Hastening Now: A Weekly Church Report

ONE

 
Elder W. Mark Bassett Dies at Age 59
Monday, May 11, 2026
In the News

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released the following statement today on the passing of Elder W. Mark Bassett: We are deeply saddened at the sudden passing of Elder W. Mark Bassett, a General Authority Seventy who had been serving since April of 2016. Elder Bassett passed away on May 11, 2026, as a result of a traumatic brain injury. He was with his family in St. George, Utah, when the incident occurred.  At the time of his death, Elder Bassett was serving as the Executive Director of the Missionary Department, overseeing worldwide missionary efforts. READ STORY HERE.

TWO

 
At 93, How Healthy is President Oaks?
Saturday, May 9, 2026
In the News

Most 93-year-olds might limit talk of their health problems to close family and friends. But Dallin H. Oaks is not like most men of his age. His health is of keen interest to those who belong to The Church—and to outside observers. READ STORY HERE.

THREE

The First Presidency Previews Salt Lake Temple as Renovation Nears Completion

Friday, May 8, 2026
Temples Rising

President Dallin H. Oaks was joined by his wife, Kristen, along with his First Counselor, Henry B. Eyring, and Second Counselor, D. Todd Christofferson, and his wife, Kathy. President Oaks noted that this tour came as he recovers from recent hip replacement surgery. He expressed gratitude to the doctors who attended to him during the April 15 surgery and noted the tour was a welcome part of his ongoing recovery, which doctors indicated normally lasts from three to four months and allows him to continue to perform office and other assignments. “The opportunity to tour the temple today was a welcome chance to be with my brothers in the First Presidency in a place we cherish,” President Oaks said. “I have been looking forward to this opportunity to see firsthand the progress of this important project.” READ STORY HERE.

FOUR

Tabernacle Choir Announces Hollywood Bowl Guest Artists 

Monday, May 11, 2026
In the News

The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square and the O.C. Tanner Gift of Music Trust have announced guest artists for the “Songs of Hope Benefit Concert” at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, on June 24–25, 2026. The guest artists will be Donny Osmond, David Foster, Katharine McPhee, Stephanie J. Block and Sebastian Arcelus. READ ABOUT EACH ARTIST HERE.

FIVE

 
Fairview Texas Mayor asks the Church to Scale Back 120-foot Temple Steeple as Residents Voice Concerns
Monday, May 11, 2026
Temples Rising

More than a year after the Fairview Town Council approved the Fairview LDS Temple’s 120-foot steeple, Mayor John Hubbard says some residents still have concerns about the height. “The citizens, they feel like this is still rammed down the throats of the citizens,” he said. “They feel like the council let them down.” Hubbard was not the mayor at the time, but he was on the council. He voted against approving the steeple permit but says the council was in a tough position. READ THIS CBS NEWS STORY HERE.

SIX

 
New Zealand Boxing World Champ Knows What Comes First
Monday, May 11, 2026
Women of Covenant

After winning the women’s World Boxing Organisation and International Boxing Federation super middleweight title, the ring announcer asked Latter-day Saint boxer, Lani Daniels, from Pipiwai, New Zealand, how she felt about her victory. Her response was in Māori, then in English, “First and foremost, I give thanks to our Heavenly Father, and massive love and respect to my opponent – I hope everything is well.” READ STORY HERE.

SEVEN

 
Honoring Women and the Influence of Motherhood
Saturday, May 9, 2026
Women of Covenant

As Mother’s Day (May 10, 2026) is observed this week in the United States and some other countries, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is sharing social media messages that honor women and express gratitude for the ways they nurture faith, love and belonging. The messages reflect the varied experiences connected to motherhood and womanhood and recognize the influence of women in many forms — as mothers, caregivers, teachers, leaders and friends. Readers are invited to explore the posts and reflect on the women who have shaped their lives. EXPLORE THESE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS HERE.

