Church News

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.