During the week of Nov. 5-11, President Russell M. Nelson posted an update on his health and expressed gratitude for the many prayers offered on his behalf. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles gave a devotional address at the Provo Missionary Training Center on the importance of spreading hope to the world. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles met with members and local government leaders during a ministry trip to Mexico.
Elder Quentin L. Cook, Elder Ronald A. Rasband, Sister Amy A. Wright and Elder Marcus B. Nash shared their thoughts on the 36 new missions announced last week. Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles encouraged Caribbean Latter-day Saints to focus their lives on the Savior. President Camille N. Johnson, Relief Society general president, with Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, and Sister Tracy Y. Browning, second counselor in the Primary general presidency, met with government officials and ministered to members in the U.S. state of Tennessee.
The Church released a statement about humanitarian aid sent to relief organizations in Gaza and Israel. Images for the Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple were released, as well as updates for the Viña del Mar Chile Temple, the Grand Rapids Michigan Temple and the Tuxtla Gutiérrez Mexico Temple. Light the World Giving Machines are opening to 61 cities during the Christmas season. Oxford’s the Rev. Dr. Andrew Teal spoke of interfaith friendships with former mission leaders in this week’s Church News podcast and of his friendship with Elder Matthew S. Holland in a new video.
1. President Nelson posts an update on his health and expresses gratitude for prayers
“Thank you for your prayers for me during the last two months. My recovery from my fall in September when I injured the muscles in my back has been rigorous. I have needed your prayers,” President Nelson said. “Your prayers opened the heavens, and the Lord is blessing me.”
President Nelson shared that he has been participating virtually through technology the past two months and is starting to go to meetings in person when possible.
Read the full article here.
2. Spread hope ‘to a world that so desperately needs it,’ says Elder Uchtdorf at Provo MTC devotional
Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke at a devotional at the Provo Missionary Training Center on Nov. 7, 2023. Elder Uchtdorf spoke of the necessity of faith and hope in the world today.
Elder Uchtdorf said that when one has hope, “you can keep your confidence and optimism and enthusiasm, no matter what is going on around you and in your life — because you have faith in God’s promises, extended through the atoning sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ.”
Read the full article here.
2. Elder Bednar speaks to Saints across Mexico and meets with local government leaders
Elder David A. Bednar addressed Latter-day Saints in two devotionals, one to the nation of Mexico and the other to Saints in the city of Acapulco.
To the Saints in Acapulco Elder Bednar said, “the tragedy of having all of your physical possessions damaged, ruined or gone — that will take a long time to repair. But the spiritual strength with which you are blessed because of the Savior’s Atonement can endure with you forever. It will grow as you press forward with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ through these challenges and difficulties.”
Elder Bednar also met with governmental leaders coordinating the relief efforts in Acapulco and announced a $1 million donation for the recovery effort after Hurricane Otis.
Read the full article here.
4. Church leaders talk about the 36 new missions coming in 2024
After the announcement from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that 36 new missions would be formed, four members of the Missionary Executive Council talked with media representatives about the increase of missionaries serving.
“We have to accommodate this great big number of missionaries, and we need the 36 missions to do that,” said Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles mentioned the overwhelming response to his general conference invitation to increase the number of senior missionaries.
“I’m told by our people in the Missionary Department that even in one month, the number of applications that have been started for these missionary couples has exceeded anything else in history. That is in just one month,” Elder Rasband said.
Read the full article here.
Learn more about the 36 locations here.
5. Focus your lives on the Savior, Elder Soares encourages Caribbean Latter-day Saints
Elder Ulisses Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, while speaking to Caribbean Saints, spoke of an experience he had before becoming an Apostle with President Nelson. During a ministry trip to Brazil, the translator didn’t show up, and Elder Soares — who had no previous live-translating experience — was chosen to translate.
“When the devotional was over, President Nelson embraced me saying: ‘I am very proud of you.’ I felt like the Savior was embracing me. He expressed his love, the love of the Savior, even knowing that I didn’t do perfectly,” Elder Soares said. “I didn’t feel fear when I was standing by President Nelson, and that is what we feel when we have the Savior as our focus in our life.”
Read the full article here.
6. President Johnson, Sister Browning and Sister Spannaus minister in Tennessee
President Camille N. Johnson, Relief Society general president, with Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, and Sister Tracy Y. Browning, second counselor in the Primary general presidency, visited with U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and local Nashville community leaders on Nov. 3.
The three Church leaders also met with local JustServe leaders and other nonprofit organizations in the Nashville area.
Read the full article here.
The Church announced significant humanitarian assistance in the Middle East. Also, the Relief Society is working to improve the health and nutrition of children and mothers around the world.
Read the full Middle East article here.
Read about the nutrition effort here.
Interior and exterior photos of the Lima Peru Los Olivos Temple were released to the public as the open-house phase of the temple begins.
Read the full article here.
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the site location for the new Viña del Mar Chile Temple and has released the exterior rendering of the Grand Rapids Michigan Temple.
Read the full article here.
9. Light the World Giving Machines opening in 61 locations in 2023
The Light the World Giving Machines will be going to 61 cities this Christmas season. The machines will be in over double the amount of cities than in 2022, that being 28. A full list of cities can be found in the article listed below.
Read the full article here.
10. Oxford’s the Rev. Dr. Andrew Teal speaks with Elder Matthew S. Holland and former England mission leaders David and Deb Checketts
In the Church News podcast, David W. Checketts and Deb Checketts, former mission leaders in England, discuss interfaith friendships with Rev. Dr. Andrew Teal. In a new video published by Church News, Elder Matthew S. Holland, a General Authority Seventy, and the Rev. Dr. Teal speak about their friendship and how they came to know one another.
Listen to the podcast with the Checkettses here.
See the video with Elder Matthew S. Holland here.
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