From the Church

On Thanksgiving Day, elders and sisters at missionary training centers around the world feasted spiritually on words of counsel from an Apostle and his wife. Later that day, at the Provo MTC, missionaries helped nourish others physically as they packed ingredients for 350,000 meals to be distributed to the needy through the Utah Food Bank. “Teaching and baptizing lead to thanksgiving that never ends,” declared Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the live broadcast emanating from the missionary training center in Provo. His talk followed one given by his wife, Sister Wendy Nelson, who counseled the missionaries to put away childish things.

More than 20,000 guests have visited The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Mexico City Temple Visitors’ Center since it reopened to the public on 23 November 2013. The visitors’ center was first opened in November 1983 and was closed for nearly two years during the remodeling and expansion. The center is more than 19,000 square feet, the third largest temple visitors’ center out of more than a dozen such facilities in the Church, after Temple Square in Salt Lake City and a visitors’ center in Washington, D.C. Visitors’ centers exist not only to acquaint people with the Church but also to help them understand its beliefs. The Church operates visitors’ centers throughout the world, usually located near a temple or Church historic site.

The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, released the following Christmas message Sunday, December 8: “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

To assist youth leaders and youth in finding fun and meaningful activities, the Church has launched a new youth activity website packed with more than 150 activities that work anywhere in the world. It is located at www.lds.org/youth/activities. Activities are an important part of the youth program in the Church. In addition to Sunday activities, LDS youth are invited to meet together on an additional night during the week to do activities together. “Many youth feel isolated in their efforts to live the gospel in an increasingly wicked world,” said Brother David L. Beck, Young Men general president. “When they gather for activities, they draw strength from one another.”

Thousands of guests filled the Conference Center on Dec. 8 to hear the words of the prophet and other Church leaders during the annual Christmas Devotional, formerly known as the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. Although the name and program for the annual event has changed slightly, the messages of Christmas from Church leaders and music performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square remained the same. The speakers this year included President Thomas S. Monson, Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Presidency of the Seventy and Sister Rosemary M. Wixom, Primary general president.

Historic Temple Square in Salt Lake City glows brightly with thousands of Christmas lights ushering in the season of Christ’s birth.