conditions we’re in. And I think if we can open up our hearts a little and say, “Yeah, you lived in a whole different world” and not be so judgmental about those people that we read about, I think it’ll help us as we’re reading there.

0:54

Jon Ryan Jensen: This is Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of the Church News. Welcome to the Church News podcast. Today, we are taking you on a journey of connection as we discuss news and events of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Each year, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints study individually, in families and as wards and branches around the world one book of scripture. This year, 2026, members of the Church are studying the Old Testament and reading the words of prophets as they prepared for the coming of the Messiah.

We’re excited today to welcome the Church’s general Sunday School presidency — President Paul V. Johnson, Brother Chad H Webb and Brother Gabriel W. Reid — to talk about the Old Testament and how members of the Church can study it more fully this year in all of those different scenarios.

Brethren, thank you for being with us today.

President Paul V. Johnson: Nice to be with you. Thank you.

1:45

Jon Ryan Jensen: So, I want to start out with the fact that you’ve now been in your calling together for more than a year.

How are you feeling about the chance you’ve had to serve together and the things you’ve seen around the world as you’ve served?

1:55

President Paul V. Johnson: Well, it’s been great to serve with these two brethren and to see the Saints around the world — we love them — and to see what’s happening. And I feel really comfortable to be with these two and to work with them closely. Still trying to figure out the best way we can bless the lives of people around the world too. So we’re still at it.

2:17

Jon Ryan Jensen: That sounds like every Sunday School president around the world, Sunday School presidency, is they figure out how they can help members of their ward.

Well, I want to dive in and talk a little bit about the Old Testament. And one of the first questions that I have is: What are the reasons that we have that we should be studying and should be engaged in this study of the Old Testament?

2:35

President Paul V. Johnson: That’s a good question. The reason we do all gospel study and learning in the Church is to deepen conversion to Jesus Christ. And so, that’s the Old Testament, too. It’s the same as with other scriptures. And I’ll let my counselors chime in here on the reasons why we’re studying the Old Testament.

2:56

Brother Chad H Webb: Yeah, I think that’s the first and most important answer is: It’s the Old Testament, a testament of the God of the Old Testament. There’s the New Testament; another testament of Jesus Christ, the Book of Mormon. But I think if we just start with the premise that the purpose of the Old Testament is to be a witness of Jesus Christ, His premortal role, His role as Jehovah in the Old Testament, the messenger of the covenant of the Old Testament, and the coming Messiah and His role in His mortal ministry and beyond. I think if that’s our primary purpose for studying the Old Testament, we’ll find the Savior there and deepen our conversion to Him and our faith in Him.

3:36

Jon Ryan Jensen: I really like that, because I think we see in “Come, Follow Me” that there are major themes that recur throughout the history in the Old Testament.

To you, what are some of those major themes that stand out and that may be relevant to members learning today?

3:51

Brother Gabriel W. Reid: Yeah, no, thank you. I think one of the themes, at least for me, that really sticks out to me is covenants. That’s one that you see over and over again in the Old Testament. And also the promise that the Lord will deliver us. And that’s something that’s very comforting for me personally. And as I think about my own family and just knowing that that’s — you can see that all throughout the Old Testament, that the Lord covenants with His people and that He promises to provide a way and to deliver them. And that’s just one of the themes that really stick out to me.

4:24

Jon Ryan Jensen: I love how you just described that, because one of the scripture chapters that we were studying just this week in my family was Genesis 18. And when the Lord asks, “Do you think anything is too hard for me?” (see verse 14). And so that topic of covenants and recognizing how much power Heavenly Father has as we live those covenants, I just love that that is one of those recurring themes that we see: Nothing’s too hard for Him.

4:48

President Paul V. Johnson: You know, some of the other themes you find there, the whole concept of the house of Israel. I think it’s crucial to understand even other scriptures if we understand the history there. And the role of prophets, we really get a view of that in the Old Testament. It just seems critical for us as we look at this span of human history and God’s dealings with His children over the course of human history.

5:13

Jon Ryan Jensen: Well, and that brings up part of the need that we have to study scriptures, because none of us were alive when the Savior was born, but neither had they lived at a time when the Savior was born.

