Church News

While Veterans Day is observed in the United States each November to honor military service, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints seeks to minister to its military members, veterans and their families wherever they serve throughout the year. This is done through faith, belonging and Christ-centered support. On this episode of the Church News podcast, Jason S.D. Perry, a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel who is currently the director of wargaming at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, joins Church News reporter Mary Richards to talk about his 30-year military career and military service as a Latter-day Saint. Perry discusses faith and resilience, underscores the vital role of military chaplains and local Church members and leaders, and offers advice for young Latter-day Saints considering military service. The Church News Podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners to make a journey of connection with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe. Hosts Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of the Church News, and Church News reporter Mary Richards share unique views of the stories, events, and people who form this international faith. With each episode, listeners are asked to embark on a journey to learn from one another and ponder, “What do I know now?” because of the experience. Produced by Rex Warner and Ellie Lewis.

The Children and Youth program, first implemented in January 2020, has been refined to help the rising generation become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ. The first refinement came in early 2026 with new age-group names for young women. Then the Sunday youth curriculum was refined in September. Additional refinements are coming in January 2027 to help young women Believe in Christ, Belong to Christ and His Church and Become more like Christ. On this episode, Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman and her counselors, Sister Tamara W. Runia and Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, join Church News reporter Mary Richards to talk about what the refinements mean for young women, their parents and leaders. Two other podcast episodes released today with the Primary general presidency and the Young Men general presidency outline what the refinements mean for those organizations.

Refinements to the Children and Youth program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, coming in January 2027, are meant to help the rising generation become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ. Now the program will be centered on three pillars: Believe in Jesus Christ (gospel learning); Belong to Jesus Christ and His Church (service and activities); and Become more like Jesus Christ (personal development). On this episode, Young Men General President Timothy L. Farnes and his counselors, Brother David J. Wunderli and Brother Sean R. Dixon, join Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen to discuss what the refinements mean for young men, their parents and leaders. Two other podcast episodes released today with the Young Women general presidency and Primary general presidency outline what the refinements mean for those organizations.

Beginning in January 2027, refinements to the Children and Youth program of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will go into effect. But the purpose remains the same, said Primary General President Rosemary K. Chibota. “These refinements are going to make this program clearer and connect more with the child’s daily life,” she said. On this episode, President Chibota and her counselors, Sister Nina M. Garfield and Sister Theresa A. Collins, join Church News reporter Mary Richards to outline what the refinements mean for Primary children, their parents and leaders. Two other podcast episodes released today with the Young Women general presidency and Young Men general presidency outline what the refinements mean for those organizations.

In his October 2025 general conference message, President Dallin H. Oaks spoke about his family in a way few members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had heard before. He spoke of the death of his father, the loving care of his widow mother, and of the important role his grandmother and grandfather played in helping raise him. The doctrine of the eternal family is something the Church’s President has spoken of many times since he was sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on April 7, 1984. What many don’t know about him is that his family — all of his extended family — has met together every other year for more than a century. He has missed only a few such family reunions in his nine-plus decades. This year, while participating in the reunion with his family, he and his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks, spoke with Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen about family — his own, specifically; and God’s, generally. President Oaks shared his testimony of Heavenly Father’s plan for His children, the blessings his family saw from missionary service and the importance of preserving personal agency. “We are here to further our growth toward eternal beings — as children of eternal heavenly parents. And so our Church doctrine is rooted in the concept of family. And so what we do in a family reunion is to further our belief in God and His eternal plan of salvation,” President Oaks said.

