* The government shut down shortly after midnight on Oct. 1. The House passed a spending resolution that would extend fiscal year 2025 levels until Nov. 21, but the bill has been stalled in the Senate due to Democratic opposition. * Democrats are angry with their Republican colleagues over what they consider a refusal to negotiate on health care policy — something GOP leaders say must wait until later in the year. President Donald Trump has signaled a willingness to talk. * The White House has warned about mass layoffs this week if a spending deal is not reached. Democrats have so far called their bluff, claiming it’s merely an intimidation tactic. **Viewing from the app?** Click here to access live updates.

Political commentator Ben Shapiro, a vocal critic of Hollywood, could be attending the Golden Globes, the very same awards program he ridiculed last year. “They literally created an award just for ‘Barbie’ because it wasn’t going to win any of the artistic awards,” he said. “Those all went to ‘Oppenheimer.’” He was referring to the “Barbenheimer” craze that began in 2023 when the internet found itself preoccupied with the two very contrasting major studio films. But Shapiro may find the red carpet rolled out for him this time around. The Golden Globes recently announced 25 podcasts, including “The Ben Shapiro Show,” were eligible for a brand new category: Best Podcast. The list includes a mixed bag of true crime, entertainment and sports. Among the selections for political commentary and news shows, conservative podcasts outnumber liberal-leaning ones. Aside from Shapiro, the shows of Shawn Ryan, a former Navy SEAL and CIA contractor, Megyn Kelly, Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson and Joe Rogan, were also on the list. Comedian and podcast host Theo Von’s political views are a little harder to pin down but are considered “MAGA friendly.” Many liberal leaning legacy news companies also made the list, including NPR’s “Up First,” The New York Times’ “The Daily” and ABC News’ “20/20.” “Pod Save America,” hosted by former Barack Obama aides Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer and Tommy Vietor, is also eligible. This uneven political representation in the podcasting space has been well documented A report from left-leaning Media Matters from earlier this year found right-leaning shows dominate the online media landscape in general, with 480.6 million followers compared to 104 million for left-leaning shows. The study further states that right-leaning shows often present as nonpolitical, landing in categories like comedy and entertainment, which helps them attract wider audiences while sprinkling in political content. The true crime category included CBS News’ “48 Hours,” “Crime Junkie,” NBC’s “Dateline,” “Morbid,” “MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories” and “Rotten Mango.” Actors like Dax Shepard (“Armchair Expert”), Amy Poehler (“Good Hang”), Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett (Smartless) dominate the entertainment category. “Pardon My Take” and “The Bill Simmons Podcast” are the two sports entries. The Golden Globes will announce winners in January 2026.

_**Editor’s note:**__This story was first published on May 8, 2025. It has been updated ahead of his upcoming concerts at the Delta Center on Oct. 8, 9 and 11._ Benson Boone has been busy. This year alone, his career highlights have included receiving a Grammy nomination for best new artist, making a dynamic debut at Coachella, releasing his second album, appearing as a guest artist on “Saturday Night Live” for the first time and going on a massive North American tour. The singer, whose 2024 monster hit “Beautiful Things” has been streamed more than 2 billion times on Spotify, is clearly maintaining his momentum — and fans are matching the energy. Due to high demand, Boone is closing out the North American leg of his tour by performing at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City three nights in a row — the only city where he’s playing three times. And all three shows — Oct. 8, 9 and 11 — are sold out. He dropped out of ‘American Idol’ 3 years ago. Now, he’s up for a Grammy Benson Boone dropped major surprises during his Coachella debut. Did the crowd appreciate his biggest one? The extra love the singer is showing Salt Lake City is fitting, as Utah has played a meaningful part in his rapid rise to fame. > View this post on Instagram > > A post shared by Delta Center (@deltacenter) ### Benson Boone’s filmed-in-Utah music videos The song that started it all for Boone is inseparable from Utah. The music video for “Beautiful Things‚” which has over 800 million views on YouTube, was filmed in St. George, Utah, as the Deseret News previously reported. The red rock bluffs of southern Utah are on full display as Boone walks around and sings about his fear of losing the beautiful things that he’s got. Boone also filmed the music video for the song “Mr. Electric Blue,” from his second album, in Utah, as the Deseret News reported. The music video for the song — which the singer has said was inspired by his father — highlights just about every insult and criticism that has been hurled Boone’s way in his short career and transforms them all into a hilarious storyline. Benson Boone has an ice cream truck in Utah — and his own Crumbl cookie “Is everything all right?” Boone says to his agent as he steps into Industry Plant Records wearing a T-shirt that says “One hit wonder.” “Have you not been on the internet?” the agent responds. “Everything’s terrible, Benson! We put all of our money in Moonbeam ice cream and a backflip, and it’s gone absolutely horrible. We need something new, we need a new gimmick. Maybe good songwriting?” “You know I can’t do that,” a deflated Boone says. Boone’s agent then reveals that the singer owes the label $10 million — which he must come up with in a week. Throughout the video, the singer takes on a series of odd jobs to try to come up with the money, including driving an ice cream truck that he rented from the Utah-based ice cream shop The Penguin Brothers, the Deseret News previously reported. ### Does Benson Boone live in Utah? Although he grew up in Washington state, a recent profile in Rolling Stone magazine notes that Boone now lives about 30 minutes south of Salt Lake City, in “a sharp-angled, industrial-gray luxury fortress with towering windows atop a cliff” that overlooks Utah Lake. The singer’s family also reportedly lives in the St. George area, according to KSL. ### Benson Boone concerts in Utah Last year, when Boone launched a world tour in support of his debut album, “Fireworks & Rollerblades,” he experienced his first-ever arena show at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah. “Probably the most emotional day of my life. I’m still wondering if this show even happened. Our first arena,” Boone shared on Instagram following that show. “Thank you for crying with me, singing with me, laughing with me, feeling with me. I promise you this is just the start of it, and I ain’t slowin down till these tires are burned into the street.” The Grammy-nominated artist has attended a few Utah Jazz games, rubbing shoulders with the Jazz Bear at the Delta Center. Now, this fall, he will conclude his North American “American Heart” tour at that same venue. It will be his first time performing at the Delta Center — and all three shows are sold out. Benson Boone’s Grammy debut brought a dramatic outfit change, flips and high notes — and mixed reactions This tour has supported his sophomore album, “American Heart,” which he released this past summer. “A lot of it is very Bruce Springsteen, Americana, like a little more of a retro vibe,” Boone previously told Rolling Stone. “It all started with me believing in the song ‘Beautiful Things.’ Now, I have a whole album just about ready to go — and I’ve never believed so much in a body of work. “I think I’m getting to the point where I just want people to know that there’s more than just that song,” the singer continued. “I think I’m a little past that point. But of course I still love the song. I’m still proud of it. And I’ll be performing it for a while, so I hope that feeling sticks around.” > View this post on Instagram > > A post shared by Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) ### Benson Boone’s rise to fame Boone’s rise to fame has been rapid — it was only around five years ago that he even discovered he could sing, as the Deseret News previously reported. While in high school in Monroe, Washington, Boone’s friend asked him to play piano in their school’s battle of the bands. The teenager had grown up playing a little and loved listening to a wide range of artists — including Elvis, Aretha Franklin, Billy Joel and Adele — but he didn’t really understand the scope of his musical abilities until he wound up filling in as the singer at the last minute after the original singer quit. “We didn’t have a singer and my friend said I should sing and I was like, ‘Dude, I never sang before,’” Boone previously told the Everett Herald. He pushed through his hesitation and decided to take the stage to sing — much to his parents’ surprise. “My husband and I hadn’t heard him sing ever really,” Boone’s mother told the Everett Herald. “He told us he was going to do it and we were like, ‘Oh, OK, alright, this should be interesting.’ “When we went, our jaws dropped.” Up until that point, Boone, who was a competitive diver and big on the outdoors, figured his life would go in that direction. “I went out on stage and I started singing, and my voice kind of just came out of me. It’s just like I unlocked something I didn’t know I had,” he told MTV. “And I stopped, like, halfway through the first verse and just looked around, and I was so shocked that I had just sang. ... It was, like, the best feeling of my life.” Not much later, in 2021, an 18-year-old Boone decided to try his luck on “American Idol.” But the teen — who “Idol” judge Katy Perry declared a potential winner — ended up forgoing the competition and also dropped out after a semester at BYU-Idaho to pursue music on his own terms. With some videos on TikTok, Boone caught the attention of Imagine Dragons frontman Dan Reynolds, who provided some mentorship and signed the young singer to his label, Night Street Records. Boone’s fame has since skyrocketed, with energetic performances at the Grammys (not to mention a Grammy nomination for best new artist) and Coachella, two albums and a massive tour. “Five years ago, I did not even know I could sing. My plan was to play a professional sport, or be an architect, or interior designer,” he told the pop culture site Notion in 2022. “So, if my younger self could see me now, they wouldn’t believe it. I would be so confused.”

Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital has for the second consecutive year been ranked on all 11 pediatric measures evaluated for the Best Children’s Hospitals in America report by U.S. News & World Report released Tuesday. And, for the first time, the pediatric hospital is ranked in the Top 25 in the U.S. in six specialties. “This is a remarkable recognition for our passionate caregivers, and a testament to the teamwork and collaboration that they demonstrate daily to ensure that our patients receive the very best care anywhere in the nation. I’m so proud of our team and grateful for their relentless pursuit of excellence for the young patients we serve,” Dustin Lipson, president of Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, Salt Lake Campus, and regional president of children’s health for Intermountain Health, said in a news release. The rankings are based on clinical data that includes patient outcomes, safety, reputation and use of technology. The specialties evaluated include behavioral health, cancer, cardiology and heart surgery, diabetes and endocrinology, gastroenterology and GI surgery, neonatology, nephrology, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopedics, pulmonology and lung surgery, as well as urology. According to the rankings, Intermountain Primary Children’s made the top 25 in these six specialties: • Cardiology and heart surgery: 12th • Neurology and neurosurgery: 16th • Nephrology: 18th • Gastroenterology and GI surgery: 20th • Orthopedics: 22nd • Urology: 22nd Utah's first paired liver transplant in children saved 2 The hospital made the top 50 in these pediatric specialties: • Behavioral Health: Top 50 • Cancer: 37th • Diabetes and endocrinology: 37th • Neonatology: 39th • Pulmonology and lung surgery: 42nd “We’re committed to continually improving clinical care and helping our patients thrive, and as a result, are recruiting some of the nation’s best physicians to our teams here at University of Utah Health and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital,” Angelo P. Giardino, chair of the University of Utah School of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics and chief medical officer at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, said in the new release. “This independent national recognition by U.S. News & World Report underscores our commitment to innovative, high-quality, and compassionate care for children.” “Earning a top ranking from U.S. News is a recognition that reflects far more than numbers,” added Tyler Leishman, associate vice president for children’s health — pediatric service lines for Intermountain Health. “It represents the collective dedication, innovation and compassion of all our caregivers in helping our patients and families thrive. Our focus on quality and improved clinical outcomes created measurable improvements, driving improved rankings in 7 of 11 specialties.”

WASHINGTON — A handful of Democrats are already considering a run for Congress under the new congressional map being advanced in Utah, setting the stage for what could be a crowded primary in one of the most competitive races the Beehive State has seen in years. The Utah Legislature approved a new version of its congressional map on Monday, which would solidify two of the seats — District 1 and District 4, which encompass northern Utah and southwestern Utah, respectively — as solidly Republican while making Districts 2 and 3 much more competitive. Democrats say new Utah map is ‘real pickup opportunity’ While several Democrats are waiting to see if those maps will be approved before the November midterm elections, many told the Deseret News they’d likely throw their hat in the ring once the 2026 campaign cycle begins in earnest. ### Former Rep. Ben McAdams Among those is former Rep. Ben McAdams, who previously represented Utah’s 4th Congressional District for one term before being ousted by Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, who currently holds the seat. Sources familiar with McAdams’ thinking told the Deseret News he is preparing to run for his old seat if the map is finalized, but the former congressman has declined to weigh in on the matter. McAdams would benefit from name recognition among voters, particularly in the Salt Lake area, as well as his impressive fundraising numbers. McAdams raised $5.6 million during his 2020 reelection bid. ### State Sen. Nate Blouin There are several state-level Democrats also eyeing a bid. Among them is state Sen. Nate Blouin, whose district encompasses portions of Salt Lake County. Blouin told the Deseret News he’s “not made it a secret” that he’d be interested in a potential bid, particularly in a district that is considered more left-leaning. “I’d love to put my name in for it,” Blouin said in an interview with the Deseret News. “And I think my record will be well-suited for one of those sorts of seats.” But Blouin, who engaged in debates on proposed maps and voted against the current iteration being advanced, contended the final makeup of the state’s congressional districts could look different than the so-called “Option C” that was approved by the Legislature this week. If a seat is more light red, Blouin noted voters in that district might prefer a more moderate Democrat such as McAdams. “I think we deserve some representation that matches the sorts of districts that we get, and, you know, those look very different depending on whether it’s a slightly right-leaning seat or, you know, potentially a further left-leaning seat,” Blouin said. “I think that’s the message is like, look, hopefully we get something that is more representative of the state than we have now, and if the legal process ends up in a place that that puts a more blue seat on the map then, I’m interested in that, and I’m sure there’s a number of other folks who would be as well.” ### State Sen. Kathleen Riebe And you don’t have to look far to find those “other folks.” One of Blouin’s colleagues in the state Senate has already made her intention clear that she would be interested in running if the maps are solidified with a competitive seat. State Sen. Kathleen Riebe, who also represents parts of Salt Lake County, told the Deseret News she is weighing a bid — noting that while she does not support the map being put forward, she considers it “winnable to an extent.” And the state senator hopes that sentiment is shared by other Democrats in the state and results in a crowded race. “It’s exciting when you do get to have a choice as a Democrat when you have two people working really hard to win your vote and to get to know you,” Riebe said. “When you do have more people running, you can really hold people accountable, and it causes them to remember that it’s not a given, and it’s not a walk in the park.” Riebe previously ran in the special election to replace former Rep. Chris Stewart in Utah’s 2nd District, but lost to Rep. Celeste Maloy who now holds that seat. A 2026 run could place Riebe in a more competitive district — which the state senator argues are no longer guaranteed for Republicans. “I think that these seats are not a given anymore,” Riebe said. ### Former congressional candidate Kael Weston Another candidate considering a run is Kael Weston, an author and former State Department officer who previously ran for the House in 2020 against Stewart as well as the Senate Democratic primary in 2022 against incumbent Sen. Mike Lee. Weston told the Deseret News he is considering another run, pointing to his previous experience serving seven years in Iraq and Afghanistan while with the State Department. 6 Democratic candidates to watch if Utah redraws its congressional maps “These are very serious times for our state and nation and I believe Utah voters deserve serious congressional candidates with deep professional experience, which I have,” he said. “I also believe Democrats want strong leaders right now, locally and nationally. Not wishy-washy and weak.” Weston lost to Stewart in 2020 by roughly 22 percentage points, although the Democrat was able to garner nearly 37% of the electorate in the deep-red seat. He was removed from the ballot in the 2022 Senate race after the Utah Democratic Party opted to endorse independent candidate Evan McMullin instead of nominating a party candidate. Weston echoed sentiments that several Democrats will choose to run if there is a competitive district and can “make the case to voters” that the party can lead. ### Other names to watch There are several other prominent Democrats in Utah whose names are being floated as potential candidates, although they have not made any public comment. Among those are Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall; Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson; Utah Democratic Party Chairman Brian King; Caroline Gleich, who ran against Sen. John Curtis in 2024; and state Rep. Luz Escamilla, who previously ran for Utah’s 2nd Congressional District in 2013 and for mayor of Salt Lake City in 2019.