EIGHT

Church Welcomes International Organization for Migration Director to Discuss Migrant Support

Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Humanitarian Outreach

Leaders from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) visited Salt Lake City on May 11–12, 2026, meeting with representatives of The Church of Jesus Christ to discuss ongoing efforts to support vulnerable migrants in Latin America. IOM Director General Amy Pope said the Church’s support helps migrants find jobs and build small businesses through skills training and startup funding. “This is a community that is living its faith in ways that I’ve not seen anywhere else in the world,” Pope said. “It takes very, very seriously the teachings of Jesus that the responsibility to love thy neighbor as thyself — which is being played out in the most concrete of ways. That was really deeply affecting.” READ STORY HERE.

NINE

Creating a Welcoming Space for Young Adults in Frankfurt, Germany

Saturday, April 18, 2026
Chosen Generation

Young adults, community members, and local leaders gathered in Frankfurt on Saturday, April 18 to celebrate the opening and dedication of a new Institute of Religion, a space designed to bring young people together for learning, connection, and personal growth. The event began with an open house and guided tours, giving visitors the opportunity to explore the new facility and experience its welcoming atmosphere. The center is intended as a place where young adults, both members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and their friends, can meet, build friendships, and participate in classes focused on values, purpose, and faith. READ STORY HERE.

TEN

Elder Edward Dube, of the Presidency of the Seventy, Visits Africa Central Area

Wednesday, May 13, 2026
To All the World

On April 22, 2026, Elder Edward Dube, of the Presidency of the Seventy, and his wife, Naume, arrived in Kampala, Uganda, beginning a 12-day, three-nation visit to the Africa Central Area. Born in Zimbabwe, in Southeast Africa, Elder Dube is the first native-born African to serve as a member of the Presidency of the Seventy. The Dubes were welcomed to Kampala by Elder Christophe G. Giraud-Carrier, General Authority Seventy, and his wife Isabelle, who had flown in from Nairobi, Kenya, to greet and accompany the Dubes during their visit. READ ENTIRE STORY WITH GREAT PHOTOGRAPHS.

ELEVEN

Partnership Celebrated in Gratitude Luncheon Hosted by Archbishop Phillip A. Anyolo, Metropolitan Archbishop of Nairobi

Monday, May 11, 2026
To All the World

On the 29th of April 2026, Church representatives were invited to join in a celebration luncheon honoring donors and partners who had joined with Caritas Nairobi in serving the less fortunate.  Caritas is, as stated on their website, “A global confederation of Catholic Institutions working in humanitarian emergencies and towards the betterment and fullness of life for the marginalized in the community.” “This gathering is, above all, a moment of gratitude,” stated Father Peter Kiarie, Director of Caritas Nairobi, “Gratitude for the relationships we have built, for the lives transformed through our collective efforts, and for the enduring commitment to serve the most vulnerable in our communities.”  Adding that “Every act of generosity and solidarity shared here is not only service to humanity, but our living witness of our faith in action.” READ STORY HERE.

TWELVE

Education Thrives as 196 Students Receive Degrees and Certificates from BYU in Uganda

Wednesday, April 29, 2026
Chosen Generation

April 17 and 18, 2026 were historic days in Uganda as graduation ceremonies were held for the first time ever in the cities of Jinja and Kampala for 7 students receiving bachelor’s degrees, 28 students receiving associates degrees, and 161 students receiving BYU-PathwayConnect certificates.   Graduating with a bachelor’s degree represents a great deal of commitment to the educational process and personal sacrifice. READ STORY HERE.

THIRTEEN

Athens Open House Changes Perceptions

Thursday, April 30, 2026
To All the World

When visitors gathered at the Halandri meetinghouse in northern Athens on Thursday, April 30, 2026, to tour the building, they each brought personal perceptions of the Church and its members.

As guests toured the building and interacted with Church leaders and members, conversations and experiences helped them become better acquainted with the Church’s programs and its core message—the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Some of the organizations present were: Caritas Greece, Jesuit Refugee Services, Ithaca Laundry, HIGGS, Doctors of the World, and Greek Ancestry. READ STORY HERE.

FOURTEEN

The Church of Jesus Christ Engages Uzbekistan Leadership at Appreciation Event in Tashkent
Tuesday, April 28, 2026
To All the World

“I love you, you love me, that’s the way it’s supposed to be,” sang 20 second graders from School 86 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to a hushed audience of around 300 people on the evening of April 28, 2026. The occasion was an appreciation dinner where The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints joined with one of their humanitarian collaborators, the Stirling Foundation, to host senior government, academic, and faith leaders. READ STORY HERE.

