2019 Hispanic Cultural Event Luz de Las Naciones to Celebrate “Un Hogar para Todos” (A Home for Everyone) (Church News) (October 18, 2019)
A free musical production of Luz de las Naciones (Light of the Nations) will be November 2, 2019, at 8:00 p.m. in the Conference Center on Temple Square.

What running 200-mile-ultramarathons has taught this man about what is most important in life (Church News) (October 18, 2019)
For most people, the thought of running 200 miles alone in the wilderness probably doesn’t sound very appealing. It may even sound like a form of punishment. But for Latter-day Saint Michael McKnight from Cache Valley, Utah, running 200 miles through the wilderness is something he looks forward to. It’s a chance to learn what he is capable of, to push himself to be better, to appreciate all he has and to better understand his relationship with God.

This Latter-day Saint has won 55 awards in pickleball, but for him it’s not just a sport — it’s a missionary tool (Church News) (October 18, 2019)
Dick Johnson, a member of the Boise North Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has earned the title of Pickleball Rocks Player of the Year for 2018. Johnson, who has won about 55 pickleball tournament medals, including three medals at the 2019 National State Games of America this summer, is 79 years old and does not plan to slow down.

Mormon Financial Scammer Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison (Newsweek) (October 18, 2019)
Rick Koeber, who became infamous in Utah for his "Free Capitalist" real estate investment seminars, has been given 14 years in federal prison for running what prosecutors called a Ponzi scheme.

Utah bishop arrested on child porn charges; investigators say he may have sexually abused children (Salt Lake Tribune - Utah) (October 18, 2019)
A bishop for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been arrested, accused of owning and distributing thousands of images of child pornography — and investigators say they believe he may have sexually abused children on church-related camping trips.

Members, Missionaries in Tokyo Affected by Typhoon Hagibis (Church News) (October 17, 2019)
As Typhoon Hagibis made landfall on Saturday evening in Japan, the storm brought a record 36 inches of rain in a 24 hour period.

What a 132-year-old time capsule tells us about what life was like in Utah back in 1887 (KSL - Utah) (October 17, 2019)
Back on Sept. 27, 1887, around the time the cornerstone was laid on an Ogden school, some people associated with the school likely gathered to fill a small metal box with all sorts of mementos that highlighted life in Utah at that time.

Utah’s Capitol Reef National Park is like Zion without the crowds (Washington Post) (October 17, 2019)
Zion Canyon’s massive sandstone cliffs and slot canyons have inspired people for millennia, long before the area became Utah’s first national park in the early 1900s. Native American cultures inhabited and farmed the remote canyonlands dating from about 7,000 B.C., archaeologists say. Mormon pioneers arrived in the 1860s and gave the area the biblical name for sanctuary it bears today.

Church Issues Statement Opposing Proposed Utah Psychologist Licensing Act Rule (Church Newsroom) (October 16, 2019)
The Church has released the following statement in connection with comments filed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Family Services regarding a proposed professional licensing rule governing sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts.

Conversion therapy rule draws statement of opposition from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Deseret News - Utah) (October 16, 2019)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints again denounced abusive forms of conversion therapy on Tuesday but also announced its opposition to the proposed Utah licensing rule that would ban those therapies, calling it too broad and ambiguous.

At least 60 sickened by carbon monoxide at LDS church; some may suffer long-term (KUTV - Utah) (October 16, 2019)
A carbon monoxide leak at a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Sunday sickened more people than was first thought, Intermountain Healthcare officials told 2News on Monday.

Peter Coviello: Struggles of the 19th century persist for Mormons (Salt Lake Tribune - Utah) (October 16, 2019)
For those with their ears pricked for echoes of the adventurous LDS past – the days of discovery, persecution, migration, a fraught peace – the convening of the General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints offers strange, not always heartening, fare.

Democratic Republic of the Congo Eliminates Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus (Church Newsroom) (October 15, 2019)
Latter-day Saint Charities and other partners such as UNICEF USA and Kiwanis International continue to make progress in a global effort to wipe out maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT), a life-threatening disease that affects women of childbearing age and their children.