One of many Latter-day Saint families who benefited from President Russell M. Nelson’s teachings given during his seven-and-a-half year tenure as president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the McGuire family attended the late church president’s funeral service on Tuesday, Oct. 7, and reflected on how his life and service impacted their family. President Nelson’s teachings “lit a fire in them,” said Jenny McGuire, speaking of her children. McGuire explained that even when her children were too young to be a part of the church’s Young Men and Young Women organizations, she and her family decided to tune in and watch President Nelson’s devotional for the youth, which was broadcast worldwide roughly five months after he became prophet. Watching that devotional “changed everything,” McGuire continued. And her children agreed, sharing how his love and teachings encouraged them to serve and follow the Lord. “I always felt like (President Nelson) understood youth,” said Rachel, one of McGuire’s teenage daughters. His love encouraged “us to do the Lord’s work, and that was really special.” McGuire’s son, Brandon, added how much he appreciated President Nelson’s teachings on temples and covenants as a youth, and especially now as he’s been preparing to enter a Latter-day Saint temple to make sacred promises in just three days. “I’m about to enter the temple and receive my endowment on Friday,” he said, “so, as I’ve been preparing for that, reading his talks has been meaningful to me.” Likewise, several among the thousands of Latter-day Saints who attended President Nelson’s funeral service on Oct. 7 shared their memories of President Nelson, what they learned from him and what they felt as they participated in his funeral service. Funeral speakers say President Russell M. Nelson fulfilled his promise to serve God to his last breath “This has been a special moment for me,” said Elder Thierry K. Mutombo, a General Authority Seventy and president of the church’s Africa Central Area presidency. “Of course, (President Nelson’s) passing was like a shock,” he said, “but he lived for 101 years so we have to celebrate and remember all the teachings.” Elder Mutombo added that, of all of President Nelson’s teachings, his invitation for all to “walk as disciples of Jesus Christ” is one that repeatedly went through his mind during the late church president’s funeral service. This and all other teachings and invitations from President Nelson, he said, “help us be better and help others be better as we prepare for the second coming of Jesus Christ. “His teachings will always be remembered.” A Latter-day Saint from Monterrey, Mexico, Daniel Torres told the Deseret News that being present for President Nelson’s funeral service was “something very moving.” He said he and his family had traveled from Mexico to Utah to attend the church’s semiannual general conference in person for the very first time. When they learned President Nelson’s funeral service would follow two days later, they “searched and searched” for tickets until they received the “blessing to be able to attend.” President Nelson “was someone special to me because I had the opportunity to meet him during my mission,” Torres said. “Having the honor to meet him face to face and then attend his funeral service was something special. “It caused me to remember all of the big things he did for us under the direction of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” Having accompanied the Torres family to the funeral service with her own parents and family, 14-year-old Kimi Mendoza Angeles shared that she enjoyed listening to the service’s speakers, as they helped her find hope amid the sorrow she felt for President Nelson’s death. “At first, I was very sad because, well, (President Nelson) was a prophet whom I loved very much,” she said. “But then I realized that even though he has died, many remember him for his joy.” Similarly reflecting on President Nelson’s joy and the joy of the gospel, Latter-day Saint Andronica Lebethoa from South Africa said attending President Nelson’s funeral service was a “very spiritual experience.” “I loved how even in a time of funerals instead of crying we still testify of Jesus Christ and his attributes,” she said. In this way, “we continue to teach and live the gospel at all times.” Gueen Frenzel, a Latter-day Saint from the Philippines and long-time Utah resident, also attended President Nelson’s funeral service, along with her sister. “It was a privilege to be able to have been there,” she said, commenting on the speakers and music selected. “We loved President Nelson, … and I loved that he served God, that he served the family, (and that) he served us.” Frenzel then commented on the church’s growth in the Philippines, and President Nelson’s contributions to it. She noted with tears and excitement the many temples — at least 10 — that President Nelson announced for the Philippine islands during his time as church president. How President Nelson brought temples ‘closer’ to Latter-day Saints Reflecting on their impressions as they made their way back home from President Nelson’s funeral service, Latter-day Saints Sharon and Larry Auger told the Deseret News they enjoyed getting to see a more “personal” side of President Nelson, as well as recognizing the legacy he left behind. “I knew he was a wonderful father,” said Sharon Auger. “But to hear (the speakers) talk about him and the impact he had, and the joy that he shared, even within his family, makes you want to be that kind of person too, to share joy wherever you go.” Larry Auger shared that his first recollection of a Latter-day Saint prophet goes back to President David O. McKay, who served as church president from 1951 to 1970. “I’ve seen several prophets as they have come and gone,” he said, “and I think the advancements and the general knowledge and information of the gospel as it’s been spread throughout the world, has been one of the greatest times and advancements under President Nelson. It was ”wonderful to see that happen and live during this time period when he was the prophet of the church.”

_This article was first published in the_ _State of Faith newsletter_ _. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox each Monday night._ On a rainy evening two weeks ago, a classroom full of college students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology spent their evening contemplating the value of monogamy: Should it be a social ideal? How many partners contribute to the well-being of individuals and children? How much should we give in to our natural impulses? These questions were at the heart of a discussion between Brad Wilcox, author of “Get Married” and professor of sociology at the University of Virginia, and evolutionary psychologist Diana Fleischman. They spoke at MIT as part of the school’s civil discourse series. Fleischman, who is married with two children but who endorses polyamory, made the case that people tend to mate in ways that are more varied than the cultural ideal of lifelong monogamy. “I think we’re too sensitive about things that promote jealousy, and I think we’re too sensitive about infidelity in general,” she said, explaining that in her view, it’s jealousy that’s more likely to blow up a relationship than infidelity. Wilcox countered that monogamous marriage is what ultimately helps people flourish and be happy, according to social science data. “Nothing, at least on average, predicts a meaningful and happy life like marriage, especially good marriage,” Wilcox said. While financial security and a satisfying career do contribute to happiness, data shows, being married is even more predictive of happiness. Americans who have one partner are more likely to be happier, Wilcox said, and they are less likely to end up divorced. “On average, Americans who embrace monogamy, both in belief and behavior, are more likely to flourish,” he explained. There is a religious component too to a fulfilling marriage: couples who attend church together tend to be more sexually satisfied than couples who don’t go to church at all, Wilcox shared. I’ve thought about this conversation in the context of this weekend’s messages from the semiannual general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and especially the concluding address from President Dallin H. Oaks, who declared that “we are a family church” and noted that “we are suffering from a deterioration in marriage and childbearing” in the U.S. The overlooked, fatal flaw of research promoting the ‘benefits’ of nonmonogamy In recent years, marriage rates have been plummeting and we’ve seen a growing openness to alternative family arrangements like polyamory and swinging. For example, younger people are especially open to “open marriages” — 51% of people under 30 years old said that open marriage was “acceptable,” according to the 2023 Pew Research Study. A YouGov poll found that 34% of all American adults say their ideal relationship is something other than complete monogamy. The majority, however, 55%, prefer complete monogamy. Perhaps a more alarming statistic shared at MIT was that one quarter of Americans have engaged in sexual activities with someone else without the consent of their main romantic partner, per another YouGov poll. Why then aspire to a monogamous relationship, especially as young people are reevaluating the need for marriage? Adults, and their children, are more likely to flourish in all aspects and be happier if they’re married to one partner, Wilcox said. “There is no variable in the data set that compares to having a high quality marriage — not sexual frequency or sexual variety, not self-rated health, not religiosity and, again, not money,” he went on. Yes, human beings are navigating two conflicting evolutionary impulses, Wilcox said: on one hand, the impulse for sexual variety pushes people toward novelty and multiple partners. On the other hand, an equally powerful drive is toward “pair bonding.” This drive compels people to form deep attachments with a single partner. Following the “pair bonding” impulse adds stability to our life and maximizes intimacy, Wilcox notes. Men especially benefit from these kinds of bonds. One thing both the monogamy defender and skeptic agreed on is that stability and family structure matters for kids. Children living with one biological parent, usually the mother, and another man, are about 10 times more likely to experience physical, sexual or emotional abuse than children in intact, married two-parent families, both speakers shared. “ I think my concern here is that polyamory is going to be one more family experiment that we’re conducting on the nation’s kids that’s going to end up harming them,” Wilcox said. “By actually leaning into the value of fidelity and monogamy, we’re enabling adults to forge deeper, more stable and more cooperative relationships that are better for our kids.” Better options than marriage? Think again ### Fresh off the press * When tragedy struck in Grand Blanc, Dan Beazley from Michigan arrived with a 10-foot cross. He’s done it in 33 states. * Over the weekend, Latter-day Saints across the globe participated in the 195th Semiannual General Conference. Catch up on the talk summaries by the church leaders and photos here. * You won’t regret spending some time with this deep-dive into quilting and how it became a fine art by Deseret Magazine’s Ethan Bauer. ### Person of the week: Sarah Mullally Rev. Sarah Mullally was appointed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury on Oct. 3, following approval by King Charles III. Mullally, who is 63, is the first woman to hold this position in the Church of England in over 1,400 years, according to the New York Times. She has served as the Bishop of London since 2018 and succeeds Justin Welby, who resigned amid a scandal involving mishandled abuse allegations. She is set to be officially installed in January 2026, becoming the spiritual leader of the 85 million-strong Anglican Communion. Before becoming a priest, Mullally was a cancer nurse and then served as Chief Nursing Officer for England from 1999 to 2004. Her transition into ministry began with ordination in 2002, and she was consecrated as Bishop of Crediton in 2015. Mullally endorses the church’s position that marriage is between a man and a woman, but she expressed support for prayers of blessing for same-sex marriages. > View this post on Instagram > > A post shared by BBC Kent (@bbcinkent) While her appointment has been celebrated by many as a symbol of progress and renewal, it has also faced criticism from conservative factions, particularly in Africa, which oppose female leadership in the church. In a statement, the Most Rev. Dr. Laurent Mbanda, the Archbishop of Rwanda and chairman of Gafcon’s leadership council, said that “the majority of the Anglican Communion still believes that the Bible requires a male-only episcopacy,” according to BBC. In her remarks on Friday at Canterbury Cathedral, Mullally said, per RNS: “In an age that craves certainty and tribalism, Anglicanism offers something quieter but stronger: shared history, held in tension, shaped by prayer, and lit from within by the glory of Christ. That is what gives me hope. In our fractured and hurting world, that partnership in the Gospel could not be more vital.” ### What I’m reading * In his latest column, David French highlighted the contrasting responses amid Christians to the tragedy in Grand Blanc: while some chose to politicize the events, others responded with forgiveness and generosity. “America has witnessed two remarkable acts of forgiveness in the last month. Erika Kirk forgave the man who killed her husband. Latter-day Saints loved the family of the man who massacred their brothers and sisters. A nation that produces such acts of such love is a nation that still has life. It’s a nation that still has hope,” French writes. — _There’s a Path Out of This Divide_, _David French for The New York Times._ * A Boston Globe reporter talked to several Latter-day Saints from the Boston area, where I live, about their reactions to the Michigan attack on the church. A few people noted that because the interiors of the chapels across the country tend to look similar — the couches, the art, the carpets — it made the tragedy feel closer and more personal. “I know exactly what it looked like,” said Natalie Marsh. — _‘I know exactly what it looked like’: Boston-area Mormons respond to Michigan church attack,__The Boston Globe._ ### End notes This video of Ukrainian Christians singing a worship song amid the ruins after yet another Russian attack was a moving sign of resilience, faith and community in the face of war. The Evangelical pastor, according to the post, lost his home twice in Ukraine: one in eastern city Melitopol, now occupied by Russia, and the second time, in Kyiv. > View this post on Instagram > > A post shared by Ukraine (@ukraine)

The NCAA Divison I Administrative Committee approved a major change to the college football transfer portal on Tuesday. Starting in January 2026, there will be just one transfer window for players to enter, down from two. Previously, players could enter the transfer portal following the season, then again in a window after spring practices had concluded. The latest change by the NCAA reduces that to one window from Jan. 2-16. If a team is playing in the College Football Playoff game on or after Jan. 12, their players will have a five-day window after their season has concluded to enter the transfer portal. While players are now limited to a 15-day period to enter their names into the portal, that doesn’t mean that teams need to sign players from the portal in that same window. Teams will be able to sign players at any time. The change is a step in trying to corral the transfer portal and provide stability to teams. In 2024, following a number of legal challenges, the NCAA struck down all limits on transferring: An athlete can play for four schools in four years with no penalty. Previously, players that transferred more than once were required to sit out a year in residency. Complicating matters was the post-spring portal, in which players could leave just a few months before the season kicked off. This spring, former Utah wide receiver Zacharyus Williams — projected to be the Utes’ WR1 this season — left for USC. Utah used the spring portal to its advantage, too, signing receivers Tobias Merriweather and Larry Simmons, among others. But it was clear that coaches — Utah’s Kyle Whittingham among them — preferred one transfer portal window. “I think it’s a positive. I don’t think any coach in the country was in favor of two portal windows. It’s just too much instability for your roster, and so I think that’s a big step in the right direction,” Whittingham said. Who will step up at safety if Nate Ritchie is out? Big 12 football power rankings: The schedule toughens up for BYU and Utah, while Cincinnati made a statement The timing of the new portal is early enough in the year for teams to replace lost production well before spring practices start. “There is no perfect time to put it at the midyear. If you go too early, then you got guys complaining. If you go too late, guys (are) complaining. So I think it’s probably in about as good a spot as it can be. And overall it’s a net positive for everybody, I believe,” Whittingham said. The advantages are clear: The team you enter spring football with will be the team you start — and end — the season with. For team chemistry and continuity, that’s huge. Additionally, if a player has a breakout spring the way Williams did, there’s no chance for another school to swoop in and take him ahead of the season. And without the threat of players leaving in the spring transfer portal, there won’t be as many contract renegotiations in the spring. “Cut down on the tampering and renegotiations and that type of thing. And then you know what what you have, what your roster is. You don’t have to wait until after spring ball to know who you got on your team and where your deficiencies are and what you have to do. I don’t see any negatives to it at all. I think it’s a positive all the way around,” Whittingham said.