FIFTEEN

Modern Maternity Ward Donated by Church to the Tshiamala General Reference Hospital in the DR Congo

Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Humanitarian Outreach

The healthcare landscape of the remote railway town of Mwene-Ditu was significantly enhanced as the mayor of the city, Mr. Gérard Tshibanda Kabwe, presided over the inauguration ceremony of the new maternity building at Tshiamala General Reference Hospital.  This achievement is the result of direct advocacy by the Mayor with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  Promptly responding to the request submitted to Elder Thierry Mutombo, General Authority Seventy and President of the Africa Central Area, the Church funded and constructed this modern building to ease the challenges of caring for pregnant women in the city of Mwene-Ditu and the surrounding villages. READ ENTIRE STORY HERE.

SIXTEEN

Rendering Provided for the Rapid City South Dakota Temple
Monday, May 11, 2026
Temples Rising

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has provided an exterior rendering of the Rapid City South Dakota Temple. As previously announced, the Rapid City South Dakota Temple will be constructed on a 4.86-acre site at the northeast corner of Mount Rushmore Road and Moon Meadows Drive in Rapid City, South Dakota. Plans call for an 11,800-square-foot, single-story temple and an accompanying ancillary building. READ STORY HERE.

Unprecedented: A New Temple Square Visitors’ Center that Is Unlike Any Other

(Be sure and see the video at the end of the article to enjoy a lovely tour of the new Visitors’ Center.)

“For years, every generation has asked, how do we share the story of who we are as a people? How do we share the story of temples? And every generation has tried a different method,” said Emily Utt, a curator of historic sites for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

A sneak peek into the new 39,800 square foot Visitors’ Center at Temple Square reveals a refreshing answer to how to tell our story. For years visitors to Temple Square have asked two questions. “Do Latter-day Saints believe in Jesus Christ and what goes on inside your temples?

This new visitors’ center answers both questions masterfully, but the second question in a way that is utterly new.


“You may think you have been to a visitors’ center before, but this is not that. This is an experience like you have never had before,” said Emily Bell Freeman, Young Women’s General President.”

Approaching Temple Square from South Temple, it is easy to see that the new Visitors’ Center consists of two wings separated by a garden that allows a clear view of the temple beyond them. Beneath that garden and connecting the two wings is a sweeping lower level where the South Visitors’ Center stood before it was demolished.


It is in that underground area that visitors find the surprise. Here are exhibits, scale models of temples from around the world, but what’s unique is an exact replica of the rooms that are actually inside a temple, including a recommend desk, a baptistry, an instruction room, a celestial room and a sealing room.

This means that this visitors’ center with these replica rooms will become a perpetual temple open house.

When the Salt Lake Temple has its open house from April to October in 2027, with visitors expected in the range of 3 to 5 million and a daily attendance of 20,000 to 29,000, that is not the end of visitors to Temple Square seeing what a temple looks like. While these replica rooms, are not the Salt Lake Temple, they look like the inspiring rooms of other temples. 

Elder Matthew S. Holland said, “Because Latter-day Saints consider their temples a sacred space, people naturally wonder what goes on inside of them.” They will always be able to not only find out, but see for themselves, on Temple Square.

The Salt Lake Temple open house in 2027 will mark the first time in history the temple has been open to the public.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, acting president of the church’s Quorum of the Twelve Apostles emphasized, “I think it is wonderful that we have now this openness of showing what is happening so no one can feel that we’re keeping anything hidden, because there’s nothing to hide.”


He said, “This morning, I was able to dedicate this visitors’ center and consecrate it to the purpose of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to all those who come…which is joyful.

Eager to Come to Temple Square

As President Uchtdorf stood next to the Christus statue skirted by windows that opened to an imposing view of the temple, he said, “The openness is also reflected here with all these windows and the glass, the wood, and the temple behind us, and the statue of Jesus Christ, right here.

