During the week of Aug. 11-18, Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spoke at the Young Single Adult Festinord Conference in Göteborg, Sweden. The Church News requested that readers write in to report on how they have reached out to “the one” or how they have been ministered to as the one in recent weeks. The First Presidency released the site location for the Tulsa Oklahoma Temple on Aug. 12, while the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple open house for the general public began Aug. 16.
The governor of the state of São Paulo met with Elder Ciro Schmeil, General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the Brazil Area presidency, and other Church leaders to express their gratitude and appreciation to the Church and its members for their help in humanitarian and community programs. The Church News reported on the final days of the 2024 Paris Olympics. The correspondence of President Louise Y. Robison, seventh Relief Society general president, is now available in the Church History Library.
The weekly Church News podcast featured New York Times bestselling author and Church member Joseph Grenny to share his testimony about the positive influence that comes from the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. BYU–Pathway Worldwide President Brian K. Ashton spoke to adults in Kiribati about their place in the BYU–Pathway program. Members of the Church in California continued building their interfaith friendship with members of the Sikh faith.
Read more about these nine stories below.
1. Elder and Sister Renlund visit Festinord in Sweden
On Thursday, Aug. 1, Elder Renlund and his wife, Sister Ruth L. Renlund, visited the Young Single Adult Festinord conference in Göteborg, Sweden, accompanied by Elder Alan T. Phillips, General Authority Seventy and second counselor in the Europe North Area presidency; Area Seventies; and stake leaders.
Elder and Sister Renlund greeted each attendee before starting a devotional. Elder Renlund spoke about the time when he and his family lived in Göteborg while Elder Renlund was a teenager. It was during that time he began his journey to becoming a true convert and follower of Jesus Christ. Sister Renlund shared that behind each of Heavenly Father’s commandments is safety and happiness.
Read more about this story here.
2. Send it in: How have you reached out to ‘the one’ in recent weeks?
Ahead of his 100th birthday on Sept. 9, Church President Russell M. Nelson invited everyone to minister in the Savior’s way to share His love.
“One of the places where the Savior used the number 100 in the scriptures was the parable of the lost sheep,” President Nelson wrote in a social media post on Saturday, June 1. “Though 99 of His flock were safely by His side, the shepherd went in search of the one who was lost.”
Church News wants to hear from readers: How have you reached out to “the one” in recent weeks? Or how have you been ministered to as the one in recent weeks?
Read more about this story here.
3. First Presidency releases site location for Tulsa Oklahoma Temple; Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple opens to media, public for tours
On Monday, Aug. 12, the First Presidency of the Church released the site location for the Tulsa Oklahoma Temple. This is the second house of the Lord to be built in Oklahoma, located in the state’s second-largest city.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints opened the new Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple — first to media tours on Monday, Aug. 12, and to the general public beginning Friday, Aug. 16, in an extended public open house. The temple open house will run through Saturday, Aug. 31, excluding Sundays.
Read more about the Tulsa Oklahoma Temple here.
Read more about the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Temple here.
4. Brazil Area Church leaders meet with governor and first lady of state of São Paulo
On Aug. 12, the governor of Brazil’s state of São Paulo, Tarcísio de Freitas, and first lady Cristiane Freitas received the visit of representatives of The Church of Jesus of Latter-day Saints in Brazil at the Palácio dos Bandeirantes, which is the headquarters of the state administration and the couple’s official residence.
The news was first published Tuesday, Aug. 13, on the Self-Reliance Brazil Facebook page.
The governor and his wife extended the invitation to the Church leaders to express their gratitude and appreciation to the Church and its members. The Church has been actively involved in numerous humanitarian projects in the state, such as donations and services recently provided in partnership with the state government. This active involvement underscores the Church’s commitment to the community.
Read more about this story here.
5. Latter-day Saints in the Olympics: 3 medals in steeplechase, rugby sevens
Church News reported throughout 2024 Paris Olympics on athletes who are members of the Church. Now that the Summer Olympic season has come and gone for another four years, the Church News summarized the efforts of these competing athletes.
From the purple track to the basketball court to the shooting range, more than a dozen athletes connected to the Church competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics — most making their Olympic debuts.
Read about how these athletes did here.
6. Correspondence of Church’s Relief Society general president during Great Depression now accessible in Church History Library
Sister Robison served as the Relief Society general president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1928 to 1939, a difficult period of economic downturn known as the Great Depression, when there were more than 64,000 members of the Relief Society worldwide in 1930.
Robison’s correspondence with members and Church leaders in now available in a digital collection in the Church History Catalog: Louise Y. Robison Papers, 1928–1939 (CR 11 30). The announcement was made in a news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
“Her collection offers readers a rich glimpse into the administration and discipleship of a devoted general president of the Relief Society,” the release said.
Read more about this story here.
7. Podcast episode 201: Joseph Grenny on the power and positive influence of truth and covenants
New York Times bestselling author and Church member Joseph Grenny spoke on the Church News podcast about his desire to share his hope in the betterment of humanity and testimony of the unmatched, positive influence of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Through thorough research, a variety of business endeavors and personal experiences, Grenny said he has learned the value of practical and spiritual influences that spark change in even the most dire circumstances. In 2015, he and his colleagues founded The Other Side Academy, a free residential life skills program for those with long histories of crime, addiction and homelessness. And this work has recently expanded to the The Other Side Village project and more.
Listen to the Church News podcast here.
8. BYU–Pathway Worldwide to adults in Kiribati: ‘You will have a future here’
BYU–Pathway Worldwide President Brian K. Ashton had a simple message recently for Latter-day Saints and others within the greater community of Tarawa, Kiribati: “The Lord loves and favors you. He wants you to be established here in Kiribati with an education and a job.”
President Ashton and his wife, Sister Melinda Ashton, as well as other leaders from BYU–Pathway Worldwide and BYU–Hawaii, visited Tarawa earlier this summer to help adults and young adults interested in higher education become better acquainted with the opportunities afforded by BYU–Pathway and BYU–Hawaii and help answer questions, assist with registration or apply for online jobs.
Read more about this story here.
9. Interfaith friendship between Sikhs and Latter-day Saints in California continues to grow
An interfaith friendship developed decades ago between Latter-day Saints and members of the Sikh faith in northern California is continuing to blossom.
On Saturday, Aug. 3, more than 200 youth and 75 adults of the Roseville California Stake participated in a youth conference event that involved visiting a number of venues in the Yuba City area.
The city in California is home to one of the largest Sikh populations outside of India. One highlight came when the group visited the Sikh Temple Gurdwara, a short distance from the Church’s Feather River California Temple.
