During the week of May 17-23, the Church announced that President D. Todd Christofferson, Second Counselor in the First Presidency, would dedicate the Yorba Linda California Temple on June 7.
Also in Temple News, dedication and open house dates were announced for the Cody Wyoming Temple and the Wichita Kansas Temple. Site plans for the Rosario Argentina Temple have been released, and preliminary site work has begun at the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Temple.
At the funeral of a General Authority Seventy, family, friends, and Church leaders gathered to remember the life of Elder W. Mark Bassett.
Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke about four ways to stay on the path of the gospel during a young adult devotional in Southern California.
Church News reported on a record increase in church membership, according to the annual statistical report shared during the April 2026 general conference.
Elder Clark G. Gilbert of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles met with the Church’s Africa West Area Presidency to discuss Church growth, the impact of BYU Pathways Worldwide, and the power of seminary in the lives of youth.
Susan H. Porter, Primary general president, and Sister Tracy Y. Browning, second counselor in the Primary general presidency, met with and taught children and parents in Mexico.
The Church announced it would donate $25 million to UNICEF in an effort to strengthen the nutrition of children and mothers around the world.
The Church released an update on the Salt Lake Temple renovation project and opened the new Temple Square Visitors Center to the public.
The Church has created a video to give prospective missionaries and their families an inside look at the Missionary Training Center and how missionaries are trained.
On this week’s episode of the Church News podcast, Banana Bowl athletes Kayden Bowler and Bronson Valholm share how playing baseball, missionary work, and studying the scriptures helped them develop faith in Jesus Christ.
Read the overview and find links to articles below.
1. President Christofferson dedicates the Yorba Linda California Temple. Other temple information
President Christofferson will dedicate the Yorba Linda California Temple on June 7. This temple will be the Lord’s second home in Orange County, California.
Dedication dates and open house dates for the Cody Wyoming Temple and the Wichita Kansas Temple have been announced.
The site map of the Rosario Argentina Temple has been released. This is one of the seven Lord’s houses at various stages in the country.
Preliminary site work has begun on the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Temple. This is the first temple in northern Idaho.
Click here to learn more about the dedication of the Yorba Linda California Temple. Click here for temple dedication and open house dates in Wyoming and Kansas. Click here to view the site map of the Rosario Argentina Temple. Learn more about preliminary field work at the Coeur d’Alene Idaho Temple.
2. Elder W. Mark Bassett receives a ‘worthy eulogy’ from church leaders and family members at his funeral
President Christofferson presided over the elder Bassett’s funeral. He recalled his first assignment with Elder Bassett, who taught him that “physical death is temporary.”
The elder Bassett, 59, died from a traumatic brain injury. Friends, family and church leaders gathered to remember him on May 11th.
Learn more about Elder Bassett’s funeral here.
3. Elder Andersen shares President Oaks’ four guidelines for staying on the gospel path.
In a devotional for young adults May 16 in Placentia, California, Elder Andersen outlined four principles for staying on the path of the gospel. This principle was outlined by President Dallin H. Oaks in his first devotional address as a prophet of the Church.
Elder Andersen was accompanied by his wife, Sister Kathy Andersen, and Elder Paul H. Sinclair, who was sustained as a General Authority Seventy in April 2026 general conference.
Learn more about Elder Andersen’s devotions here.
4. Church records historic increase in number of baptized converts towards 2025
The Church reported 385,490 conversion baptisms in 2025, increasing the total number of Church members to 17,887,212.
The last time the Church experienced such growth was in 1990, when 330,877 converts were baptized. The next closest year was 1996, when the Church recorded 321,385 conversion baptisms.
Learn more about growing your church’s membership here.
5. Elder Gilbert speaks of Africa’s ‘majesty of this moment’
Elder Gilbert and the Church’s Africa West Area Presidency discussed the growth of the Church, the impact of BYU-Pathway Worldwide, and the strength of the seminary in a video posted to Elder Gilbert’s YouTube channel.
Elder Gilbert wrote that the meeting reaffirmed how grateful he was to be able to witness “the beauty of this moment in the growth of the Church.”
Learn more about Elder Gilbert on church growth here.
6. In Mexico, President Porter and Sister Browning watch children serve others.
During their mission in Mexico, President Porter and Sister Browning participated in parent and child devotionals, trained local leaders, participated in community service activities, and met with local government officials.
Learn more about their ministry in Mexico here.
7. Church donates $25 million to UNICEF Fund to support child nutrition
To continue caring for children and women around the world, the Church is donating $25 million to UNICEF’s efforts to fortify the nutrition of millions of children and mothers around the world.
Church giving will receive an additional $25 million through the CNF Match Challenge, bringing the total impact to $50 million, according to a news release from ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Click here to learn more about donating to UNICEF.
8. Salt Lake Temple renovation updates and new Temple Square Visitors Center exhibits open to public
The latest information on the Salt Lake Temple renovation project has been released, including artwork inside the building and cobblestones installed around the temple’s perimeter.
The new Temple Square Visitors Center opened to the public on Monday, May 18th. Visitors from around the world can experience a new interactive temple exhibit.
Click here to learn more about the latest information about the Salt Lake Temple. Learn more about the new Temple Square Visitors Center here.
9. New Church video gives an inside look at the Missionary Training Center experience
The 21-minute video, titled “A Look Inside the Missionary Training Center,” gives viewers an inside look at how missionaries are trained inside the Provo Missionary Training Center.
Learn more about the Provo Missionary Training Center experience here.
10. Church News Podcast, Episode 295: Banana Bowl players say the Lord helped them “keep coming to the next at-bat.”
In this episode of the Church News Podcast, two Banana Bowl athletes, Kayden Bowler and Bronson Valholm, explain how they have cultivated their faith through playing baseball, serving in a mission, and studying the scriptures.
Listen to the podcast episode here.