Austin Shelley’s brothers no longer have a leg up on him. The Skyline senior birdied the first playoff hole of the 5A state championship at TalonsCove on Tuesday to claim the 5A individual title, the same title his older brothers Tyson and Jackson previously won. “They both won as a team and individually their senior year, so I didn’t feel pressure, but I kind of felt like not to the family down I had to do the same thing,” said a smiling Shelley afterward. Shelley was two strokes down on No. 18, but the golfer he’d been chasing all day hit his drive out of bounds, and Shelley and Olympus’ Will Pedersen finished in a tie at 11-under after 36 holes. On the playoff hole at No. 18, both Shelley and Pedersen hit their approach shots roughly equidistant from the pin, but on opposite sides of the hole. Shelley went first and rolled in his 20-footer for birdie. “I had a good line, but I was a little shaky over the putt. Right as I hit it, I was ‘oh, goodness, needs to sit,’ Then it hit center of the cup and dropped,” said Shelley, who called it the biggest putt he’s ever made. Pedersen left his birdie putt short right to finish runner-up to his former teammate. Shelley and Pedersen were teammates at Olympus in their freshman and sophomore years, and even won a 5A team title together as sophomores in 2023. Shelley opted to transfer to Skyline his junior year to play with his older brother, Jackson, for one season. High school boys golf: Corner Canyon cleans up day 2 of 6A tournament to earn three-peat Jackson Shelley won the individual title last year by four strokes, having previously won the title in 2023 by three strokes as a sophomore. Tyson Shelley won his title in 2020. Austin Shelley’s late push of three birdies in the final six holes not only helped him chase down Pedersen, but it helped the Eagles beat rival Olympus for the team title by one stroke as well, 575 to 576. The Eagles have now won six of the past seven 5A state titles. West Field finished third with a 591, followed by Spanish Fork and Timpview in the top five. “They wanted this. They went and got it,” said Skyline coach Kenny James. “We had a little help, but we finally got a break. We didn’t get many breaks yesterday, but we got a couple today, and then we made the most of it.” Skyline and Olympus ended Monday’s opening round tied at 285, which was fitting after what James called a roller coaster day of golf. “We were ahead, then we were way ahead, then we were behind, then we were close, and then they were ahead, and then we were way behind, and then all of a sudden, they melt down and we melt down, so now we’re tied,” said James. On Tuesday though, outside of Shelley and Pedersen, no other Olympus or Skyline golfers shot under par as the teams remained tight in the team race all day. After Shelley’s 66, Skyline’s other three scoring golfers on Tuesday were Marcus Davis-Condie with a 73, Bodie Green with a 74 and Boone Brown with a 76 — with all four finishing in the top 20. “It’s a special group. I told them all along it was going to come down to something like this, and even after they beat us in the region, I said, in the future no one’s going to remember who won the region, it’s who played the best for two days. And that’s pretty neat,” James said. One of the biggest putts of the day for Skyline was Shelley’s 12-foot birdie putt on No. 17 to match the birdie putt from the fringe by Pedersen. It kept Shelley two strokes down instead of three heading to the final hole. He admits he knew it was a long shot regardless. “When I got to No. 18 tee box I didn’t really think I had a chance, unless I would have birdied and he possibly could’ve bogeyed, but he went first and once he hit OB, I know I was right back in it,” said Shelley, who trailed by two after Monday’s first round. “First time all time all tournament I wasn’t crawling up from behind.” Shelley carried that momentum into the playoff, where he felt much more at ease on the No. 18 tee box than 30 minutes earlier. As for sinking the winning putt in front of well over 100 spectators, he said that ranks higher than his putt to win the junior state am this past summer. While Pedersen and Shelley were in a battle for first all day, there was a great battle for third, with Viewmont’s Corver Barnes and Salem Hills’ Carson Peterson ultimately finishing in a tie with 6-under 138s. Timpview’s Calvin Lillywhite and West Field’s Mack Herzog tied for fifth with 5-under 139s. 2025 Parry’s Power Guide: Predicting Week 9 of the high school football season Class 5A state tournament **At TalonsCove Golf Course** **Full leaderboard** **Team scores (Day 2)** * 575 — Skyline * 576 — Olympus * 591 — West Field * 595 — Spanish Fork * 596 — Timpview * 598 — Brighton * 601 — Viewmont * 601 — Fremont * 602 — Salem Hills * 615 — Northridge **Individual standings (Top 25)** *** Won on first playoff hole** * *133 — Austin Shelley, Skyline * 133 — Will Pedersen, Olympus * 138 — Corver Barnes, Viewmont * 138 — Carson Peterson, Salem Hills * 139 — Calvin Lillywhite, Timpview * 139 — Mack Herzog, West Field * 140 — Kanyon DeRyke, Box Elder * 141 — Ethan Luna, West Field * 142 — Cole Murray, Brighton * 144 — Oliver Gladwell, Viewmont * 144 — Lincoln Peterson, Olympus * 145 — Ty Cottle, Bountiful * 146 — Tytan Bingham, Spanish Fork * 146 — Cooper Dowdell, Alta * 147 — Luke Hadley, Fremont * 147 — Marcus Davis-Condie, Skyline * 147 — Josh Neff, Olympus * 148 — Tye Barber, Spanish Fork * 148 — Alex Rogers, Brighton * 148 — Josh Wallis, Bonneville * 148 — Bodie Green, Skyline * 149 — Luke Manning, Fremont * 149 — Jesse Jones, Roy * 149 — Boone Brown, Skyline * 149 — Perry Shaffer, Skyline

Corner Canyon was in a good spot through most of day one of the 6A state golf tournament. After 17 holes, the Chargers led Lone Peak by four strokes and was looking to take a healthy lead into day two. However, Corner Canyon shot a combined five over on the 18th hole, which gave Lone Peak a one-stroke lead after day one. Corner Canyon stayed poised through day two and didn’t allow its one less-than-stellar hole to derail its potential third consecutive championship. Through Tuesday, the Chargers shot -15 to beat Lone Peak by three strokes. “We played great yesterday, but we kind of got some bad breaks here on 18,” said Corner Canyon head coach Derek Fox. “Tricky little pin kind of got us a little bit, but I felt good about the way we were playing and the boys did too. (The message) was, ‘Just play the way you’ve been playing all year. And if you win, you win. If not, you tip your hat to a great team that beat you.’” Corner Canyon’s senior heavy group lifted it in day two as the Chargers ended with four golfers finishing in the top seven. Seniors Tyse Boman and Ben Wilson each shot five under and tied Farmington’s Jack Summerhays for fifth. Chargers sophomore Drew Wilson shot four under on day two for a fourth-place finish. The race for the individual championship was largely between Corner Canyon’s William Pizza, Riverton’s Jaxon Erickson and Lone Peak sophomore Blake Brown. Erickson shot five under in both days of the state tournament, while Pizza matched with a total -10 score. 2025 Parry’s Power Guide: Predicting Week 9 of the high school football season With just a one-stroke lead after day one, Brown walked away with the individual championship after shooting 12 under par. “I’m pretty excited,” Brown said. “It’s a dream I’ve had for a while, so I’m glad to get it done.” It’s the third year in a row where Lone Peak and Corner Canyon have battled it out as the top two-placing teams, and now the Chargers have won all three. “Honestly, they were incredible today,” Fox said. “They were just super focused and just took it one shot at a time. I never really noticed nerves and I’m sure they had some nerves, but I’m sure I was a lot more nervous than they were. They seemed ready today.” Pizza was the highest-placing golfer of the tournament for the Chargers, and got away with a Bogey on the final hole to keep his second-place spot. “We felt confident, we were ready and we were excited to come play again,” Pizza said, “I was happy with how I played. I didn’t get many putts to drop there, but I made a great bogey on 18 and I was happy with it.” High school boys golf: Skyline, Olympus tied for first after 5A state tournament opening round ### **6A State Tournament** **At Sleepy Ridge Golf Course (par 72)** Full Leaderboard **Final team scores** 1. Corner Canyon, 549 2. Lone Peak, 552 3. Riverton, 584 4. Bingham, 585 5. American Fork, 588 6. Farmington, 599 7. Weber, 600 8. Layton, 601 **Individual results (Top 20)** 132 – Blake Brown, So., Lone Peak 134 – Jaxon Erickson, Sr., Riverton 134 – William Pizza, Sr., Corner Canyon 137 – Drew Wilson, So., Corner Canyon 139 – Jack Summerhays, Sr., Farmington 139 – Tyse Boman, Sr., Corner Canyon 139 – Ben Wilson, Sr., Corner Canyon 140 – Ryder Huish, So., Lone Peak 140 – Noah Goeckeritz, Sr., Lone Peak 141 – Crue Harward, Fr., Lehi 141 – Jack Davis, Sr., American Fork 141 – Madden Barnes, Jr., Layton 143 – Jordan Ofahengaue, Fr., Lehi 143 – Jackson Gross, So., Davis 143 – Austin Jones, Sr., Lone Peak 144 – Krew Heward, Sr., Bingham 145 – Westin Rich, Jr., Lone Peak 145 – Titan Sumner, Sr., Cedar Valley 145 – Parker Young, Sr., Bingham 146 – Austin Bennion, So., Riverton

The host of a popular West Virginia Mountaineers podcast traveled to Provo ahead of the Mountaineers’ 38-24 loss to BYU on Saturday and had his life changed. Paul Rockel, the host of “Locked On West Virginia,” visited Utah on a trip organized by Explore Utah Valley. He livestreamed on YouTube on Friday before the game and recapped his visit. Rockel, also known as “Mountaineer Paul,” stopped by LaVell Edwards Stadium, BYUtv Sports Nation, Sundance Resort and several Provo restaurants. “Overall, guys, the point is Provo is a place where there’s more to do than just go to a football game. It’s literally a place where people love you to life. They treat you like gold and live life the way it’s supposed to be lived. A matter of fact, they helped me change my life in a really interesting way,” Rockel said. 3 takeaways from No. 23 BYU’s win over West Virginia Rockel is not a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but he was impressed by the spiritual aspect of Provo. “If there’s anything that I could say about Provo it’s that you’re going to feel the spirit of God while you’re there if you’re a Christian. And I don’t get religious and political in this channel really at all but I do want to point that out,” he said. Following his trip, Rockel ordered a copy of the Book of Mormon to learn more about the beliefs of the Church of Jesus Christ, the sponsoring faith of BYU. “I want to read it. At the very least, I want to be open-minded, and I think it’s important to do that,” he said. Rockel, who grew up Christian, has felt his relationship with God change as a result of his time in Provo. “But my relationship with God, it’s gotten stronger since I went there, and I would say that is the No. 1 thing that you could gain from going there as well. So, hopefully, you guys don’t mind that I brought that stuff up. I’m not here to try to preach at anybody. I’m just saying that it was an awesome experience.” Analysis: Sloppy BYU slogs its way past outmanned West Virginia in less-than-satisfying Big 12 win Prior to his trip, Rockel felt that “one of the things that’s been lacking in my life is the spirituality,” he said. He called what he experienced in Provo “eye-opening.” “Me seeing other people practice these things on a daily basis like that was truly eye-opening for me. Everybody in that town, lives it for the most part. It was very obvious by the way you were treated. It’s not typical around the country,” he said. Rockel thanked Explore Utah Valley for the opportunity. His full video recapping his trip to Utah can be viewed below.

