Utah & U.S. Religion News
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'We weren't alone': Family shares miraculous story of survival in Michigan church attack
Dan Rascon, KSL | Posted Jan. 13 - 11:31 a.m. | Save Story
A family who escaped the horrific attack on a Latter-day Saint congregation in Grand Blanc, Michigan, says they believe divine intervention saved their lives.
March RootsTech conference to feature Steve Young, Elder Ronald A. Rasband
Emily Ashcraft, KSL | Posted Jan. 13 - 10:00 a.m. | Save Story
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced keynote speakers for this year's RootsTech family history conference in Salt Lake City. Speakers include Elder Ronald A. Rasband, along with an astronaut, actress, explorer and others.
Idahoans invited to complete 250,000 acts of service to celebrate America's 250th anniversary
Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com | Posted Jan. 13 - 7:15 a.m. | Save Story
Idahoans are invited to complete 250,000 acts of service through July 4 as America celebrates its 250th anniversary this year.
Church of Jesus Christ announces location, details for Spanish Fork temple
Emily Ashcraft, KSL | Posted Jan. 12 - 3:13 p.m. | Save Story
The Spanish Fork Temple will be built across from Maple Mountain High School, according to an announcement on Monday from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
President Oaks dedicates first temple as church president in Burley, Idaho
Payton Davis, KSL | Posted Jan. 11 - 3:17 p.m. | Save Story
President Dallin H. Oaks of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dedicated the church's new Burley Idaho Temple on Sunday.
How BYU phenom AJ Dybantsa fits into the church's long love affair with basketball
Lee Benson, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 10 - 7:05 p.m. | Save Story
His story is well known even among people who don't watch "SportsCenter." Because it isn't every day the top recruit in the country chooses BYU over basketball elites like North Carolina and Kansas.
Man killed outside church had embraced faith and nonviolence, community leader says
Emma Pitts and Tad Walch, Deseret News | Posted Jan. 9 - 8:22 a.m. | Save Story
One of the men who was killed during an exchange of gunfire in a church parking lot of was a husband, father and poet who had chosen to reject violence, a local Tongan leader said.
President Uchtdorf now acting president of Quorum of the 12 Apostles, church announces
Emily Ashcraft, KSL | Posted Jan. 8 - 2:35 p.m. | Save Story
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Thursday that President Dieter F. Uchtdorf is now the acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Heartbreak for Utah County family after missionary son dies suddenly in New Mexico
Dan Rascon, KSL | Posted Jan. 7 - 9:46 a.m. | Save Story
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints confirmed Elder Caleb Martin passed away in his sleep over the weekend while serving in the New Mexico Farmington Mission.
BODY CAM: Michigan police rescue Grand Blanc church members during shooting and burning
KSL | Posted Jan. 6 - 2:15 p.m. | Save Story
On Sept. 28, 2025, officers with the Grand Blanc Police Department and the Genesee County Sheriff's Office responded to an active shooter at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building.
Pope Leo, closing Catholic Holy Year, urges kindness to foreigners
Joshua McElwee, Reuters | Posted Jan. 6 - 11:20 a.m. | Save Story
Pope Leo closed the Catholic Church's Holy Year on Tuesday by sealing shut the special "Holy Door" in St. Peter's Basilica and urging Christians worldwide to help those in need and treat foreigners with kindness.
Church of Jesus Christ invites young adults to be 'one in a million' in institute's centennial year
Emily Ashcraft, KSL | Posted Jan. 5 - 4:05 p.m. | Save Story
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' institute program has grown in the last 100 years from a single building in Idaho to over 2,700 locations in 170 countries around the world.
Rome welcomed record 33.5 million pilgrims for Catholic Holy Year
Joshua McElwee, Reuters | Posted Jan. 5 - 8:21 a.m. | Save Story
About 33.5 million pilgrims came to Rome in 2025 for the Catholic Holy Year, Vatican and Italian officials said on Monday, marking a record number of yearly visitors.
Latter-day Saint missionary from Salem dies of unknown cause in New Mexico
Ashley Imlay, KSL | Posted Jan. 4 - 12:25 p.m. | Save Story
A missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from Salem serving in New Mexico died Saturday of an unknown medical cause, church officials said.
'Evidence of divine love': Services honor life, legacy of President Jeffrey R. Holland
Cassidy Wixom, KSL | Updated Dec. 31 - 12:57 p.m. | Save Story
President Jeffrey R. Holland, president of the Quorum of the Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was honored Wednesday as a man of deep faith.