“It reminds me when we all see this beautiful material, almost the highest level of quality you can imagine, how did this all come about? It came about because of a small group of people, many years ago, who found a way to worship God in a similar way as it was done when Jesus Christ walked the earth. That is what we call the Restoration”

“These people came together in the Eastern part of the United States, and unfortunately, they weren’t very welcomed there, so they looked for a place far away from circumstances of persecution.”

 “Four days after they arrived here, they decided, this is the spot to build a House of the Lord. These people came in with hand carts. They came in oxen-drawn wagons. They lived in log houses…with no firm floor, dirt floors. These people, settled here and within a few years, still living in those houses, built this temple. Since they were not in business of building this temple for 40 years, they were…interrupted by other things–an army coming in trying to straighten them out. In the meantime, they also built the tabernacle which is right next to us.


“So you see, those people, living here in those simple circumstances, built this majestic building. Why? Because of their conviction and faith in Jesus Christ.”

President Uchtdorf said, that conviction moved them then and “that is what moves us now.”

He also said of the remarkable feat of shoring up and renovating the Salt Lake Temple and building this new visitor’s center, “It’s a beautiful time, when we see how everything falls in place.” 

A Blending of the Old and the New

Amy Christensen, of Jacobsen Construction that has been the contractor on the temple and visitors’ center, said that in their 104-year history as a company, this has been an unprecedented project for them to work on the temple project.


“There have been over a thousand people at any given time working a day on this project, six days a week, with a 20-hour staggered work schedule going on as different people come and go. It’s a lot of dedicated time to this project, and there are 10 work packages here, so it’s 10 construction projects in one.”

While upgrading the temple and building the visitors’ center with its exact replica of rooms in a temple, the most advanced pioneering technology was used, but there was always a nod to the pioneer past.

Until, the seismic upgrade of the temple, it has been standing on the adobe foundation, laid by the pioneers, though some portions had been repaired. Now, like the spiritual heritage of the Latter-day Saints, the temple is standing on many layers of foundational strength.

“It’s amazing to see what original innovations were done on this structure at time,” said Christensen. “It was state of the art, absolutely. As we stand on the shoulders of those original construction builders, we feel like we’re partners through the generations with them and pioneering a new generation of people who want to come, participate, and be inside the temple, and keep it safe for many generations to come.”


She noted that many of the workers on the temple and visitors’ center construction site had ancestors who had worked on the original Salt Lake Temple, and some of them are also working in the same skill set.

“There’s an absolute connection to the pioneers. A lot of old photographs and history have been studied to review back as much as possible the look and feel of the temple interior and to repurpose and reuse many things that were in the temple before. Even art glass has been restored, though some of it has been moved so it can be seen by more people.”

Only Dreamed of

Emily Utt noted that in 1852 while the temple was only partially constructed, the pioneers built a wall around the square to define the sacred center. “I love that this wall is still here to show you are now entering sacred space.”


Yet, what the new visitors’ center does with its remarkable technology, is something that could have only been dreamed of in earlier years. Utt said, in the 19th century when people came to Temple Square and wanted to learn about what the Latter-day Saints believed, they’d have to ask a gardener. Then in 1902, a little bureau of information was opened on one corner of the square. Then in the 1960’s they built the North Visitors’ Center and put a Christus in it followed by the building of a South Visitors’ Centeri n the 70’s.

Yet, Utt said, “Since we are always working on being open and transparent, we have technology now that we could only have dreamed of in the 60’s. We can tell our story better than ever before.

What You’ll Find in the Visitors’ Center

In the east wing of the Visitor’s Center is an exact scale model, made to the minute detail to look like the inside of the renovated Salt Lake temple. One wall of the temple moves down to reveal this interior. Then the back of the temple also moves so the two new wings of the temple, much of it underground. can be seen. This is a 100,000 square feet addition.

These wings have glass roofs, so someone entering this section of the temple can look up and see the rising temple above them. In addition, this area also includes special rooms where friends and family of those getting sealed, who cannot go in, have a place to sit and enjoy the spirit of the temple.


In total, the new temple will have 23 sealing rooms, a large number that President Russell M. Nelson had insisted on for a temple at the center of Christendom. 