A proper “Dodransbicentennial” calls for a party, right? The University of Utah is inviting the public to celebrate its 175th anniversary — aka, its Dodransbicentennial — for a free campus celebration. The school’s 175th Celebration Bash is slated for Thursday, Oct. 16, at the A. Ray Olpin Student Union. Festivities start at 5 p.m., with a drone and light show starting at 7:30 p.m. “From Day 1, the ‘U’ dared to dream bigger and climb higher, and we are thrilled to commemorate nearly two centuries of achievements alongside the campus community, students, friends and alums who’ve helped make it all possible,” according to a university release. All are invited. Families are welcome — and all events and refreshments are free. Highlights will include dancing, a live band, games, caricature artists and desserts from the university kitchen. Free parking will be available in several locations around the celebration, with shuttle service running from the Central Garage and the Rice-Eccles Stadium. ### 1850: Founding a ‘glorious institution … where knowledge may be disseminated’ The Oct. 16 175th Celebration Bash formally concludes a historic year at Utah’s flagship university — which was founded on Feb. 28, 1850, under the direction of Latter-day Saint prophet Brigham Young. Originally named the University of Deseret, the University of Utah was the first university west of the Missouri River. While founding regent Williams Ivans Appleby likely never envisioned today’s sprawling, hyper-modern 1,500-plus acres campus on the base of the Wasatch Mountains, his words — recorded in 1850 — have proven prescient: “We wish … (to) lay the foundation of a glorious institution …, where knowledge may be disseminated in all its various branches, where literature, arts and sciences can be taught in all their present perfection and improved thereon.” The work of Appleby and other founders, said University of Utah president Taylor Randall, “is the bedrock for the student-focused teaching, innovative research, world-class health care and thoughtful service performed every day by our campus community.” ### Humble beginnings — 175 years ago The University of Deseret was opened in 1850 in the John Pack home in downtown Salt Lake City and chartered 25 students who paid $8 for a quarter’s tuition. For adjusted inflation, that amount equates to about $330 today. Economics forced the shuttering of the University of Deseret in 1853. But Brigham Young reopened the school in 1869, appointing John R. Park as the school’s first official president. A bit of President Park trivia: The forward-thinking leader established branches in areas across the state, including one in Provo — the Timpanogos Branch — that would later become Brigham Young Academy and, eventually, Brigham Young University. In 1892, the school was formally renamed the University of Utah — and the Utah Territorial Legislature petitioned Congress for 60 acres to be utilized for a new campus. That request was granted in 1894, landing the university on the east bench of the Salt Lake Valley where it operates today. In its effort to secure statehood, territory leaders separated its public education system from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the institution became a secular school. Utah became a state in 1896. ### Looking ahead: Conjuring ‘College Town Magic’ Even while celebrating its 175 year history, campus leaders are crafting a future for the arts and sciences that founding regent Appleby would likely approve. Major physical developments are underway at the University of Utah — signaling a transition from what’s traditionally been a commuter campus into a “destination campus” with significant increases in campus residential housing. An 'emblem makeover'? University of Utah unveils new institutional logo The future University of Utah is expected to be divided into distinct “districts” — anchored by a district dubbed “College Town Magic” that’s being designed to enhance the university experience with housing, dining, integrated arts and cultural space, retail, recreation spaces and plazas. And last year, the University of Utah and the U.S. Army Reserve announced a historic land transfer and relocation agreement. Using more than $100 million appropriated by the Utah Legislature, the University of Utah is building a headquarters for the Army Reserve at Camp Williams, clearing the way for the military to vacate the remaining 50.9 acres it occupies just east of the university campus. Following the relocation of the Army Reserve, the historic Fort Douglas property will be transferred to the University of Utah for future campus development.

WASHINGTON — The Senate confirmed more than 100 of President Donald Trump’s nominees in a single vote on Tuesday, marking the second time Republicans have approved candidates en masse for the Trump administration after changing congressional rules last month. Senators voted along party lines to confirm a total of 108 nominees, allowing Republicans to quickly chip away at a backlog that Democrats have created in protest of Trump’s policies. The clustered nominee process will help Republicans greenlight dozens of Trump’s candidates at a record pace, saving weeks of votes and debate time. Senate confirms 48 Trump nominees in one vote after major rule change Although the nominees were confirmed in partisan votes, Thune defended the bloc process by noting that many of the nominees had received bipartisan support when they were advanced by individual committees. Senate Republicans managed to change longstanding procedural rules after initiating a process colloquially known as “going nuclear” last month. The chamber approved its first tranche of nominees in mid-September, which included 48 nominees. The so-called nuclear option is a rarely used maneuver that allows the majority party to change rules with only a simple majority vote rather than the typical requirement of overcoming a filibuster with two-thirds approval. The process has not been invoked since 2019, but now sets a precedent for Republicans as they scramble to approve more than 100 judges who have been waiting at a standstill due to pushback from Democrats. Senate prepares to ‘go nuclear’ to break logjam on Trump nominees. Here’s why The so-called “nuclear option” is a veiled reference to nuclear weapons, often considered the most extreme option in any battle. In the same sense, going nuclear in the Senate has the risk of blowing up the chamber. The nuclear option can be invoked by any senator when they raise a point of order on the Senate floor. At that point, the presiding senator would overrule the point of order because it violates current chamber rules — prompting an appeal that can be overturned with only a simple majority vote. The bloc on Tuesday is the biggest group of nominees so far to be confirmed at once.

As part of an FBI investigation from 2023 dubbed operation “Arctic Frost,” agents obtained phone data from eight Republican senators and one Republican representative from Jan. 4 through Jan. 7, 2021, according to Sen. Chuck Grassley’s office. The Arctic Frost investigation formed the basis of special counsel Jack Smith’s elector case against Donald Trump. Smith indicted Trump with four felony counts based on findings from Arctic Frost, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights. The data collected shows when and to whom senators made calls, as well as how long the calls were and where they were made from. The data does not include the content of the calls. Former FBI Director James Comey expected to be indicted Grassley, R-Iowa released a semi-redacted FBI document on Monday, labeled “Election Law Matters.” Under “details,” the document reads, “FBI Special Agent (redacted) conducted preliminary toll analysis on limited tolls records associated with the following US Senators:” * Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) * Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.) * Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) * Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) * Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) * Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) * Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) * Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) * Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) Hawley referenced Grassley’s investigation on Tuesday during a hearing with Attorney General Pam Bondi, who said she was aware of the Biden-era FBI probe and was investigating with FBI Director Kash Patel. “We already know that this was ordered by the special prosecutor Jack Smith who reported directly to the Attorney General Merrick Garland,” Hawley said. “We know that Jack Smith was on this witch hunt because he was directed to do so by the president of the United States, Joe Biden.” The FBI “tapped my phone, tapped Lindsay Graham’s phone, tapped Marsha Blackburn’s phone, tapped five other phones of United States senators,” Hawley continued. “So here you have an administration that is activating the FBI against its political opponents and tapping the phones of United States senators.” Grassley said the document is “disturbing and outrageous political conduct by the Biden FBI.” He added, “The FBI’s actions were an unconstitutional breach, and Attorney General Bondi and Director Patel need to hold accountable those involved in this serious wrongdoing.”

A 16-year-old has died after a shooting near Ben Lomond High School in Ogden on Tuesday afternoon, police said.

Lawmakers and other in Washington, D.C., marked on Tuesday the second anniversary of the attacks by the militant group Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Amid the remembrances of the horrific attacks, ceasefire talks are underway in Egypt and it appears an end of the war could be in sight after two years of conflict and multiple days of negotiations. In the initial 2023 attack, Hamas killed more than 1,000 people and took more than 250 hostages, sparking an Israeli counteroffensive that has killed thousands of Palestinians. Trump and Netanyahu agree to plan to end war in Gaza. Hamas has yet to agree In a letter shared online by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, authored by President Donald Trump, the president and first lady Melania Trump thanked the organization for the nomination for the Nobel Peace Prize. “I have been resolved to returning all the hostages home, and ensuring the total destruction of Hamas so these horrific acts may never be repeated,” Trump wrote, adding that his administration remains committed to seeing the war and antisemitism end. Trump also met Tuesday with Edan Alexander, who was the last American hostage to be released by Hamas, and his family. > On the 2nd anniversary of October 7th, President Trump met with Edan Alexander and his family, and the family of Omer Neutra, whose body is still in Gaza. 💛 pic.twitter.com/jFw2nVVQax > > — Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) October 7, 2025 Secretary of State Marco Rubio shared online that he was honored to join Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and other Cabinet officials at a vigil for the families of Israeli hostages. “To this day, 48 hostages remain in Hamas captivity, including the remains of American citizens Itay Chen and Omer Neutra,” Rubio said. “We pray for their return and a durable peace that ensures not only Israel’s security, but generational peace and prosperity for the region.” > I was honored to join @HowardLutnick and my fellow Cabinet officials at a vigil for Israeli hostage families and survivors. > > To this day, 48 hostages remain in Hamas captivity, including the remains of American citizens Itay Chen and Omer Neutra. We pray for their return and a… pic.twitter.com/hTZc312Q0N > > — Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) October 7, 2025 Utah Sen. John Curtis issued a lengthy remembrance post online, noting he remains steadfast in his support for Israel and its right to defend itself against the “brutal and unprovoked attack” by Hamas. Curtis also highlighted the 48 remaining hostages in Hamas captivity for whom “time has stood still since that dark morning.” “May we never grow indifferent to terror, and may we never waver in our defense of freedom and human dignity,” he wrote. In a press briefing Tuesday morning, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., condemned Hamas’ “horrific terrorist attack” two years ago. Jeffries said he would be meeting with several hostages who were taken during the attack and later released, as well as the families of those who have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war. Jeffries called for all hostages still in Hamas control to be released and returned home, while also calling for an end to the “devastation in Gaza.” He asked for humanitarian assistance to flow into Gaza to provide relief to Palestinian civilians who have been in “harm’s way in a theater of war through no fault of their own.” “It’s important that we find a just and lasting peace that can be implemented for the good of the people of Israel, our close ally, and for the good of the Palestinian people,” he said. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called on people to never forget the “horrors Hamas inflicted” and asked for hostages to be released. Schumer also addressed those who are working to end the war. “At this crucial moment in negotiations, the Trump administration, all those at the table, and the international community must do everything to finally secure a ceasefire-hostage agreement to end the war in Gaza, bring home the hostages held by Hamas, surge humanitarian relief for innocent Palestinians in Gaza, and build lasting peace,” he wrote. > Today marks 2 years since Hamas’s horrific October 7th terrorist attacks on Israel. The brutality and viciousness of Hamas’s attack—indiscriminate violence against innocent infants, young people at a music concert, women, and the elderly; sexual violence; taking hundreds… > > — Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) October 7, 2025 In the House, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., introduced bipartisan legislation that will educate students about the Oct. 7 attack and “combat rising antisemitism across the country.” If passed, the October 7th Remembrance Education Act will instruct the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to build curriculum for schools to teach about the attack, the history of antisemitism and more. Gottheimer is joined by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., in introducing the legislation. ### Negotiations to end the war in Gaza ongoing Late last month, Trump outlined plans for a peace agreement to end the war, including the reconstruction of the war-torn Gaza Strip, the creation of an international board, and the release of the remaining hostages as Israeli troops withdraw from Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on his recent fourth White House visit since Trump took office, agreed to the details of the plan, putting pressure on Hamas. The militant group later said it agreed to some aspects of the deal and was willing to negotiate the details further. In Washington, amid the government shutdown chaos, lawmakers noted the anniversary and recent developments about the deal. During a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump said he was in “very serious negotiations” and believes there is a “possibility that we could have peace in the Middle East.” “And so, our team is over there now. Another team just left. And other countries, literally every country in the world, has supported the plan. I don’t think there is anybody that hasn’t, actually,” Trump said, with Carney agreeing.

### Wednesday’s game Favored Team| Rating| Diff.| Rating| Underdog| Edward’s Edge ---|---|---|---|---|--- RIDGELINE| 113.2| 33.5| 79.7| Green Canyon| Ridgeline ### Thursday’s games Favored Team| Rating| Diff.| Rating| Underdog| Edward’s Edge ---|---|---|---|---|--- ALTA| 88.8| 10| 78.8| Viewmont| Alta ALTAMONT| -22| 2.6| -24.6| Whitehorse| Altamont BEAR RIVER| 53.8| 32.6| 21.2| Deseret Peak| Bear River BOX ELDER| 80.5| 32.4| 48.1| Clearfield| Box Elder BRIGHTON| 102.7| 4.8| 97.9| Bountiful| Bountiful CORNER CANYON| 134.7| 16.9| 117.8| American Fork| Corner Canyon Davis| 117.4| 52.6| 64.8| LAYTON| Davis East| 70.7| 39.3| 31.4| JORDAN| East Farmington| 108| 7.1| 100.9| SYRACUSE| Syracuse FREMONT| 97.4| 30.5| 66.9| West Field| Fremont Grantsville| 73.3| 27| 46.3| LOGAN| Grantsville LONE PEAK| 130.5| 11.2| 119.3| Lehi| Lehi Maple Mountain| 76.1| 1.3| 74.8| WASATCH| Wasatch MILFORD| 41.5| 37.8| 3.7| Monticello| Milford Morgan| 87.1| 47.1| 40| OGDEN| Morgan MOUNTAIN CREST| 89.5| 50.4| 39.1| Tooele| Mountain Crest Murray| 44.6| 8| 36.6| JUAN DIEGO| Murray Olympus| 98.2| 3.4| 94.8| WOODS CROSS| Woods Cross OREM| 118.1| 62.5| 55.6| Payson| Orem PARK CITY| 83.9| 25.6| 58.3| Timpanogos| Park City SALEM HILLS| 66.9| 22.2| 44.7| Mountain View| Salem Hills SAN JUAN| 74.1| 36.7| 37.4| Emery| San Juan SKY VIEW| 87| 7.6| 79.4| Stansbury| Sky View South Summit| 49.5| 41.8| 7.7| JUDGE MEMORIAL| South Summit Springville| 104.9| 28.9| 76| SPANISH FORK| Springville Timpview| 98.9| 16.3| 82.6| PLEASANT GROVE| Timpview UNION| 36.4| 29.5| 6.9| Ben Lomond| Union ### Friday’s games Favored Team| Rating| Diff.| Rating| Underdog| Edward’s Edge ---|---|---|---|---|--- Beaver| 73.3| 28.7| 44.6| NORTH SANPETE| Beaver Cedar City| 78.3| 8.4| 69.9| JUAB| Cedar Delta| 27.7| 46.3| -18.6| GRAND| Delta ENTERPRISE| 32.8| 11.8| 21| Parowan| Enterprise Herriman| 109.4| 42.6| 66.8| COPPER HILLS| Herriman Highland| 69.8| 2.3| 67.5| SKYLINE| Skyline HUNTER| 46.3| 3.9| 42.4| Cyprus| Hunter KANAB| 71.4| 12.7| 58.7| Duchesne| Duchesne Layton Christian| 57| 51.7| 5.3| AM. LEADERSHIP| Layton Christian Manti| 78.5| 59.5| 19| CARBON| Manti MOUNTAIN RIDGE| 115.3| 23.7| 91.6| Bingham| Mountain Ridge NORTH SEVIER| 10.3| 1.2| 9.1| Gunnison Valley| North Sevier North Summit| 39| 3.7| 35.3| MILLARD| North Summit NORTHRIDGE| 69.2| 13.1| 56.1| Bonneville| Northridge PROVO| 93.1| 52.4| 40.7| Uintah| Provo RICHFIELD| 65.7| 14.1| 51.6| Canyon View| Richfield Saint Joseph| -27.3| 13.5| -40.8| UMHF| St. Joseph South Sevier| 46.3| 22.9| 23.4| RICH| South Sevier SUMMIT ACADEMY| 42| 38.9| 3.1| Providence Hall| Summit Academy TAYLORSVILLE| 34.3| 1.8| 32.5| Hillcrest| Hillcrest Water Canyon| -32.3| 5| -37.3| PANGUITCH| Water Canyon West| 106.5| 31.6| 74.9| GRANGER| West WEST JORDAN| 67.1| 45.8| 21.3| Kearns| West Jordan WESTLAKE| 89.7| 15.8| 73.9| Cedar Valley| Westlake Home team in CAPS _Copyright 2025 by Noland Parry_ **Noland Parry’s record last week** : 44-11, 80.0% **Noland Parry’s season-to-date record** : 347-102, 77.3% **High school sports editor James Edward’s record last week** : 42-13, 76.3% **High school sports editor James Edward’s season-to-date record** : 347-102, 77.34%

