What Sarah Jane Weaver learned from hosting 200 episodes of the Church News podcast (2024)

Shortly after President Russell M. Nelson was sustained as President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he embarked in April 2018 on a worldwide ministry — visiting England, Israel, India, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Thailand, Hong Kong and Hawaii.

I was assigned to write about the trip, working under the leadership of Sheri Dew, executive vice president of Deseret Management Corp. and a former member of the Relief Society general presidency.

As we traveled together, I observed my boss asking a single question of the people we met: What do you know now?

She asked Latter-day Saints what they knew after joining the Church. What they learned from Church service. What they learned as President Nelson visited their country.

She also asked the question of leaders. What do you know now that you didn’t know before visiting India? What do you know now that you learned from members in Hong Kong? What do you know now that you have observed from President Nelson?

Without exception, the question solicited powerful answers. It was reflective. It caused individuals to ponder growth, change and development. It spurred the documentation of important hinge points in the lives of God’s children and revealed His hand and His watch care.

Soon I found myself using it — in almost every interview I conducted and as I reflected and shared my own experiences.

I came to realize that learning abounds. The Lord is always teaching us. I began to see power in documenting those lessons.

I will never forget a meeting just over two years later, after the COVID-19 pandemic had limited Church and temple attendance, in-office work and social gatherings.

Sister Dew called a few people to her office and asked what we had learned during the pandemic that we had not known before.

“What do you know now?” she said.

I realized that even in times of trial and discouragement, God is teaching His children.

A few weeks later when we launched the Church News podcast, I knew that we should ask the same question of each guest.

And we did just that — for the next 200 weeks.

On Tuesday, Aug. 6, the Church News released the 200th episode of the Church News podcast. In doing so, I also recorded my final episode as podcast host after being named editor of the Deseret News in June.

I shared some of my experiences over the 29 years I have worked for the Church News and passed the podcast reigns to Church News editor Jon Ryan Jensen.

He asked me the same question I learned from Sheri Dew, that I have posed in every podcast episode I recorded: “What do you know now?”

Yet again, I felt the power of the question.

I thought about being hired as a Church News reporter in 1995 — of writing about temple dedications, Church devotionals and member responses to natural disasters. I thought of documenting Church education, Relief Society and the ministries of prophets, seers and revelators. I was reminded that along the way I was mentored and tutored professionally by Sister Dew and many others. In addition, I was helped not only by those who lead the Church, but also by thousands of individual Latter-day Saints.

In the process, I came to know three things:

1. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are remarkable. In locations around the world, I have felt something important when they sing, been inspired by their words and received their kindness. They have helped me navigate their cities and translated for me. They have shared with me precious gifts — physical and spiritual.

2. The leaders of the Church consecrate their lives to testify of Jesus Christ. Sitting in countless congregations, I have felt the Holy Ghost confirm the teachings and words of prophets and apostles. They are kind. They come to Church service from varied experiences, educations and backgrounds. Still, they share a sure witness of Jesus Christ and His gospel and a desire to testify of Him around the globe.

3. This is the Church of Jesus Christ, and He directs it. God’s love for His children is reflected in the announcement and construction of 350 temples, in Church schools and Church education, and in Latter-day Saint humanitarian efforts. The opportunity to write about each of these things in the pages of the Church News has blessed my life. More important, however, is what the Church and Church service have done for my family — my husband and me and our three daughters. Without exception, everything that is important to me has been influenced, elevated and enriched by making covenants in the Lord’s Church.

From the time I was a little girl I wanted to be a journalist. Three decades later, I am filled with gratitude for opportunities to ask questions, share important messages and document learnings from a powerful sentiment: “What do you know now?”

— Sarah Jane Weaver is editor of the Deseret News and a former editor of the Church News.