During the week of March 30 to April 5, President Henry B. Eyring, second counselor in the First Presidency, said sharing the gospel with love has positive effects even when they are not apparent. President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, met with the first Black woman elected to Canada’s House of Commons, a supporter of underprivileged young women. President Holland also talks about healing through temple worship in a new Church News video.
The new Five Wise Virgins statue was unveiled on Temple Square, and thousands of youth attended Strive to Be concerts in Arizona.
Read about the ministry of Sister J. Anette Dennis and Sister Tamara W. Runia — first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency and first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, respectively — in Argentina and Chile. Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, spoke during a BYU–Pathway Worldwide devotional.
In temple news, the rendering and site for the Retalhuleu Guatemala Temple have been announced and reservations for the Syracuse Utah Temple open house are available online,
At the conference leadership session, 78 new Area Seventies were announced. The Conference Center in Salt Lake City reached 25 years of hosting conferences, events and performances.
Retiring BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe talks about prayerfully moving forward in life’s trials in this week’s episode of the Church News podcast.
Read summaries and find links to these articles below.
1. Efforts to share the gospel ‘will be remembered by those you love and teach,’ says President Eyring
In a recent video post, President Eyring encourages those who share the gospel of Jesus Christ with loved ones to trust in the doctrine’s “powerful effect on the mind,” even when the positive effects aren’t always visible. He shares scriptural examples and assures that teaching the sacred doctrine of Jesus Christ will be remembered.
Read what President Eyring said here.
2. President Holland meets with Dr. Jean Augustine, discusses empowering young women
While in Canada for the Toronto temple dedication, President Holland met with Jean Augustine, who has dedicated her life to education, particularly for young women and girls through the Jean Augustine Centre for Young Women’s Empowerment. Augustine expressed gratitude for the Church’s continued support in their shared efforts to empower and uplift young women.
Also, in a Church News video this week, President Holland teaches how temples bring about the blessings of sacrifice, saying, “Your heart will not be broken. It will be healed, and whole and holy.”
Read more about the meeting here.
Watch the Church News video of President Holland here.
3. ‘They bring the light of the conversion of Jesus Christ to others’: New Five Wise Virgins statue unveiled on Temple Square
A new statue, Five Wise Virgins, was unveiled on Temple Square in Salt Lake City on April 2, just days before the Church’s general conference. Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson, who was at the unveiling, emphasized that the statue, depicting five women from Jesus Christ’s parable of the ten virgins, is a message of preparedness, unity and support among women.
Read more about this story here.
4. How Strive to Be concerts in Arizona were ‘the feeding of the 5,000′
Strive to Be concerts welcomed thousands of youth in Mesa and Tuscon, Arizona, on March 28 and 29. Strive to Be, a youth channel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is expanding into regional concerts. Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman spoke briefly at the first concert in Mesa.
“We want you to have a really good time as we talk about Jesus Christ together, as we praise and worship together,” she told the 5,000 youth who came for the concert.
Read more about the concerts in Arizona here.
5. Sister Dennis, Sister Runia minister in South America during centennial year
Sister Runia and Sister Dennis ministered in Argentina and Chile in mid-March. They met with and ministered to local Church leaders, missionaries and members.
They also spoke at the World Congress on Intercultural and Interreligious Dialogue, highlighting the importance of religious freedom and emphasizing the need for religious denominations and humanitarian organizations to work together.
Read about their ministry here.
6. Sister Spannaus encourages BYU–Pathway students to ‘hang in there’ and ‘enjoy the ride’
“Hang in there, and do not quit,” Sister Spannaus urged BYU–Pathway Worldwide students during a devotional broadcast on Friday, April 4. She offered students encouragement in getting through difficult challenges, especially educational pursuits.
Read more about this story here.
7. Syracuse Utah Temple open house reservations, and Retalhuleu Guatemala Temple rendering and site announced
The public open house for the Syracuse Utah Temple will run from Saturday, May 10, to Saturday, May 31, excluding Sundays; online reservations are recommended. The Church also announced a site location and exterior rendering of the Retalhuleu Guatemala Temple.
Read how to make reservations for the Syracuse Utah Temple open house here.
Learn more about the Retalhuleu Guatemala Temple here.
8. New Seventies announced at leadership session
During the leadership session of April 2025 general conference on Thursday, April 3, 78 new Area Seventies were announced and presented for a sustaining vote, with another 57 Area Seventies designated for release on or before Aug. 1 of this year.
Read more about who was called and sustained here.
9. Conference Center reaches 25 years
April 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. Since completion in 2000, it has hosted several notable events in addition to more than 1,700 addresses at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ general conferences held twice each year. Commemorating the quarter-century, members of the Church share their memories of experiences with spiritual significance.
Read about Conference Center history, notable announcements and member experiences here.
10. Episode 234: Retiring BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe on prayerfully moving forward in life’s trials
Tom Holmoe, former NFL football player and retiring BYU athletic director, talked with with the Church News about his most important life decisions, the favorite parts of his job, what he has learned about the power of prayer and his faith in the Savior.
