Church guide

"Nothing opens the heavens quite like the combination of increased purity, exact obedience, earnest seeking, daily feasting on the words of Christ in the Book of Mormon, and regular time committed to temple and family history work." - Russell M Nelson . . . Photo courtesy of Valerie Popper Anderson, Giving River Images

"One time, I saw this." #templeaday #photographymissionary #nofilter #templegram #ilovetoseethetemple #churchofjesuschristoflatterdaysaints #ldschurch #mormon #mormontemple #lds #ldstemple #ldstemples #temple #kansascitytemple #kcmo #templerun #givingriverimages . . . Photo courtesy of Valerie Popper Anderson, Giving River Images

"When you think of senior missionaries, do you think of traveling abroad, learning a new language and leaving your family? A local or service mission means you might not even have to leave your home to serve the Lord. Learn how some senior missionaries are serving a mission right in their own backyard." Video courtesy of our friends from the The Liberty Missouri Stake News & Events

From Valerie Popper Anderson, of Giving River Images

"Missouri....you are truly magical. Even when it’s 8 at night and the heat index is 101 degrees. Friday evening well spent in His holy temple. 🙏🏼" - Kristen Marie

"“Let us share with our children the spiritual feelings we have in the temple. And let us teach them more earnestly and more comfortably the things we can appropriately say. … Keep a picture of a temple in your home that your children may see it” "A Temple-Motivated People," Howard W Hunter, Ensign, Feb. 1995, 5 . . . Photo courtesy of Jimmy Paderta

"This question applies to all of us. As President Hinckley reminded us last April, “Whether you are among the posterity of the pioneers or whether you were baptized only yesterday, each is the beneficiary of their great undertaking.” All of us enjoy the blessings of their efforts, and all of us have the responsibilities which go with that heritage. It is not enough to study or reenact the accomplishments of our pioneers. We need to identify the great, eternal principles they applied to achieve all they achieved for our benefit and then apply those principles to the challenges of our day. In that way we honor their pioneering efforts, and we also reaffirm our heritage and strengthen its capacity to bless our own posterity and “those millions of our Heavenly Father’s children who have yet to hear and accept the gospel of Jesus Christ.” We are all pioneers in doing so." - Dallin H Oaks . . . Photo courtesy of Valerie Popper Anderson, Giving River Images

A friendly reminder that the Kansas City Missouri LDS Temple will be closed July 22nd until August 6th.

"There is sunshine in my soul today..." . . . Photo courtesy of Scott Holman

"Meanwhile, in this world smitten with spiritual decay, can individuals prepared for temple blessings make a difference? Yes! Those Saints are “the covenant people of the Lord, … armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.” Their example can lift the lives of all humankind." - Russell M Nelson . . . Photo courtesy of Valerie Popper Anderson, Giving River Images

"I am already seeing the effects of acting on the promptings. Let's see what further light and knowledge I can glean from being here at the House of the Lord. Remember, execution is key. Very grateful there is a temple so close." - Jeff Burnett

"The most sacred of places, then, will always be those locations which God has designated for holy and eternal purposes, locations where he is the “doer of the deed.” These places are revered forever by his faithful children wherever they may be. "America is such a place, but of course it wasn’t always called America nor has it always been identified by a distinctive continental shape. Originally it was simply a portion of that large, single land mass which God in his creative process called “Earth” and which, when completed, was pronounced “good.” (Gen. 1:10.) Whatever its name and geographical configuration, however, it was from the beginning a land of divinity as well as a land of destiny." - Elder Jeffrey R Holland https://www.lds.org/ensign/1976/06/a-promised-land?lang=eng

"I am grateful for the Founding Fathers of this land and for the freedom they have vouchsafed to us. I am grateful that they recognized, as great leaders of this nation have always recognized, that the freedom which we enjoy did not originate with the Founding Fathers, that this glorious principle, this great boon of freedom and respect for the dignity of man, came as a gift from the Creator. The Founding Fathers, it is true, with superb genius welded together the safeguards of these freedoms. It was necessary, however, for them to turn to the scriptures, to religion, in order to have their great experiment make sense to them. And so our freedom is God-given. It antedates the Founding Fathers." - Ezra Taft Benson

“Notwithstanding the trouble, the argument, the increasingly heavy hand of government, the spirit of arrogance, [and] occasional corruption in public office and betrayal of sacred trust—I marvel at the miracle of America, the land which the God of Heaven long ago declared to be a choice land. God bless America, for it is His creation.” –Gordon B. Hinckley

"Many Americans have lost sight of the truth that righteousness is the one indispensable ingredient to liberty. Perhaps as never before in our history is our nation collectively deserving of the indictment pronounced by Abraham Lincoln in these words: “We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power, as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us."" - Ezra Taft Benson

"I just captured an absolutely spectacular photo this morning. A huge rainbow over the stunning Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Temple in Kansas City, Missouri. 🙀🌈" - Tracy Trowbridge

Only two weeks after completing a nine-day ministry throughout the Pacific, President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints kept his busy schedule with a stop in Florida in early June. President Nelson’s visit coincides with the three-year anniversary of a mass shooting at an Orlando business that claimed the lives of 49 people and injured many others. Prior to speaking to thousands of Latter-day Saints and friends of the Church, the global faith leader met with government, interfaith and community leaders at a reception, including the owner of the closed business now being turned into a sanctuary of hope.

The Oakland California Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been rededicated under the direction of President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency.

