Hello again, everyone! I am pleased to report this morning that 12 new hymns have been released. The new releases include African American, Geerman, Korean, Tagolag, and Tongan pieces, in addition to one penned by our beloved prophet, Church President Russell M. Nelson. What are these hymns? I'm glad you asked. They are as follows:
“Thou Gracious God, Whose Mercy Lends”, “Help Us Remember”, “How Did the Savior Minister”, “Jesus Is the Way”, “Can You Count the Stars in Heaven?”, "He Cares for Me”, “Our Prayer to Thee”, “Joseph Prayed in Faith”, “Stand by Me”, “This Day Is a Good Day, Lord”, “Go Tell It on the Mountain”, and “Little Baby in a Manger”.
I am familiar with "Thou Gracious God, Whose Mercy Lends", "Our Prayer to Thee", and "Go Tell It on the Mountain", but not the others. The number of released new hymns for “Hymns—For Home and Church” now totals 60,
We don't yet know what the ratio of new hymns vs. the core collection will be, but we do know that Primary General President Susan H. Porter, Young Men General President Timothy L. Farnes, and Elder Matthew L. Carpenter an Asssistant ExecutiveDirector of the Church's Priesthood and Family Department, are all quoted in relation to the newest release of the new hymns,
We also know that Church members are being encouraged to learn and share the new hymns. I pray that we will all do so. I am also looking forward to the next release of new hymns, which should occur sometime in December or so. And the entirety of the new hymnbook will be available to use and share at home and during Church services as well. I am grateful to have been able to learn of this update not long after it happened.
I invite you all to stay tuned here for my coverage of the latest updates from the Church News, Newsroom, and Church of Jesus Christ Temples sites. I’ll be sure to pass word of those along to you all as soon as I learn about them. In the meantime, that does it for now. All comments are, as always, welcome and appreciated on any post at any time, as long as all such feedback is made per the established guidelines.
I hope any of you who would like to share anything will take your opportunity to “sound off” in the comments below. If you liked what you read here and would like to stay informed of newly added posts and comments, please subscribe to receive the applicable updates. Thank you for the privilege of your time. Until my next post, I wish you all the best and pray that the Lord will bless you all in everything you do.
While I have no desire whatsoever to detract from the release of the new hymns this morning, the Church News has shared one other report. My thanks once again to you all.
ReplyDeleteOn this Friday, the Newsroom has reported on ministry trips for Elder Gary E. Stevenson in West Africa, Sister J. Anette Dennis in Southern Africa, President Camille N. Johnson and Sister Tamara W. Runia in the South Pacific, and President Emily Belle Freeman and Sister Amy A. Wright across Europe.
DeleteMeanwhile, the Church News has shared a few additional reports today as well: Each of our 15 apostles now has an official YouTube channel. As a YouTuber myself, I think this move is long overdue. I have subscribed for updates from all 15 channels, and I strongly encourage you, my readers, to do the same.
The Church News has also shared information about a Church donation to Ghana schools, the aforementioned West Africa ministry of Elder Gary E. Stevenson, the Church helping out with diaster relief in two African nations, the BYU-Hawaii President, John S. Kaiwe III, spoke about how his family is coping despite his recent cancer diagnosis, and a Young Adult gathering in Yorkshire England. I am assuming that the latest edition of "This Week on Social"will be posted at some point today or tomorrow, so I will keep my eyes open for that. I will post temple updates later today. My thanks once again to you all.
On what has been a somewhat "early" Saturday morning for me, the Church News has posted an introduction to new GA Seventy Elder Wan-Liang Wu, along with some observations from Church News staff writer Joel Randall on the need for kindness in an unkind world. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteIn view of the upcoming rededication of the Hill Cumorah Historic Site tomorrow morning by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (who also serves as the senior apostolic adviser of the Church History Department), the Church News has described what the Church hopes visitors to the renovated site will experience. The Church News has also shared the text of the message that will be given tomorrow by Brother Derrick Porter during the 5010th episode of "Music & the Spoken Word". And with no additional reports from the Newsroom, I will be sure to pass along any temple construction status updates as I discover them. For now, my thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Sabbath Day, the Newsroom has posted two new videos taking us behind the scenes of General Conference, with a look at the work of the broadcast and magazines teams.
DeleteAnd the Church News has shared a few new reports as well: how recovering from a brain surgery led one young man to become an organist for his ward and stake; 19 new stake presidencies, 3 for brand new stakes, with 16 more stake presidencies reorganized; the latest edition of "In Case You Missed It: Week in Review" summarized the top ten updates provided by the Church News; and, with this week's "Come Follow Me" study focusing on D&C 106-108, see what Church leaders have taught about those sections.
My thanks once again to you all.
A short while ago, the Newsroom shared this report of the rededication of the refurbished Hill Cumorah Historical Site by Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who, as I've noted previously, is the current senior apostolic adviser to the Church History Department. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThe Church News also covered that dedication. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteThere are only four conventional districts in the United States now. Rest correctional or MTC districts and maybe a couple us branches that report straight to the mission. Organized districts might have more independence than mission branches. Not fully separated from mission though. Some of those could either be stakes or units going to nearby stakes. Giving mission Presidents more time to work with missionaries.