Moving to the lower level is a display of models of 11 temples from around the world with electronic signs in English, Spanish and Mandarin. They lead to a large, interactive, lighted globe, showing temples dotting the earth. Touch a glowing dot on the globe where a temple is located, and a photo of a temple emerges.


The centerpiece of the hall is the “Come Unto Me” statue of Christ, made of marble from the same quarry where the famous statue of David was drawn. The statue by artist Christian Holt, captures both the divinity of Christ and his reach out for every person.


The hall then leads to a media wall of photos, videos and audio, that illustrate caring for others. The church, regarding all people as children of God, seeks to reach out with a humanitarian hand to all people.


Beyond the visitors’ center guests can see landscaped gardens with sculptors which give a glimpse into sacred moments in the ministry of Christ and sacred moments like the reception of the priesthood powers and keys.

A Time of Excitement

For those who have waited what seems like a very long time to be able to be on Temple Square and see the visitors’ center and be closer to the temple, this is an exciting time. This project is a monument to cutting edge effort, cooperation and coming together to do something truly magnificent.

With the replicas of the rooms of a temple in the visitor’s center, this is a first experience in opening up the rooms of a temple more broadly while maintaining the sacred space of the temple itself.

What You Need to Know

The visitors’ center will be open May 18, with anyone able to come through the doors to visit. However, to see the replica rooms requires a reservation which can be made at  TempleSquare.org. The experience takes about 30 minutes. As of this writing, the first two weeks were already booked.

How and When to Visit the Temple Square Visitors’ Center

• Hours: Beginning May 18, 2026, the Temple Square Visitors’ Center will be open every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Tickets: Admission to the center is free. While no ticket is required for entry, a reservation is required for the 30-minute “Inside a Temple” tour. Reservations can be made through the Temple Square app (Apple, Android) or at TempleSquare.org.
• Parking: Free parking is available at the Conference Center with validation; City Creek parking is also available south of Temple Square (first two hours free).
• Public transit: The Temple Square TRAX station provides direct access.
• Accessibility: The visitors’ center is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and fully accessible to all visitors.

Temple Square Reveals Two New Sculptures of the Savior’s Final Week

Pictures courtesy of the Church Newsroom.

Two new statues now grace the south side of the Salt Lake Temple, just steps from the Temple Square Visitors’ Center plaza — offering visitors a powerful new way to reflect and remember.

Their arrival is especially meaningful during the Easter season, when Christians around the world turn their hearts to the final week of Jesus Christ’s life and the miracle of His Resurrection.

Although this area remains under construction, the statues are visible to the public — quietly inviting all who pass by to pause and consider the Savior’s sacrifice.

“Jesus Christ Carrying the Cross,” created by Michael Hall — also known for the beloved First Vision statue at Temple Square — portrays the Savior as He bears the cross on His final walk to Calvary. “Jesus Christ in Gethsemane,” by married artists Stephani and Roger Hunt, captures a deeply sacred moment of prayer and suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Together, these sculptures bring to life pivotal moments in the Savior’s ministry, inviting reflection and reverence while adding a meaningful spiritual dimension to the ongoing renovation at Temple Square.

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Creative Ways to Unite Your Ward Family Around the Temple

Each Sunday, at the end of Church, as we try to wrangle our little gaggle of children towards the door, we try to stop for nothing. If we stop, our toddler will probably bolt for the nearest light switch or our four-year-old will find a stretch of open hallway to run down (in the wrong direction). Once we’re moving, we need to keep moving. 

There is but one exception. 

On a side table in the foyer, as people filter out, is a little Lego-style build of the Salt Lake Temple that is coming together each week, brick by brick. Next to the little construction site is a sign that says: 

My boys always ask if they can each put on a piece and I quickly scan the list hoping that we have done something that can count. 

It is an over 1,500-piece build. That requires lots of little spiritual habits from the members each week to make progress. But then, so does being a covenant people who build the temple into the center of their worship.  

I love this small visual reminder that unites our ward in an effort to keep remembering the temple. 