"As an original temple chaser, Kansas City severe weather was in full force this morning! Check out that circular cloud! It was no joke that wind gusts were 60 mph and it was a torrential downpour. But when the Holy Ghost wakes you up to run to the temple with your camera...you go. #photographymissionary " - Valerie Popper Anderson Photo courtesy of Giving River Images

"This journey to higher ground is the pathway of discipleship to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a journey that will ultimately lead us to exaltation with our families in the presence of the Father and the Son. Consequently, our journey to higher ground must include the house of the Lord. As we come unto Christ and journey to higher ground, we will desire to spend more time in His temples, because the temples represent higher ground, sacred ground." - Joseph B Wirthlin

"When you think of senior missionaries, do you think of traveling abroad, learning a new language and leaving your family? A local or service mission means you might not even have to leave your home to serve the Lord. Learn how some senior missionaries are serving a mission right in their own backyard." Video courtesy of our friends from the The Liberty Missouri Stake News & Events

Only two weeks after completing a nine-day ministry throughout the Pacific, President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints kept his busy schedule with a stop in Florida in early June. President Nelson’s visit coincides with the three-year anniversary of a mass shooting at an Orlando business that claimed the lives of 49 people and injured many others. Prior to speaking to thousands of Latter-day Saints and friends of the Church, the global faith leader met with government, interfaith and community leaders at a reception, including the owner of the closed business now being turned into a sanctuary of hope.

The Oakland California Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been rededicated under the direction of President Dallin H. Oaks, first counselor in the First Presidency.

“To receive a desired blessing from God, act with faith, striking the metaphorical match on which the heavenly blessing is contingent.” “The activation energy needed for us is to have enough faith in Christ to sincerely ask God in prayer and accept His will and timing for the answer.” “Small actions fuel our ability to walk along the covenant path and lead to the greatest blessings God can offer. But oxygen flows only if we figuratively keep moving our feet.” "I invite you to faithfully activate heavenly power to receive specific blessings from God. Exercise faith to strike the match and light the fire. Supply the needed oxygen while you patiently wait on the Lord.” “When you receive any blessing from God, you can conclude that you have complied with an eternal law governing reception of that blessing.” “You don’t earn a blessing. That notion is false. But you have to qualify for it. Our salvation comes only through the merits and grace of Jesus Christ.” “The principle of activating blessings that flow from God is eternal. Like those ancient Israelites, we, too, must act on our faith in Jesus Christ to be blessed.” “Most blessings that God desires to give us require action on our part, action based on our faith in Jesus Christ. Faith the Savior is a principle of action and of power.” “Restored truth reveals that blessings are never earned, but faith-inspired actions on our part, both initial and ongoing, are essential.” “Blessings from heaven are neither earned by frenetically accruing good-deed coupons nor by helplessly waiting to see if we win the blessing lottery.” - Dale G Renlund #ElderRenlund | #GeneralConference

“If we pick and choose what we accept in the Proclamation, we cloud our eternal view, putting too much importance on our experience here and now.” “Some will say, ‘You don’t understand my situation.’ I may not, but I testify there is one who does understand.” “There are so many, young and old, who are loyal to the gospel of Jesus Christ even though their own current experience does not fit neatly inside the Family Proclamation.” “If the Proclamation had been revealed in a different century, there would still have been questions, just different questions than those of today.” “While we celebrate the innovations of science and medicine, the truths of God go far beyond these discoveries.” “We humbly declare that there are some things that are completely and absolutely true. These eternal truths are the same for every son and daughter of God.” #ElderAndersen | #GeneralConference

A new video tour of the Rome Italy Temple from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints features an introduction by President Russell M. Nelson and a tour led by two apostles, Elder David A. Bednar and Elder Ronald A. Rasband. They show and discuss the Rome Temple’s various rooms and areas, which mirror what is found in all Latter-day Saint temples around the world. These include the baptistry, instruction rooms, the bride’s room, marriage sealing rooms and the celestial room. The unprecedented video production within one of the Church’s most sacred spaces was completed during the temple’s public open house in January.

The First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have announced a change to the course of study schedule and curriculum for students in the seminary program.

The First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are modern-day witnesses of Christ. Watch as living apostles and prophets share excerpts from “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles” from the temple site in Rome, Italy.

Sister missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in all 407 missions around the world now have the option to wear dress slacks. The adjustment to dress standards, which takes effect immediately, was approved by the First Presidency and is primarily motivated by safety concerns, said Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and chairman of the Missionary Executive Council. “Adjustment to the missionary dress and grooming standards have changed over time since the beginning of the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in 1830 and will continue to do so in the future,” said Elder Uchtdorf. “As we adapt these standards, we always carefully consider the dignity of the missionary calling to represent Jesus Christ, the safety, security, and health of our beloved missionaries, and the cultural sensitivities of the places where they serve.”

Amidst a morning of low clouds and occasional peeks of sunshine, President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dedicated the Concepción Chile Temple on Sunday, October 28, 2018. President Nelson and other Church leaders participated in the morning exterior cornerstone ceremony and the dedicatory prayer inside the temple to complete the first of three dedicatory sessions of the temple, located in south-central Chile. “The dedicatory session was extraordinary," said Latter-day Saint Nakad Saade. "A spiritual experience that lifts us up. It invites us to serve even more in the House of the Lord.” In speaking of the purpose of temples President Bishop Gérald Caussé said, “As we go through the temple and receive the ordinances we prepare ourselves for the goal of our lives which is to [return] to our Heavenly Father.”