For over eight decades, the Easter Pageant at the Mesa Arizona Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has entertained and uplifted generations of people as it boldly declares the reality of the resurrected Christ. Performed the two weeks before Easter each year, the annual pageant draws more than 100,000 people to celebrate the life and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This episode of the Church News podcast explores the roots and branches of this beloved community event with...
Mar 14, 2023•46 min•Ep. 127
The Church Historian’s Press was created in 2008 with the goal to publish works of Latter-day Saint history that meet high standards of scholarship. Over the years it has helped scholars, as well as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have direct access to primary documents and contextual histories. In February of this year, the Church Historian’s Press published the “Prison Journal of Belle Harris ”. Just in time for Women's History Month, this episode of the Church News...
Mar 07, 2023•41 min•Ep. 126
RootsTech 2023 will be held in person for the first time since 2020. While the COVID-19 pandemic moved the annual three-day family history event online, attendance spiked from 50,000 people in 2020 to several million participants worldwide in 2022. This year, RootsTech encompasses the best of both platforms with the theme “Uniting .” This episode of the Church News podcast features Elder Kevin S. Hamilton , a General Authority Seventy and executive director of the Family History Department for T...
Feb 28, 2023•43 min•Ep. 125
Deseret News , the media company that publishes the Church News , is Utah's oldest continuously operating business. Founded in 1850 by pioneer members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the publications began with the motto of "Truth and Liberty." In January of 2023, Burke Olsen was named publisher of the Deseret News . He joins this episode of the Church News podcast to explain why the Church owns a newspaper and to talk about the history of the publication and the Deseret News...
Feb 21, 2023•42 min•Ep. 124
What does it mean to be “all in” the gospel of Jesus Christ ? That's the question Morgan Jones Pearson asks those she interviews each week on her popular Latter-day Saint Living podcast, “All In. ” She joins this episode of the Church News podcast to share why she is an ‘all in’ member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, her atypical journey into marriage, and what she has learned as an interviewer, podcast host and Deseret Book author . The Church News Podcast is a weekly podcas...
Feb 14, 2023•52 min•Ep. 123
Davis and Asialene Smith , founders of Cotopaxi — an outdoor gear company that commits a percentage of its profits to help communities experiencing poverty — join the Church News podcast to talk about their decision to serve as mission leaders for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Leaving Cotopaxi and other interests behind, the Smiths will lead the Brazil Recife North Mission , beginning July 1, 2023. They share how their calling was extended, what consecration means to them, wha...
Feb 07, 2023•40 min•Ep. 122
During the October 2022 general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles announced a new “For the Strength of Youth” guide , reminding the rising generation that Jesus Christ is their strength. This episode of the Church News podcast features the Church’s Young Women general presidency, President Bonnie H. Cordon , Sister Michelle D. Craig and Sister Rebecca L. Craven . They talk about the strength of Latter-day ...
Jan 31, 2023•1 hr•Ep. 121
In Doctrine and Covenants 21:1 , the Lord commanded the Prophet Joseph Smith that the Church's records and history should be kept "continually." While the prospect of recording and preserving those records can seem daunting, the Lord has promised that the keeping of records would be " for the good of the Church, and for the rising generations ." Matt Heiss is the manager for the Global Support and Training Division of the Church History Library in the Church's seven areas in Europe and Africa. H...
Jan 24, 2023•55 min•Ep. 120
The Church News recently launched a new Inside Church Headquarters series focusing on the work of the Presiding Bishopric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Under the direction of the First Presidency, the Presiding Bishopric manages the temporal affairs of the Church, including — among many responsibilities — the building and maintenance of meetinghouses and temples, the distribution of humanitarian aid , and the production and distribution of gospel resources such as scripture...
Jan 17, 2023•40 min•Ep. 119
President Russell M. Nelson was sustained and set apart as the 17th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018, in the upper room of the Salt Lake Temple. In the five years since then , he has embarked on a fast-paced global ministry — traveling to 35 nations, extending countless invitations , leading the Church through a global pandemic and overseeing the continuing restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This episode of the Church News podcast feat...