The effort to bring a ward family together around a central purpose is an ongoing challenge of most callings in the Church. Of course, that central purpose is a relationship with the Savior, but facing your life towards the temple is an integral part of that struggle. 

So, how can we help members to make that effort together? How we can encourage each other on that temple path and feel united as a ward family along the way? 

The member of my ward who decided to be in charge of this Lego-style temple build had a wonderful idea to get people involved in working together. 

I would love to hear what ideas your wards have used in the comments below. 

One unforgettable initiative that my childhood ward undertook was the goal to do an entire additional ward worth of temple work for those on the other side. In other words, they wanted to complete all of proxy temple ordinances for the same number of people who had passed on, as were currently in our ward. In effect, we would be creating a sister ward in the Spirit World. 

Our ward was the Fairfax Ward, our goal was to create the Fairfax 2nd Ward on the other side. We devoted an entire bulletin board in the Church to this effort. Though I was only old enough to do baptisms at that point and the temple was an hour away, I never forgot seeing “Fairfax 2nd Ward” written up on that bulletin board and watching the names be added, one after another. 

There is something worthwhile in making your progress and your process as a ward, visual. Perhaps you may start to take that visual for granted in the hustle and bustle of your Church duties, but it might be a sight that your child never forgets. 

I hope my sons don’t forget building our little Salt Lake Temple as a ward. 

Their counterparts in the youth program certainly didn’t forget the sights and sounds of volunteering to staff the open house of the Saratoga Springs Temple when our ward was asked to participate. 

As scores of temples are being dedicated all over the world, take the opportunity to participate in an open house if you possibly can—not just as a visitor, but as a volunteer. 

I was asked by someone in my stake to be a host and lead tours, but I didn’t feel like I had the time or the flexibility in my schedule to say yes. When the open house time concluded and we had a testimony meeting where every single testimony from people of every age was about how meaningful the experience was to them, I felt like I had sorely missed out. 

Thankfully, they announced a temple to be built even closer to us less than a year later so I look forward to having another chance. 

But there was something deeply unifying about our ward having stewardship over a temple together. The sacrifice of time, the long hours, even the sometimes mundane tasks involved in it, increased each person’s love for the place and its purpose. I felt the magnetism of it, even from a distance. 

My concluding thought in all of this is that there is creativity to be had in imagining the ways to unite our ward families around the House of the Lord. It can be more interesting and more involved than just bringing up the temple in any lesson you can. 

What ideas have you been a part of? What has worked for your family or your ward? I hope you will all share resources and thoughts in the comments below. 

Temple Square Renovation Update: February 2026

Spiral Staircases and Sacred Surprises: Lessons in Elder Clark G. Gilbert’s Ordination

In the last six months, we have lost two truly extraordinary disciples of Jesus Christ, President Russell M. Nelson and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. The outpourings of love and the specifically personal tributes that have flooded the internet show just how much these men had not just global impact, but quite individual influence in the hearts of Church members (and others).

As you read the narratives of their mortal lives that are always shared upon the passing of an apostle, sometimes it feels like they were extraordinary from their youth, guided at every step, and lived a nearly perfect existence. It’s easy to look at your own life, whose setbacks and pitfalls you know so well and feel like you weren’t set up quite as obviously for success. Or didn’t have such inner strength and commitment from hour one.

It is for this reason that the story from President Holland’s funeral that stood out to me most was his eldest son sharing of his weaknesses in carpentry, even in the simplest tasks. “We acquired the habit, whenever he picked up a hammer, of quoting to him Doctrine and Covenants 24:9: ‘In temporal labors, thou shalt not have strength, for this is not thy calling.’” President Holland received the teasing with good humor. He had often told them of the time in his youth when he decided to build an external spiral staircase and entrance to his parents’ attic, which had previously been very difficult to access.

“It was characteristically noble thought of a loving son and he did his level best,” David Holland shared, “but he was crestfallen when an insurance adjuster, who had come to assess some earlier wind damage elsewhere on the property, urgently called my grandfather to the back of the house, pointed to my father’s recently completed summer project, and said, ‘Mr. Holland, I can’t tell you exactly what’s gone on here, but obviously this was the place of the greatest damage.’”