And so as we study the Old Testament, where do you see Jehovah, and why is it important for us to learn from how they were looking forward or learning from Jehovah as they look toward His birth?

5:41

Brother Chad H Webb: You know, there’s a lot of things that come to mind when you ask that question. You certainly see Jehovah and the coming of the Messiah in the prophecies of Old Testament prophets. In fact, if you understand the prophecies of the Old Testament prophets, you actually see in the New Testament Jesus kind of clothing Himself in these prophecies that are coming, being very overt about the fulfilling of these prophecies, vindicating the words of His prophets in the Old Testament, and you see a connection between the Old and the New Testament.

I think you also see Him, as has been mentioned, in the covenant, in the Abrahamic covenant, as, again, the messenger of that covenant and the fulfillment of that covenant as He’s going to come and fulfill the promises of the covenants that He has made with us. I also think you see the Messiah or the Savior in types and shadows of the Old Testament. You can look at — there’s so many remarkable stories and characters in the Old Testament.

The Old Testament is so much fun to read. The stories are so rich. The people that you come to know there are just so wonderful, and you can see in their lives things that will point your mind to the Savior, starting with Adam, who walks into a garden and allows himself to take upon himself death so that we have the opportunity to live, and all the way through his story and the story of Joseph and the story of Isaiah and Elijah and on and on. Even Ruth and Abigail and these people of the Old Testament, their stories and their experiences can point us to characteristics and attributes of the Savior that we see in them.

7:27

Brother Gabriel W. Reid: Can I mention something on that? Just to Chad’s point, that’s where I see Jehovah as well, are in the stories. I know that sometimes it takes a little bit of effort to really try to unpack where the Savior is represented, or Jehovah is represented, in the stories.

Chad mentioned a bunch of stories, but one that just sticks out to me recently was actually as we studied the story of Noah and the ark. And there was so much discussion in our Sunday School class regarding the dimensions of the ark and all the different things. And someone made the comment about how the ark also is maybe even a type of Christ, where there’s safety there as we have a relationship with Him and that we, as we — the door representing also our Savior and our relationship with Him. And so I just thought that that was a great comment and one thing that we’re able to find Jehovah just in the different stories. And sometimes it takes a little bit of effort, but it’s there, I guess is my point.

8:28

President Paul V. Johnson: It’s probably been 35 years ago, one of my colleagues was doing a little study looking at the book of Moses in the Pearl of Great Price and comparing it to the first few chapters in Genesis. And he was looking at plain and precious things that maybe aren’t still in the Bible but were originally there. And he came away, and he said, “It’s so fascinating what I’ve found. The things you don’t see in Genesis, but they’re in the book of Moses, is clearly the Savior, Jesus Christ. Faith in Him, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, the role Satan plays.” He said, “It’s just really fascinating.”

So, if you think about that, as we go into the Old Testament, if we realize the gospel of Jesus Christ and a knowledge of Him has been had from the very beginning, from Adam, it changes the way you view some of your reading in the Old Testament to realize it’s there. And the way to visualize it is to think about the Book of Mormon. Most of the Book of Mormon is during Old Testament times. And yet, here they are, they have the law of Moses, and they keep the law because it points them to Jesus Christ.

And yet, even with the law of Moses — now, you have to think: Old Testament people, we talk of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, we preach of Christ, and we look forward to Him. It’s the only name that they can be saved. And that is at the core of the gospel through the ages. And I think it’s helpful to think about that as we’re reading through the Old Testament too. The gospel’s there. Sometimes it’s harder to see because it’s obscured or for whatever reason.

10:13

Jon Ryan Jensen: I had an institute teacher once who taught similarly and invited us to look at the way the stories were taught, the way the gospel was taught in the Book of Mormon, and then look for the way the gospel was taught in the Old Testament. Because if you get caught up in the “Do this, don’t do that,” the “How many cubits for the ark?” versus “What is the ark?” And you see a ship in both the Old Testament times of the Book of Mormon. And so you can make some of those comparisons back and forth and really see the Savior.

