LDS Church Sustains New President Dallin H. Oaks at 196th General Conference

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held its 196th Annual General Conference over Easter weekend, April 4-5, 2026, sustaining Dallin H. Oaks as the new Church President.

Oaks was sustained in a solemn assembly, with Henry B. Eyring as first counselor and D. Todd Christofferson as second counselor in the First Presidency. The transition followed the death of President Russell M. Nelson on September 27, 2025. Oaks had presided over the October 2025 general conference as president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles before being announced as Church President on October 14, 2025.

In his Sunday morning address, Oaks invited members to be peacemakers and to avoid harsh and hateful language in their relationships.

Eight new General Authority Seventies were sustained at the conference, and seven were designated to receive emeritus status on August 1. A new Primary general presidency was also sustained, set to begin on August 1.

On the temple front, the Willamette Valley Oregon Temple opened for public tours on April 20, 2026. The new Nauvoo Temple Visitors' Center in Illinois is scheduled for dedication on June 27, 2026. A groundbreaking ceremony for the Teresina Brazil Temple took place on April 18, 2026, and a new temple was announced for Marysville, Washington.

The Church also announced curriculum changes for youth, parents, and leaders, set to take effect on September 6, 2026.

The Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square expanded the reach of their weekly broadcast, "Music and the Spoken Word," to millions of listeners across 25 African countries.

Twelve singers from 10 countries joined the Tabernacle Choir as global members for several conference sessions. The Church's statistical report as of December 31, 2025, was released during the Saturday afternoon session.