“Even the best of intentions have to contend with the gravitational forces of a fallen world,” David Holland said as he summed up the story, stating that this was a concept his father understood well.

This is a concept we all come to know well, whether we are willing to peacefully accept it or not. It is always a good reminder to know that even the spiritual exemplars that you admire the most were just building their rickety spiral staircase towards heaven one moment of choosing to trust the Savior at a time, even if in the end of their mortal life, the structure seems to look so glorious.

So, as we welcome Elder Clark G. Gilbert as the newest apostle, who was ordained to the office on Thursday, February 12, we are eager to be blessed by the insight of his unique experience, his apostolic mantle, and his hard-earned testimony. But it is also exciting to hear the ways he freely shares how humbled he is by the call and that life to this point hasn’t just been absolutely certain and easy every step of the way.

“There’s a mix of trepidation and joy,” Elder Gilbert shared with the Church News, “two feelings that don’t usually coincide. So much excitement and joy for what opportunities lie ahead to bear witness of Jesus Christ, and trepidation for the responsibility and the weight of the calling.”

“He’s such a joyful, happy person; so positive and enthusiastic,” his wife Christine Gilbert shared as they sat hand in hand. “Sometimes it’s a whirlwind,” she added, “sometimes we’re not sure we have all our pieces in the right place. It’s chaotic, especially with eight kids. But we’re having a good time. We’re being joyful and we’re doing our best. That’s what we always say, you can’t do it perfectly, but do your best.”

Elder Gilbert met the now Sister Gilbert when they were both attending BYU. They married in the Salt Lake Temple in 1994, which was also the year he received a bachelor’s degree in international relations from the university.

Elder Gilbert would go on to receive a master’s degree in East Asian studies from Stanford and a doctorate in business administration from Harvard, where he would soon after join the faculty.

During his time in Boston, his experiences with inner-city Latter-day Saint youth fundamentally shaped his thinking in his later position as the first president of BYU-Pathway Worldwide, a spiritually based education initiative that has gone on to bring educational opportunity to more than 288,000 students in more than 180 countries.

While those Boston youth were new to the Church and its doctrine, Elder Gilbert said, he learned the key to helping them grow was to focus on their potential.

“In this Church,” he taught, “we believe in the divine potential of all of God’s children and in our ability to become something more in Christ.” While people begin life with differing circumstances, “in the Lord’s timing, it is not where we start but where we are headed that matters most.”

His life’s preparation for this newest, crucial calling also included time as CEO of Deseret Digital Media, president of the Deseret News, and president of BYU-Idaho before he became the inaugural leader of BYU Pathway.

He had been serving as Commissioner of the Church Education System, which involves oversight of all of the Church’s universities, online educational programs, seminaries, and institutes, until this most recent calling.

Elder Gilbert was with President Oaks for the Church Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, February 11, and at the end of the meeting President Oaks said, ‘Elder Gilbert, would you come in for just one item of follow up?’

“I sat down and he extended the calling,” Elder Gilbert shared, “it was immediately sobering and humbling…but beautiful at the same time.”

After receiving the calling, he stepped away privately to call his wife.

“There was a lot of surprise,” Elder Gilbert said of that phone call.

“Surprise was also met with a feeling of sacredness for the trust he was being shown,” the Church News reported, “he and Sister Gilbert stayed up late Wednesday reflecting on what they have learned from each member of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.”

I love picturing that scene of receiving such overwhelming, life-changing news and admire so much that they chose to respond to it like Nephi when he first heard of his father’s vision of the Tree of Life. They knew where to turn. They reflected on what the Lord has already taught them in preparation for this moment by the examples of those that have come before in this calling. They invited the spirit by reflecting on the truths that had already been taught to prepare them, even when they didn’t know they were being prepared.

According to the Church Newsroom, Elder Gilbert says he has received over 1,000 text messages since his calling was announced.

“We couldn’t answer every call that was coming in,” Elder Gilbert shared, “but one of them was on [Sister Gilbert’s] phone from one of our inner-city youth. He’s someone we had mentored and loved and watched him grow in the Gospel. But he called her, not me.” Elder Gilbert’s voice filled with emotion as he shared what the message for his wife was: “We know that this wouldn’t have happened without you.”

