This Week From the Pulpit: LDS Business College Name Change & Young Women, Young Men General Presidencies Surprise Youth at RootsTech

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Editor's note: "This Week from the Pulpit" highlights recent messages by General Authorities and General Officers of the Church. 

From a surprise visit at RootsTech to changes at LDS Business College (now known as Ensign College), many happenings impacted the youth of the Church this week. 

Additionally, President Russell M. Nelson issued an invitation to members of the Church to "listen to the voice of the Lord," particularly as the Church commemorates the 200th anniversary of the First Vision. On social media, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland shared his testimony of the Book of Mormon, and Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf encouraged Latter-day Saints to consider why it is they attend church.

Learn more about recent announcements and what leaders of the Church have been saying on social media below.

Elder Paul V. Johnson, LDS Business College 

In a historic devotional, LDS Business College announced it will now be called Ensign College. 

Other changes included: 

• A limited number of bachelor applied science degrees. It is anticipated that three new degrees in business management, communications, and information technology will be offered beginning fall semester 2021.

• An expansion of its unique job-ready curriculum online, through a close collaboration with BYU-Pathway Worldwide.  

► You May Also Like: LDS Business College Announces New Name, Bachelor Degrees

Elder Paul V. Johnson, commissioner of Church Education, explained the significance behind the name change.  

“It is a meaningful name,” Elder Johnson told the Deseret News. “It has historical meaning and it also has meaning in the language. The historical meaning goes back to our roots in this valley, Brigham Young seeing Ensign Peak from Wilford Woodruff’s wagon in 1847 and knowing, this is the place. It carries all that history, and then it also carries the power of the word itself. We’re really hoping that this college will continue to be a banner, a standard for people to look at. We’re so excited about this.”

READ A FULL SUMMARY OF ELDER JOHNSON'S REMARKS AT Deseret News

Young Women & Young Men General Leaders, RootsTech Youth Night 

RootsTech youth night on Wednesday, February 26, offered activities to help youth become involved in family history work. According to Church Newsover 20,000 youth were in attendance and activities included virtual reality homeland experience, an escape room, family history Twister, ancestor games, and 9-square. 

Participating in those games were the Young Women and Young Men general presidencies, who surprised the attendees with a visit that night.

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Sisters Bonnie H. Cordon (center), Becky Craven (left) and Michelle Craig (right), participate in a game of stick pull at RootsTech youth night at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020. Credit: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Sister Bonnie H. Cordon, Young Women general president, spoke to Church News about the power of youth participating in family history. 

“These youth have a vision for the potential and power of family history,” she said. “They want to be part of a cause, and when their cause is the gospel of Jesus Christ and gathering Israel, they truly are the mighty youth battalion President Nelson invited them to be.” 

Brother Stephen W. Owen, Young Men general president, shared with Church News how impressed he is by the youth of the Church. “It amazes me how many youth are here. . . . They are engaging with all of these events, and it’s been remarkable for me to be able to see this.”

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Brother Stephen W. Owen, Young Men general president, helps Fatai Tuiono after playing a game of stick pull at the RootsTech youth night at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020. Credit: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

READ A FULL SUMMARY OF THE YOUTH NIGHT AT Church News

General Authority and General Officer Social Posts  

Lead image: Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
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