The death of President Russell M. Nelson and the church leadership changes that followed — beginning with President Dallin H. Oaks becoming the next prophet-president of the church — were among the top news stories for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2025.
Over the past 12 months, the Deseret News has published stories ranging from the church’s record global growth to a tragic meetinghouse attack in Grand Blanc, Michigan.
The following reviews some of the most significant events relevant to Latter-day Saints around the world during 2025.
Remembering President Nelson, sustaining President Oaks
Having witnessed President Nelson’s dynamic, seven-year tenure as the 17th president of the church, Latter-day Saints worldwide were saddened to learn the 101-year-old prophet died in his home on Sept. 27, just past 10 p.m. MDT.
President Nelson’s death came just 18 days after he celebrated his 101st birthday on Sept. 9. But the aging prophet’s place as the oldest president in church history did not slow the pace of his leadership and the sweeping changes he enacted during his ministry.
As prophet, President Nelson galvanized the church with a dynamic first 100 days, led the church through the COVID-19 pandemic, built bridges with organizations such as the NAACP, implored members to “let God prevail” and announced 200 new temples — a significant number considering the church had only six operating temples when he was born and 159 when he became church president.
Upon his death, many leaders and organizations worldwide joined members and friends of the church in paying tribute to President Nelson’s life, leadership and teachings. Thousands attended his viewing and funeral services, and many more tuned in to see the special broadcast that was organized in his honor.
Tributes to President Nelson repeatedly highlighted his peaceable character, along with his teachings on peacemaking — which he taught to his last days.
“Love your neighbor and treat them with compassion and respect,” the president wrote in an essay that was published in Time Magazine days before his last birthday. “A century of experience has taught me this with certainty: anger never persuades, hostility never heals and contention never leads to lasting solutions.”
Upon President Nelson’s death, an apostolic interregnum began and the church’s First Presidency dissolved.
For 17 days, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles led the church with President Oaks, the church’s senior apostle, at its head.
That ended Tuesday, Oct. 14, when the Quorum of the Twelve gathered in fasting and prayer to set apart President Oaks as President Nelson’s successor.
“I accept with humility the responsibility that God has placed upon me and commit my whole heart and soul to the service to which I’ve been called,” said President Oaks.
“I am grateful for the prayers offered by so many members of the church for a new First Presidency,” he continued. “I have felt the effect of those prayers and with my counselors we will strive in all respects to press forward this great work.”
The 17-day interregnum between President Nelson’s death and President Oaks’ succession made it the longest since the church’s early pioneer days. And because the church’s October 2025 general conference was scheduled to take place during that period, the interregnum also marked the first time since 1951 that general conference was held without a church president in place.
The cascade of callings made by President Oaks
Rippling from President Oaks’ succession in October were a series of callings which the newly ordained prophet made to fill vacancies throughout the church’s leadership.
The first of these involved reorganizing the First Presidency to fill the vacancy left by President Nelson’s death. President Oaks called President Henry B. Eyring, who had served in the previous presidency, as his first counselor; and then-Elder D. Todd Christofferson from the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to serve as his second counselor.
Their ordinations took place the same day President Oaks became prophet.
President Oaks filled the newly created vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve on Thursday, Nov. 6, by calling then-Bishop Gérald Caussé, the church’s presiding bishop, to serve as an apostle. President Oaks then called Bishop W. Christopher Waddell, who had been a counselor in the Presiding Bishopric, to be the presiding bishop and added then-Elder Sean Douglas as a new counselor.
That was followed by leadership changes in two of the church’s 24 area presidencies — the Mexico Area presidency and the United States Southwest Area presidency.
A shooting, fire at a Latter-day Saint church in Michigan kills 4 people
The day following President Nelson’s death, tragedy struck a Latter-day Saint congregation in Grand Blanc, Michigan. On Sunday, Sept. 28, a man drove his vehicle into the meetinghouse during services, then exited, began shooting and set fire to the building — killing four people and wounding eight others.
“As you might expect, our members are quite shaken in spirit and in body, and it hurts,” said Grand Blanc Bishop Jeffrey Schaub in a video released Monday, Sept. 29. “These are the types of situations you don’t think you can carry. And I don’t think alone any of us can.”
Latter-day Saints in Michigan and around the world were left mourning and devastated by the attack, which Reuben Coleman, acting special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit field office, called an “act of targeted violence.”
In addition to the four deceased victims, the shooter — identified as 40-year-old Thomas Jacob Sanford from Burton, Michigan — was also killed in the parking lot after exchanging gunfire with officers who responded to the scene.
A month later, Jennifer Runyan, special agent in charge of the FBI Detroit field office, confirmed the “targeted act of violence” was motivated by the “assailant’s anti-religious beliefs” against Latter-day Saints.
Though left shaken by the Sept. 28 attack, multiple eyewitnesses have testified of theirs and others’ livesaving acts, as well as the hope they have found leaning on Jesus Christ and each other.