Jan 10, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 118
This episode of the Church News podcast features an interfaith conversation on the recent Christmas season when, after a pandemic pause, the annual Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert returned in full form . The performance featured the choir, orchestra, bell ringers and the “Pride of the Philippines,” singer and actress Lea Salonga . Also returning to the concert was a live audience, which featured Filipino social media influencers Megan Young and Mikael Daez ; Haidi Fajardo who serves as the Ph...
Jan 03, 2023•54 min•Ep. 117
The year 2022 has been marked by major news for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including the announcement and building of temples , the impact of armed conflict in Eastern Europe , historic direction from Church leaders , and other major Church milestones and announcements. Deseret News Executive Editor Doug Wilks , a journalist who serves as president of the Salt Lake Stake , returns to the Church News podcast to discuss the important events of 2022, how they affected Latter-d...
Dec 27, 2022•41 min•Ep. 116
Each Christmas season, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and others across the world, turn their thoughts to the town of Bethlehem and the traditional interpretation of the Nativity . This episode of the Church News podcast features Dr. Matthew Grey , a professor of ancient scripture at Brigham Young University. He shares historical insights and biblical context on the village of Bethlehem, the archaeology and practices of Jewish daily life , and the religious and polit...
Dec 20, 2022•36 min•Ep. 115
In 2022, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints focused their “home-centered, Church-supported” study on the Old Testament, completing the first scriptural cycle of the “Come, Follow Me” curriculum. Now, looking to 2023, study of the New Testament is an opportunity to learn again that the Jehovah of the Old Testament is the Son of God, the Savior of the World and that He was, and is, the Promised Messiah. This episode of the Church News podcast features the Church's Sunday Sc...
Dec 13, 2022•50 min•Ep. 114
The message of the 2022 Light the World campaign for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is simple: “By following Jesus Christ, the true Light of the World, you can bring a little light into the lives of friends, family members, coworkers and even strangers.” This episode of the Church News podcast focuses on sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ light through the Light the World initiative this Christmas season — and throughout the year. Joining the podcast is Elder W. Mark Bassett , a...
Dec 07, 2022•35 min•Ep. 113
In 2023, the Joseph Smith Papers will publish its final two volumes, marking the end of a monumental project that has spanned decades. Trent Toone recently joined the Church News as a reporter and has documented this important project. Before moving to the Church News, Trent worked as a journalist for the Deseret News faith team , focusing on coverage of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He joins this episode of the Church News podcast to talk about his faith and family, Church Hi...
Nov 29, 2022•35 min•Ep. 112
The words of two prominent Latter-day Saint women have been published by the Church Historian’s Press — “ The Discourses of Eliza R. Snow ” and “ The Diaries of Emmeline B. Wells ”. The “Discourses of Eliza R. Snow” include more than 1,200 discourses, prepared from 1840 to 1887. The “Diaries of Emmeline B. Wells” include 47 diary volumes spanning from 1844 to 1920. They are both now available online for free. This episode of the Church News podcast features Jennifer Reeder and Lisa Olsen Tait wi...
Nov 22, 2022•50 min•Ep. 111
For the first time in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, two women are serving on the Military Advisory Committee . This committee was established by the First Presidency during World War II to help support and minister to military members , chaplains and their families. Now, Army Lt. Col. Sonie Munson, media operations chief for U.S. Northern Command, and Andrea Wagenbach, who works for the U.S. Department of Defense, lend their voices and wisdom to the 11-member co...
Nov 15, 2022•49 min•Ep. 110
This episode of the Church News podcast is dedicated to the American Family Survey , an annual nationwide study of 3,000 Americans by the Deseret News and the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University . The 2022 survey found that Americans are divided politically and losing confidence in marriage, but are committed to their own families. Deseret News national politics editor Suzanne Bates provides insight into the survey and what its findings reveal about marria...
Nov 08, 2022•33 min•Ep. 109
On July 22, 1997, a pioneer trek reenactment honoring early members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reached This Is the Place Heritage Park. President M. Russell Ballard , now Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, was there watching as hand carts and wagons entered the valley 150 years after the first pioneers arrived. At the time, President Ballard was serving as chairman of the Church's Sesquicentennial Committee. He emphasized that the sesquicentennial was ...