Funeral services set for President Jeffrey R. Holland
Sicily Stanton for KSL | Posted Dec. 28 - 9:36 a.m. | Save Story
Funeral services for President Jeffrey R. Holland, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have been set for Wednesday.
'Compassionate leadership': Local leaders praise service of President Jeffrey R. Holland
Cassidy Wixom, KSL | Updated Dec. 27 - 11:23 a.m. | Save Story
Local religious and political leaders express condolences for President Jeffrey Roy Holland, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ, who died Saturday.
Quorum of the 12 President Jeffrey R. Holland dies at age 85
KSL Staff | Posted Dec. 27 - 4:55 a.m. | Save Story
President Jeffrey R. Holland, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died early Saturday at age 85.
Pope Leo XIV urges the faithful on Christmas to shed indifference in the face of suffering
Silvia Stellacci and Colleen Barry, Associated Press | Posted Dec. 25 - 9:13 a.m. | Save Story
Pope Leo XIV during his first Christmas Day message on Thursday urged the faithful to shed indifference in the face of those who have lost everything.
Pope Leo, on Christmas Eve, says denying help to poor is rejecting God
Joshua McElwee, Reuters | Updated Dec. 24 - 5:37 p.m. | Save Story
Pope Leo said in a Christmas Eve sermon that the story of Jesus being born in a stable because there was no room at an inn should remind Christians that refusing to help the poor and strangers today is tantamount to rejecting God himself.
President Jeffrey R. Holland hospitalized with 'ongoing health issue'
Payton Davis, KSL | Posted Dec. 24 - 2:18 p.m. | Save Story
President Jeffrey R. Holland has been hospitalized to be treated for ongoing health complications, according to a statement from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Photo gallery: Christmas food giveaway a gift for those in need
Laura Seitz, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 24 - 2:05 p.m. | Save Story
Understanding the value of feeding the hungry, the Salt Lake City Mission hosted its annual "Christmas Food Box Giveaway" on Monday and Deseret News photojournalist Laura Seitz visited the mission to document the event.
Thousands flock to Bethlehem to revive Christmas spirit after 2 years of war in Gaza
Melanie Lidman, Associated Press | Posted Dec. 24 - 1:03 p.m. | Save Story
After two years of subdued Christmas celebrations due to war in Gaza, thousands of people have flocked to Bethlehem's Manger Square on Christmas Eve.
Church returns petroglyphs removed from Utah-Idaho border 80 years ago to Shoshone Nation
Carter Williams, KSL | Posted Dec. 18 - 8:37 p.m. | Save Story
A 2,500-pound stone containing prehistoric petroglyphs has returned to wildland near the Utah-Idaho border, 80 years after it was removed and taken to a Tremonton church.
Pope names fellow Chicagoan, Bishop Ronald Hicks, as new archbishop of New York
Nicole Winfield, Associated Press | Posted Dec. 18 - 8:11 a.m. | Save Story
Pope Leo XIV has made a significant U.S. appointment by naming Bishop Ronald Hicks as the next archbishop of New York. Hicks, currently the bishop of Joliet, Illinois, replaces the retiring Cardinal Timothy Dolan.
Salt Lake Jewish leaders say they see light through darkness Australia attack cast on community
Carter Williams, KSL | Posted Dec. 17 - 10:37 p.m. | Save Story
While Sunday's attack brought darkness to Hanukkah this year, Salt Lake's Jewish leaders say they feel the light from the city's and world's response to the attack.
Australian state to pass emergency gun laws as funerals of Bondi attack victims begin
Scott Murdoch and Renju Jose, Reuters | Updated Dec. 16 - 10:00 p.m. | Save Story
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said on Wednesday he will recall parliament next week to pass wide-ranging reforms of gun and protest laws, days after the country's deadliest mass shooting in three decades.
'We will not cower': Utah County Hanukkah celebration honors tradition following deadly violence
Curtis Booker, KSL | Posted Dec. 16 - 7:52 a.m. | Save Story
A Hanukkah celebration in Lehi sends a message of strength and unity in light of the recent deadly attack in Australia.
Hundreds gather for Utah Chanukah celebration following deadly attack
Shelby Lofton, KSL | Posted Dec. 15 - 3:00 p.m. | Save Story
Hundreds filled the Utah Capitol rotunda Sunday night to mark the first night of Chanukah, balancing grief over recent violence with the joy of the holiday.