The day of the attack the church issued a statement regarding the “tragic act of violence,” outlining its collaboration with local law enforcement and expressing gratitude for people’s “outpouring of prayers.”
Two days later, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles traveled alongside his wife to minister to those impacted.
Multi-vehicle collision in southern Africa claims lives of Latter-day Saint young women, leaders
A multi-vehicle accident claimed the lives of six young women and four local leaders of the church in Maputsoe, Lesotho, in late June.
The minibus carrying the young women and their leaders was traveling to a youth activity in the Kingdom of Lesotho on June 21 when it collided with another vehicle and went up in flames.
“Our hearts are heavy, and we are saddened by this tragic accident,” wrote the South Africa Area presidency in a statement released on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. “We extend our love and heartfelt condolences to the many families and friends who have been impacted by this tragedy.”
Church leaders immediately ministered to the affected individuals and families, offering spiritual and emotional support, as well as coordinating care for the injured. A few months after the accident, two general officers of the church also traveled from Salt Lake City to Lesotho to minister to those affected.
Information about those who died was later released. Funeral services for the deceased were held in Maputsoe, Lesotho, on Saturday, July 19.
Church sees record growth in global membership
The church reported in July that, as of the end of June, it recorded the highest number of convert baptisms in any 12-month period throughout its 195-year history.
Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared more details behind the growth while speaking to newly called mission leaders at the Provo Missionary Training Center in June. In 2024, he said, the church saw 308,000 people join — approximately 50,000 people more than in 2023. Elder Cook added that in the first quarter of 2025, every region of the world saw at least a 20% increase in convert baptisms compared to the same period the previous year.
“This is remarkable,” he said. “We thank the Lord for allowing us to witness his hand in these remarkable outcomes. He is the reason for this significant growth.”
A few months later, Elder Cook spoke again of the church’s growth during his October 2025 general conference address, inviting Latter-day Saints worldwide to welcome new members with love.
“As the Lord hastens his work, we should love, nurture and serve those who accept his gospel,” he said. “All members, regardless of baptism date, share a responsibility to welcome others.”
Evidence of the church’s hastening growth was seen with reports of baptisms taking place around the world this year. In Moriba Town, Sierra Leone, for instance, 120 men, women and children were baptized in a joint baptismal service held Aug. 23. And in Papua New Guinea, more than 230 people were baptized in two baptismal services held this June and August.
Salt Lake Temple renovations near completion
In February, President Nelson announced plans for the Salt Lake Temple’s first public open house in 134 years, saying the renovated temple will open for public tours from April to October in 2027.
“We warmly invite our friends to come and learn about God’s plan for His children and rejoice in the love of Jesus Christ,” the late prophet wrote in posts on social media.
The temple’s open house, which will last six months, will make it the longest temple open house in church history and will follow a seven-year renovation project, which began at the cusp of 2020, to retrofit the temple to withstand earthquakes up to magnitude 7.3.
Since the temple’s open house was announced this February, the church has reported:
- Workers finished drilling 46 holes down through the Salt Lake Temple’s stone walls.
- Crews placed the temple’s 185 million pounds on new, seismically upgraded footings and base isolators, which will protect the temple from shaking during an earthquake.
- The "Holiness to the Lord" panel was restored.
- Painting and finish work in the temple’s celestial and sealing rooms has been completed.
- Chandeliers resembling those from the late 1800s have been installed in the temple’s sealing rooms and bride’s suite.
- The exterior stonework of the temple’s two entrance buildings is progressing.
- Parquet flooring was installed in the temple’s assembly room.
- The assembly room’s four spiral staircases have been refurbished.
- Crews dismantled the huge crane that worked six days a week for four years on the temple.
Most recently, the church reported that the First Presidency and Presiding Bishopric of the church toured the pioneer-era building on Friday, Dec. 12. They inspected the structure as it moves closer to the end of a sweeping renovation.
Church lowers missionary age for women
Just over a month after President Oaks became church president, the First Presidency announced the church is lowering the minimum age of missionary service for women from 19 to 18.
“Effective immediately, young women who choose to serve a full-time mission may begin their service at age 18 following graduation from high school or its equivalent,” wrote President Oaks and his counselors on Nov. 21.
The announcement came nearly a month after the church announced the creation of 55 new missions in 2026. Effective July 1 of next year, these 55 new missions will be created by adjusting the boundaries of existing missions and will bring the number of church missions around the world to 506.
Leaders affirm the Family Proclamation in its 30th anniversary year
“The Family: A Proclamation to the World” was introduced in September 1995. Thirty years later, President Oaks and other leaders and officers of the church spoke in various places about the document, reaffirming the doctrines it teaches about the family.
“The Church of Jesus Christ is sometimes known as a family-centered church,” President Oaks said in his October general conference talk.
“It is,” he said, adding that “our relationship to God and the purpose of our mortal life are explained in terms of the family.”
