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Conference quiz
So you religiously, dutifully, studiously followed all five sessions of the recently completed General Conference, right?
Well, let’s see how you do, then, on this pop quiz. (The answers are found at the end of this newsletter.)
1. Dallin Oaks is not — yet — the church president. Still, he presides as a president. What is he currently the president of?
2. How many apostles are presently in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles?
3. This period between the death of a church president and the appointment of a new one, along with his First Presidency, has been given a name. What is it?
(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) Members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles during a session of General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025.
4. Which apostle directly indicated, by name, that Oaks would become the church’s 18th prophet-president?
5. Who is next in line, after Oaks, to become the faith’s president?
6. How many converts have joined the church in the past 36 months?
7. How many women gave sermons at this General Conference?
8. How many new temples were announced at this General Conference?
9. Who said the following?
“What I really needed during that time was to feel genuine love, understanding and support from those around me, not judgment.”
10. Who said this?
“This is the church of new beginnings.”
Conference catch-up
(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Congregants sing the hymn "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet" during a session of General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025.
• News and highlights.
• Full summary of Sunday’s sessions.
• Full summary of Saturday’s sessions.
• Tribune columnist Gordon Monson’s favorite talks.
The latest ‘Mormon Land’ podcast: Conference recap
In a very real sense, the big news at the recent General Conference was what didn’t happen. No new church president. No additional temples. (Want to change your quiz answer?) No new apostle. But plenty was spoken. We’ll recap the action and inaction.
Listen to the podcast.
From The Tribune
(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) Members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles form a line as the casket for Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Russell M. Nelson is brought into the Conference Center in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025.
• The funeral for Russell Nelson peeks behind the curtain of his presidency.
• Thousands attend Nelson’s public viewing.
• A new study shows Latter-day Saints are increasingly abandoning orthodox views.
• Mustaches may rule at BYU, but will the school’s beard ban ever be dethroned?
(Illustration by Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune)
• How Brigham Young and a tribal chief strived for peace in a time of war.
• Three chefs share recipes for what they would bring to a church potluck.
• Religion News Service columnist Jana Riess is proud of how her fellow Latter-days Saints responded to the Michigan attack.
• Some members, though, want the church to change its policy so they can bring guns to Sunday services.
• The family proclamation should be seen as commentary, argues Latter-day Saint scholar Taylor Petrey.
• The faith’s rising generations will be sailing into uncharted waters, writes Tribune guest columnist Natalie Brown.
Quiz answers
(Chris Samuels | The Salt Lake Tribune) Dallin H. Oaks, left, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and apostle Jeffrey R. Holland converse during a session of General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025.
1. The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Oaks, in fact, was president of the quorum even while serving as Nelson’s top counselor in the First Presidency. Jeffrey Holland was officially the acting president of the quorum.
2. 14 — despite the misnomer in the title.
3. Apostolic interregnum. True, it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.
4. Quentin Cook. “Living prophets provide the guidance we specifically need for our day,” he said. “President Dallin H. Oaks will continue that spiritually powerful legacy.”
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) Apostle Quentin L. Cook speaks during the afternoon session of General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.
5. Jeffrey Holland, followed by Henry Eyring and Dieter Uchtdorf.
6. Nearly 900,000, according to Cook.
7. Three — Primacy counselor Tracy Browning, Relief Society counselor J. Anette Dennis and Young Women counselor Andrea Spannaus. Two offered prayers. By contrast, 30 men spoke.
8. Zero. Nada. Zich.
Said Oaks: “With the large number of temples now in the very earliest phases of planning and construction, it is appropriate that we slow down the announcement of new temples. Therefore, with the approval of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, we will not announce any new temples at this conference. We will now move forward in providing the ordinances of the temple to members of the church throughout the world, including when and where to announce the construction of new temples.”
9. J. Anette Dennis.
(The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) J. Anette Dennis, first counselor in the general Relief Society presidency, speaks during the evening session of General Conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.
10. Apostle Patrick Kearon.
Your prize for notching a perfect score: 5% tithing for the rest of the year, early access to sleeveless garments or the church calling of your choice.