“And he’s right.” Elder Gilbert said, “and what a tender expression of that…for both of us.”

I do believe that those the Lord calls to lead his Church are prepared for that calling from their earliest days. They are equipped with skills and insights unique to the time they live in. Elder Clark G. Gilbert is no exception. But I believe the Lord prepares us all for the times we live in and the things we are to take from and contribute to them.

Though life can often feel like we live in constant survival mode, the Lord’s hand is orchestrating our opportunities to allow us to accomplish the unique calls and purposes he has for each of us. Perhaps the greatest opportunity we have is to learn to draw close to Him.

“Right now, we live in what the apostle Paul talked about; perilous times.” Elder Gilbert shared, “The world is in commotion and people are struggling. Good is being called evil, and evil being called good. There are anxieties and tumult and polarization. But those are the same things that are creating the most unprecedented opportunities for the Church.”

“It’s much harder, in this climate, to do things without the Lord. But when you involve him, and make him your priority, all of those things calm.”

None of the prophets or apostles that we have loved and lost had the chance to control the events of their lives. But all chose again and again to involve the Lord and it was through Him that they could have such significant impact with the gifts and insights they had.

“He will comfort us in our afflictions, He will strengthen us in our infirmities, and He will succor us when life’s not fair.” Elder Gilbert testified. “I have a testimony that He lives and I am so grateful the opportunity now to share that everywhere I go in the world.”

How Big Will the Salt Lake Temple Open House Be?

This article preview is courtesy of the ChurchBeat by Tad Walch. Read the full article HERE.

In case you missed it, Salt Lake City recently revealed the first real estimate for how many visitors are expected at the historic open house for the pioneer-era Salt Lake Temple in 2027.

Salt Lake must create a real working estimate to justify closing down streets around the temple for the safety of the visitors. It made one with the help of the Utah Department of Transportation and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The office of Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall recently sent a letter to the City Council asking for the road closures because “this event will draw millions of visitors to the city with mass gatherings taking place on the blocks surrounding Temple Square.”

A city spokesman provided a second estimate in an accompanying statement to the Deseret News.

“The city expects the celebration to draw more than 20,000 visitors each day,” Adam Wittenberg stated.

That matches the number of people who visited the Medals Plaza each night during the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in downtown Salt Lake City.

To continue reading the rest of the article, please click here. 

 

See 50 Years of Temple Growth in 4 Charts

The following is excerpted from the Church News. To visit their website, CLICK HERE.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been organized for nearly 200 years and has a total of just under 400 temples that are dedicated, under construction or in planning.

However, the simple math of dividing the total temples by the number of years doesn’t work here — one can’t assume the Church added a temple or two every year of its existence so far.

Dedications of temples have gone from infrequent events for houses of the Lord built near the main body of Saints through the 1800s to now 211 and counting dedicated houses of the Lord worldwide.

After its 1830 organization in New York, the Church ended the 19th century with four dedicated and operating temples, all in Utah — the St. George, Logan, Manti and Salt Lake temples. That was after leaving temples in Kirtland, Ohio, and Nauvoo, Illinois, before the pioneer exodus to the Salt Lake Valley.

First Presidency Tours the Salt Lake Temple

Photos courtesy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To visit the Church Newsroom, CLICK HERE.

Video Transcript

On December 12, the First Presidency and the Presiding Bishopric of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints toured the historic Salt Lake Temple, which is undergoing significant renovation work.

President Dallin H. Oaks, his wife Kristen, and his counselors, President Henry B. Eyring, President D. Todd Christofferson, and his wife Kathy, were accompanied by the presiding bishopric. 

The temple has been under renovation since December 30, 2019, and is drawing closer to its finish. The Church leaders toured one of the baptisteries, marriage sealing rooms, and other sacred spaces in the temple. 

In the October General Conference of this year, President Oaks emphasized the importance of temples, saying that “the ordinances received [in temples] enable us to return as eternal families to the presence of our Heavenly Father.” 

For more information on temples, visit https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/temples

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