Likewise, Elder Ronald A. Rasband of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles reaffirmed the proclamation’s teachings in his own October 2025 general conference address, as well as at a BYU devotional held Sept. 23 — the exact date of the document’s release 30 years ago.
The proclamation is a “revelatory voice,” the apostle said at BYU. And it “continues to inspire us today, if we are faithful to its words.”
Also at BYU, Sister Amy A. Wright of the Primary general presidency spoke at a conference commemorating the proclamation’s 30th anniversary. There she taught the Family Proclamation is “inseparably connected” to Jesus Christ.
Church changes general conference schedule
In an effort to emphasize the morning and afternoon sessions of the faith’s semiannual general conferences, the First Presidency announced in November that Saturday evening sessions will be discontinued beginning in April 2026.
Also in November, the First Presidency announced its annual Christmas devotional would shift to a prerecorded format for the first time ever. This format is consistent with recent youth and young adult devotionals.
38 songs added to the church’s growing hymnbook
Thirty-eight songs were added to the church’s growing hymnbook in three batches this year.
The first, released in February, included songs such as “This Little Light of Mine” and “Faith in Every Footstep.” The second, released in June, added classics such as “Still, Still, Still” and originals like “I’m a Pioneer Too.” And the third, released in September, added 12 more songs, including one with lyrics penned by President Nelson.
President Nelson’s hymn was first published in a church magazine in 2003. And now the hymn, along with the 37 others added, have brought the collection’s total to 60 songs available in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square streams 5,000th episode of ‘Music & the Spoken Word’
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square celebrated 5,000 episodes of “Music & the Spoken Word” on Sunday, July 13 — a remarkable 96 years after the weekly broadcast first aired in 1929.
More than 11,000 spectators gathered at the Conference Center to watch the milestone broadcast in person. The New York Times, along with a host of other media outlets worldwide, reported on the celebration, noting the impact the program has had as the world’s longest continuously running broadcast.
“What started as a live, local broadcast, captured by the organist’s son standing on a ladder and holding a microphone toward the choir, now airs on more than 2,000 radio and television stations around the world,” reported The New York Times on July 22.
For scale, the Times noted that “Saturday Night Live,” in its 50th year, hadn’t hit 1,000 episodes, and “The Simpsons” had reached just 790 at the time of the milestone broadcast.
Also noteworthy
New Young Men general presidency begins service
- New Young Men general presidency: In August, President Timothy L. Farnes and his counselors, Brother David J. Wunderli and Brother Sean R. Dixon, officially began their service as the new Young Men general presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were sustained as such in April, after President Oaks, then-first counselor in the First Presidency, announced their calls during the April 2025 general conference.
- First temple in Maine: No new temples were announced at this year’s October general conference. But Maine’s first temple was announced during a Portland Maine Stake Christmas fireside held Sunday, Dec. 14. The announcement, made by the First Presidency, was read by Elder Allen D. Haynie, General Authority Seventy and president of the United States Northeast Area. And this announcement marked the first time in church history that a member of an area presidency verbally announced a Latter-day Saint temple.
- ‘The Living Christ’: On his 101st New Year’s Day, President Nelson testified of “The Living Christ,” a 710-word document on Jesus published 25 years ago on Jan. 1, 2000. At the time President Nelson posted about the document’s anniversary, he was one of its four remaining signatories.
- Presidential inauguration: Also in January, Elder Gerrit W. Gong and Elder Gary E. Stevenson attended the second inauguration of President Donald Trump. Their trip to Washington, D.C., continued a 150-year history of senior Latter-day Saint leaders attending the inauguration ceremonies of U.S. presidents of both major political parties.
- Pope Francis and Pope Leo: In April, the First Presidency offered condolences on the passing of Pope Francis, noting his “courageous, compassionate leadership.” Church leaders also offered “heartfelt prayers and greetings” to Pope Leo XIV in May. And the First Presidency sent its “warmest regards” to the pontiff following his Mass of Inauguration on Sunday, May 18.
- The church in South America: Throughout the year, church leaders and members also celebrated 100 years of the preaching of the gospel in South America in various ways, including the Tabernacle Choir’s concert tour in Argentina and the church’s “Luz de las Naciones” showcase in the Conference Center this November.
- Hill Cumorah Historic Site: Following a reforestation and rehabilitation project that began in 2021 at the Hill Cumorah Historic Site in Palmyra, Elder Bednar rededicated the site in September, calling the hill “the cradle of the restoration” of the church.
- Church statement: Also in September, the church issued a statement condemning “violence and lawless behavior,” following the assassination of American political commentator Charlie Kirk.
- Humanitarian aid: In various instances, Latter-day Saints sprung into action to help those in need this year. Two of these instances included providing shelter and helping mobilize resources and volunteers to help victims of the wildfires that ravaged Southern California this January, as well as participating in flood recovery efforts in the wake of Texas’ July 4 floods.