Massive Church News Update

Hello, again! I hope none of you are tired of my frequent posts. I have often felt (and stated) that there is so much more going on in the Church than what just one blogger can report. That is why I have found my niche in certain subjects but still report on other developments as I feel inspired to do so. The newsroom on the Church's website recently featured articles on remarks given by two apostles. Our junior apostle, Elder Dale G. Renlund, along with his wife Ruth, participated recently at an international religious freedom symposium in Costa Rica. I could not do their remarks justice by attempting to summarize them. Therefore, you can find the report of those remarks here.

And Elder D. Todd Christofferson was the featured speaker at the prestigious Oxford University in England, focusing his remarks on the first-hand experience he had as a law clerk to the federal judge who presided over the trial about the infamous Watergate scandal, A report of his remarks can be found here.

Elder Neil L. Andersen was also recently featured by the Church News as he participated in Horasis, a global gathering that brought together those involved in businesses, politicians, and religious leaders. A summary of his remarks, which focused on religious freedom, can be found here,

In the meantime, Elder Holland was the apostolic representative who spoke to those working as part of the LDS Family Services program. His tender remarks on that occasion can be found here.

I also enjoyed President Monson's June home teaching message and this article demonstrating how President Uchtdorf lived the principle of lifting where you stand many years before he gave an address on that subject in October 2008.

Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer, who serves as the Assistant Executive Director of the Church's Missionary Department, also spoke to the LDS Family Services personnel on the subject of the mental health concerns of missionaries. His remarks are summarized here.

While being granted emeritus status does mean somewhat less responsibility, for Elder Lance B. Wickman, he has carried on with his assignment as the Church's general counsel, who consults with Church leadership on legal and (when needed) political matters. He too addressed the seminar mentioned above, and his remarks can be found here. At almost 77, it is good to see that Elder Wickman is still able to fill what many consider a very high-profile assignment.

Elder Larry R. Lawrence, who will most likely be released and granted emeritus status this October, encouraged BYU-Idaho students to seek for spiritual gifts. His remarks on the subject can be found here.

Leaders of the Church's Brazil area were present as BYU-Pathway Worldwide leaders held a "Connections Conference" in Sao Paulo. That was interesting to read about. It seems that these Connections Conferences will be more widely held worldwide as the program continues to expand. You can read more about that gathering here.

Elder Ulisses Soares of the Presidency of the Seventy, acting under the direction of the apostles, was in Wyoming yesterday to dedicate the site known as Sixth Crossing and the accompanying visitor's center. You can read more on that here.

The annual pageants held each year will also begin soon. For more information on those, click here. And coming up in July will be both the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's Pioneer Day Concerts on July 14 & 15 (you can find out more on that here)  and the annual Days '47 KSL Parade will air as usual on July 24. The First Presidency members have typically traded off duties as the Grad Marshall of the Parade, but last year, Elder M. Russell Ballard was asked to do so. So it is anyone's guess at this point who might be filling that role this year.

Looking ahead, we also know that there will be three temple dedications before the year's end: Tucson Arizona (on August 13); Meridian Idaho (on November 19) and Cedar City Utah (on December 10). There may also be the possibility that other temples might have a groundbreaking. As always, once more information becomes available, I will be sure to pass that along.

We also have that Face-to-Face event on August 5 that will be held in Africa and will feature Elder and Sister Renlund, BYU's Campus Education Week set for August 21-25, with Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Presidency of the Seventy (currently the second most junior member of that Presidency, who will become the 4th most senior member on August 1) set to give the keynote address. President Monson will celebrate his 90th birthday on August 21, but there has not been any word of any celebration plans as yet. Something may or may not be in the works in that regard. A lot will depend on what happens between now and then.

Looking to September, Elder Bednar will speak at a Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults on the 10th. Then, of course, General Conference will be held on September 23 & 30 and October 1. At some point, the Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square will announce the dates for their Christmas concert, along with their guest artist(s).

And the Christmas season will kick off with the annual Christmas Devotional on December 3. Unless President Monson improves by that time, it is likely that President Eyring will conduct the devotional and that President Uchtdorf will represent the First Presidency in speaking. The other speakers are nearly impossible to predict, but it is certain that there will be one member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, one member of the Presidency of the Seventy, and one auxiliary leader (possibly from the Sunday School, as we have not yet heard from that organization since the decision to include speakers outside the First Presidency).

This post has been more massive than I originally anticipated. I think I have covered everything well enough for now. Tune in this weekend, when I hope to finally post my update on the latest apostolic milestones. Also, if any other major developments happen on the Church news front, I will be sure to pass that along. In the meantime, thanks for taking time to read this. Let me know your thoughts, if you are able/willing to do so. If you can't, let me know that as well. Thanks for your interest.