By james art 
During the week of October 27 through November 2, the Church began the public open house phase of the Tallahassee Florida Temple with a media day on Monday morning, October 28, with Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Nine-year-old Bo Burtenshaw’s testimony grew after a chance meeting with Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. On Sunday, October 27, Elder Ulises Soares of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Young Women General President Emily Bell Freeman and Young Men General President Stephen J. Lund invited the youth to share the Savior’s light during a worldwide youth broadcast. Music and other resources were released after the broadcast for the 2025 youth theme for young men and young women.
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced the dates of the dedication and open house for the Auckland New Zealand Temple, as well as the open house and rededication of the Toronto Ontario Temple. Updates on the renovation of the Salt Lake Temple were included in a recent update on the Temple Square renovation project published on Wednesday, October 30.
As approved by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, full-time missionary opportunities for adult single members of the Church are now expanded. Historians, writers and editors gathered at the Church History Library on Tuesday, October 29, to celebrate the release of the fourth and final volume of Saints: The History of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Last Days.
On the latest episode of the Church News podcast, Deseret News sportscasters Dick Harmon and Lee Benson shared insights into the lasting legacy of BYU’s 1984 football season. Look back at different seasons of the Book of Mormon videos as the series is planned to end in December 2024. Church News reported that the Temple Square Orchestra is celebrating its 25th anniversary on Friday, October 25, with a concert at the Salt Lake Tabernacle.
Read summaries and find links to these articles below.
1. The Tallahassee Florida Temple kicks off the public phase of the open house with a media day
On Monday, October 28, Elder Andersen and his wife, Sister Kathy Andersen, welcomed the media to the Tallahassee Temple, which will be the 16th and final house of the Lord dedicated in 2024.
In conjunction with Monday’s kickoff press conference and media tours, the Church released interior and exterior images of the new temple on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Read more about this story here.
2. How a chance meeting with Elder Stevenson inspired a young boy to feel God’s love
Although “confused and sad” after receiving the news that he would not be participating in the children’s choir for the October 2024 general conference, Bo had the opportunity to meet with Elder Stevenson.
“It was a testimony maker that Heavenly Father knows and loves us individually,” he said.
Read more about this story here.
3. A worldwide youth broadcast celebrates the light of Jesus Christ
In a worldwide broadcast, Elder Soares invited the youth to share the light of the Savior and stand for the truth with meekness and strength. “Jesus Christ has made wonderful promises to those who act in faith as they witness for Him to the world,” Elder Soares said. The broadcast also included a message from President Freeman and President Lund from April 2024.
The 2025 Youth Theme was announced on 17 September. Additional resources have now been made available to youth, their parents and their leaders.
Read more about the show here.
Read more about the 2025 Youth Theme here.
4. Temple News: The First Presidency announces the dedication of the Auckland New Zealand Temple, the rededication of the Toronto Ontario Temple, plus the latest update on the Salt Lake Temple
President Jeffrey R. Holland, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, will rededicate the Toronto Temple on March 23, 2025. Elder Patrick Kieran of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles will rededicate the Auckland Temple on April 13, 2025.
A new update for the Salt Lake Temple was released on October 30 at ChurchofJesusChrist.org. The update includes the completion of work on the six towers, an iconic part of the temple.
Read more about the upcoming temple dedications here.
Read more about the renovation of the Salt Lake Temple here.
5. Expanded opportunities for adult single missionaries, men and women
For several decades, senior single sister missionaries were able to serve in limited assignments, while senior single men were not previously called to serve full-time missions.
Effective Friday, Nov. 1, changes were put in place to allow single men 40 and older to serve full-time missions and single women of the same age to have more opportunities.
Read more about this story here.
6. Church publishes the 4th and final volume of the Saints series.
The fourth and final volume of Saints: The Story of the Church of Jesus Christ in the Last Days was released on Tuesday, October 29. Saints Volume 4: Sounded in Every Ear is available in 14 languages and chronicles the history of the Church from 1955 to 2020, a period marked by rapid global growth in membership and temple building.
Read more about this story here.
7. Episode 212: The Deseret News’ Dick Harmon and Lee Benson on the lasting legacy of the 1984 BYU football season, plus a story recalling the miracle that was the 1984 BYU football season 40 years later
Lee Benson and Dick Harmon shared insights on BYU’s incredible 1984 football season and how the football program is advancing the mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Looking back at the team’s 40 years of success has been a “magical time,” but even without the current 8-0 season, paying tribute to the 1984 team would still be appropriate — after all, 40 years is a milestone.
Read more about the podcast here.
Read more about BYU’s 1984 football season here.
8. A Look Back at the Book of Mormon Videos
The Book of Mormon video series ends in December 2024 with the final two episodes. The series will include a total of 45 videos available in multiple languages.
Jaelan Petrie, producer of the Book of Mormon videos, emphasized that the videos are meant to be a visualization of the Book of Mormon, not a dramatization. “I think that’s a pretty important clarification that we’re not trying to be dramatic,” he said. “We’re not trying to make fun, we’re actually making another translation of the Book of Mormon.”
Read more about this story here.
9. The Temple Square Orchestra celebrates its 25th anniversary
The Temple Square Orchestra celebrated its 25th anniversary on Friday, October 25, with a concert at the Salt Lake Tabernacle.
“We express our deep love, admiration and appreciation for all they have done over the past 25 years,” said Tabernacle Choir Music Director Mack Wilberg, who also directs the orchestra, during the concert, according to a ChurchofJesusChrist.org news release.
Read more about this story here.