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Torn: Why People We Love Are Leaving the Church and What We Can Learn From Them, featuring a compelling foreword by Steve Young. The book will be available on Amazon in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats. When the official website, tornbyjeffstrong.com, goes live on release day, it will be your main hub to learn more about Jeff, access bonus content, read testimonials from trusted Latter-day Saints, and score special discounts available only during the first 30 days. You can actually head to the site to get a head start by reading the introduction and first two chapters completely free. Be sure to follow @tornbyjeffstrong on Instagram and check out the Facebook page for the latest research insights, endorsements, and updates on the book. The post Torn: Why People We Love Are Leaving the Church and What We Can Learn From Them 1039 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

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Salt Lake Temple Renovation Updates New Temple Visitors Center to Open to the public West Wing: Christus Statue  East Wing: Temple Cutout model with moving walls Basement: Temples around the world and “Inside a Temple” Press Conference with Dieter Uchtorf and Emily Belle Freeman  To Open to Guests on May 18th Now full through July More to open up on June 1st  Inside the temple tour requires a reservation Download the Temple Square app New Art Glass New Statues New Children’s exhibit 7-day a week Open house Official Dates: April 5, 2027 – October 1, 2027 Being called a “celebration” instead of an open house Open house begins Davao Philippines Temple Media day on March 23rd Attended by nearly 100 press members Local Coverage Interior Photos Released “Traditional Filipino piña embroidery — a textile woven from fibers of the pineapple plant and often accompanied by local flora and geometric artisan designs” Through April 10th Bacolod Philippines Temples Media day on April 13th General Authority seventies address media Local Coverage Interior Photos Released “Exterior and interior patterns draw inspiration from Filipino barong shirt designs, with colors from local flora, like the bird of paradise and native lilies.” Through May 2nd Open House and Dedications scheduled Belo Horizonte Brazil Temple Media Day: June 10th  Open House: June 13th to 27th Dedication: August 16th, presided by TBA Miraflores Guatemala City Guatemala Temple Media Day: August 24th Open House: August 27th to September 12th Dedication: October 11th, presided by Gerritt Gong Managua Nicaragua Temple Media Day: September 7th Open House: September 10th to 26th Dedication: October 18th, presided by Ronald Rasband Groundbreaking Huehuetenango Guatemala Temple March 14th, presided by Patricio M. Giuffra Missoula Montana Temple Announced for June 6th, to be presided by José Teixeira Temple Exterior Renderings  Vienna Austria Temple Two-Story building of 15,300 sq ft Rectangular floorplan without a steeple or spire Culiacán Mexico Temple Single-Story building of 10,000 sq ft Square floorplan, spanish colonial style, terracotta cupula Temple Sites Charlotte North Carolina Temple Site RELOCATED to 7.7 acres located at 5926 Mathews-Mint Hill Road, Mint Hill, North Carolina. Previous site in Weddington (25 minutes south) New Temple Leaders Smithfield Utah Temple Michael Lee Staheli and Linda Ann Gardner Staheli Neiafu Tonga Temple Tukia-’I-Vava’U Havea and Linita Fekitoa Havea Construction Updates Cody Wyoming  Man arrested for threatening to kill construction workers  Temple night light neighborhood drama  Coeur d’Alene Idaho Temple Design Review Commission meeting Viña del Mar Chile Temple Viña del Mar Ward commemorates last Sunday’s service in the current meetinghouse. Which is being prepared for demolition to prepare the temple site.   Lubumbashi DRC Temple Christus statue placed outside temple Freetown Sierra Leone Temple Will have a children’s playground equitment  Church Units in 2026 Stakes 22 Opened or formed from Districts 9 Discontinued (all in Utah) Districts  6 Opened 1 discontinued 2025 Statistical Report Highlights Most convert baptisms ever (passing 1990) New Children of Record continues to flat line or decline Teaching missionaries at a high (except for the age drop years) – 78,569 4.9 converts per teaching missionary (highest since 2011 (5.1)) 94 new stakes, 7 discontinued Net increase of 370 congregations  Countries with biggest gains and losses 44 countries with at least a 10% annual growth rate First ever year of membership decline in the United States Net decrease of 186 (rounds to -0.00% rate) This is despite a 17% growth in converts  Membership records don’t take in the full picture The post The Temple Playground Monitor Temple Ticker 1037 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

Emily Susan Pack is a singer-songwriter, comedian, and social media personality known for her humorous and faith-focused music, particularly within the Latter-Day Saint (LDS) community. Based in Mesa, AZ, she creates relatable, often comedic, songs that blend storytelling with heartfelt themes. She has a large following on platforms like Instagram and Facebook.     The post Emily Susan Pack 1036 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

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John C. Giles (born 1960) is an American attorney and Republican politician who served as the 40th Mayor of Mesa, Arizona, from 2014 until 2025. A Mesa native, Giles earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Brigham Young University and his Juris Doctor from Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. In addition to his political career, he is a practicing lawyer at Giles & Dickson and an adjunct law professor. Giles first entered local politics as a member of the Mesa City Council from 1996 to 2000, which included a stint as Vice Mayor. He was elected Mayor in a 2014 special election and served two full terms before reaching his term limit in 2025. During his tenure, Giles focused heavily on community and infrastructure improvements. His key achievements include leading the “Off the Streets” program to combat homelessness, championing the Mesa College Promise to provide free community college to residents, and securing federal grants to expand electric vehicle infrastructure and public transit. Though a member of the Republican Party, Giles gained national attention for his willingness to cross party lines. He endorsed Democrat Mark Kelly for the U.S. Senate in 2022 and served as co-chair of the Arizona chapter of Republicans for Harris during the 2024 presidential election, even speaking at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Outside of politics and law, Giles is a dedicated athlete who has completed multiple Ironman competitions and Boston Marathons. He also hosts It’s Always Cool in Mesa, a podcast highlighting the city’s culture and history. He and his wife, Dawn, have five children and eight grandchildren. The post Former Mesa Mayor John Giles -1032 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

