During the week of July 22-28, the Church News reported on the statement released by the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints regarding the upcoming 2034 Winter Olympics. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited his hometown of Ostrava, in present-day Czech Republic, reflecting on his journey to accept the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles served as the grand marshal of the 2024 Pioneer Day Days of ‘47 Parade.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about his experiences teaching members of the Church in South America Northwest Area. Elder Gerrit W. Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles met with officials of Porto Alegre as the Brazilian city recovered from severe flooding. Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé spoke to Latter-day Saint youth in France in the lead up to the 2024 Paris Olympics, reminding them that they are disciples of Jesus Christ.
Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman and Elder Evan A. Schmutz, a General Authority Seventy, spoke to members of the Church about pioneer ancestors at the SUPerDUPer Day and at the Days of ‘47 Sunrise Service. Sister J. Anette Dennis, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, spoke at the Brigham Young University–Idaho summer commencement ceremony, encouraging graduates to lift and influence the world around them for good.
The First Presidency of the Church announced the groundbreaking dates for the Wichita Kansas Temple, along with the release of an exterior rendering of the future house of the Lord. The Church News podcast included an interview with Clyde J. Williams from the Church’s Correlation Evaluation team about his journey in developing a testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and the work that the Church’s Correlation Department does.
Read summaries of these ten stories below.
1. First Presidency issues statement on return of Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City in 2034
The International Olympic Committee announced that the 2034 Winter Games would be held in Salt Lake City, Utah. Due to the time zone differences between the committee meeting in Paris, France, and Salt Lake City, the announcement was made at 4 a.m. Mountain Time on July 24 in Salt Lake City.
Following the announcement of the location, the First Presidency released a statement congratulating Salt Lake City for its successful bid to host the Winter Olympics. This is the first time since 2002 that the Winter Games have been held in Salt Lake City.
Read more about this story here.
2. ‘Connecting the dots’: Elder Uchtdorf returns to the roots of his spiritual heritage
Elder Uchtdorf and his wife, Sister Harriet Uchtdorf, retraced his steps from his birth town to crossing into Germany as a child refugee. And the Uchtdorfs revisited other German cities such as Frankfurt — where Sister Uchtdorf as a young girl joined the Church and later as a teenager first met young Dieter Uchtdorf — as well as Berlin, Hamburg and Darmstadt, all holding memories and special meanings for family, profession and Church service.
During his ministry, he met with missionaries from the Germany Frankfurt, Germany Berlin, Germany Hamburg, Alpine German-speaking and Czech/Slovak missions; participated in service projects at most of the mission stops; set apart new leadership couples for the Hamburg mission and the Freiberg Germany Temple; and presided at stake conferences in Zurich, Switzerland, and Dresden, Germany.
Read more about this story here.
3. Everyone is a pioneer, Elder Bednar says at Days of ‘47 Parade
As the grand marshal of the Days of ‘47 Parade, Elder Bednar was joined by his wife, Sister Susan Bednar, at the front of a long line of commemorative floats and other entries that made their way through the streets of downtown Salt Lake City on Wednesday morning, July 24.
“Participating in the parade is an occasion to remember, to celebrate and to look forward with great optimism,†Elder Bednar said as he reached the end of the parade route.
Read more about this story here.
4. ‘You are part of the Church family,’ Elder Rasband shares in ministry to 4 South American countries
Near the geographic center of South America, Elder Rasband began a ministry in the South America Northwest Area of the Church meeting with Latter-day Saints in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. For 12 days in May and June, he met with members of the area presidency, Area Seventies, mission presidents, temple presidents, stake presidents, missionaries and many other members of the Church and community. Such area instruction meetings are presided over by an Apostle once per year in each area of the Church.
Following his visit teaching members of the Church about the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, Elder Rasband spoke with the Church News about his experiences and observations.
Read more about this story here.
5. Elder Gong in Brazil: Finding faith after the floods in Rio Grande do Sul
One month after floodwaters covered one of Brazil’s largest cities for weeks amid unprecedented storms, Elder Gong met with officials of Porto Alegre. On Thursday, June 13, in the same city where several meetinghouses of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were used as emergency shelters for some of the more than 580,000 individuals displaced by the destructive flood, Elder Gong spoke to civic leaders who witnessed Church members’ efforts to help those in need.
“It has been very tender to be in this area, which has been so devastated by floods,†he said.
Read more about this story here.
6. Following Jesus Christ will ensure a victory greater and more certain than Olympic gold, says Bishop Caussé and Latter-day Saint Olympians
Bishop Caussé spoke during a special devotional for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday, July 21, in Versailles, France. Joining him were former BYU basketball star and 2024 Olympian Jimmer Fredette; former Olympic gold-medalist gymnast Peter Vidmar; and Rudi Sordes, who composed music for the opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
The Latter-day Saint Olympians joined Bishop Caussé in speaking about daily decisions and long-term goals and asking youth and young adults to prepare now to finish the ultimate race and earn celestial glory.
7. President Freeman, Elder Schmutz speak about pioneer heritage
President Freeman spoke at SUPer DUPer Day at This Is the Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake City on Monday, July 22, an annual celebration for the families of the Sons of Utah Pioneers and the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. Two days later, Elder Evan A. Schmutz, a General Authority Seventy, spoke at the Days of ‘47 Sunrise Service on Wednesday, July 24, in Salt Lake City. Both Church leaders spoke at celebrations commemorating the arrival of the pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847.
Read more about President Freeman’s remarks here.
Read more about Elder Schmutz’s remarks here.
8. Intentionally keep a vision of your heavenly home in mind, Sister Dennis encourages graduates
Speaking to graduates during Thursday’s BYU–Idaho summer commencement, held in the I-Center on the Rexburg, Idaho, campus, Sister Dennis noted the different journeys each student had taken to graduation.
Just as they kept a vision of their graduation day in their minds, Sister Dennis encouraged graduates to intentionally “keep a vision in your minds of that future day when you will arrive at your heavenly home surrounded by loved ones and friends — angels — who cheered you on and helped you from both sides of the veil.â€
Read more about this story here.
9. First Presidency releases groundbreaking date, rendering of Wichita Kansas Temple
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has released both a groundbreaking date for the Wichita Kansas Temple and an exterior rendering of the house of the Lord, the first in the state of Kansas.
Elder Steven R. Bangerter, a General Authority Seventy and first counselor in the North America Central Area presidency, will preside at the Sept. 7, 2024, groundbreaking services, an invitation-only event.
Read more about this story here.
10. Episode 198: The unifying power of Church Correlation with Clyde J. Williams
This episode of the Church News podcast features Clyde J. Williams, who worked in Church Education and as a Brigham Young University religious educator before joining the Church’s Correlation Evaluation team. His decades of study have shaped his testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, built his faith in the Savior and showcased the reality of priesthood authority. He joins the Church News podcast to talk about this journey, the Church Educational System and the unifying power of Church correlation.
