Church News

On Palm Sunday in April 2023, President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints invited individuals to be the “Peacemaker Needed” in what is sometimes a contentious world. In 2024, presidential elections will happen or have happened in nearly 50 countries around the world. These countries are home to more than half the world’s population. At times like these, we are reminded of the political neutrality of the Church, as well as the invitation to participate in the civic election process. On this episode of the Church News podcast, we are joined by the former opinion editor of the Deseret News, Boyd Matheson, to discuss using gospel principles in influencing and impacting communities, disagreeing without being disagreeable, the Constitution of the United States of America, and leaning on the teachings of Christ in becoming peacemakers.  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. Host Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of The Church News, shares a unique view 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 KellieAnn Halvorsen.

On Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, individuals around the world joined in celebrating the 100th birthday of President Russell M. Nelson, the 17th President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. President Nelson’s family, friends, and fellow leaders commemorated his leadership and dedication to Jesus Christ with birthday greetings, music, and tributes to his century of service. On this episode of the Church News podcast, we share highlights from that live broadcast celebration to show appreciation for the prophet, seer and revelator of the restored Church. 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. Host Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of The Church News, shares a unique view 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 KellieAnn Halvorsen.

History will be made in the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024 as President Russell M. Nelson turns 100 years old. He will be the first prophet of the Church’s restored era to become a centenarian. President Nelson was set apart as the 17th president of the Church on Jan. 14, 2018, after serving 34 years in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Before 1984, when he entered full-time Church service, President Nelson was a world-renowned heart surgeon, medical researcher, and most importantly, a husband and father.  On this episode of the Church News podcast, learn more about President Nelson’s century of service with those who have known him personally. They offer perspective on his life, his career, his ministry, and his family. 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. Host Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of The Church News, shares a unique view 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 KellieAnn Halvorsen.

For President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the past year has been perhaps the most challenging of his life. President Holland, 83, faced an extended illness; spoke at the funeral of his predecessor, President M. Russell Ballard; and dealt with the passing of his wife of 60 years, Sister Patricia Terry Holland. Speaking during the April 2024 general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, President Holland said he felt he had received “an admonition to return to my ministry with more urgency, more consecration, more focus on the Savior, more faith in His word.” In this special episode of the Church News podcast, President Holland and guest host Sheri Dew, executive vice president of Deseret Management Corp. and a former member of the Relief Society general presidency, discuss how the gospel can help provide comfort in trials and bring joy in triumphs. 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. Host Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of The Church News, shares a unique view 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 KellieAnn Halvorsen.

On Sept. 9, 2024, President Russell M. Nelson, the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, will turn 100 years old. In his six-plus-year tenure as Prophet and leader of the global faith, he has become the oldest President of The Church, reinforced the correct name of the Church, guided members through a worldwide pandemic, spearheaded a home-centered and Church-supported curriculum with the “Come, Follow Me” program, and announced168 temples worldwide while reminding members to “Keep on the covenant path.” To help put these and other historic events of President Nelson’s life into context, Church News welcomes back historian Richard E. Turley Jr., who has worked with and observed President Nelson for decades to talk about his decades of selfless service in the Church. 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. Host Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of The Church News, shares a unique view 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 KellieAnn Halvorsen.

In 2009, BYU–Idaho launched a program called Pathway. This one-year, reduced-cost online program was offered to students wherever they lived, without stepping on a university campus. Eight years later, in 2017, Pathway changed when the Church announced the creation of BYU–Pathway Worldwide. On this episode of the Church News podcast, we learn the stories of faith that have guided the growth and success of BYU–Pathway with its president, Brian K. Ashton, and Matt Eyring, the school’s vice president of advancement. They join us to share stories they have observed of students’ personal successes, as well as a vision for the program’s future as part of the gathering of Israel and fulfillment of scriptural prophecy about the establishment of Zion. 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. Host Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of The Church News, shares a unique view 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 KellieAnn Halvorsen.

In the Life Help section on the website for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are reminded that, “Everyone needs help sometimes. Life is like that. In fact, God planned it to be that way.” For social scientist, New York Times bestselling author and Church member, Joseph Grenny, helping others has become his career and a personal calling. Through thorough research, a variety of business endeavors and personal experiences, Grenny says he has learned the value of practical and spiritual influences that spark change in even the most dire circumstances. In 2015, he and his colleagues founded The Other Side Academy, a free residential life skills program for those with long histories of crime, addiction and homelessness. And this work has recently expanded to the The Other Side Village project and more. He joins this episode of the Church News podcast to share his hope in the betterment of humanity and testimony of the unmatched, positive influence of the gospel 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. Host Jon Ryan Jensen, editor of The Church News, shares a unique view 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 KellieAnn Halvorsen.

In October 2020, the Church News launched the Church News podcast. For the next 199 weeks, the podcast featured leaders and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints talking about their experiences and sharing their testimonies of the restored gospel. In May 2024, podcast host Sarah Jane Weaver was named editor of the Deseret News. This appointment comes after nearly 30 years as a reporter then editor working to create  “a living record of the Restoration” of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Church News.  In her tenure at the Church News, Weaver has witnessed dozens of temple dedications, interviewed countless members around the world and written about living prophets and apostles. She now hands this podcast to Church News editor Ryan Jensen, who takes the reigns to interview her on her years of service and her insight into the inspired organization of Christ’s restored Church. 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. Host Sarah Jane Weaver, reporter and executive editor for The Church News for a quarter-century, shares a unique view of the stories, events, and most important 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 KellieAnn Halvorsen.

