A Year of Change

President Russell M. Nelson

Today marks one full year since President Russell M. Nelson was ordained President and Prophet of the Church. Yesterday, Pat and I were asked to speak in the Anaheim 4th Ward. Thinking about President Nelson, I chose to summarize a list of 15 changes in the Church that have occurred over the past year under his leadership, with full support of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve.  Individually, these changes may not seem very significant, but taken together they are strong evidence that the heavens are open and the Church is guided by continuous revelation.

I began by quoting the 9th Article of Faith:  "We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God."

Here are 15 changes that have been announced since President Nelson became the Prophet:
*  In each ward, the high priests and elders have been combined into one elders quorum.
*  Home teaching and visiting teaching have been discontinued, replaced by a new approach to caring for others called "ministering."
*  Beginning December 31,2019, the Church will conclude its relationship with the Boy Scouts of America.
*  Plans to publish new editions of the "Hymns" and "Children's Songbook" were announced.
*  The Church prepared new guidelines for bishop interviews with the youth.
*  President Nelson requested that the Church be called by its full name, "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints."       
*  The name of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir was changed to "The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square."
*  Future missionaries will no longer receive their calls through "snail mail," but will be able to view their call through a secured website and are notified by text or email when assignments are made.
*  A new "home-centered and church-supported" curriculum and Sunday schedule was announced. Sunday meetings now consist of a 60-minute sacrament meeting, followed by a 50-minute class that will alternate each week. With a shortened Sunday schedule, families and individuals are encouraged to study a new "Come Follow Me" curriculum in their homes to deepen their conversion to gospel principles.
*  19 new temples were announced by President Nelson, bringing the total to 201 temples worldwide -- 161 currently operating, 10 under construction, and 30 announced to be built.
*  Major Church pageants were discontinued, with only three remaining -- the Nauvoo Pageant, the Mesa Pageant, and the British Pageant.
*  Young men will be eligible to be ordained to a priesthood office in January of the year they turn 12, 14, and 16, and youth will be eligible to obtain limited-use temple recommends beginning in January of the year they turn 12, based on "individual worthiness, readiness, and personal circumstances."   Children will complete Primary and begin attending Sunday School and Young Men and Young Women as age groups, not as individuals following their 12th birthdays.
*  Sister missionaries can now wear dress pants, according to updated missionary standards.
*  Four new missions were announced, with 12 existing mission boundaries dissolved into neighboring missions.  (The Anaheim Mission will nearly double in size, effective July 1, 2019.)
*  A statement on temple changes was released by the First Presidency on January 2, 2019:  "Over these many centuries, details associated with temple work have been adjusted periodically, including language, methods of construction, communication, and record-keeping. Prophets have taught that there will be no end to such adjustments as directed by the Lord to His servants."

In my talk, I suggested that if we can't accept change, we might just as well be living under the rules of Old Testament prophets, including the Law of Moses. While the Doctrine of Christ has not changed (see the 4th Article of Faith and 2 Nephi 31), many of the policies, practices, programs, and procedures of the Church may be altered to meet new conditions of a changing world.

It's a great day to be a "Mormon!" Or, I should say, it's a great day to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I am very thankful to belong to a church that is led by prophets and apostles.

--Don