Rare fresco of Jesus as the 'Good Shepherd' uncovered in Turkish town visited by the pope
Mehmet Guzel and Andrew Wilks, Associated Press | Updated Dec. 14 - 7:47 p.m. | Save Story
Archaeologists in Turkey have uncovered one of the most important finds from Anatolia's early Christian era: a fresco of a Roman-looking Jesus as the "Good Shepherd."
Utah and Peru: 2 regions sharing rich Latter-day Saint histories
Jason Swensen, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 14 - 7:11 p.m. | Save Story
Much of the intrigue around Delta Air Lines' launch of seasonal service from Salt Lake City to Lima, Peru, surrounded on the commercial and cultural opportunities waiting to be optimized.
Hanukkah celebration proceeds as Utah rabbis 'will not give in to terror'
Brian West, KSL | Updated Dec. 14 - 2:57 p.m. | Save Story
A Utah celebration of Hanukkah will proceed Sunday, despite a mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney. Three Utah rabbis say they "will not give in to terror."
Gunmen kill at least 16 people in attack on Hanukkah celebration on Sydney's Bondi Beach
Kristen Gelineau, Charlotte Graham-mclay and Rod Mcguirk, Associated Press | Updated Dec. 14 - 2:56 p.m. | Save Story
A child is one of at least 16 people killed in an attack at one of the world's most famous beaches. Hundreds of people had gathered at Bondi Beach for an event to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah, when gunmen opened fire.
YouTube sensation among those called to church advisory council for young men
Dennis Romboy, Deseret News | Posted Dec. 14 - 10:03 a.m. | Save Story
The creator of the wildly popular YouTube channel "Outdoor Boys" has a new venue in which to share his wisdom with the world.
'Transcendent': Broadway couple creates magic in Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert
Cassidy Wixom, KSL | Posted Dec. 12 - 3:02 p.m. | Save Story
Stephanie J. Block's and her husband Sebastian Arcelus' performance as guest artists at the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square emphasizes faith, unity and the magic of shared experiences.
Grand Blanc shooting survivor shares recovery story
Andrew Adams, KSL | Posted Dec. 9 - 8:03 p.m. | Save Story
Nearly 10 weeks after a deadly mass shooting and fire at a Church of Jesus Christ meetinghouse in Michigan, one of the wounded finally came home from the hospital.
Live Nativity scene in Lehi raises funds for humanitarian aid
Sarah Martin, KSL | Posted Dec. 7 - 9:45 p.m. | Save Story
Volunteers in Lehi brought a slice of Bethlehem to life this week, complete with donkeys, sheep and a baby in a manger.
Pope urges Middle East to reject 'horror of war' at end of first overseas trip
Joshua McElwee and Catherine Cartier, Reuters | Posted Dec. 2 - 8:06 a.m. | Save Story
Pope Leo bade farewell to Lebanon on Tuesday with a fervent appeal to leaders across the Middle East to listen to their people's cries for peace and to change course away from the "horror of war."
A controversial infant Jesus is stolen from a Belgian Nativity scene
Sylvain Plazy, Associated Press | Posted Dec. 1 - 12:01 p.m. | Save Story
Belgian authorities are mystified over a brazen theft over the weekend from a Christmas Nativity scene of an icon of infant Jesus Christ that had been widely scorned online.
Photos: Salt Lake City's Temple Square is all aglow
KSL Staff | Posted Nov. 28 - 10:30 p.m. | Save Story
Christmas lights were turned on for the first time Friday evening on Temple Square in Salt Lake City and will remain on until Jan. 1.
Vatican warns against rise in polyamory
Christopher Lamb, CNN | Posted Nov. 25 - 7:35 a.m. | Save Story
The Vatican has issued a warning against the rise of polyamory, insisting marriage is the stable, lifelong and exclusive partnership between a man and woman.
Light the World Giving Machines return to Salt Lake City
Eastin Hartzell, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 25 - 6:15 a.m. | Save Story
Utah's 2025 Light the World Giving Machines officially opened Monday — marking the beginning of a season of giving that organizers say changes thousands of lives each year.
At least 24 people dead, 54 wounded after Israeli airstrikes in Gaza test ceasefire
Wafaa Shurafa, Associated Press | Posted Nov. 22 - 10:45 a.m. | Save Story
Israel's military says it has launched new airstrikes against Hamas militants in Gaza, testing the ceasefire that began on October 10. Health officials in Gaza report at least 24 people killed and at least 54 wounded, including children.