Elder Holland gives an inside look to miracles that made the BYU Jerusalem Center possible (Church News) (October 15, 2019)
At 6:45 a.m. on Nov. 14, 1985, President Gordon B. Hinckley, chairman of the Executive Committee of the BYU Board of Trustees, received an urgent phone call from BYU President Jeffrey R. Holland.

New chair of Mormon history and culture at Utah State to give inaugural lecture Wednesday (Standard-Examiner - Utah) (October 15, 2019)
Utah State’s broader community will get a chance to hear from a new Mormon expert in their midst for the first time Wednesday. Historian Patrick Mason was named to the Leonard J. Arrington Endowed Chair of Mormon History and Culture at Utah State University in December 2018. The chair is housed in the history department’s religious studies program.

Commentary: Sen. Mitt Romney looks beyond partisan advantage (Salt Lake Tribune - Utah) (October 15, 2019)
In a moment of national turmoil, we find ourselves looking for courageous leaders who will both stand up and speak about the challenges we face, and sit down and listen to the evidence in front of them.

Sen. Mike Lee to presidential hopeful Beto O’Rourke: ‘Take it back’ (KSL - Utah) (October 15, 2019)
Sen. Mike Lee wants Democratic presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke to take back what he said about religious freedom. At CNN’s LGBTQ forum last week, the former Texas congressman was asked if colleges, churches and charities should lose their tax-exempt status if they oppose same-sex marriage. O’Rourke quickly replied “yes.”

Raleigh North Carolina Temple Is Rededicated (Church Newsroom) (October 14, 2019)
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are looking forward to returning to the Raleigh North Carolina Temple after its rededication by President M. Russell Ballard, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Lights. Camera. Prayer. A Mini-Hollywood Grows in Utah. (New York Times) (October 14, 2019)
Movies made by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are an important part of a film and TV ecosystem in northern Utah. And there’s not an R-rating in sight.

Church leaders give safety report for members, missionaries in Tokyo affected by Typhoon Hagibis (Church News) (October 14, 2019)
As Typhoon Hagibis made landfall on Saturday evening in Japan, the storm brought a record 36 inches of rain in a 24 hour period. Flooding and high wind speeds wreaked havoc throughout the greater Tokyo area leaving a reported 33 people dead and 19 missing. Several river embankments collapsed as a result of the heavy rains and flooding. Transportation systems, including Narita and Haneda airports, remained closed throughout the weekend as the storm passed.

How ‘the happiest place on earth’ strengthens members from California to Central America (and everywhere in between) (Church News) (October 14, 2019)
The temple in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala — similar to the Oakland California Temple — is situated on a hill. And while it may not be easily visible from everywhere throughout the surrounding city, the Quetzaltenango temple also stands as a beacon and a symbol of love for the Saints there.

Several people receive medical treatment after carbon monoxide detected in Provo Latter-day Saint church (Fox 13 - Utah) (October 14, 2019)
Several members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were transported for medical treatment after a Provo meetinghouse was discovered full of carbon monoxide.

Officials weigh in on death of 'Mac' Christensen, founder of Mr. Mac (KSL - Utah) (October 14, 2019)
Current and former public officials weighed in on the death of Fred McRay 'Mac' Christensen, founder of the Mr. Mac clothing store and former president of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He was 85. Christensen's store has outfitted thousands of departing Latter-day Saint missionaries across the Wasatch Front and beyond. The Mr. Mac website says Christensen's first clothing store opened in 1966 in Bountiful.

Elder James O. Mason—Emeritus General Authority—Dies at Age 89 (Church News) (October 14, 2019)
Elder James O. Mason, 89—the former head of the U.S. Public Health Service who also served for five years as a General Authority Seventy for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died Wednesday, October 9, 2019.

Mormon church on the Boise bench vandalized (KTVB - Idaho) (October 14, 2019)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Cherry Lane near Vista Avenue in Boise was vandalized overnight on Oct. 13. A door was broken and multiple messages were left around the building, according to a leader of the congregation.

LDS Relief Society launches newly updated website for women (Daily Herald - Utah) (October 14, 2019)
Female members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have been given a post-conference boost with the launching of a completely redesigned and updated Relief Society website.