President Russell M. Nelson donated the medical journals from his pioneering career as a heart surgeon to the University of Utah on Aug. 30, 2023. “I am deeply grateful for the important role the University of Utah played in my education and surgical career,” President Nelson said. Having “perhaps our most distinguished alumnus donate such a remarkable volume of records” marked a historic day for the university, said U of U President Taylor R. Randall. He joins this episode of the Church News podcast to discuss President Nelson's gift, the value of higher education and the benefit of the Church's institute program to college-aged students. 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. Host Sarah Jane Weaver, reporter and executive editor for The Church News for a quarter-century, shares a unique view of the stories, events, and most important 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 KellieAnn Halvorsen.

Church Correlation is the process by which members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints become united through the covenants of the gospel to establish the kingdom of God in their hearts, in their homes, in their communities and throughout the world. Official Church publications, including the Church News, work with members of the Church Correlation Department to ensure that all published materials align with the doctrine of Jesus Christ and Church policies.  This episode of the Church News podcast features Clyde Williams, who worked in the Church Educational System and as a Brigham Young University religious educator before joining the Church’s Correlation Evaluation team. His decades of study have shaped his testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, built his faith in the Savior and showcased the reality of priesthood authority. He joins the Church News podcast to talk about this journey, the Church Educational System, and the unifying power of Church correlation.  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. Host Sarah Jane Weaver, reporter and executive editor for The Church News for a quarter-century, shares a unique view of the stories, events, and most important 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 KellieAnn Halvorsen.

On Nov. 13, 2022, President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, addressed members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Finland during a special member meeting. President Holland promised Finnish Latter-day Saints that the prayers of the righteous will prevail. This episode of the Church News podcast features Finnish Latter-day Saint Mia Kemppaala, who also spoke during the meeting. She joins the podcast to discuss what it is like to be a member of the global Church, and what her calling as a ward translator has taught her about the principles of personal revelation. 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. Host Sarah Jane Weaver, reporter and executive editor for The Church News for a quarter-century, shares a unique view of the stories, events, and most important 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 KellieAnn Halvorsen.

Church leaders offered counsel and direction to almost 150 new mission presidents and their companions during the 2024 Seminar for New Mission Leaders for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on June 20 through 23. The mission leaders began their service in locations worldwide on or about July 1. During the four-day seminar every member of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke, as did the general authorities and general officers serving on the Missionary Executive Council. This episode of the Church News podcast features excerpts of messages shared during the seminar, which focused on the purpose of missionary service — as stated in “Preach My Gospel” — to “invite others to come unto Christ.”  While the talks are geared toward training new mission leaders, the teachings and topics can be applied by every member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  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. Host Sarah Jane Weaver, reporter and executive editor for The Church News for a quarter-century, shares a unique view of the stories, events, and most important 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 KellieAnn Halvorsen.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints launched the fifth and final season of the “Book of Mormon Videos” series in early 2024. Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles serves as the chair of the Scriptures Committee and has overseen the production of the “Book of Mormon Videos.” The Church recently hit a significant milestone in the distribution of the Book of Mormon, and Elder Renlund said the launch of this final season comes at an important time. “In an era marked by the delivery of the 200 millionth copy of the Book of Mormon, it is fitting that we draw attention to the many other ways people can be introduced to the truths of this sacred volume,” he said. This episode of the Church News podcast looks behind the scenes with series producers Aaron Merrell and Jaelan Petrie to explore the storytelling process of creating the videos and the sacred book of scripture they are based on. 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. Host Sarah Jane Weaver, reporter and executive editor for The Church News for a quarter-century, shares a unique view of the stories, events, and most important 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 KellieAnn Halvorsen.

The First Presidency has asked the Relief Society organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to take the lead in a global initiative for women and children. This initiative seeks to provide the Savior’s relief through maternal and newborn care, child nutrition efforts, immunizations and education. Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson and her counselors, Sister J. Anette Dennis and Sister Kristin M. Yee, join guest host Mary Richards, a Church News reporter, on this episode of the Church News podcast to talk about how Relief Society sisters around the world are part of this global initiative. 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. Host Sarah Jane Weaver, reporter and executive editor for The Church News for a quarter-century, shares a unique view of the stories, events, and most important 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 KellieAnn Halvorsen.

The welcoming sound of bells has heralded celebration and worship for centuries of Christian worshippers. This includes the music of The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square since its pioneering start in 1847. In 2005, the inclusion of a handbell ensemble was officially organized under the auspices of the choir; the handbell group has evolved to 32 musicians who enhance choir concerts and recordings, as well as perform two handbell concerts each year.  From its inception, LeAnna Willmore served as associate conductor until she was named director in June 2011, until her final concert in June 2024. Willmore holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Utah, has served in many state and national music leadership positions, and, importantly, fostered a love for music as a choir teacher for decades of students across Utah’s Wasatch Front. She joins this episode of the Church News podcast to discuss the importance of music in worship and daily life. 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. Host Sarah Jane Weaver, reporter and executive editor for The Church News for a quarter-century, shares a unique view of the stories, events, and most important 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 KellieAnn Halvorsen.