Mission faithfully accomplished. President Russell M. Nelson promised he would serve God the Father and Jesus Christ with every remaining breath of his life in January 2018, when he became the 17th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. “He did just that,” his son, Russell M. Nelson Jr., said at his father’s funeral Tuesday at the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. “President Nelson showed us firsthand that there is no rest in his version of the Restoration.” President Nelson died on Sept. 27 at age 101. President Russell M. Nelson — a man of heart, hope and vision — has died at age 101 He was “our beloved prophet” and “my best friend and most effective teacher,” said President Dallin H. Oaks, who conducted and presided at the funeral as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The quorum is directing the church during an apostolic interregnum until the First Presidency is reorganized with a new president and prophet. President Nelson was laid to rest in the Salt Lake City Cemetery after a 75-minute funeral that served as a fond “till we meet again” from the Nelson family, the Quorum of the Twelve and 17.5 million Latter-day Saints. “The death of this remarkable man closes a chapter in church history filled with years of service and devotion to the Lord and to his fellow men,” President Oaks said. “The last 41 years of his life were spent in the holy apostleship.” President Nelson served for more than seven-and-half years as the 17th president of the church. His church service followed a 37-year career as a doctor and pioneer in cardiothoracic surgery. He was 93 when he became the church president. He told church members to “eat your vitamin pills and get your rest,” because the pace of his leadership would be “a rush of revelation," as described by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve. President Oaks noticed a change in his friend when President Nelson became the prophet and called President Oaks to the First Presidency. President Nelson had been a measured participant in discussions of the Quorum of the Twelve from 1984-2018. His tenure as prophet was immediately marked by the decisiveness of a heart surgeon, President Oaks said. “Figuratively speaking,” he said with a smile, “I tightened my seat belt a few more notches and said to myself, ‘Being a counselor in this First Presidency is going to be fun.’” Born on Sept. 9, 1924, President Nelson was like a gentleman from another era who provided timely leadership in an age of divisiveness. Elder Holland said he once introduced President Nelson as a man for whom the word “gentleman” was created. “For the rest of his life, he proved me true,” Elder Holland said. “Day in and day out, he was dignified and courteous with every man and woman he met, be they diplomats or other dignitaries, new neighbors or complete strangers.” Among other accomplishments, President Nelson: * Announced 200 new temples. * Remade the image of the church with a logo dominated by an image of Jesus Christ and an emphasis on the church’s full name. * Became an icon of peacemaking who invited the world to build bridges of understanding rather than walls of separation. * Circumnavigated the world on one world ministry tour, traveled through South America and the Pacific on two others and emphasized gratitude and hope. * Launched major renovations of the Salt Lake Temple and other pioneer-era temples. Elder Holland said during the funeral that President Nelson specifically wanted to visit Jerusalem on his first ministry tour as prophet in 2018. “He wanted to feel the stones and touch the soil where Jesus, the Savior of the world, the redeemer of all mankind, had walked,” Elder Holland said. President Nelson performed nearly 7,000 surgeries, including the first open-heart surgery west of the Mississippi in 1955. “Today,” Elder Holland said, “we all join in saluting Russell Marion Nelson, the holder of hands and the healer of hearts. I bear witness of his calling as apostle, prophet, revelator and seer.” President Nelson graduated from the University of Utah at age 22 with bachelor’s and medical degrees. He married Dantzel White Nelson, who died in 2005. The funeral program needed two pages to list all of their posterity — 10 children, 57 grandchildren, 171 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild. Two of his children spoke at the funeral, which was attended by thousands on a sunny fall day under a blue, cloudless sky. “When I think of our dad, I think of joy,” said one of his daughters, Laurie N. Marsh. “Daddy always chose to be happy, and that made him so fun to be around.” She said her parents chose to model their marriage and the way they raised their family on Matthew 6:33: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God.” “There are many members in our family, but we had one goal, to be an eternal family,” Marsh said. Nelson Jr. said more about the tirelessness of his father, who was a skier into his 90s. He once joined his parents on a ministry tour to England, Wales, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. After 10 days, he said, “I was exhausted, and I was only 14 years old at the time. He was in his 60s and carried on with no problem fulfilling all the assignments and sacred duties that were his. He was tireless in his service.” Nelson Jr. said his father taught that mourning a death is not only normal but a healthy reaction to the sting of physical separation. “Mourning is one of the the purest expressions of deep love,” President Nelson taught in a 1992 general conference talk. “It is a perfectly natural response in complete accord with divine commandment.” Elder Holland echoed that talk, too. “Wendy and girls,” he said after a hymn, “you earned every one of those tears. It’s the price we pay for love in the world.” Two other Nelson children provided the prayers. “Father, our hearts are just so full of love and joy and gratitude at this time for this wonderful man,” Marjorie Nelson Lowder said during the opening prayer. “You know he gave his all to honor thy son and point others to him. We pray that we can follow his counsel and his example.” Gloria Nelson Irion expressed joy for the opportunity the funeral provided to honor the “extraordinary life of our father, grandfather, physician, friend and prophet.” “We are so grateful for his example of love, integrity, faith, diligence and compassion,” she said. “We pray that we may honor him now by following his counsel and by responding to his invitations.” Each of the church leaders thanked the Nelsons for supporting President Nelson. Elder Holland said Sister Nelson and the Nelson family “quite literally gave a husband and a father to the church.” President Nelson had perfect pitch, his children noted, and a prodigious memory, said Elder Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve. He remembered every one of the nine surgeries he performed on Elder Eyring’s mother, Mildred Bennion Eyring. Elder Eyring taught that those who die go home to God, the righteous to Paradise, “a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care and sorrow. I bear testimony that such has been the experience of President Nelson following his release from this mortal life.” He testified that Christ’s resurrection and the ordinances of the temple provide hope and assurance “of a reunion in the spirit world with our loved ones who preceded us in death and a glorious resurrection when our souls and bodies are reunited.” Several speakers reflected on President Nelson’s ability to tenderly minister one-on-one. Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson said she was a recipient of that ministering and knew he had done the same for thousands. President Oaks said he saw President Nelson’s warm and welcoming qualities affect every visitor who met with the First Presidency, including leaders of nations and faiths. “As they came to meet him, his smile, the warmth of his voice and the power of his presence melted hearts,” President Oaks said. President Johnson testified that President Nelson’s teachings bring peace and joy, which she experienced by listening daily to one of his talks since being called three years ago. “I felt like I was walking with Jesus, exercising faith,” she said. “I planted the words of President Nelson in my heart. As I listened over and over again, I became familiar with his words and his prophetic voice. My ability to discern the spirit has been enhanced. My focus is better fixed on the Savior. I am more joyful in challenging circumstances, and I am better prepared to be a peacemaker.” She also expressed gratitude for President Nelson’s teachings about women. “President Nelson said the heavens are just as open to women who are endowed with God’s power flowing from their priesthood covenants,” President Johnson said, “as they are to men who bear the priesthood. I pray that truth will register upon each of your hearts, because I believe it will change your life.” President Johnson worked in councils with President Nelson and shared her testimony of his calling as a prophet. “No one can ever take away the witness born to my heart and mind,” she said, “that Russell M. Nelson is a mighty prophet of God who served as the Lord’s mouthpiece on the earth during a glorious season in the ongoing restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, with women in white dresses and men in black suits with red ties, performed four songs. The lyrics for one was written by President Nelson, “Our Prayer to Thee.” The other hymns were “Peace Like a River,” “Let Us All Press On,” “It Is Well With My Soul.” New batch of Latter-day Saint hymns includes lyrics penned by President Russell M. Nelson The casket, Sister Wendy Nelson, the Nelson children and their spouses exited the Conference Center through an honor guard made up of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Presidency of the Seventy and the Presiding Bishopric. The family prayer before the funeral was provided by David R. Webster, a son-in-law. Elder Michael T. Ringwood, another son-in-law and a General Authority Seventy, dedicated the grave.

Funeral services for President Russell M. Nelson, who died Sept. 27 at age 101, will be held Tuesday, Oct. 7. This follows a public viewing that was held Monday. A special broadcast honoring President Nelson, the 17th prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was held last week. ### Public funeral services * The funeral will be held in the Conference Center on Tuesday, Oct. 7, at noon. * The funeral will be open to the public, ages 8 and older. Tickets are required. * The building will open at 10:30 a.m. Those who attend the funeral services must be seated no later than 11:30 a.m. * Those interested in standby seating should line up outside the Tabernacle 90 minutes prior to the services. * Church office buildings on the Temple Square campus will be closed from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. * Services will be broadcast globally on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, YouTube, BYUtv and KSL beginning at noon MDT. ### President Nelson President Nelson died at his home in Salt Lake City at the age of 101. He served as president since Jan. 14, 2018. A private burial service will take place following the funeral. Expressions of sympathy can be posted on President Nelson’s Facebook and Instagram pages or emailed to [email protected]. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Humanitarian Aid Fund, which assists people in times of need, or the Church’s General Missionary Fund. President Russell M. Nelson — a man of heart, hope and vision — has died at age 101 Photos from the life and ministry of President Russell M. Nelson Who is President Russell M. Nelson? A man of heart, compassion and faith