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A Viral LDS Love Story TikTok creator Kami Skolmoski recently captured the internet’s attention with a ten-part video series detailing how she fell in love with, and eventually married, her Mormon mission companion. The article highlights both the romance of her story and the complex realities of being a queer person raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Key Highlights of Kami’s Journey: Meeting on a Mission: Kami and her now-wife, Heysell, met in 2018 during their LDS mission in California, where Kami was actually assigned to be Heysell’s trainer. Personal Struggles: Kami openly shared the hardships of her mission, which included battling an eating disorder, struggling with her mental health, figuring out her sexuality, and eventually being sent home early. From Roommates to Wives: The two later reconnected as roommates at Brigham Young University in 2020. They eventually realized they were in love, proposed to each other in the summer of 2024, and eloped in Cannon Beach, Oregon in early 2025. A Nuanced Relationship with Faith: Despite the LDS church’s anti-LGBTQ+ policies, Kami still considers herself Christian and occasionally attends church. She credits this to a deeply supportive local community that never turned its back on her. Advocacy Over Institution: Kami maintains that she answers to God, not the church. She chooses to stay somewhat connected to her faith roots so she can act as an ally and advocate for other queer members navigating similar paths. Link to Patreon The post From Mission Companion to Life Companion – 1028 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.

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Temple Dedication  Harare Zimbabwe Temple – #214 March 1st, presided by Gerrit Gong Elder Dube left in Salt Lake Former Cultural Hall Guest (780) Sean Connolly profiled by Church News First Temple in Zimbabwe, 9th in Africa – Last Monson Temple! Temple District: 23 stakes, 6 districts in Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia  Dedicatory Prayer Temple Open House Begins Lindon Utah Temple Media day on March 9th. Led by Jorge T Bacerra  Open House through April 11th (except general conference) Interior Photos Released Two baptistries  Linden Tree motifs throughout  Green, white and pink, with complementary blue, yellow and gold Temple Dedications and Open Houses Announced San Diego California Temple Media Day: June 15th Open House: June 18th to July 11th First Time open to the public in 33 years Rededication: August 23, 2026 by TBD Phnom Penh Cambodia Temple Media Day: August 12th Open House: August 15th to 22nd Dedication: August 30, 2026 by Patrick Kearon Healthcare Facilities with church donations open Cleveland Ohio Temple Media Day: June 15th  Open House: June 18th to July 3rd Dedication: August 16, 2026 by David Bednar Cupula at Last! Torreon Mexico as well. Temple Groundgreakings Fairview Texas Temple Stealth groundbreaking on February 21, 2026 Presided by Jonathan S. Schmitt of area presidency not announced due to the “sensitive” nature of the temple. Teresina Brazil Temple To be held on April 18, 2026, presided by Ciro Schmeil Temple Site Announcements Norfolk Virginia Temple 23 acre site at Harbour View Boulevard and Bridge Road in Suffolk, VA Temple Rendering Released Naga Philippines Temple 9.11-acre site located in the Concepcion Grande neighborhood of Naga Temple Rendering Released Santiago Philippines Temple 14.47-acre site located east of Camella Isabella Main Road in the Malvar neighborhood of Santiago Temple Rendering Released Iloilo Philippines Temple 7.7-acre site located along Circumferential Road 1 at its intersection with Green Meadows Avenue in the Tacas neighborhood of the Jaro district of Iloilo City Temple Rendering Released Rapid City South Dakota Temple 4.86-acre site at the northeast corner of Mount Rushmore Road and Moon Meadows Drive in Rapid City, SD Temple Name Announcement Houston Texas South Temple Be known on the records of the church as the Fort Bend Texas Temple Name of the county as well as the address in Missouri City, TX  New Temple Leaders Miraflores Guatemala City Guatemala Temple César Augusto Hernández Galindo and Marie Judith Peñate Escobar  Monte María Ward, Guatemala City Mariscal Stake Managua Nicaragua Temple Johnny Cristobal Andino Delgado and Lucia del Carmen Tiffer Ramírez Rene Polanco Ward, Managua Nicaragua Villa Flor Stake Construction Status Heber Valley Utah Temple Drilling of 20 wells Colorado Springs Colorado Temple City Council approves temple in (8-0) vote, denying a citizen’s appeal The church considered a 2-story temple, but chose a 1-story out of respect to the community. Most comments were in favor, while only a few were opposed Springfield Missouri Temple Preliminary Construction occuring Manhattan New York Temple Catholic media outlet covers story of Italian travertine quarry being used for temple renovation Temple Square  Conference Center Closure beginning March 1st Exception for general conference, TABCATS concerts and Luz de las Naciones “This operational pause is essential to allow project teams to execute a significantly expanded scope of work” Temple Scaffolding continues to come down  Interior photos of Baptistry and chapel area released App to be launched in August or September to reserve open house reservations Free UTA Tickets and an additional parking lot at South Temple & Redwood Road with a Shuttle Service Tour to start at Conference Center followed by a 60-80 minute tour of temple The post Why wasn’t Elder Dube at the Zimbabwe Temple Dedication – Temple Ticker – 1025 appeared first on The Cultural Hall Podcast.