The first year of President Dallin H. Oaks as the leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints showed both members of the Church and friends of the faith the type of individual he is. It also showed the hope that he has for the future of the Church and the world. In this episode of the Church News podcast, Rick Turley speaks with Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen about what he saw over the past year. “He has talked about how all people in all places, at all ages, can serve and help bring about peace. So young people serving in their wards or in their neighborhoods can be peacemakers just as much as adults can be,” Turley says in the podcast. Richard E. Turley Jr. is a former managing director of the Church History Department and the biographer of President Dallin H. Oaks. With that experience, Turley gives his perspective on how moments from President Oaks’ childhood, marriage, career and personal life of devotion to the Savior have contributed to the way he leads the Church today. The Church News Podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners to make a journey of connection with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe. Hosts Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of the Church News, and Church News reporter Mary Richards share unique views of the stories, events, and people who form this international faith. With each episode, listeners are asked to embark on a journey to learn from one another and ponder, “What do I know now?” because of the experience. Produced by Rex Warner and Ellie Lewis.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has begun releasing episodes in a six-part video series called “Dedicate.” In this series, seven young adults from different countries tour the Salt Lake Temple to see its renovations. They share how they have worked to build testimonies of the Savior, of temples and of temple covenants. The seven young adults are from Brazil, the Philippines, France, the United States, Japan, Ghana and Mexico. In this episode of the Church News podcast, Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen speaks with Aaron Merrell, the producer of “Dedicate,” along with Sora Murata from Japan; and Alexandra Cazier Hovermale from Huntsville, Alabama. The Church News Podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners to make a journey of connection with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe. Hosts Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of the Church News, and Church News reporter Mary Richards share unique views of the stories, events, and people who form this international faith. With each episode, listeners are asked to embark on a journey to learn from one another and ponder, “What do I know now?” because of the experience. Produced by Rex Warner and Ellie Lewis.

In his remarks to the Church and the world on Sunday, Oct. 4, President Dallin H. Oaks, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, invited all to come unto Jesus Christ. “I pray for what our Heavenly Father wants for each of us — to be active members of the Church of Jesus Christ, proceeding forward on the covenant path into the eternities. We need one another’s prayers,” he said.President Oaks spoke during the Church’s 196th Semiannual General Conference, held Oct. 3-4 in Salt Lake City. The two days of general sessions included counsel and teachings from members of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and other Church leaders. This special conference edition of the Church News podcast, hosted by editor Jon Ryan Jensen and reporter Mary Richards, features excerpts from each of the conference addresses and covers topics such as overcoming through the Savior, finding comfort, temple covenants, peacemaking, commandments and truth. The Church News Podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners to make a journey of connection with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe. Hosts Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of the Church News, and Church News reporter Mary Richards share unique views of the stories, events, and people who form this international faith. With each episode, listeners are asked to embark on a journey to learn from one another and ponder, “What do I know now?” because of the experience. Produced by Ellie Lewis.

On Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025, violence targeted members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc, Michigan. Four people died and eight others were injured when a man rammed a truck into a chapel, started a fire and began shooting. Since the attack, members of the Grand Blanc Ward have received support from Church leaders and members all over the world, as well as love and aid from their own community. “I have seen so much goodness, so much love and so much kindness,” said Grand Blanc Michigan Stake President Marcelino Sanchez. President Sanchez joins Church News reporter Mary Richards on this episode of the Church News podcast to talk about what has happened in the past year and what is ahead. The Church News Podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners to make a journey of connection with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe. Hosts Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of the Church News, and Church News reporter Mary Richards share unique views of the stories, events, and people who form this international faith. With each episode, listeners are asked to embark on a journey to learn from one another and ponder, “What do I know now?” because of the experience. Produced by Ellie Lewis.

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe in following the Savior’s two great commandments: to love God and to love their neighbors. Loving one’s neighbors includes serving them, and opportunities are all around to serve each other, whether through organized efforts or individual acts. The Church connects people around the globe to service opportunities with the JustServe platform. Stephen Bulpitt, JustServe global manager, and LaDawn Stoddard, JustServe senior strategic relationships manager, join Church News reporter Mary Richards on this episode of the Church News podcast to talk about how service unites people and builds disciples of Jesus Christ. The Church News Podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners to make a journey of connection with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe. Hosts Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of the Church News, and Church News reporter Mary Richards share unique views of the stories, events, and people who form this international faith. With each episode, listeners are asked to embark on a journey to learn from one another and ponder, “What do I know now?” because of the experience. Produced by Ellie Lewis.