DeleteMy question is for patriarchs in new stakes. Since apostles rarely create stakes now, how long does it usually take to get a new patriarch called? Twelve have to approve patriarchs and Stake President ordains them. Have to submit names. Districts won’t have patriarch unless they are from dissolved stakes. Dissolved stakes could have more than one functioning patriarch as well.
I'm not sure whether you meant to post your comment on the Church Growth Blog, Anonymous, but let me try to address your question. My understanding from the Church Handbook is that the process for calling patriarchs is now more governed by the LCR (Leader and Clerk Resource) system, that stake presidents anywhere in the world who submit names to the Quorum of the Twelve can do so through that system. So the timing simply depends on whether the Quorum of the Twelve accepts or rejects the recommended name. And that can be done at any time a new patriarch for an existing stake is needed. For new stakes, it's the same process, through the LCR website, unless an apostle is present for the stake organization, in which case he is authorized to call the patriarch himself. So that is the process as it currently works, again, if my understanding of the Church Handbook is correct. To whom may I offer my thanks for this question?
DeleteI seen your comments on ldschurchgrowth. When you mentioned new stakes brought me to question of length of time it takes to get a patriarch called. I asked that on ldschurchgrowth too. A new stake one of presidents early responsibilities seeking patriarch. Bishops are approved by First Presidency so when they need to be called in those instances could take a few weeks. Counselors notified soon after Stake President chosen.
DeleteHigh Council can be filled quickly. When a Patriarch moves, goes on mission or has age and health related issues then there is time for President to submit name of new patriarch. New stake takes some time to get patriarch. Impractical for apostles to ordain every patriarch. Changes in the church.
I thing Matt shut down the United States church growth site that told of wards and branches created or dissolved statesides.
Thanks for your comment, Spencer! I appreciate hearing from you. The Church's online recommendation system for patriarchs or bishops can shortcut the process a lot vs. doing it in the traditional way. As with everything else the Church has done recently, embracing technology in a way we haven't seen much before. Most, if not all of that is due to President Nelson's prophetic inspirations that have transformed the worldwide Church in a way we haven't previously been able to accomplish. I have very much appreciated President Nelson's focus on modernizing and refining the Church, and all that he continues to do blows me away. Thanks again, Spencer.
DeleteHello again, everyone! I took another "day off" yesterday to focus on the resolution of another minor medical issue. With that now behind me, I am pleased to report on the updates I missed passing along yesterday. We start with the Newsroom, which reported yesterday on the exciting news that Elder Neil L. Andersen has shared the exterior and interior renderings of the Ulaanbaatar Mongolia Temple with the Saints who will be served by the temple in that region. He mentioned it would take the Church approximately 4-5 years to get the temple dedicated. So the Church is apparently fast-tracking the approval of this temple as they are able to do so. I look forward to more news on that and will share it with you all here too once that is reported.
ReplyDeleteSister Andrea M. Spannaus, Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency, and Sister Tracy Y. Browning ministered in South America. The 9/11 Day of Service benefitted communities and individuals around the United States.
Today, the Church News reported on General Conference behind-the-scenes, focusing on the broadcast team. The Church News also looked at the origins of the "The Family: A Proclamation to the World". On this day marking exactly 30 years since the Proclamation was introduced, Elder Ronald A. Rasband, also of the Quorum of the Twelve Apsotles, spoke at this week's BYU-Provo devotional, while the Church News also explained how the Church is sharing that proclamation with civic and community members around the world.
DeleteTemple construction status changes, if any, will be reported here later today. My thanks once again to you all.
Elder Rasband's talk was first shared by the Newsroom. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteAnd the Church Temples site has reported that the building permits have been approved for the Jacksonville Florida Temple, and that site clearing and grading is underway. While the groundbreaking has not yet been announced, it is likely to be announced probably on Monday next week or the week after. My thanks once again to you all.
DeleteOn this Wednesday, the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square officially announced several hours ago who the global participants will be for the October 2025 General Conference (with that Choir, as in recent years, expected to perform in the Saturday Morning, Sunday Morning, and Sunday Afternoon Sessions (3 of the total 5). The global participants (12 in all) have come in from the nations of Australia, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, England, Finland, France, New Zealand, the Philippines, Qatar, and Sweden. Unless I am mistaken, this marks the first time someone from the Middle East has been included.
DeleteLet's start with the Newsroom. Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles represented the Church at a Catholic Conference in Rome, where he spoke on the topic of human dignity. Registration for RootsTech 2026 is now open. A Latter-day Saint stake president from Scotland recently addressed the Scottish Parliament. And Sister J. Anette Dennis, First Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, along with Sisters Andrea Munoz Spannaus and Tracy Y. Browning, who respectively serve as the Second Counselors in the Young Women and Primary General Presidency, delivered backpacks in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico.
Meanwhile, the Church News has covered the first BYU=Pathway Worldwide devotional of the Fall 2025 semester, new leaders for 4 of the Church's historical sites, the 2026 RootsTech registration previously mentioned, 3 devotionals at the Hill Cumorah Historical Site, how Latter-day Sainits served on the 9/11 Day of Service. and a BYU-Provo professor's opinion on seeing ourselves in the Family Proclamation.
Temple updates will follow as time allows later tonight. My thanks once again to you all.