LDS Church
For Latter-day Saints, the retention decline is more than a people problem
Declining member retention rates in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reflect systemic institutional challenges beyond individual faith crises, according to analysis carried by KIFI Local News 8 in Idaho Falls. The piece examines patterns in member disaffiliation and questions whether organizational factors contribute to departures.
September 12, 2026 at 2:03 PM MT · via KIFI Local News 8 · 4 sources
Five Latter-day Saints reflect on Sept. 11 and how it shaped their faith
Five members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints share personal accounts of how the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks influenced their spiritual journeys, according to the Deseret News.
September 11, 2026 at 7:03 PM MT · via Deseret News
President Oaks to speak at Washington National Cathedral Sept. 16
President Dallin H. Oaks will deliver a keynote address on faith, religious liberty and the U.S. Constitution at the Washington National Cathedral on September 16, 2026, according to the Church newsroom. The address comes two days before Constitution Day.
September 11, 2026 at 2:03 PM MT · via Deseret News · 2 sources
First Presidency calls new leaders for 11 missionary training centers
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced new leadership for the Church's 11 missionary training centers worldwide, with service beginning in January 2027.
September 11, 2026 at 12:03 PM MT · via Church Newsroom · 2 sources
BYU study: Latter-day Saints lead nation in religious attendance rates
A new BYU study reports that Latter-day Saints have the highest religious attendance rates in the United States, according to research published by the university's Daily Universe.
September 11, 2026 at 12:02 PM MT · via BYU Daily Universe · 3 sources
When the Faithful Ask AI for Help
Public Square Magazine examines how artificial intelligence is already shaping spiritual identity and argues that faith communities should take a more active role in governing AI's doctrine, limits, and accountability. The piece explores questions about who should control how AI systems answer religious questions and represent faith traditions.
September 10, 2026 at 11:02 AM MT · via Public Square Magazine
BYU adds new requirements for religion classes
Brigham Young University has implemented new requirements for its religion courses that will affect how students fulfill their religious education credits, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. The changes alter both course selection and completion standards for BYU students, who are required to take religion classes each semester as part of the Church-owned university's curriculum.
September 10, 2026 at 7:02 AM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune · 2 sources
Mormon Land podcast: Could Heavenly Mother doctrine attract more converts?
The Salt Lake Tribune's Mormon Land podcast examines whether greater emphasis on the Latter-day Saint belief in a Mother in Heaven could help attract female converts, drawing parallels to Catholicism's focus on Mary. The discussion explores how women's conversion patterns differ across religious traditions and whether LDS teachings about a divine feminine figure remain underutilized in missionary work and member retention.
September 10, 2026 at 7:02 AM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune · 3 sources
Service missionaries instructed to help immigrants but not with legal status
The Church has instructed its service missionaries they can assist immigrants with practical needs but not with immigration legal matters, according to a Mormon Land podcast episode featuring longtime inner-city missionaries Linda and Scott Howell.
September 9, 2026 at 4:02 PM MT · via The Salt Lake Tribune
Researcher: LDS retention decline reflects structural, not just cultural problems
A Billings Gazette analysis examines retention challenges facing The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, arguing the membership decline represents deeper institutional issues beyond individual faith crises. The piece builds on ongoing discussion about why members leave and what the data reveals about organizational patterns.
September 9, 2026 at 8:02 AM MT · via Billings Gazette · 6 sources
Cross-faith AI platform CEO calls for religious governance of spiritual tech
The CEO of what he describes as the largest cross-faith AI spiritual infrastructure platform argues in Meridian Magazine that religious institutions must govern how artificial intelligence handles spiritual questions. The essay, republished from Public Square Magazine, contends that believers are already using AI for deeply personal religious guidance.
September 8, 2026 at 1:02 PM MT · via Meridian Magazine · 3 sources
Church implements Sunday schedule changes with third-hour classes
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began implementing changes to its Sunday worship schedule today, adjusting class meeting times announced earlier this year. The modifications affect the structure of Sunday instruction beyond the traditional two-hour block that previously consisted of Sacrament meeting followed by classes.
September 6, 2026 at 2:03 PM MT · via ABC4 Utah · 6 sources