President Dallin H. Oaks, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has taught that “essential to our doctrine on the family is the temple. The ordinances received there enable us to return as eternal families to the presence of our Heavenly Father.” After the San Diego California Temple was originally dedicated in April 1993, Elizabeth and Giovanni Guanuna were the first couple to be married and sealed in the new temple. Three decades later, on the temple’s rededication weekend in August 2026, they met with Church News reporter Aimee Cobabe on the temple grounds. On this episode of the Church News podcast, the Guanunas reflect on what their sealing means to them and what blessings they have seen as they have continued to build their faith in Jesus Christ and serve in the temple. The Church News podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners to make a journey of connection with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe. Hosts Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of the Church News, and Church News reporter Mary Richards share unique views of the stories, events, and people who form this international faith. With each episode, listeners are asked to embark on a journey to learn from one another and ponder, “What do I know now?” because of the experience. Produced by Rex Warner and Ellie Lewis.

President Dallin H. Oaks, President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has taught that the doctrine of the Church centers on the family. But marriages and birthrates are declining in places around the world — and so is dating. The National Dating Landscape Survey, published earlier this year, looked at the opportunities and challenges of dating across the United States. Researchers found that young adults want serious relationships but are experiencing a dating recession, with only about 1 in 3 young adults actively dating. Jason S. Carroll, the Family Initiative director at the Wheatley Institute at Brigham Young University and a marriage preparation teacher for 20 years, joins Church News reporter Mary Richards to talk about the patterns found in this research and what the positive outliers can teach about creating a better dating and marriage culture. The Church News Podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners to make a journey of connection with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe. Hosts Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of the Church News, and Church News reporter Mary Richards share unique views of the stories, events, and people who form this international faith. With each episode, listeners are asked to embark on a journey to learn from one another and ponder, “What do I know now?” because of the experience. Produced by Rex Warner and Ellie Lewis.

Starting next week, youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will shift from rotating each Sunday between their Young Women or Aaronic Priesthood classes and Sunday School classes to participating in both every week. Young Men General President Timothy L. Farnes and Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman join Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen for this episode of the Church News podcast to talk about the way youth can develop into stronger disciples of Jesus Christ through these adjustments. “It's not just learning, it's about living and becoming lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ,” President Farnes says in the podcast. Hear how he hopes the Sunday change will also effect positive changes in the lives of the rising generation. The two speak about the changes to the “For the Strength of Youth” guide and how that guide has changed in a way that matches the needs of youth today. “We would refer to it as a guide for strength, and it's a guide for finding strength in Jesus Christ. Because that's what the youth today need to face everything that they're up against,” President Freeman says in the podcast. “What we're looking for now is much higher and holier than a guide of standards." The Church News Podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners to make a journey of connection with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe. Hosts Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of the Church News, and Church News reporter Mary Richards share unique views of the stories, events, and people who form this international faith. With each episode, listeners are asked to embark on a journey to learn from one another and ponder, “What do I know now?” because of the experience. Produced by Rex Warner and Ellie Lewis.

For three years, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has worked with global humanitarian and nongovernmental organizations as part of its Caring for Women and Children Initiative Consortium. The first week of August of this year, leaders from seven of those organizations met in Salt Lake City to review learnings from the past year’s work and to evaluate what can be done next year to continue to bless families and communities around the world. Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson sat down with some of those leaders at the Church’s newly opened Humanitarian Center on Thursday, Aug. 6, to talk about how the group has worked together and the outcomes they have seen in the lives of those they have served. On this episode of the Church News podcast, President Johnson and others speak with Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen and share examples of the successes seen three years into this initiative. “[The Church’s] members are committed to lifting and caring for all of God’s children,” President Johnson said. “And we’re happy to have the opportunity to collaborate together to make miracles happen in the lives of women and children.”

