Week in review: Temples announced in general conference, opened for tours and scheduled for rededication, plus 6 more stories (2024)

During the week of April 7-13, Church President Russell M. Nelson announced 15 new temples during the Sunday afternoon session of general conference. A special-edition episode of the Church News podcast featured excerpts from every April 2024 general conference talk. The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will rededicate the Manti Utah Temple.

Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and Sister Tracy Y. Browning, second counselor in the Primary general presidency, each spoke at university graduations — Ensign College and BYU–Idaho. And Sister Tamara W. Runia, first counselor in Young Women general presidency, asked missionaries in a Provo MTC devotional to consider: “Do I really believe that another person’s soul is as precious as my own?” The Church News released articles with more information about the newly called Sunday School general presidency and 11 new General Authority Seventies.

The Taylorsville Utah Temple opened its doors to media, guests and public for tours. Watch this Church News video of the Angel Moroni statue being placed on the Salt Lake Temple. International musicians singing with The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square for the Church’s general conference has moved from a pilot program to a permanent part of the organization.

Read summaries and find links to these nine stories below.

1. President Nelson announces locations of 15 new temples at conclusion of April 2024 general conference

In his concluding message of the April 2024 general conference, President Nelson announced locations for 15 new temples of the Church, bringing the Church’s total number of houses of the Lord to 350 worldwide — 168 of which President Nelson has announced over the past six years.

“The temple is the gateway to the greatest blessings God has in store for each of us. The temple is the only place on earth where we may receive all of the blessings promised to Abraham,” he said in a message shared Sunday afternoon, April 7, in Salt Lake City.

Read the full announcement here.

2. Podcast episode 183: April 2024 general conference — leaders emphasize the importance of temples, covenants and joy

Millions listened to the 194th Annual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6 and 7, 2024. During the conference, Church leaders — including members of the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other general leaders — emphasized the importance of temples and covenants and encouraged seeking higher joy.

This special edition of the Church News podcast features excerpts from every general conference talk, including President Russell M. Nelson’s invitation to “rejoice in the gift of priesthood keys” and his announcement that the Church will build 15 new temples.

Listen to the Church News podcast here.

3. Elder Rasband to rededicate Manti Utah Temple on April 21

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced that Elder Rasband will rededicate the Manti Utah Temple on Sunday, April 21.

The rededication will be done in just one session, at 5 p.m., with no adjustments to regular Sunday worship services for the wards and branches in the temple district.

The First Presidency previously announced the April 21 dedication date — along with the temple’s March 11 media day and the public open house running March 14 through April 5 — nearly four months ago, on Nov. 20, 2023. The original announcement noted that additional information regarding the rededication — including the times of sessions and who will be presiding — would be announced at a future date.

Read the full article here.

4. Elder Stevenson at Ensign College graduation and Sister Browning at BYU–Idaho

More than 2,000 graduates of Ensign College were awarded roughly 2,500 degrees and certificates — the most in the school’s 137-year history — during the 2024 commencement exercises Thursday, April 11. In his remarks, Elder Stevenson noted that the flags of over 90 countries were unfurled the previous week on the Church plaza in front of the Church Office Building, representing “the global nature of the Church of Jesus Christ.”

In a similar way, graduates are prepared — with “exquisite diversity” of country, culture and ethnicity — to go forth “like a literal ensign of nations, representing Ensign College,” he said.

Every living thing in the home of Sister Browning has a name. This doesn’t mean just her husband, children and pets. This also refers to her plants, which she can’t always identify by species but which she regards as friends nonetheless. Sister Browning said she takes care each week to water her plants, position them for optimal sunlight and provide them with additional nutrients to help them thrive.

Similarly, each person’s spiritual survival depends upon a regular application of nourishment received from divine sources, she said, including prayer, scripture study and temple worship. “Adherence to these practices will set you apart from the world and will give you experiences through which the power of God will be demonstrated in your life,” she taught during her commencement address at Brigham Young University–Idaho in Rexburg, Idaho, on Thursday, April 11.

Read more about Elder Stevenson’s address here.

Read more about Sister Browning’s address here.

5. Sister Runia invites missionaries to see their missions as their personal ministries

Speaking to full-time missionaries at the Provo Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, Sister Runia asked listeners to think of their mission service as their own personal ministries.

“Have you ever thought of your mission that way?” asked the first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, suggesting the missionaries consider their 18-month to two-year service similar to the Savior’s three-year personal, mortal ministry. And then she posed what she said is a question that could both shape those ministries and how the missionaries would look at and interact with others.

The question: “Do I really believe that another person’s soul is as precious as my own?”

Read the full article here.

6. Learn more about the incoming Sunday School general presidency and General Authority Seventies

During the Saturday morning session of the April 2024 general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, members sustained a new Sunday School general presidency and 11 new General Authority Seventies. President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency, led the sustainings.

On Aug. 1, Elder Paul V. Johnson will begin his service as the new Sunday School general president. Brother Chad H Webb and Australia Sydney Mission President Gabriel W. Reid will serve as first and second counselors, respectively. Elder Johnson currently serves as a General Authority Seventy and will receive emeritus status effective Aug. 1.

Following is a brief look at the new leaders, who hail from various countries. A more in-depth profile on each will appear in coming weeks.

Read more about the Sunday School general presidency here.

Read more about the General Authority Seventies here.

7. ‘Unprecedented access’: Frequently viewed Taylorsville Utah Temple opens to media, guests and public

Two days after President Nelson announced 15 new temple locations and spoke of the importance of the ordinances, covenants and blessings available through temple work and worship, the Church opened the doors to its new Taylorsville Utah Temple on Tuesday, April 9.

As Sister Browning drives to downtown Salt Lake City daily, she passes by the Taylorsville Utah Temple, off Interstate 215 near its 4700 South interchange, and “sees its magnificent construction.”

Sister Browning; Elder Kevin W. Pearson, General Authority Seventy and the Church’s Utah Area president; and Elder James R. Rasband, General Authority Seventy and assistant executive director of the Temple Department, spoke to news media representatives during media tours of the newly constructed temple. They testified of temples and temple covenants bringing people closer to the Savior.

Read more about the temple’s opening here.

See more photos of the temple here.

8. Video: See the Angel Moroni statue placed on the Salt Lake Temple

The 12-foot, gold-leafed statue of angel Moroni, sculpted by Cyrus Dallin, was originally placed atop the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 6, 1892, after the exterior of the temple was finished.

This Church News video, titled “Fortify Spiritual Foundations,” includes images of the crews returning the statue to the renovated temple. Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé, joined by Emily Utt of the Church History Department, addressed the small gathering. Quoting Church President Nelson, Bishop Caussé said, “Everything taught in the temple, through instruction and through the Spirit, increases our understanding of Jesus Christ.”

Watch the video here.

9. Tabernacle Choir’s global participant program goes from pilot to permanent

International musicians singing with The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ general conference is moving from a pilot program to a permanent part of the organization.

“We’ve received approval from the First Presidency for it to be a regular, ongoing part of the choir,” Tabernacle Choir President Michael O. Leavitt said in an interview with the Church News.

Currently there are 48 international singers, including the 10 who participated in each of the April 2023 and October 2023 general conferences. Twelve musicians from 10 countries, including the first ones from Europe, sang with the choir during the April 2024 general conference.

Read the full article here.