Melissa and Matt give us their top stories of 2022.

January: (Melissa)

TONGA VOLCANO

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-60051524

https://www.sltrib.com/news/2022/01/22/church-jesus-christ/

https://www.thechurchnews.com/2022/1/21/23218744/first-presidency-tonga-volcano-letter-update

Tonga is a very devout nation, with most Tongans belonging to a Christian church. Statistics from a 2016 census show about 19% belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as the Mormons - the fastest-growing religious group on the island.Jan 21, 2022

Tonga has the highest percentage of Latter-day Saints of any country in the world (nearly 63%)

February: (Matt)

UKRAINE SAINTS DEAL WITH WARTIME ISSUES

https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/lds-missionaries-moved-out-of-ukraine-as-tensions-mount-with-russia-in-eastern-europe

https://www.thisweekinmormons.com/2022/02/kyiv-ukraine-temple-closes-following-russian-invasion/

March: (Melissa)

TEMPLE MASK REQUIREMENTS REMOVED

https://ksltv.com/486974/church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints-removes-mask-requirement-in-temples/

https://www.deseret.com/faith/2022/3/15/22979821/latter-day-saint-temples-may-begin-to-remove-face-mask-requirement-other-covid-19-precautions

https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2022/03/15/lds-temples-worldwide/

April: (Matt)

LDS MEDIA FEATURES… THAT AREN’T REALLY

https://www.deseret.com/entertainment/2022/4/29/23048558/the-rumor-involving-latter-day-saints-that-producers-of-the-chosen-want-to-squash-mormons-social

https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/andrew-garfields-under-the-banner-of-heaven-embroiled-in-controversy-days-ahead-of-the-premiere.html/

May: (Melissa)

D.C. TEMPLE REOPENING / OPEN HOUSE

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/25/1100850964/mormon-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints-temple-open-house

https://www.deseret.com/2022/6/5/23144875/mormon-lds-church-washington-d-c-temple-open-house-hits-milestone

https://www.thechurchnews.com/2022/8/13/23304018/washington-dc-temple-influence-closure-renovation-open-house-president-nelson-rededicate

June: (Matt)

IDK???

https://gephardtdaily.com/local/church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints-announces-effort-to-reduce-water-use-at-meeting-houses-temples/

https://kslnewsradio.com/1970796/church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints-reacts-to-roe-v-wade/

July: (Matt)

FSY - FIRST YEAR

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/fsy-spots-open-to-more-graduating-seniors-this-year

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/youth/childrenandyouth/fsy/about/youth?lang=eng

FSY BEGINS

August: (Melissa)

TITHING SETTLEMENT CHANGES

https://ksltv.com/502338/church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints-makes-changes-to-tithing-settlement/

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/first-presidency-tithing-declaration

Honorable Mention (but has been covered a lot already)

https://www.abc4.com/news/religion/church-responds-to-ap-investigation-into-sexual-abuse/

September: (Matt)

MISSIONARIES - SERVICE RETURNING TO ‘NEW’ NORMAL

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/area-breakdown-of-churchs-411-missions-worldwide

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/service-missionary/a-custom-experience?lang=eng

October: (Melissa)

NEW For the Strength of Youth

https://www.ldsliving.com/elder-uchtdorf-announces-a-new-guide-for-youth/s/11035

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/for-the-strength-of-youth/01-message?lang=eng

https://www.deseret.com/2022/10/1/23381979/10-new-things-to-know-about-the-new-for-the-strength-of-youth#:~:text=New%20chapter%20focuses,and%20Find%20joy%20in%20Christ.

November: (Matt)

RESPECT for MARRIAGE ACT

https://www.deseret.com/2022/11/17/23464767/senate-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints-marriage-equality

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/respect-for-marriage-act-statement

https://www.ldsliving.com/church-releases-new-statement-on-signing-of-respect-for-marriage-act-in-us/s/11191

December Options: (Matt)

CHURCH DONATIONS WORLDWIDE

https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-news/lds-church-donates-10m-to-fight-polio-maternal-and-neonatal-tetanus

https://www.thechurchnews.com/global/2022/12/14/23506202/africa-donations-fruit-trees-tanzania?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=cn-social&utm_campaign=twitter-en&utm_content=churchnews-en

https://www.deseret.com/faith/2022/9/14/23353721/why-latter-day-saint-leaders-just-made-the-largest-humanitarian-donation-in-church-history

https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/donation-unhcr-wfp-refugees-europe

https://kslnewsradio.com/1979712/genealogy-research-now-a-tax-deductible-for-members-of-the-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints/

**

END-OF-YEAR MESSAGE FROM THE PROPHET (Melissa)

https://www.ksl.com/article/50542208/christmas-message-encourages-people-everywhere-to-spread-kindness