10:44

Brother Chad H Webb: You know, I think another way to see Him is a simple question about: “What does this story teach us about Him?” You can read a story and not even notice His presence in the story. You think it’s a story about Joseph in Egypt, but to stop and just say, “What does this teach us about our Heavenly Father and the Savior, that He allowed this to happen or that He fulfilled this prophecy?” Just stopping to pause and say, “Where do we see the Savior in this story? What do we learn about Him?”

Even in the Creation, we’ll study the Creation and the events and what happened, but just to pause long enough and say, “What does this teach us about the Creator and who He is that this happens?”

11:21

Brother Gabriel W. Reid: I love that. And just to your earlier question about why we study the Old Testament, I have a greater appreciation for the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ because I’m studying the Old Testament. As we talk about covenants and the promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, because we’re studying and unpacking the Old Testament, I have a greater appreciation for the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. And so, just with the comments that were made today was just a reminder of that.

11:53

President Paul V. Johnson: You know, in fact, the Old Testament helps us understand the other scriptures better. And the other scriptures help us understand the Old Testament better too. It really works both ways.

12:01

Jon Ryan Jensen: Back and forth. I have heard it said that an understanding of the Old Testament can be foundational for understanding those other scriptures.

Why do you see that? What’s the foundational part of the Old Testament that can help build a better testimony of the other scriptures?

12:18

President Paul V. Johnson: Well, for one thing, if you think about when it comes up in the other scriptures — like in the Book of Mormon, when they talk about the serpent on the pole — you don’t get the whole story. They just say, “Hey, if they looked, they were saved.” If you know the Old Testament, you get the whole context of it. Or, how about Acts chapter 7, when Stephen is being grilled, and he goes through a history, really, of the Old Testament, the house of Israel. And it’s just a little bit here, a little bit, a little bit, a little bit. If you understand the stories behind them, it’s much more rich and very, very helpful.

Jon Ryan Jensen: Which they would have at that time, because it was all they had.

President Paul V. Johnson: They knew. That’s right.

12:59

Jon Ryan Jensen: I love that. As we look at the Old Testament, one of the stumbling blocks for some members is, “Well, this is law of Moses, and that was fulfilled. So, if we don’t live the law of Moses, how much of that do I really need to understand?”

So, if you were sitting in a ward and sitting in a Sunday School class where someone said, “If we don’t live this, what does this matter to me?” how do you explain that?

13:23

Brother Chad H Webb: I’ve got a couple of thoughts. I would start with: The thing that has helped me understand the temple more than anything is to understand the Old Testament tabernacle. It is a huge blessing to understand Leviticus and to understand Isaiah and some of the teachings about the Lord’s temple in the Old Testament.

I also think there’s something to the idea that all of that was in preparation for the coming of the Messiah, so it pointed their minds forward. They would perform sacrifices from the very beginning, with Adam and Eve offering a sacrifice on an altar and not understanding why and being taught, “This is in the similitude of the Only Begotten of the Father” (see Moses 5:7). And so, all that they did was symbolic to point their minds forward in anticipation to the coming Messiah, who would be the offering, who would make Himself a sacrifice.

We now do the same thing in different ways. We partake of the sacrament every Sunday, remembering the sacrifice, looking back to that. And when you understand the Old Testament and what they were doing, it connects those ceremonies to our ceremonies and the central purpose being Jesus Christ. It also helps us to look forward to the Second Coming and preparing for Him as they were preparing for His First Coming. There’s just so many rich things in the Old Testament to help us see that.

14:41

Brother Gabriel W. Reid: I love that. I love that, what you mentioned, Chad, about the different components and elements of the law of Moses, and he mentioned so many great things. But the other part of it too, for me at least, is that there was a prophet, and we have a prophet today who’s also testifying and helping us draw closer to our Savior, in addition to the covenants and the altars and the ordinances, but we have a prophet today.

15:05

President Paul V. Johnson: So, when Abinadi was facing the priests of Noah, He’s telling them that they’ve kind of missed the boat on the law of Moses. And then he’s explaining a little, and he says, “Therefore there was a law given them, yea, a law of performances and of ordinances, a law which they were to observe strictly from day to day, to keep them in remembrance of God and their duty towards him” (Mosiah 13:30). And then he says, “Behold, I say unto you, that all these things were types of things to come” (Mosiah 13:31), like Brother Webb said.

