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🗞️ This Morning in the Church
Modesto public temple tours open today. After media and invited guests toured earlier this week, the Modesto California Temple welcomes the public starting today through Oct. 31 (closed Sundays). Tours at 4310 Dale Road need no reservation—weekdays 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m.–8 p.m. Elder Mark D. Eddy of the Seventy told journalists that God wants all of His children to return to Him, “and that is why we build temples.” Elder Quentin L. Cook will dedicate it on Sunday, Nov. 22 (Newsroom, open house details).
Young adults in Brazil premiere episode 2 of “Dedicate.” In São Paulo on Oct. 10, young adults watched the second episode of the Church’s Salt Lake Temple series and heard from participants Bella Machado Guimarães and Lehi Balboa León. Bella said temple time “had a great meaning for me because I discovered this is the place where you yourself will develop a relationship with Heavenly Father.” León testified, “Temples are His home. If we go to His house, we will get to know Him.” Episode 3 drops this Sunday, Oct. 18, at 8 a.m. MDT (Newsroom).
Groundbreakings set for temples in Nigeria and Chile. The First Presidency announced groundbreaking dates for the Eket Nigeria Temple (Nov. 28) and the Calabar Nigeria and Viña del Mar Chile Temples (both Dec. 5), plus new renderings for the Goiânia and Campo Grande Brazil Temples. Nigeria has more than 274,000 members; Chile more than 624,000. Aba remains Nigeria’s only dedicated temple for now (Newsroom).
“Dedicate” invites the world to the Salt Lake Temple. The six-part series follows seven young adults from Brazil, France, Ghana, Japan, Mexico, the Philippines, and the United States as they explore the Salt Lake Temple renovation, meet Church leaders, and wrestle with questions of faith. At the episode 1 premiere on Temple Square, President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said the coming rededication “will be something which will affect the whole world.” Elder Gary E. Stevenson framed the show as one way “all nations shall flow unto” the house of the Lord for those who cannot attend in person when the public celebration opens April 5–Oct. 1, 2027. Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman called it the start of “one of the grandest celebrations that we will experience in our lifetime.” Episodes continue weekly through Nov. 1, with a final episode in spring 2027, in English and ten other languages (Newsroom, France screening).
“The work of temples is centered on our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. All that is learned and done here relates to Him.”
— President Dallin H. Oaks, dedicating the Burley Idaho Temple, Jan. 11, 2026 (Newsroom)
Oct. 16, 1875: Brigham Young signed the deed of trust establishing Brigham Young Academy in Provo—the school that became Brigham Young University. Church News notes the academy’s founding date each year on its “birthday,” and BYU’s own timeline marks Oct. 16, 1875, as the day Young established the academy (Church News, BYU 150 timeline, RSC).
📖 Doctrine Deep-Dive: Houses of the Lord and hearts that open
Today’s headlines—Modesto’s open house, “Dedicate” on screens from São Paulo to Paris, and groundbreakings continents away—are one story: the Lord inviting His children into His house. Isaiah foresaw that “all nations shall flow unto” the mountain of the Lord’s house (Isaiah 2:2). In the Dedicate premiere coverage, Elder Stevenson applied that prophecy to a global celebration around the Salt Lake Temple. Temples are not tourist stops; they are where we covenant with Christ. President Oaks taught at Burley that everything learned and done in the temple “relates to Him,” and that temple covenants keep us on the covenant path when the world grows perilous (Newsroom). Whether you walk through Modesto this month or watch “Dedicate” with friends, the invitation is the same: open your heart, then go to His house.
Reflect: Who could you invite to a temple open house, a Dedicate episode, or a quiet conversation about why the house of the Lord matters to you?
🏛️ Temple of the Day: Idaho Falls Idaho Temple
Idaho Falls was dedicated in 1945 and remains a landmark on the Snake River—one of the dedicated temples Montpelier will join this Sunday as Idaho’s eighth. Photos are on the Church’s official temple page.
Was there a Great Apostasy? Catholic apologist Joe Heschmeyer and Latter-day Saint creator Jacob Hansen (Thoughtful Faith) debate whether Christ’s church fell into a general apostasy after the apostles and what that means for authority, scripture, and restoration claims. Hansen argues from early Christian history and the need for living apostles; Heschmeyer defends apostolic succession and continuity in the Catholic Church.
▶️ The Great Apostasy Debate | Joe Heschmeyer vs Jacob Hansen, from Thoughtful Faith (full debate). Watch charitably. Both speakers are defending what they sincerely believe about Christ’s church.
❓ Daily Trivia
Yesterday's answer:Nampa is NOT a dedicated temple in Idaho. Twin Falls, Burley, and Idaho Falls are. (The Caldwell Idaho Temple, announced in 2025 near Nampa, is not yet built.) (Newsroom)
Today’s question: Heber J. Grant, the first Utah-born apostle, was ordained to the Quorum of the Twelve on this day in 1882. About how old was he?
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