Nov 01, 2022•51 min•Ep. 108
As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world study the Old Testament in 2022, this episode of the Church News podcast focuses on the Old Testament — called the Hebrew Bible by those of the Jewish faith — and scriptures and doctrines shared by members of the Jewish and Latter-day Saint faiths. Featured is guest Rabbi Dr. Meir Y. Soloveichik , Senior Rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel , known as the Spanish and Portuguese synagogue of New York, the oldest Jewis...
Oct 25, 2022•49 min•Ep. 107
During the October 2022 general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles announced a new “For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices.” This episode of the Church News podcast features the Church's Young Men general presidency, President Steven J. Lund and his counselors, Brother Ahmad S. Corbitt and Brother Bradley R. Wilcox. The presidency talks about the new guide , Latter-day Saint For the Strength ...
Oct 18, 2022•46 min•Ep. 106
In 1969, 14 members of the University of Wyoming football team were unfairly dismissed for asking to participate in a peaceful racial protest in a game against Brigham Young University. A half-century later on Sept. 24, 2022, two members of the group, now known as the “Black 14”, ceremoniously lit the Y on the mountain above BYU’s Cougar Stadium . At their side was Elder S. Gifford Nielsen , a General Authority Seventy and former BYU quarterback. Elder Nielsen joins this episode of The Church Ne...
Oct 11, 2022•47 min•Ep. 105
Latter-day Saints across the globe tuned in to the October 2022 general conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to receive council, direction and invitations from the First Presidency, Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and other Church leaders. They shared messages of hope, faith and peace amid turbulent times — decrying abuse , announcing a new “For the Strength of Youth” guide and calling for members to amplify their level of discipleship to Jesus Christ while progressing al...
Oct 04, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 104
n 2020, David Schneider, Church News chief copy editor and print production manager , began work with the Church News after working for Deseret News for 40 years in various writing and editing roles. Just as he was moving to a new job, he lost his wife, Carma, to cancer and a heart condition, leaving him as a single father to five children. This episode of the Church News podcast features his experiences navigating trials and change. He shares his decision to focus on the little miracles that re...
Sep 27, 2022•43 min•Ep. 103
At some point, most people will experience a traumatic event or critical loss . Experts say that just as some physical traumas need first aid, there are also times when a person may need psychological first aid to validate emotions, reduce stress and foster coping skills. Therapist Kevin Broderick, Family Services Emergency Response program manager, joins this episode of the Church News podcast to discuss how evidence-informed, gospel-centered psychological first aid can support individuals in c...
Sep 20, 2022•37 min•Ep. 102
On Oct. 20, 2020, the Church News launched a new podcast with a goal to connect members and leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Almost two years later, the Church News uploaded its 100th episode . Thanks to a faithful and growing audience, producers now look forward to the next 100 episodes. In celebration of this landmark, this episode of the podcast offers a few “best of” moments from past podcasts, as well as reflections on “what we all know now,” after listening to an...
Sep 13, 2022•53 min•Ep. 101
In May 2022, Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited Africa, an area for which he has administrative oversight for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “This is just the beginning,” Elder Rasband told Latter-day Saints in a social media post celebrating the member meeting in Mozambique — the largest gathering in the history of the Church in that country. Elder Rasband joins this special 100th episode of the Church News podcast with Elder S. Mark Palmer of...
Sep 06, 2022•53 min•Ep. 100
On July 20, President Dallin H Oaks , first counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, offered a keynote address at the 2022 Notre Dame Religious Liberty Summit — calling for a global effort to “ defend and advance” religious freedom . President Oaks’ address followed other historic remarks on religious freedom and the United States Constitution . This episode of the Church News podcast features Judge Thomas B. Griffith , a former federal judge of the U...
Aug 30, 2022•44 min•Ep. 99
With more than 16,000 participants, 900 classes and hundreds of volunteers, BYU Education Week celebrated its 100th anniversary in Provo, Utah, from Aug. 15 to Aug. 19. Beginning as Leadership Week in 1922, BYU Education Week continues to offer presentations and classes that seek to teach, strengthen, lift, motivate and encourage. This year’s classes focused on the 2022 theme: “ 100 Years of Instruction and Learning : ‘ Of Things Both in Heaven and in the Earth .’” Bruce Payne has worked in supp...
Aug 23, 2022•36 min•Ep. 98