So, they had these performances and ordinances to keep them in remembrance of their God. And so one of the questions is: “So, that’s what the Old Testament people had. What do we have today? What performances, what things daily put us in remembrance of our God and get us closer to them?”

And so, we can see how people reacted to the law of Moses. Like I say, in the Book of Mormon, they lived the law of Moses, but it brought them to Christ, the ones who did it in the right way. And so I think it really is critical that we can see. You even take the book of Leviticus, if you go in the first chapter of Leviticus, it talks about how to do a burnt offering. You think, “Well, we don’t do those anymore.” We don’t, but if we read through the chapter, it tells us about the person who’s offering the sacrifice actually brings the animal to the tabernacle and then puts their hands on its head and then actually has to kill the animal. The person has to kill the animal. It isn’t the priests that do that for a burnt offering. And so they’re very involved in this sacrifice.

And you think about: “What things do we put on the altar? And are we willing to actually bring them to the altar and lay them there?” And even though that’s a burnt offering, we don’t do it, the concepts there that an individual of their own will takes and lays something on the altar, a sacrifice to the Lord. And in Leviticus 1, it says it makes a sweet savor to God (see Leviticus 1:9). And when we sacrifice or consecrate things and we lay them on the altar and we do it with a proper attitude and feeling, it’s a sweet savor to God.

17:22

Jon Ryan Jensen: President Johnson, that hits hard. That’s a — thinking about that, because the things that we are asked to sacrifice of broken spirit, contrite heart, contrition is a personal decision, and the broken heart isn’t someone else breaks my heart; I have to come with the broken heart to say, “It needs bettering that only the Lord can provide.” I love that comparison.

Some of these conversations are conversations that, in a ward or in a branch, they might enjoy having. And we have a process that they can go through to have that with teacher council meetings.

What have you learned about teacher council meetings as they’re happening around the world? And how do you feel that wards can make use of teacher council meetings to have this kind of discussion and improve teaching in their homes and wards?

18:14

Brother Gabriel W. Reid: Well, one thing that we have learned and studies have shown is that teacher council meetings are actually very effective. We’ve also learned that there are a lot of wards that aren’t having them, and it’s an underutilized resource. We feel that if people actually hold their teacher council meetings, it will be a great resource for them to improve learning and teaching.

I’ll give you an example. Each time I have an opportunity to be with these wonderful brethren, who are my brothers, I learn so much by asking questions and listening and learning and sharing some of my thoughts. And there’s power in council. Specifically as we talk about and we’re studying the Old Testament, that’s a wonderful opportunity to counsel together and to have trainings and to learn from other people who may know a little bit more about certain scriptures in the Old Testament. And that’s surely the case with me, with these two. I’ve learned so much from them.

19:15

President Paul V. Johnson: I’d say also on the teacher council meetings, we’re hoping that the bulk of the time will actually be used in practicing, practicing some skills that will help them in their teaching. And we’ve tried to consolidate some resources in the Gospel Library app under Teaching and Learning that will really help people — Sunday School presidencies or teachers individually — that will help them in their teaching and to help the teacher council meetings go well.

19:44

Jon Ryan Jensen: I know in our ward, one of the things that has helped us is we rotate. We have a teacher council meeting where teachers generally attend, but we also have the parent teacher council meeting. And those meetings have been the ones where I’ve learned the most, because my particular ward, we have a location in our ward boundaries where there are a lot of individuals who are retired and living all together.

And so they come, and they bring a perspective that, as a dad of teenagers, it is invaluable for me to listen to them and hear them give me a little bit of hope that things are going to be OK. But to hear from their experiences and their testimony growth and their experiences as parents. And I imagine, like you’re saying, listening to the experience of others who have taught and been where you are.

The other thing that changed a little bit, an adjustment that happened in the Church this year, was the encouragement, perhaps, to make use of versions of the Bible that are perhaps easier to understand at a different reading level than the King James Version or standard version that members have been accustomed to.