Safety in Chapels Is the Responsibility of Every Latter-day Saint (Church Newsroom) (October 11, 2019)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has updated its guidelines to help its leaders and members remain safe while on Church property. “Changing conditions around the world” are the impetus of this update, the Church’s Presiding Bishopric wrote in a letter to Church leaders.

Asunción Paraguay Temple Opens for Public Tours (Church Newsroom) (October 11, 2019)
A free public open house is set to begin on Saturday, October 12 and go through October 19, 2019, for the Asunción Paraguay Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Mormons to the Rescue? (New York Times) (October 11, 2019)
In order to understand the Republican Party today, you have to understand religion. Donald Trump may be the most unreligious president ever — an undisciplined force of corrosive evil. And yet he tweets comparisons to himself as the Messiah and bullies his way around the world with the blind support of white evangelical Christians.

Beer spills all over parking lot of Latter-day Saint meetinghouse after truck crashes (Salt Lake Tribune - Utah) (October 11, 2019)
Cans of beer have littered the parking lot of a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sandy after a semitrailer crashed that was carrying cases of the brew.

Utah woman charged with illegal sexual conduct with 2 underage girls (KSL - Utah) (October 11, 2019)
A South Jordan woman faces criminal charges accusing her of engaging in sexual activity with two underage girls. Kami Lee Chesnut, 41, was charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with unlawful sexual activity with a minor, a third-degree felony. She was also charged in a separate case with three class A misdemeanor counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and two counts of providing alcohol to a minor.

Text from October 2019 General Conference Now Online (Church News) (October 10, 2019)
The official English text for all the general conference talks from 189th Semiannual General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is now available at conference.ChurchofJesusChrist.org and will soon be in the Gospel Library app.

First General Conference speech by an African American general authority thrills black Latter-day Saints (Salt Lake Tribune - Utah) (October 10, 2019)
Jerri Harwell was listening to Sunday’s final session of General Conference when suddenly she stopped packing for an upcoming move and turned her head to see who was at the pulpit.

Orem temple announcement catches some off-guard, excites area mayors (Daily Herald - Utah) (October 10, 2019)
President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced eight new temples during the church’s general conference on Saturday, including a temple to be build in Orem.

Members around the world react to President Nelson’s 8 new temples announcement (Church News) (October 10, 2019)
President Russell M. Nelson announced eight new temples during the women’s session of the 189th Semiannual General Conference. The temples were announced in the following locations...

President Nelson’s Global Ministry to Continue in Southeast Asia (Church Newsroom) (October 9, 2019)
President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and his wife, Wendy — along with Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Katherine — will travel to Asia in mid-November as the prophet continues his worldwide ministry.

Rendering of the Layton Utah Temple Released (Church Newsroom) (October 9, 2019)
The release of the rendering comes as project leaders are preparing to file additional public documents relating to plans for the temple’s design. A groundbreaking date has not been set yet. The Church previously announced the temple, which was announced in April 2018 by Church President Russell M. Nelson, will be built at the corner of Oak Hills Drive and Rosewood Lane. Plans call for a three-story temple of more than 87,000 square feet.

Kiribati President Visits Church Headquarters (Church Newsroom) (October 9, 2019)
After addressing the 74th Session of the General Assembly of the U.N. in New York City, Kiribati President Taneti Maamau, along with his wife and delegation, stopped in Salt Lake City recently to meet with leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

President Ballard Celebrates 91st Birthday (Church News) (October 9, 2019)
On Tuesday, October 8, President M. Russell Ballard celebrates his 91st birthday. President Ballard has been serving as the Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles since January 14, 2018. He was sustained as an Apostle on October 6, 1985.

He was popular, then fell from grace. Ex-Mayor Brent Coles says he’s a changed man (Idaho Statesman) (October 9, 2019)
Before the taxpayer-funded “Oklahoma!” tickets, before the side trips to New York City and the Mormon heritage sites, before the five weeks in jail — most Boise voters quite liked Brent Coles. After he was appointed as mayor in 1993, Coles easily won re-election twice, even in 2001, just months after police found him outside his press secretary’s house at 4:20 a.m., where he claimed to be delivering newspapers. He later told police he had lied about why he was there. He said he wasn’t there to see her but was visiting a neighborhood he hadn’t been to in a while.