If there’s anything Americans agree on these days, a new poll confirms that they are pessimistic about the future. In a world beset by escalating violence, hostility and despair, it can be hard for many to see any serious reason for hope. But hope permeated this weekend’s general conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — the first presided over by President Dallin H. Oaks, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Speaking during the closing moments of conference, President Oaks tenderly described learning about his father’s death as a 7-year-old boy, prompting him to run into his bedroom “crying my heart out.” But comfort came from a grandpa who followed him and fell to his knees beside the grieving boy, saying, “I will be your father.” “We are a family church,” President Oaks said, with hopes for future healing blessings applying to “every Latter-day Saint family, complete or currently incomplete.” ### Hope amid heartache Particularly in this time of mounting instability and despair, it was striking to observe the smiles and bright countenances of general leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These messages stood out for a countercultural degree of peace and joy amid today’s abundant scowls and general societal malaise. Most of us will eventually face times “when we feel stretched beyond what we thought we could bear,” taught Elder Henry B. Eyring, also of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. But these “moments are not evidence that the Lord has abandoned you.” Rather, they are “evidence that he loves you enough to refine and strengthen you.” Elder Ulisses Soares, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, described meeting with members of the church in Mexico City, many of whom faced “indescribable trials, including kidnappings, homicides and other heartbreaking tragedies.” “As we looked into the faces of those Saints,” he recounted, “we did not see anger, resentment or a desire for revenge. Instead, we saw a quiet humility.” Although these countenances were “marked by sorrow,” he described witnessing their faith and hope in the comfort God provided. ### Hope in new beginnings Relevant to the sense of stuck-ness permeating so many issues on so many levels today, Elder Patrick Kearon taught, “new beginnings are at the heart of the Father’s plan. Fresh starts are the mission of the Son.” Elder Kearon told a global audience that “you don’t have to be who you’ve been before.” He quoted a young woman who said, “I am not afraid to come to Heavenly Father in prayer and ask for his help with whatever I’m struggling with. I know they’re not trying to catch me doing something wrong. Their arms are open wide.” Elder Neil L. Andersen spoke to families seeking healing from serious betrayals, including those harmed by someone else’s choices. “When will your pain be gone, your grief subdued, the unwanted memories forgotten? I do not know. But this I do know: (God) has the power to bring beauty from the ashes of your suffering. As you continue to place your trust in Him, the clouds of darkness and your anguished sobbing in the night will be transformed into cascading tears of joy and peace in the morning’s light” said Elder Andersen. “That moment will come. I testify that it will come.” ### A hopeful view of who we are “Oh, how I wish I could embrace you and help you understand this great truth,” Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf shared. “You are a blessed being of light; the spirit child of an infinite God! And you bear within you a potential beyond your capacity to imagine.” Citing William Wordsworth’s line that we come here “trailing clouds of glory,” he added, “You left heaven to come here, but heaven has never left you! You are anything but ordinary.” Elder Gary E. Stevenson also added, “In our congregations and our communities, may we choose to see one another as children of God.” ### Hopeful and profound meaning in family relationships Elder Ronald A. Rasband said that everyone belongs to a family — whether “you are a mother, father, daughter, son, grandchild, grandparent, aunt, uncle, brother, sister, or cousin.” “Most importantly,” he emphasized “each of us are ‘a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents . . . (with) a divine nature and destiny,’” citing The Family: A Proclamation to the World on its 30th anniversary. In a message entitled, “The Family-Centered Gospel of Jesus Christ,” President Oaks reiterated that the gospel plan “was first taught to us in the council of an eternal family, it is implemented through our mortal families, and its intended destiny is to exalt the children of God in eternal families.” While gently acknowledging the many ways families today vary from an eternal ideal, including the one in which he was raised, President Oaks reassured “Heavenly Father’s plan assures this possibility for everyone.” ### Hope for reconciling and healing While “oftentimes, the world exalts behaviors born of aggressiveness, arrogance, impatience and excessiveness,” Elder Soares taught that for those who cultivate the moderating virtue of temperance, “a serene strength arises in them, and they become better capable of restraining anger, nurturing patience, and treating others with tolerance, respect, and dignity.” With societal hostility also showing up in many homes today, Elder Stevenson proposed a “peacemaker plan” starting with a “contention-free home zone” reflecting an agreement that “when contention starts, pause and reboot, with kind words and deeds.” Beyond the home, the apostle added, “before posting, replying, or commenting online, ask: Will this build a bridge? If not, stop. Do not send. Instead, share goodness.” Lastly, Elder Stevenson encouraged each of us to “seek out a strained relationship in order to apologize, minister, repair and reunite.” Elder Soares likewise described how Christ taught that “all who desire to come unto Him with full purpose of heart must reconcile with those with whom they are angry, or with those who have something against them.” ### Hoping for ‘hearts knit together in unity and in love’ Elder Gerrit W. Gong described recent visits to congregations in Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Germany and Switzerland, as a subset of the 31,916 congregations of the Church of Jesus Christ in 195 birth countries and territories speaking 125 languages. “When you come to church, if you see someone alone, will you please say hello and sit with him or her?” Elder Gong said, emphasizing that this includes people who feel “alone emotionally or spiritually.” “A journey of gospel friendship and love begins with a first hello,” he suggested in fortune cookie language. Citing the scriptural encouragement to “knit our hearts together in love” the apostle invited members to “worry less, judge less (and) be less demanding of others.” Elder Quentin L. Cook recounted large numbers of converts arriving in Utah from England and Wales in 1852, being met warmly by church leaders and even a band. The Deseret News described them as, “sunburnt, and weather-beaten, but not forlorn; their hearts were light and buoyant, which was plainly manifest by their happy and joyful countenances.” Pointing out the nearly 900,000 people joining the church in the last 36 months was more than the entire church membership in 1940, the year he was born, Elder Cook spoke to “all new converts and those returning to the Lord’s church,” emphasizing “we love you; we need you; the Lord needs you.” ### A deeper source of hope and happiness “There seems to be no end to the different sources people look to for meaning, happiness, and help,” acknowledged Elder D. Todd Christofferson. But we need not be “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine (or fashion).” Elder Jeffrey R. Holland compared the stabilizing impact of the Book of Mormon in his life to Jesus opening the blind man’s eyes in the New Testament, saying: “It has been, for me, a rod of safety for my soul, a transcendent and penetrating light of revelation, an illumination on the path when mists of darkness come as surely they have and as surely they will.” Elder Christofferson described someone he knew who had become “comfortable in a lifestyle outside the church,” until “he began to feel ever more keenly the absence of the Holy Spirit — God’s presence — in his life. By experience, he knew what it was like to have, day by day, the comfort, guidance, and confidence borne of the Spirit, and he missed it.” “Look unto me,” he noted scripture states, “for I am God, and there is none else.” That means God is “not just one of our priorities,” the apostle said. “It means rather that He is our one highest priority,” citing a Young Women leader who survived a tragic bus crash earlier this year, who said: “I used to think that I love God, but now I really, really, really, really love Him. Now He is the number one priority in my life.” ### Step by step, day by day Even among those who want to be peacemakers, Elder Stevenson acknowledged that many honestly wonder how to do so “when the world is in commotion, my heart is filled with fear, and peace seems so far away?” Elder Uchtdorf acknowledged God’s “expectations for us are high” since he “knows who we truly are (and) who we are designed to become.” But he reassured, “He doesn’t expect us to take some grand, heroic, or superhuman leap to get there. In the world He created, growth happens gradually and patiently — but also consistently and unrelentingly.” “It is Jesus Christ who already did the superhuman part,” the apostle added, which means “there is no such thing as a no-win scenario. If we place our hope and faith in Him, our victory is assured. … Step by step, little by little, we will grow ever closer to that great and perfect day when we will live with Him and our loved ones in eternal glory.” ### The choice is yours This kind of hope differs from what people associate with Christianity today. For instance, Elder David A. Bednar noted that many anticipate judgment day proceeding like a “worldly court of law. A judge will preside. Evidence will be presented. A verdict will be rendered. And we likely will be uncertain and fearful until we learn the eventual outcome.” “But I believe such a characterization is inaccurate,” he said, emphasizing prophetic teachings about how our choices lead each of us to become different kinds of human beings. “In the Lord’s presence, we will acknowledge what we have chosen to become in mortality and know for ourselves where we should be in eternity.” The apostle’s teaching refocused the question on: What kind of human being do we __ want to become? “We have not been blessed with moral agency to do whatever we want whenever we will,” Elder Bednar underscored, pointing out that we are “commanded to use our agency to love one another and choose God.” For those who make that fateful choice, he emphasized how Book of Mormon prophets describe judgment for the faithful as a “glorious day” and one that we should “look forward (to) with an eye of faith.” ### Hopeful for our own mighty change Elder Stevenson cited an earlier apostle, John A. Widtsoe, as teaching during World War II, “The only way to build a peaceful community is to build men and women who are lovers and makers of peace. Each individual, by that doctrine of Christ ... holds in his hands the peace of the whole world.” “Take upon yourself the name of Jesus Christ,” encouraged Elder Dale G. Renlund. “Identify with Him. Always remember Him. Strive to be like Him. Join Him in His work. Receive His power and blessings in your life. Etch His name in your heart, willingly and intentionally.” “Little by little,” Elder Kearon taught, “the more we invite His goodness into our hearts and cast out the self-defeating voices in our heads, we become His people because we truly make Him our God.” “Receive your new beginning, even today, right now,” he concluded. “Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith, writing countless new chapters with us. He is the Beginning and the End, the end of our shame and suffering, and the beginning of new life in Him, letting us leave the past behind and begin again with a new dawn, as many times as we need.” It’s within the family where these lessons are best learned, President Oaks affirmed. To those who say “we have no time for any of that,” he suggested that parents will discover that “they can turn their family on if they all turn their technologies off. And parents remember, what those children really want for dinner is time with you.”

### 5A state tournament #### First singles **First round (Oct. 6)** **At Brighton High School** * No. 16 Phoebe Dallimore, Bonneville def. No. 17 Bianca Noyes, West, 6-2, 1-6, 6-4 * No. 9 Ava Quinton, Wasatch def. No. 24 Megan Hansen, Box Elder, 6-0, 6-0 * No. 12 Cecily Hancock, Payson def. No. 21 Bea Hohl, Alta, 6-1, 6-1 * No. 13 Ava Peay, Olympus def. No. 20 Katherine Reynolds, Taylorsville, 6-1, 6-2 * No. 14 Sophia Robison, Viewmont def. No. 19 Mabel Tejeda, Hunter, 6-2, 6-0 * No. 11 Bailey Smith, Spanish Fork def. No. 22 Annika Pardee, Northridge, 6-0, 6-1 * No. 10 Kate Barton, Salem Hills def. No. 23 Megan Mckay, Cyprus, 6-0, 6-0 * No. 18 Quincy Mcconkie, Fremont def. No. 15 Sienna Duncan, Maple Mountain, 6-3, 2-6, 6-0 **Round of 16 (Oct. 9)** **At Liberty Park** * No. 1 Lyla Bergeson, Woods Cross vs. No. 16 Phoebe Dallimore, Bonneville * No. 8 Lorel Silva, Springville vs. No. 9 Ava Quinton, Wasatch * No. 5 Tally Johnston, Pleasant Grove vs. No. 12 Cecily Hancock, Payson * No. 4 Chloe Mills, Brighton vs. No. 13 Ava Peay, Olympus * No. 3 Sofia Stahle, Skyline vs. No. 14 Sophia Robison, Viewmont * No. 6 Addison Burt, Timpview vs. No. 11 Bailey Smith, Spanish Fork * No. 7 Lola Sulser, Bountiful vs. No. 10 Kate Barton, Salem Hills * No. 2 Luciana Gonzalez, Hillcrest vs. No. 18 Quincy Mcconkie, Fremont #### Second singles **First round (Oct. 6)** **At Brighton High School** * No. 17 Brielle Yates, Box Elder def. No. 16 Cassandra Baird, Northridge, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 * No. 9 Courtney Call, Bonneville def. No. 24 Kiera Fricks, Taylorsville, 6-1, 6-1 * No. 12 Millie Cook, Pleasant Grove def. No. 21 Adelyn Crane, Clearfield, 6-3, 6-3 * No. 13 Eva Truman, Maple Mountain def. No. 20 Abby Bingham, Alta, 7-5, 6-3 * No. 14 Layla Stevenson, Bountiful def. No. 19 Katelynn King, Fremont, 6-1, 6-2 * No. 11 Lydia Goodwin, Olympus def. No. 22 F. McIntyre, West Jordan, 6-1, 6-0 * No. 10 Hattie Templeman, Springville def. No. 23 Jordyn Staheli, Payson, 6-0, 6-0 * No. 15 Annie Tejeda, Hunter def. No. 18 Olivia Jiang, West, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 **Round of 16 (Oct. 9)** **At Liberty Park** * No. 1 Joshya Yerrapureddy, Hillcrest vs. No. 17 Brielle Yates, Box Elder * No. 8 Brielle Vogelsberg, Spanish Fork vs. No. 9 Courtney Call, Bonneville * No. 5 Brinley Studdert, Wasatch vs. No. 12 Millie Cook, Pleasant Grove * No. 4 Maci Meier, Timpview vs. No. 13 Eva Truman, Maple Mountain * No. 3 Olivia Stahle, Skyline vs. No. 14 Layla Stevenson, Bountiful * No. 6 Sadie Maxfield, Brighton vs. No. 11 Lydia Goodwin, Olympus * No. 7 Mackenzee Nicholls, Salem Hills vs. No. 10 Hattie Templeman, Springville * No. 2 Ruby Robbins, Woods Cross vs. No. 15 Annie Tejeda, Hunter #### Third singles **First round (Oct. 6)** **At Brighton High School** * No. 17 Lily Henderson, West Jordan def. No. 16 Francine Mcintyre, West Jordan, 7-5, 6-3 * No. 9 Lucille Long, Pleasant Grove def. No. 24 Clara Torres, Taylorsville, 6-0, 6-0 * No. 21 Kate Zito, Box Elder def. No. 12 Ava Ingalsbe, Fremont, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 * No. 13 Makayla Smith, Maple Mountain def. No. 20 Lizzy Debry, Alta, 6-1, 6-0 * No. 14 Eve Willis, Bountiful def. No. 19 Jordin Madsen, Clearfield, 6-3, 6-2 * No. 11 Rylee Proctor, Bonneville def. No. 22 Ella Jewell, Payson, 6-4, 6-0 * No. 10 Lauren Hafen, Springville def. No. 23 Arina Ispolatova, West, 6-2, 6-3 * No. 15 Brooke Ludwig, Salem Hills def. No. 18 Bailey Swan, Viewmont, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 **Round of 16 (Oct. 9)** **At Liberty Park** * No. 1 Grace Jaggi, Brighton vs. No. 17 Lily Henderson, West Jordan * No. 8 Leah Fraser, Hunter vs. No. 9 Lucille Long, Pleasant Grove * No. 5 Kate Schanz, Woods Cross vs. No. 21 Kate Zito, Box Elder * No. 4 Riley Leverenz, Skyline vs. No. 13 Makayla Smith, Maple Mountain * No. 3 Nivedita Bakshi, Hillcrest vs. No. 14 Eve Willis, Bountiful * No. 6 Chandler Davies, Wasatch vs. No. 11 Rylee Proctor, Bonneville * No. 7 Tatum Peterson, Olympus vs. No. 10 Lauren Hafen, Springville * No. 2 Sasha Tolman, Timpview vs. No. 15 Brooke Ludwig, Salem Hills #### First doubles **First round (Oct. 6)** **At Brighton High School** * No. 16 Violet Madsen/Kate Wolfgramm, Bountiful def. No. 17 Alyssa Sanders/Gracie Harding, Hunter, 6-2, 6-2 * No. 9 Stella Schroeder/Samantha Russell, Alta def. No. 24 M. Hospodarsky/S. Brinkerhoff, Taylorsville, 6-2, 6-0 * No. 12 Alyssa Kasteler/Catherine Cook, Brighton def. No. 21 Sarah Larsen/Maya Huntinghouse, Northridge, 6-0, 6-0 * No. 13 Miranda Rasmussen/Celeste Hammond, Fremont def. No. 20 Eva Dvoretskiy/Andrea Delgado, West, 6-3, 6-3 * No. 14 Halle Ludwig/Halle Bladen, Salem Hills def. No. 19 Ellie Harman/Megan Field, Spanish Fork, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 * No. 11 Ava Booker/Junee Ngo, Hillcrest def. No. 22 Brianna Nguyen/Allison Torres, Granger, 6-1, 6-1 * No. 10 Ashlyn Rowley/Sophie Slater, Pleasant Grove def. No. 23 London White/Paisley Mitchell, West Field, 6-0, 6-2 * No. 15 Hallie Hamblin/Brighton Bernards, Clearfield def. No. 18 Chloe Anderson/Brielle Francom, Bonneville, 7-6(7-5), 6-2 **Round of 16 (Oct. 9)** **At Liberty Park** * No. 1 Sydney Kemp/Lila Johnson, Woods Cross vs. No. 16 Violet Madsen/Kate Wolfgramm, Bountiful * No. 8 Sophie Stokes/Annalee Nelson, Box Elder vs. No. 9 Stella Schroeder/Samantha Russell, Alta * No. 5 Ruby Santiago/Holland Hafen, Wasatch vs. No. 12 Alyssa Kasteler/Catherine Cook, Brighton * No. 4 Wilhelmina Hoggan/Samantha Hall, Olympus vs. No. 13 Miranda Rasmussen/Celeste Hammond, Fremont * No. 3 Helena Nordhoff/Alice Ferreira, Skyline vs. No. 14 Halle Ludwig/Halle Bladen, Salem Hills * No. 6 Elizabeth Gouff/Elizabeth Bednar, Timpview vs. No. 11 Ava Booker/Junee Ngo, Hillcrest * No. 7 Abigail Wright/Paislee Bell, Springville vs. No. 10 Ashlyn Rowley/Sophie Slater, Pleasant Grove * No. 2 Maiah Crandall/Natalie Nobuhara, Maple Mountain vs. No. 15 Hallie Hamblin/Brighton Bernards, Clearfield #### Second doubles **First round (Oct. 6)** **At Brighton High School** * No. 17 Ava Rigby/Brinley Jenson, Payson def. No. 16 Eliza Hunsaker/Danielle Johnson, Bonneville, 7-6(7-5), 6-3 * No. 9 Krithika Karthikeyan/Ameera Al-Sweedy, Hillcrest def. No. 24 S. Welch/J. Jorgenson, Viewmont, 6-0, 6-1 * No. 12 Beatrice Richards/Emery Barnett, Bountiful def. No. 21 Celine Sanders/Kylee Brooks, Hunter, 6-1, 6-0 * No. 13 Maggie Goodfellow/J. Richards, Alta def. No. 20 Kennedy Owen/Minna Tu, West, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 * No. 14 Brynlie Austad/Lucy Welch, Clearfield def. No. 19 Arabella Bendixsen/Nataly Cuevas, Northridge, 6-2, 6-1 * No. 11 Millie Shupe/Cambelle Hardcastle, Fremont def. No. 22 Milie Browne/Mykell Blacker, Box Elder, 6-2, 6-3 * No. 10 Tess Benson/Claire Roper, Pleasant Grove def. No. 23 Aubrynn Maxfield/Aspen Fordham, West Jordan, 6-0, 6-0 * No. 15 London Johnson/O. Stewart, Spanish Fork def. No. 18 Kloe Chapman/Oaklee Martin, Salem Hills, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 **Round of 16 (Oct. 9)** **At Liberty Park** * No. 1 Lillie Bennion/Liza Eyring, Woods Cross vs. No. 17 Ava Rigby/Brinley Jenson, Payson * No. 8 Kesli Hawkes/Evie Droz, Maple Mountain vs. No. 9 Krithika Karthikeyan/Ameera Al-Sweedy, Hillcrest * No. 5 Sienna Hansen/Gianna Sanone, Skyline vs. No. 12 Beatrice Richards/Emery Barnett, Bountiful * No. 4 Laura Kotter/Mikaela McCluskey, Olympus vs. No. 13 Maggie Goodfellow/J. Richards, Alta * No. 3 Jolie Boots/Piper Clawson, Timpview vs. No. 14 Brynlie Austad/Lucy Welch, Clearfield * No. 6 Lucy Randall/Kate Jones, Wasatch vs. No. 11 Millie Shupe/Cambelle Hardcastle, Fremont * No. 7 Hailey Newitt/Madison Farley, Brighton vs. No. 10 Tess Benson/Claire Roper, Pleasant Grove * No. 2 Avery Parker/Caroline Felix, Springville vs. No. 15 London Johnson/O. Stewart, Spanish Fork