And I’d really love to get your perspective on how that can help. Again, family scenarios, learning the Old Testament from maybe a different version. And then in a ward scenario, what’s the right place, and what’s the right balance of using some of these additional translations?

21:11

President Paul V. Johnson: Oh, that’s a good question. I’ll start here, and then they can add too. This is a really helpful move that we have that officially you can use these other versions. These versions have been done, translated by really faithful people that are trying to do the right thing. They’re excellent.

And I think it’s very helpful in our personal study, our study at home, to use them. It’s not bad to use them in a class, either. I think the one challenge in a class is if everybody’s using the same text, it’s a little easier to stay together, but a teacher may say, “Here’s another rendering of this,” or someone in the class may say, “I read this, and it helped me understand that better.”

So, I’m just really positive about it. I don’t think we need to be nervous about using these. And I think — I’m old, so I grew up in a time when it was King James Version, and that’s it. And we almost were a little nervous about using something else. But I think this has opened the door and will really help families and individuals understand the Old Testament better.

22:18

Brother Gabriel W. Reid: So, I just want to share a personal experience. So, I was born and raised in American Samoa. In our home, we spoke Samoan and English. And then I got called to serve Spanish speaking. And so sometimes, I’ll be honest, sometimes I’m not comfortable speaking English, or sometimes there’s words in English that are maybe difficult for me to understand. And so I often revert to either a translation in Spanish or in Samoan.

So, to have this other translation available, I have thoroughly enjoyed it, where I will have my King James Version open, but I’ll also have the other version open as well. So in any moment where maybe my English is lacking a little bit, I’ll go and reference that. And it’s been, for me personally, has deepened my conversion and just the joy of unpacking the Old Testament.

23:16

Jon Ryan Jensen: I feel like that gives a different meaning to the scriptures where we learn that the Spirit will talk to us in the language of our heart, because the language of your heart understands different spoken or written languages, and whichever one that is, the Spirit will meet you there.

Brother Webb?

23:30

Brother Chad H Webb: I just might say in a balance to that, because I 100% agree with what’s been said, but I can also picture a teacher with five different translations and studying and taking an inordinate amount of time to check all the translations. And I would suggest to a teacher who’s worried about that side of it to just teach the King James Version, to refer to the others as a resource and a help, but not to give them all equal weight or time. Is that a fair balance?

President Paul V. Johnson: Yeah, that’s good.

Brother Gabriel W. Reid: Yeah, I like that. That’s great.

23:59

Jon Ryan Jensen: And King James in English is going to be the one that stays in the Gospel Library.

Brother Chad H Webb: Right. And there’s others in other languages, right? Whatever’s in the Gospel Library would be what “Come, Follow Me” is based on and will reference as it gives you the helps.

President Paul V. Johnson: I like that.

24:12

Jon Ryan Jensen: That’s great. I do remember sitting once in a devotional where Elder Erich Kopischke, a General Authority Seventy — it was about Christmastime — and similar to what your experience was, he said, “The Christmas story in German, it feels so different to me when I read it in German versus when I read it in English.” And he read it to us in German without stopping. He read that from Luke. And you could just feel — I don’t speak one single word of German, but I could feel how much it mattered to him to read that there. And so there’s great experience in feeling and studying in a way that touches your own personal heart.

Brother Webb, I think what you’re saying comes to another point that I had, or question that I had, which was about doctrinal purity. Because when you have different versions, the question can arise: Well, if we’re looking at all of these, we go back to the Joseph Smith question of which of all these is true. He’s asking about churches, but now are we in a position where we’re asking that about scripture.

Do we always come back to King James, and in other languages, do they have one specific that they need to come back to?

25:21

President Paul V. Johnson: I think we really come back and measure it against all the standard works and the teachings of the prophets. So, if you’re wondering about the way something is explained, I just measure it against, well, the King James in English, but also the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price and the teachings of the prophets. I think that’s the easiest way to do it.

25:41

Jon Ryan Jensen: Yeah. We talked about Gospel Library and how it’ll keep, again, in English, King James Version. But you also said that there are some helps for teacher council in Gospel Library. There are other helps there for learning and teaching the Old Testament as well.

Do you want to share about any of those that you hope people will use?

