President Oaks Dedicates Burley Idaho Temple: A Historic First

During the week of Jan. 11 to 17, Church President Dallin H. Oaks dedicated the Burley Idaho Temple, his first since becoming President of the Church. In an interview before the dedication, President Oaks spoke about the responsibility of the prophetic mantle, lowering the mission age for young women and the announcements of future temples. Plus, in honor of National Religious Freedom Day, read some of President Oaks’ thoughts and insights on the significance of religious freedom. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shared his testimony of Joseph Smith and the restoring of Christ’s Church at a devotional at Utah State University, and all women were invited to participate in a worldwide devotional with Elder Quentin L. Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the Relief Society general presidency. In temple news, open house and dedication dates were announced for the Yorba Linda California Temple, in addition to a groundbreaking date for the Huehuetenango Guatemala Temple. Temple sites were announced for temples in Utah and Mozambique, and the scaffolding on the Salt Lake Temple will be removed over the next few months. In an address to lawyers, Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson called for peacemaking, religious freedom and emulating Jesus Christ. Presidents of three Church universities addressed students during the opening devotionals of their respective schools. In this week’s episode of the Church News podcast, Brigham Young University associate professor and author of the Deseret News series “Better With Age” Norman Hill shares insights into aging with faith. Also, the Church News outlined more details about using the Church’s Unit History Tool. Read summaries and find links to these articles below. 1. President Oaks dedicates Burley Idaho Temple On Sunday, Jan. 11, President Oaks dedicated the Burley Idaho Temple, a place of “much significance to him.” This seventh house of the Lord in Idaho is the first dedicated by President Oaks since he became President of the Church in October 2025. In a video interview before the temple dedication, President Oaks shared how his “earliest memories are here in Southern Idaho” and encouraged young people to “be happy.” Read more about the Burley temple dedication here. Watch the interview with President Oaks here. Read the Burley temple dedicatory prayer here. 2. President Oaks says he feels the responsibility of the prophetic mantle, defends religious freedom In an interview before the Burley Idaho Temple dedication, President Oaks said he feels the responsibility of the prophetic mantle, which is “very holy.” He also spoke about lowering the mission age for young women and the announcements of future temples. Additionally, read how President Oaks has defended religious freedom throughout his apostolic ministry in honor of National Religious Freedom Day on Jan. 16. Read more about President Oak’s thoughts on the prophetic mantle here. Read how President Oaks has defended religious freedom here. 3. The ‘supernal series of miraculous experiences’ Elder Bednar shared at Utah State University devotional In a devotional at Utah State University in Logan, Utah, Elder Bednar taught how four related events helped the Restoration move forward from 1820-1830. He also shared how his testimony of Joseph Smith and the Restoration have grown over time. Read more about Elder Bednar’s devotional here. Watch a video of about the devotional and Elder Bednar’s testimony here. 4. Worldwide Relief Society devotional to be held in March All women — and young women turning 18 in 2026 — are invited to participate in a worldwide devotional and testimony meeting on or near March 17 to celebrate the founding and purpose of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elder Cook, President Johnson and her counselors, Sister J. Anette Dennis and Sister Kristin M. Yee, will share messages during a recorded broadcast. Learn more about the worldwide devotional and testimony meeting here. The Yorba Linda California Temple will be dedicated in June following an open house held April 30 to May 23. Additionally, a Saturday, March 14, groundbreaking date has been announced for the Huehuetenango Guatemala Temple. Temple sites were announced for the Spanish Fork Utah and Beira Mozambique Temples. Plus, scaffolding on the Salt Lake Temple will be removed in the coming months, and a new statue commemorating the sealing power now stands on Temple Square. Read more about the coming Yorba Linda temple dedication here. See the future sites of the Spanish Fork and Beira temples here. 6. President Johnson speaks at J. Reuben Clark Law Society Annual Fireside “Let us be the legal professionals who are distinct and different,” said President Johnson, a former lawyer, during the J. Reuben Clark Law Society Annual Fireside on Friday, Jan. 16, at the Church Office Building in Salt Lake City. Her keynote address explored the intersection of law, peacemaking, religious freedom and women’s vital societal roles. Read about President Johnson’s address here. 7. Presidents of Church universities kick off semesters with opening devotionals Brigham Young University President C. Shane Reese paid tribute to President Oaks and the late President Jeffrey R. Holland in BYU’s first campus devotional of the semester. Echoing the prophet’s and late apostle’s words, President Reese encouraged students to believe in themselves. At BYU–Idaho’s opening devotional, university President Alvin F. Meredith III urged students to be good Samaritans by rooting out prejudice and performing small acts of kindness. President R. Kelly Haws invited students to “allow the Lord to nudge you” during his first address as the new acting president of BYU–Hawaii. Read more about the BYU devotional here. Read more about the BYU–Idaho devotional here. Read more about the BYU–Hawaii devotional here. 8. Church News Podcast Episode 276: BYU associate professor Norman Hill on aging better with faith This week’s Church News podcast episode features Norman Hill, BYU associate professor and author of the Deseret News series “Better With Age,” as he discusses insights into aging with faith and learning “to choose the things of greatest eternal import.” Listen to the podcast here. 9. How the Unit History Tool enables Latter-day Saints to easily capture and preserve stories of faith Since the launch of the Unit History Tool in 2024, more than 260,000 stories of faith and history have been published and recorded. In 2025, approximately 150,000 stories — an average of 12,000 per month — were published using the Unit History Tool, written by more than 77,000 unique contributors. “Our vision is that one day we will be able to share our stories around the globe so our children and grandchildren will be fortified and strengthened,” said Elder Kyle S. McKay, a General Authority Seventy who serves as Church historian and recorder,