### Football **Malik Filimeo’atu, Provo (Sr.)** Malik Filimeo’atu played a big role last weekend in leading Provo to a 17-14 win at Park City in improving to 3-0 in region play at 4-4 overall. Filimeo’atu carried the ball for 30 times for 101 yards and two touchdowns and then also added a timely interception in the win. “Malik is the foundation of our team. His work ethic and leadership have set the culture of this team and even at our school. In addition to being one of our captains, he is our student body president. When the game is on the line, he’s a guy that we want to have the ball,” said Provo coach Kirk Chambers. “He has a punishing style of running that forces teams to commit more players to stop him. Defensively, Malik is a talented linebacker. Last week against Park City, Malik had a critical interception as they were about to score a go-ahead touchdown. Most importantly, Malik possesses a character that is anchored in integrity. We’re proud to have him as a Bulldog.” For the season he’s carried the ball 153 times for 101 yards and nine touchdowns. ### Girls Volleyball **Sam Spencer, Desert Hills (Jr.)** Desert Hills ran its winning streak to four straight with key region wins over Pine View and Crimson Cliffs last week, and junior libero Sam Spencer played a key role in those wins. In the two wins, Spencer recorded 28 digs and eight aces. “Sam has been an essential leader for our team this year. She sets the tone in practice with her hustle and effort and does an amazing job of elevating the play of all her teammates. She is the vocal leader on the court and one of the quickest defenders,” said Desert Hills coach Craig Allred. “Sam does an incredible job and regularly turns the impossible play into a routine play. She is a game changer and her impact goes far beyond her high skill level.” For the season, Spencer has racked up 336 digs and 35 aces this season. ### Girl Soccer **Elsa Dellenbach, Park City (Sr.)** A recent commit to Ohio State, Elsa Dellenbach has a played a big role in leading the Miners to a 13-0 region record with one game remaining. In last week’s big 2-1 win over Highland, she notched a goal and an assist, upping her season totals to 13 goals and 11 assists. “Elsa’s goals and assists are certainly noteworthy — many of the spectacular variety — but she means much more to our team than that: the energy she brings, the manner in which she trains every day, the way she shows up for her teammates and her love for the game is infectious,” said Park City coach Anthony DiCicco. “Elsa has become a fantastic emotional and vocal leader for our group, an engine that sets a standard for her teammates and models what it means to be a Miner to the younger players. Watching her develop into the player and person that she’s become over the last three years has been a joy.” A year ago Dellenbach notched eight goals and seven assists for the Miners. ### Boys Cross Country **Miles Braithwaite, Lehi (Sr.)** Lehi senior Miles Braithwaite recorded a new 3-mile record recently in finishing first at the TwiKnight Invite at Art Dye Park. Braithwaite finished with a time of 15:06.47, which was five seconds faster then the second-place finisher from American Fork. “Miles is a fantastic person and a great leader for our team. The progress he has made over the last two years showcases what can come with commitment, putting in consistent work, and learning from each race,” said Lehi coach Chris Dorton. “I’m grateful for the example He has been to our team both on the course and off this season and am excited to see him continue to extend his limits and help our team to its full potential.” Earlier this season he finished in second place at the Border Wars and fifth place at the UIAAA Invitational. ### Girls Cross Country **Eliza Thornley, Layton (So.)** Standout sophomore Eliza Thornley earned her third win of the season at the Valhalla Invitational. Thornley won with a time of 18:33.36, beating the runner-up from Viewmont by 11 seconds. “Eliza is a dream to coach. She works hard, reaches out to her teammates, and races with her whole heart. She elevates the whole team with her positivity,” said Layton coach Carrie Fredin. Previously she earned wins at the Davis District Championships and the Wahsatch Rendezvous. As a freshman last season, Thornley finished in 30th place at the 6A state meet, but the state meet later this month she figures to run much closer to the front of the pack. ### Girls Tennis **Andi Armstrong, Skyridge (Sr.)** Andi Armstrong made the jump from second singles to first singles, but the end results was the same — state champ. The senior beat Bingham’s Kamryn Newman 6-3, 6-3 in the 6A first singles final last weekend. “I tried to apply pressure (to her opponent),” said Armstrong. “Playing in front of a crowd is nerve-wracking and I just try to do what I do best and not make many mistakes.” Armstrong finished her career as a three-time state champion after winning the first doubles championship as a sophomore. Her freshman year she was runner-up in third singles. ### Boys Golf **Bradley Woolstenhulme, North Summit (Sr.)** The low golfer during the 2A regular season this season, North Summit senior Bradley Woolstenhulme backed it up with a great state tournament last week to wrap up his career with the coveted individual state title. Woolstenhulme shot a two-day 149 to win by four strokes at Palisade State Park. The year prior he finished in sixth place. “I went out of last year’s tournament very disappointed because I felt like I was very capable of winning and I let the mental side of the game beat me. I did spend a lot of time working on my game and I did get a lot better and more consistent but I felt like my mental game was more focused and confident this year and that was what gave me the edge,” said Woolstenhulme. “Last year at state the first day I had an unlucky experience and I kind of let it beat me up. This year I had a similar experience with my ball getting stuck in a tree and I knew that was when I just had to forget about it and just keep swimming.” ### Baseball **Hogan Harris, Valley (Sr.)** Senior Hogan Harris played a key role in leading Valley to a 5-3 win over Green River in the 1A first round last week. He’ll look to continue that momentum into the 1A second round on Tuesday against ICS. He pitched two innings and struck out three batters in the playoff win, and also add a hit and run at the plate. “He is our No. 1 pitcher and lead-off hitter. His era is .075 and is hitting over 300,” said Valley coach Bret Lamb. “He is our spark plug a very outstanding leader.” He’s also pitched three complete games this season.