President Paul V. Johnson: Go ahead.

25:59

Brother Chad H Webb: So, one of them that I’ve found really valuable are called Scripture Helps in the Gospel Library in English. If you just go to the app, you see the different tiles, and in one of those is Teaching and Learning.

President Paul V. Johnson: Well, here’s the other thing. Those Scripture Helps you’re talking about, they’re actually embedded in the “Come, Follow Me,” the digital version. So in each one, you’ll have scripture helps, and you can click on it, and it’ll take you to some background. Go ahead.

26:29

Brother Chad H Webb: Well, I was just to make sure I knew, it is in “Come, Follow Me.” It’s also under the tile Books and Lessons. When you click on Books and Lessons, you see down the fourth tile, it’s Scripture Helps. And it was actually created by seminaries and institutes to replace their institute student manuals. And so it’s somewhat of a prophetic commentary, a gathering of prophetic commentary, and other scholars and trusted scholars in the Church to just help answer questions. In the Old Testament, it’s super helpful to understand some of the cultural things and history of the Old Testament. So that’s a resource that I’ve found very valuable.

Jon Ryan Jensen: I didn’t realize those were there. I still have my institute manuals marked up, and so I need to go through that and make some markings as well.

27:14

President Paul V. Johnson: You know, I think “Come, Follow Me” itself has some great resources. The related items that you can click on, there’s conference talks, there are other scriptures. It’s just fantastic.

And then, I think if we think about what things are available to us, there’s so much in the Gospel Library app. It’s amazing that that’s available to anybody who’s studying the scriptures. And then I think that other people in the class or the family are a great resource too, that we sometimes forget about. But in our personal study, we have so much available.

One of the things we’ve had for so long, and those are the scripture footnotes, the Guide to the Scriptures, the Topical Guide, the Bible Dictionary, the cross-references that have been built in for years that have been underutilized. They are so helpful. And in the Old Testament particularly, let’s not miss the Joseph Smith Translation additions that we have there.

28:18

Jon Ryan Jensen: I think when I go back to the beginning of the late President Russell M. Nelson’s time as President of the Church, when he talked about his use of those resources and studying about the Savior and studying about covenants and studying, there are so many things — he would say something in a general conference message that felt brand new, but it was just because we’re not as perhaps well-versed in those study helps as we should be.

But I like what you said, and I’m interested in carrying that forward another step to talk about maybe some best practices. Because we talk about this being a home-centered, Church-supported system of studying the gospel.

And so, twofold question here. One is: What are some best practices for individuals as they’re studying in their wards, in their Sunday School classes? And what are some best practices for perhaps that study in personal study and otherwise at home?

29:13

Brother Chad H Webb: So, there’s some principles in “Teaching in the Savior’s Way” that I find really valuable, both for personal study and for teaching. So, there’s three that I’d suggest. One is focus on Jesus Christ, one is to teach the doctrine, and one is to invite diligent learning.

Even in my personal study, when I read, I try to understand the storyline, and I try to understand the history, the background, but basically just the storyline. After doing that, I think it’s worth the time to identify the principles that are preserved in those stories. It’s not often in the Old Testament that they stop and say, “Here’s the moral of this story.” David and Goliath is a story in the Old Testament where nobody moralizes and says, “Here’s what you were supposed to learn.” But even though it’s not a stated principle, it’s accurate to assume that we’re supposed to learn certain principles from the story of David and Goliath, that when we trust in the Lord, He’ll protect us. And so I think it’s worth time to pause in our personal study and say, “OK, I understand the story, but do I understand the truths that this story is intending to preserve and to teach?”

And then a third level would be back to the principle of focusing on Jesus Christ and, again, asking yourself, “What does this teach me about Him, who He is, His example, the principles I’m studying, the promises, what He offers me as I strive to follow the teachings that I’m finding here in the Old Testament?”

So I think in my personal study, if I can have that three levels of: “Do I understand the story? Do I identify and understand the principles? And do I see the Savior here?” That really helps me in my personal study. I would take those same principles into a classroom and think that that’s a pretty easy model to just say, “OK, do we understand what we’ve read, the storyline? What truths do we see, and how do they apply to us?” Analyze those and discuss them, their relevance and their application in our lives. And then for sure to take time to stop and say, “What do we learn about the Savior because of what we’ve studied?”