The purpose of the temple and family history is to unite families for eternity. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints works with records custodians around the world to preserve vital records so that God’s children are remembered, one by one, name by name. Having these records allows people to accompany their ancestors to the temple, which is a part of gathering Israel. Elder Mark A. Bragg, a General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Church’s Family History Department and FamilySearch International, joins Church News reporter Mary Richards on this episode of the Church News podcast to speak about growing the family tree and the joy and peace that come from family history. The Church News Podcast is a weekly podcast that invites listeners to make a journey of connection with members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the globe. Hosts Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of the Church News, and Church News reporter Mary Richards share unique views of the stories, events, and people who form this international faith. With each episode, listeners are asked to embark on a journey to learn from one another and ponder, “What do I know now?” because of the experience. Produced by Rex Warner and Ellie Lewis.

For the fourth consecutive year, the Church's Utah Area will host young single adults for a multiday conference. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 14-15, attendees will learn from general Church leaders, participate in service projects and build friendships with others. On this episode of the Church News podcast, 2026 Utah YSA Conference co-chairs Zach Sutton and Shelby Hurst talk with Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen about their preparation to host thousands from around the world at the Church's largest annual gathering of young single adults. "The YSA conference has a very special spirit about it," Sutton says in the podcast. "I'm just so grateful that we can be able to help to organize that kind of thing. ... When we go to this YSA conference, what better place for [Heavenly Father] to direct paths?"

In 2027, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will study the New Testament for “Come, Follow Me” at home and church. The New Testament includes Jesus Christ's birth, life and teachings; His Atonement, Crucifixion and Resurrection; and the teachings of His apostles. The manual is now available on the Church’s website and in the Gospel Library app. Donny Anderson, an institute teacher at the Logan Institute of Religion in Logan, Utah, joins Church News reporter Mary Richards to talk about the themes, structure and language of the New Testament in preparation for next year’s study.

In the April 2026 general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, members of the Church sustained a new Primary general presidency to begin their service on Aug. 1. The current Primary general presidency has served together since 2022 and will conclude its service on July 31. On this episode of the Church News podcast, President Susan H. Porter and her counselors, Sister Amy A. Wright and Sister Tracy Y. Browning, talk with Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen about their observations of children around the world who are learning the gospel of Jesus Christ at home and in church settings. “We have tried to drink so deeply from the Savior's example in 3 Nephi,” President Porter said in the interview. “When He gathered children so often around Him, and He prayed for them, and He called down angels, and He invited them, He loosed their tongues, invited them to share.” The three members of the Primary general presidency recall favorite moments from their time serving together and the ways their own testimonies of the Savior grew through fulfilling a calling that President Porter described as initially being “overwhelming” but became a blessing in each of their lives.

What took the pioneers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 40 years to complete the first time has now taken six years to renovate and revitalize. The Salt Lake Temple is almost ready to host the world at an open house that leaders are calling a full celebration. On this episode of the Church News podcast, Elder Brent H. Nielson, an emeritus General Authority Seventy, and Richard Sutton from the Church’s Temple Department, join guest host Sheri Dew, executive vice president of Deseret Management Corp. and a former member of the Relief Society general presidency. The three discuss the unparalleled nature of the upcoming Salt Lake Temple Celebration and the many opportunities it provides for individuals to learn about the historic and holy structure and its purpose in Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints maintains a network of free museums, sites, monuments and markers for members and friends of the Church to interact with virtually or in person. These places show the events of the Restoration and the stories of Latter-day Saints who sacrificed to build the kingdom of God. The process of restoring, preserving, operating and sharing the Church historic sites includes making improvements and finding new ways to reach global audiences. On this episode of the Church News podcast, Jacob W. Olmstead and Benedicte Dansie with the Church History Department join Church News reporter Mary Richards to discuss how Church historic sites help visitors not only see the Church’s heritage and history but also connect with the Savior, Jesus Christ.