In 2016, when Donald Trump was first running for president, Batya Ungar-Sargon was a Hillary Clinton supporter. In 2020, she voted for Joe Biden, “albeit reluctantly.” She is a journalist who lives in New York City and has a Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. In other words, she checks all the boxes for the stereotypical “coastal elite.” But Ungar-Sargon now counts herself among Democrats who like many of the policies of the Trump administration, and, as a columnist for The Free Press and the host of a new show on the cable network NewsNation, she’s happy to call herself a “MAGA lefty.” How did she get from there to here? Writing for The Free Press, Ungar-Sargon said her transformation began when her rabbi, “the best person I know,” mentioned that he loved Trump, and she had to confront the reality that the negative stereotypes she had held about MAGA were not true. Later, she wrote, “I finally came to the realization that I hadn’t just been wrong about Trump supporters; I’d been wrong about Trump himself.” The author of “Second Class‚” the 2024 book about the American working class and its struggles, Ungar-Sargon believes that Trump’s vision and policies provide the best chance to lift the fortunes of American families. In addition to her own work, she has become a go-to commentator on shows like “Real Time with Bill Maher” and “The Megyn Kelly Show.” To the casual viewer, she might seem to have gone full MAGA, irrevocably so. But Ungar-Sargon, who is 44 and lives in New York, believes that Trump won because many of the policies he embraced used to be promises of the left. She sees him as something of an FDR of the 21st century: “socially moderate, anti-interventionist, and committed to America’s blue-collar workers as the backbone of this country.” And she’s not completely ruling out an eventual return to her political roots, depending on where the post-Trump GOP goes. She’s still a registered Democrat though that’s partly because, as she puts it, “Everyone in New York is a registered Dem so we can vote in primaries.” In joining NewsNation, where her show airs Saturdays at 2 p.m. MT, Ungar-Sargon says she’s happy to be working for a network that, to her mind, is committed to being politically neutral. “They’re always trying to bring people together, to speak to the average American, who I think is really disgusted at all the polarization,” she said. In an interview with the Deseret News, Ungar-Sargon talked about how the American landscape has changed in the weeks after Charlie Kirk’s death, the potential problems she sees ahead for the GOP, how the Democrats could claim the MAGA mantle, and why she thinks it’s “cool” to be a conservative again. The conversation has been lightly edited for clarity and length. Wondering why Trump won? Here's what you don't know about Americans in the middle **Deseret News:** _You’ve been a guest on Fox News, CNN and other networks, in addition to being an editor at Newsweek and other publications. Why launch a TV show, and why on NewsNation?_ **Batya Ungar-Sargon** : I love NewsNation. I think that it has the intimacy of local news even though it’s a national news station. They’re always trying to bring people together and to speak to the average American who I think is really disgusted at all the polarization. The average American has friends who vote differently from them and prays with people who vote differently from them and works with people who vote differently from them, and they cannot understand why people in power are so mean to each other, when they know people who are different from them and it’s no big deal. In this moment, we really need to find our way back to each other as Americans and remember that more unites us than divides us, and I think this is the outlet that is most committed to that ideal. Our disputes in this moment — our disagreements, our debates — are incredibly important, and they run deep and we have to have them. You can’t pretend that those disagreements aren’t there — they are. But we have to relearn how to have those important debates from a point of view of love and compassion and respect. So that’s what we’re trying to do with the show, and I think that’s what NewsNation is trying to do more broadly. **DN:** _You sound a little bit like the Utah governor, Spencer Cox._ **Ungar-Sargon:** I love him! If he’s reading this and wants to come on the show, he has an open invitation. Who are the elites, if a U.S. president isn't one? **DN:** _How do you think America has changed since Sept. 10, when Charlie Kirk was assassinated in Utah?_ **Ungar-Sargon** : Well, we know that church attendance is up 15% since Charlie Kirk was murdered. Talk about a legacy. I’ve heard from people who told me they dropped their child off at college, and the child, who had never once before wanted to go to church, said, “Hey, Mom, will you come with me to Mass before you leave?” We’re hearing stories like that, where people are connecting with their faith in a way they haven’t in a really long time, because of the example Charlie set, and wanting to be part of the solution and wanting to build on what he was out there doing. So I really think that this was a big turning point, as people say. The country was already shifting to the right politically and culturally. Young people were finding their way to the Republican Party through Donald Trump and people like Charlie Kirk. He made it seem really cool to be God-fearing and committed to your wife and your children. He was such a role model in that way, especially as the cool factor of being on the left has really started to wane. That shift, that cultural shift, is huge. I’m so shocked by it. I continue to be shocked by it even though I noticed it a year ago – people who set the tone of the culture, whether they are entertainers or athletes — we had athletes doing the YMCA dance, right? That is a sign that there is a cool factor associated with the right now, and I think that’s going to have really big implications. Young people are lonely, and there’s a side that’s offering them a solution to that — belonging, meaning, significance, (the sense that) you matter. And I think Charlie represented that, and I think his death may have accelerated the work that he was doing. **DN:**_There is this problem, though, of young men and young women being at odds ideologically, which can be a problem for young Americans who want to get married._ **Ungar-Sargon:** There is a big divide, and I think a lot of it stems from economics. Women are 15 times more likely to get a college degree, and for a long time, that meant that they were much more likely to have access to the American dream. For a long time, having a college degree was that ticket into the middle class. And if women have more access to that than men, you’re going to have a marriage crisis, because when women get that access, they still want somebody who’s out-earning them, right? I do think we are seeing a cultural shift — men were told for a long time that masculinity was a crime and they couldn’t be proud to be men and they couldn’t aspire to be providers. I do think the example of people like Charlie and Erika Kirk provide a countervailing balance to that. The economy that Donald Trump is building is one in which men who haven’t gone to college, people who work with their hands for a living, can start to believe in the American dream again. It’s not there yet, but that’s very much underlying the tariff agenda, the immigration policy — all of this is meant to protect the value of the labor of the American working class. And so hopefully what we’ll see is men being able to aspire to that American dream again, becoming confident again in their masculinity. ... It is my experience that even liberal women want a strong man, and that was something that was verboten to say for a long time, because of some of the feminist overreach where the language around men and women was that marriage was a patriarchal, antiquated institution and so forth. ... But, the idea of being able to respect our differences, whether they’re gender differences or whether they’re political differences, is the future. **DN:** _I know you are married, but you don’t talk about your personal life much._ **Ungar-Sargon:** I am married to the love of my life; we’ve been together for 15 years and we got married during the pandemic. We’re madly in love, but he’s very, very private. He’s not on social media, and he hates it when I post about him. He’s my greatest intellectual challenge. He reads everything I write, and every idea that I bring out in the world has been endlessly debated with him because we don’t agree on politics much. But because he’s so brilliant, it gives me a lot of confidence going out knowing that I’ve already faced the greatest challenge I’m going to face. There’s nothing I can get out there that is going to be worse than his criticism or his critique of my ideas, so it gives you a lot of confidence knowing where the other side is going to hit you from. **DN:** _So does that mean you cancel each other’s votes out?_ **Ungar-Sargon:** My husband’s a Libertarian, and in the last election, he voted for Trump because when he saw the raid on Mar-a-Lago, he was so enraged by that and the lawfare, which he thought was very un-American. **DN:** You are a strong supporter of the president right now, but is there any scenario in the future where you might become a Democrat again? **Ungar-Sargon** : It really depends on where the party goes. The Republicans are not great on health care and they might get better on it, but right now, instead of finding more ways to get more Americans access to high quality healthcare, they brought in RFK Jr. To me, that’s a real problem. Babies die of measles. And people in my community have uncles who were deaf and blind and mute because they got mumps. Who is more vulnerable than our babies? That’s going to be a big sticking point for me going forward. And I think the Republicans are going to have a real problem with women, including very religious women like me, if they want to pursue a national abortion ban. First of all, Jews don’t believe life begins at conception, so that would be at odds with my religion. But I also think the right radically underestimates the degree to which Trump neutralized the issue of abortion because he made it clear that he opposed an abortion ban. As for the future of the Republican bench, there are people there who are going to find it much harder to convince women, including very religious women like myself, that they would not pursue a national abortion ban. If the next generation of the GOP goes back to the sort of free trade, amnesty-for-illegals economic agenda, or the nation-building, regime-change agenda on foreign policy, I could see myself going back. Trump really took an ax to the three main planks of the Reagan GOP. He’s not a social conservative, he’s a social moderate, so he’s very pro-gay marriage, he believes abortion should be legal for 12 weeks. He’s anti-woke; he’s anti-war; and he’s not free trade — he thinks it’s sort of a scam that harms American workers, and that’s what I think. So to me, he sort of stole the FDR agenda from the Democrats, which is why he got the working class. That’s their agenda. And I could see the GOP not learning this lesson, if they go back to someone like Nikki Haley who wants to go back to all three of those things that Trump did away with. **DN:** _Do you see Donald Trump as a singular personality within the GOP? Meaning, can the MAGA coalition hold once he leaves office?_ **Ungar-Sargon:** Susie Wiles had this great quote where she said, “In 2024, our job was to convert Democrats to Donald Trump, and in 2028, our job is to convert Trump voters to Republicans.” It’s an uphill battle. And it very much depends on who they choose. It’s not clear who the heir apparent is. Everybody thinks it’s clear, but it’s not clear at all. It’s going to be a great and interesting primary on both sides. For the first time, the largest sector of Americans call themselves independents. They’re very open-minded, and they’re looking for people who they feel care about them and their struggles and their families and their children. And care about this country. ... I could easily see some smart Democrat saying, “You know what? Controlling the border, limiting immigration, tariffs, this used to be our stuff. Abortion, safe, legal and rare — that was our line! Why shouldn’t _we_ be the inheritors of the MAGA movement?“ They probably won’t, but they should. A lot of the ideas here are really good ideas that I think both sides are going to be picking up on, so it’s very interesting to see where we’re going to go from here. Bari Weiss, CBS and the launch of the full-court Free Press **DN:** Being on a cable news network but also very much present in new media, how do you think the media is changing and evolving right now? **Ungar-Sargon:** A lot has changed. Trump shifted the Overton window so now you can say the things that are true, and I think that’s really important, because it’s very radicalizing to be told you cannot say the things that you see are true with your own eyes. A lot of people just tune out The New York Times and CNN; they’re so far left, they’re so out of touch with where the average American’s moral compass tells them is the right place to be. ... It’s very clear that we’ve moved into the next moment. We’ve moved on as a nation. And that in large part has to do with the fact that Trump won, and he won in such a big way. So many Democrats voted for him. Millions of people in swing states across the country. So I think things have really shifted. The Democratic primary in 2028 is going to be so unbelievably bruising. And the question for the mainstream media is: they’re always on the side of the Democrats, right? So which side of the Democrats are they going to pick? Are they going to pick the Jared Polis, Gretchen Whitmer, Rahm Emanuel common-ground side, or are they going to pick the Gavin Newsom, AOC, burn-it-to-the-ground-Trump-is-Hitler version of things. That divide is going to be uglier than anything they’ve lobbed at the right. That’s my prediction. How does The New York Times navigate that? Are they going to appeal to the radical left, or are they going to appeal to the people trying to bring the party back to the center? And that’s going to be extremely interesting to watch.

With reverent spirits and grateful hearts, hundreds of Latter-day Saints and friends of the faith solemnly moved through the Conference Center in Salt Lake City in a line, patiently awaiting their turn to pay their respects to President Russell M. Nelson, the late prophet-president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. President Nelson died Saturday, Sept. 27, at age 101, automatically dissolving the church’s First Presidency and launching the church into an apostolic interregnum. For many of those who attended his public viewing, held Monday, Oct. 6, this was the first time they stood just feet away from the church president. Yet, whether they’d interacted with him in person or — like the majority of the church’s 17.5 million members — simply sought to follow his example and Christ-centered teachings, many expressed the closeness and gratitude they felt toward him and his service. Others — including those outside the Latter-day Saint faith — admired his influence, noting how President Nelson both touched and changed theirs and others’ lives. “Going through was amazing,” said Thomas Blackwell from Louisville, Kentucky. Both Blackwell and his wife, Stella, were touring Temple Square in Salt Lake City, when they decided to join the line for President Nelson’s viewing. Neither of them are affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ, but the two told the Deseret News they left the viewing impressed by the church’s following and the apparent influence President Nelson had on Latter-day Saints and others worldwide. “It’s quite impressive,” said Stella Blackwell. “I’m sure everyone here has been touched in a different way.” What leaders and organizations globally said of President Russell M. Nelson’s life and legacy following his death A native from Venezuela, Latter-day Saint Ruber Gonzalez traveled from Idaho with his young family for a “last opportunity to see the prophet” at his viewing. Reflecting on his experience, Gonzalez told the Deseret News that seeing President Nelson in his casket brought him “much peace.” “I think the prophet there, in that condition, radiated that peace, that tranquility,” he said, adding that he felt President Nelson’s tranquil expression came from the “great efforts” he made to obey God. “(And) that’s what I took away from it,” Gonzalez continued. “To the degree I obey God more, I am going to feel the peace that he (President Nelson) radiated.” Latter-day Saints Jodi and Taylor Sparks also attended President Nelson’s viewing with their kids, later reflecting on the late church president’s dynamic leadership and their memory of his teachings. “President Nelson was a larger-than-life person,” said Taylor Sparks. “In the short time that he was president, he made huge changes, and it was awesome to come and pay respects to the changes he brought to the church that were really positive.” Jodi Sparks said a “flood of memories” of all of the things President Nelson taught rushed to her mind as she walked the Conference Center. His teachings “were really impactful for me,” she explained, “and it was just nice to remember all of that.” As for the Sparks’ kids, they expressed gratitude for President Nelson’s kind demeanor and his repeated invitation “to be peacemakers.” 11 quotes from President Nelson on how to build peace in a hostile world Similarly reflecting on President Nelson’s teachings and invitations, Aidan Davis, a recently returned missionary who served in the church’s Indiana Indianapolis Mission, shared how following the late church president’s invitations impacted his discipleship and missionary service, which he concluded just three days ago. He focused specifically on President Nelson’s invitation to study the Book of Mormon daily and said: “I noticed that as I applied that (invitation) in my life, and as I invited others to apply it in their lives, it rang true. “We do make better decisions when we’re in the scriptures every single day.” Davis’ father, Scott Davis, added it was a “peaceful experience” to be able to share his respects to President Nelson, along with his son and the rest of his family. “We loved him so much,” he said, “and we just wanted to be there to show him that we supported him and thank him for his decades of service to the church.” Latter-day Saint leaders pay tribute to President Russell M. Nelson, a ‘prophet of love’ Aidan Davis’ mission leaders, Gary and Melissa Riding, who also recently concluded their service in Indiana, also attended President Nelson’s viewing and shared how grateful they felt for his influence on their lives. “I’ve tried to follow his teachings for years and years,” explained Gary Riding. “In fact, he came to our stake conference when I was a stake president years ago and that was a nice experience. “Today, it felt like a time for me just to say thank you.” Sharing her own similar expression of gratitude, Melissa Riding said she’s grateful that President Nelson’s teachings increased her “desire to really hear our Heavenly Father and learn to communicate.” She added that participating in President Nelson’s viewing was a reminder of God’s plan, which according to Latter-day Saint belief, includes death and an eventual resurrection where one’s spirit and body are reunited. Walking through, she said, was a reminder “that his spirit is not here ... that the body really is just a temple for the spirit.” A temple’s groundbreaking highlighted President Nelson’s teachings hours before news of his death broke Likewise, Latter-day Saint convert Maria Leticia Palma de Rubio shared that seeing President Nelson in a casket strengthened her hope in and testimony of God’s plan. “I felt a beautiful sentiment of how life goes on after death,” she said. “It was beautiful being able to see him because I have many feelings of gratitude towards him (and) for everything he did for us while leading the church.” Also a convert to the church, Palma de Rubio’s sister, Maria Luisa Palma, expressed thanks for President Nelson’s teachings to be grateful and “think celestial” in all of life’s circumstances. “His teachings,” she added, “helped me overcome many of my life’s storms, and seeing him there has reminded me of the purpose I have on this earth to do the best I can and serve my Savior to one day return to him.” President Russell M. Nelson: He saw me for who I had the potential to become

The Kroger family of stores is warning customers to check their refrigerators for two pasta salads sold in its delis. Basil Pesto Bowtie Salad and Smoked Mozzarella Penne Salad, sold in 28 states, are being recalled over risk of listeria monocytogenes contamination. The initial recall was initiated by Fresh Creative Foods, which makes the salad kits. That company had been notified by the manufacturer of its pasta ingredient, Nate’s Fine Foods of Roseville, California, that the pasta might be contaminated. No one has reported being ill so far. The recall was expanded to other states and differently branded stores, including in Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington and West Virginia. The notice said the salads were sold from the deli full- and self-service cases at 1,860 Kroger stores between Aug. 29 and Oct. 2, including Kroger, Baker’s, City Market, Dillons, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Gerbes, King Soopers, Payless, Ralphs and Smith’s stores. The items are no longer on store shelves and customers are being notified through register tape receipts and email alerts. But it’s not possible to notify all those who may have purchased the products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said that other stores are recalling different products that contain pasta from that supplier. ### About Listeria monocytogenes Listeria monocytogenes is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and anyone with a weakened immune system. It can also cause miscarriage and stilbirth in pregnant women. More rarely, the illness can be fatal. Most people will just have short-term symptoms, which can include high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea. For a complete list of product label images, click here. Customers may also call 1-800-KROGERS, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. EDT to 12:00 a.m. EDT, and Saturday through Sunday 8:00 a.m. EDT to 9:00 p.m. EDT. ### Other recalls related to the pasta Nate’s Fine Foods, Inc., expanded their recall of specific lots of pre-cooked pasta including fettucine, linguine, and farfalle (bowtie), again related to listeria. The FDA notice said Nate’s doesn’t sell directly to customers, but rather to retailers. It’s possible the additional recalls will be needed; that’s being determined. What you need to know to make smart choices about caffeine Two families bond over groundbreaking liver transplants Other products being recalled include Scott & Jon’s Shrimp Scampi with Linguini Bowls 9.6-oz. with specific March 2027 dates distributed by Demers Food Group. Another recall involves TraderJoe’s Cajun Style Blackened Chicken Breast Fettuccine Alfredo 16-oz plastic tray packages with specific dates, per a USDA FSIS public health alert. An Albertsons recall includes ready-made pasta salads with sales dates of Sept. 8 to Oct. 4. There were also earlier pasta recalls that have expired. Additional product information is available in “Product Descriptions” section below. According to the FDA, “prepared meals made with the affected pasta may have been sold in the refrigerated and frozen sections of grocery stores and are intended for microwaving and/or cooking before eating. Consumers who are unsure if they have purchased this product are advised to contact their retailer.”