31:15

Jon Ryan Jensen: I love that explanation, because in a time of if you can just open up the scripture and search “Jehovah” or “Jesus,” and you’re supposed to be studying David and Goliath, and those words don’t pop up, you have to do a little bit of extra work. It doesn’t mean that the story is not valid or it doesn’t point you to the Savior. It just means you need to understand that story and do a little more prayerful digging.

31:36

President Paul V. Johnson: I was just going to say a couple of practical things. Have it as a constant daily study, not just, “OK, I’ve got 20 minutes before we go to church, and we’re going to have a lesson.” If you can study the scriptures daily, it really makes a difference.

And then another thing is the balance between studying the scriptures themselves and all the other materials. If our core is the scriptures and the other resources are to help us understand the scriptures, that’s different than, “The core is the other resources, and I’ll throw a scripture in here or there.” And I think that really makes a difference. That’s a best practice that the central part of our study is really with the scriptures.

32:23

Brother Gabriel W. Reid: Just as they were sharing their thoughts, I just thought of my role as a parent. I have one teenager at home, and as we’re studying the Old Testament — and Chad mentioned a wonderful resource in “Teaching in the Savior’s Way” and those three elements of teaching the doctrine by diligent learning and focus on Jesus Christ. That’s a reminder for me, too, as I’m teaching my children about the story of David and Goliath or the army of Gideon and all the different things, and making sure — like I always say, you keep the main thing the main thing, and that’s our Savior, Jesus Christ. And so, as we’re teaching those things, there’s just so many wonderful resources out there to help us teach as well as study.

33:07

Brother Chad H Webb: May I just add a couple other very brief thoughts? I learned one years ago, in a meeting with President Oaks, when he was asked about scripture study. And his first response in that meeting was to always pray before you study. He said we pray to ask a blessing on the food before we eat it, that it will nourish us physically. We should pray before we study the scriptures, that our experience will nourish us spiritually, and that that puts our minds in the right mindset to receive inspiration.

Which connects to the other thought that he’s taught and President Nelson taught, that the primary reason to study the scriptures is to hear the voice of God. So it’s not just the black-and-white print, but it’s the inspiration that comes when we open the scriptures and allow the Holy Ghost to teach us what we need to learn that day.

33:53

Jon Ryan Jensen: Boy, those are all great points for any of us who are studying the Old Testament this year. I’m excited to move forward.

We typically have done this podcast interview at the beginning of January, and we talked a little bit before the recording started. I’m glad that we’re doing this a little bit later this year, because as we get into that first meet of the Old Testament, now that we’re through the Pearl of Great Price, I think this is going to give people a great jump start in their study and teaching of the Old Testament.

34:22

President Paul V. Johnson: Can I make one other comment?

Jon Ryan Jensen: Please, President.

President Paul V. Johnson: Maybe specific to the Old Testament. Sometimes we’re reading in the Old Testament and there are things that come across very strange and so foreign to us. And I think if we can realize that these events and these people lived thousands of years ago and their culture was so different, and if we were transported in time back to their time, it would be a shock to us to see some of these things.

And I think we need to give a little grace and think about it. Assume that they were transported to our time, and they would see what social and cultural pressures and things that our members are facing today. And how shocked they would be of things that they would say, “That is so weird. How can you do that? How can you do that?” It’s like when we read those, we think, “You guys are crazy or something.”

You know, in the Doctrine and Covenants, in section 46, the Lord says that “his mercies according to the conditions of the children of men.” He dealt with them according to the conditions that they were in. He deals with us according to the conditions we’re in. And I think if we can open up our hearts a little and say, “Yeah, you lived in a whole different world” and not be so judgmental about those people that we read about, I think it’ll help us as we’re reading there. They’d be shocked if they came to our world.

36:01

Jon Ryan Jensen: I feel just in this past week, we had a conversation, my wife and I, with our four children. Our oldest has submitted his mission papers, and he’s getting ready to serve a mission. And we’ve talked about the difference between raising an oldest child and youngest children. And the kids accuse us of having changed as parents. We don’t treat them equally across the board. And if it can change that much across a 10-year span, how much does it change across multiple generations?