Church of Jesus Christ announces women can serve missions at age 18
Cassidy Wixom, KSL | Updated Nov. 21 - 11:59 a.m. | Save Story
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Friday that women can now start serving church missions at age 18.
Church of Jesus Christ discontinues Saturday evening session of general conference
Cassidy Wixom, KSL | Posted Nov. 19 - 10:21 a.m. | Save Story
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Wednesday there will no longer be a Saturday evening session during its general conferences.
Utah think tank weighs in as Christian schools ask Supreme Court to review Colorado program
Eastin Hartzell, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 19 - 10:00 a.m. | Save Story
A Utah-based think tank is asking a federal appeals court to protect a Colorado Christian school's ability to participate in the state's "universal" preschool program without changing what it teaches on gender and sexuality.
Pope returns artifacts to Indigenous peoples from Canada as part of reckoning with colonial past
Nicole Winfield, Associated Press | Posted Nov. 16 - 2:06 p.m. | Save Story
The Vatican has returned 62 artifacts to Indigenous peoples from Canada as part of a move to address its role in suppressing Indigenous culture in the Americas.
Church of Jesus Christ names new Presiding Bishopric
Cassidy Wixom, KSL | Posted Nov. 14 - 12:46 p.m. | Save Story
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced its new Presiding Bishopric Friday, after Elder Gérald Caussé, the former presiding bishop, was called as an apostle last week.
Chicago civil rights leader Jesse Jackson hospitalized for rare neurological disorder
Sophia Tareen, Associated Press | Updated Nov. 13 - 1:42 p.m. | Save Story
The Rev. Jesse Jackson is in the hospital with a rare neurological disorder. Jackson's Chicago-based civil rights organization said he had progressive supranuclear palsy and is under observation.
Church of Jesus Christ to put Light the World machines in 21 countries
Cassidy Wixom, KSL | Posted Nov. 12 - 11:54 a.m. | Save Story
Light the World Giving Machines sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are now available in more than 20 countries and 120 cities this holiday season.
12-year-old Camden the Preacher has growing audience
David Kennard, EastIdahoNews.com | Posted Nov. 10 - 9:36 a.m. | Save Story
A young preacher regularly posts short, 5- to 10-minute Bible-centered videos focused on bringing people to Christ. His YouTube audience — about 500 followers — is slowly growing.
What Dr. Ben Carson said to UVU students about prayer, resiliency — and Charlie Kirk's legacy
Jason Swensen, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 8 - 10:32 p.m. | Save Story
In a lecture touching on faith, prayer, resiliency, the promise of America and finding common ground with others, Dr. Ben Carson traced his own unexpected path from childhood poverty to renown and influence across multiple communities.
'A privilege': Elder Caussé shares thoughts on new calling to apostleship
Cassidy Wixom, KSL | Posted Nov. 7 - 5:03 p.m. | Save Story
The newest member of the Church of Jesus Christ's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said he can't remember a time he didn't have a testimony of Christ.
Church of Jesus Christ names Bishop Elder Gérald Caussé as new apostle
Cassidy Wixom, KSL | Updated Nov. 6 - 5:13 p.m. | Save Story
Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé was announced Thursday as the newest member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
'A unifying moment': Luz de las Naciones, highlighting Latin American dance and music, returns
Tim Vandenack, KSL | Posted Nov. 5 - 7:11 p.m. | Save Story
Luz de las Naciones, a celebration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints focused on Latin American dance and music, returns on Friday and Saturday.
Exploring the legacy of this historic Utah church through its time capsule
Dennis Romboy, Deseret News | Posted Nov. 2 - 2:05 p.m. | Save Story
The newly opened time capsule and its carefully preserved artifacts at the Japanese Church of Christ gave not only a glimpse into its past — but also an uncertain future.
FBI confirms shooter in Michigan attack was motivated by hatred of Latter-day Saints
Isabella Volmert, Associated Press | Updated Oct. 31 - 8:04 p.m. | Save Story
The man who attacked a Church of Jesus Christ meetinghouse in Michigan was motivated by "anti-religious beliefs" against Latter-day Saints, the FBI confirmed on Friday.
Catholic Community Services urges support as benefits set to end for thousands of Utah families
Mike Anderson, KSL | Posted Oct. 29 - 8:09 a.m. | Save Story
Catholic Community Services in Ogden is urgently requesting food and monetary donations as 86,000 Utah families face the loss of SNAP benefits.