And yet, we feel like we’re being fair to the children and just expressing as much love as we can. And of course, the Lord will share as much of His love and grace as He can throughout that time.

Well, as we get ready to wrap up this interview as we typically do, we would like to give you as our guests the final word. And so I’d invite you to share your testimony and share what it is that you know now — as we’ve talked about the Old Testament and the study of the Old Testament — what is it that you know now through your study of the Old Testament?

36:57

Brother Gabriel W. Reid: I have a great love for our Savior, Jesus Christ. And as I study Him, even by name, one of my favorite names is the Deliverer, and that is so prevalent in the Old Testament, that He promised to deliver us. And I have a great love and a greater appreciation for our Savior, for His role, for His Atonement and His promise to deliver us in time of need. And He’s showing it over and over again.

And so, I love Him, I’m grateful for the scriptures, I have a greater appreciation for prophets because I studied and studied the Old Testament. I know that God lives and that Jesus is the Christ. He is the Jehovah of the Old Testament, and I’m drawing closer to Him because of that particular scripture. And I have a greater appreciation for our Savior and for all the other scriptures because of the Old Testament. And I share that with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

37:59

Brother Chad H Webb: Amen. I was just thinking as we were talking about how the Savior loved the people and the stories of the Old Testament. When He was tempted in the Sermon on the Mount, He says, “It is written,” and He refers to Old Testament teachings. He quoted Isaiah and Micah and other Old Testament prophets. He talked about the sign of Jonah. He referred to them often. And I just think there’s something very interesting about that.

In fact, I wonder what Isaiah must have felt like if, from the other side of the veil, he was able to hear the Savior say, “Study the words of Isaiah, for great are the words of Isaiah.” To have the Savior say that about his writings would, of course, be an interesting experience for him.

But even in modern times, maybe one other quick example, where He says to Joseph Smith, “Thou art like my servant Job still, with what you’re going through,” that He actually pointed to a real person in Old Testament times in a story that Joseph would have known to sustain him and lift him.

And so, I guess my concluding testimony is that there is power in scripture. There is power in the Old Testament. These are real people with real experiences, and we can learn how Heavenly Father deals with His children as we watch Him deal with the people in the Old Testament and how He blesses them and protects them and delivers them. And it gives us hope that He will do the same for us, that the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob is the same God that we worship today, and we can count on those same promises and blessings that we see in the stories of the Old Testament.

And just to also add my testimony of the Savior, I’m so grateful for Him and for His gospel and restored Church on the earth and the opportunity to learn of Him every day as we open the scriptures and as we have the chance to study together in our wards and branches to come to know Him better and to strive to be more like Him. What a blessing it is to have the scriptures, and I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

39:55

President Paul V. Johnson: Amen. Thank you. Well, I have similar feelings as these brethren, but I am so grateful for the scriptures, for the Old Testament, where we see the hand of God in His work, in individuals’ lives and in the whole world across the world. I’m just so grateful that His gospel has been here from the beginning. It’s made available, and we get a chance to make that available across the world today.

You’ve got a son getting ready to go on a mission to preach the same gospel that was taught to Adam and Eve. And it’s just incredible that He is so consistent over the generations and so loving. I love that even when the children of Israel were backsliding, His arms were stretched out still, and He could redeem them.

He’s the Redeemer, and He can redeem me, and I know that’s true. I love Him, and I know our Heavenly Father lives and His Son lives. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

41:08

Jon Ryan Jensen: Thank you for listening to the Church News podcast. I’m your host, Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen. I hope you learned something today about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and had your faith in the Savior increase by looking through the Church News window as a living record of the Restoration. Please subscribe, rate and review this podcast so it can be accessible to more people. And if you enjoyed the messages we shared today, please share the podcast with others. Thanks to our guests; to my producer, KellieAnn Halvorsen; and to others who make this podcast possible. Join us every week for a new episode. Find us on your favorite podcasting channels or with other news and updates about the Church on TheChurchNews.com or on the Church News app.

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