Liahona to Provide Universal Messages for a Global Church

Starting in January of 2021, the Ensign will be retired and the Liahona will become the Church’s magazine for all adult members around the world.

Currently, the Liahona includes material for children and youth, as well as for adult members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The magazine was created to serve members of all ages in 48 languages, including in English for members who don’t receive the Ensign, New Era or Friend.

Now, with the introduction of the global magazines, adults, youth and children all over the world can receive their own magazines every month or every other month.

“The guidance from our prophets and leaders is so critical in these challenging times,” said Sister Sharon Eubank, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency and an adviser to the Liahona. “I am pleased every member of the Church has the opportunity to receive prophetic insight and counsel, which the Liahona magazine will provide.”

The New Liahona

Readers of the new Liahona magazine can expect teachings from Church leaders, inspiring stories that demonstrate how to apply gospel principles and articles that complement the Church-supported, home-centered lessons in “Come, Follow Me.”

Although the new Liahona will be slightly shorter than what current readers are used to, the fewer pages will enable the magazine to be distributed in several languages more frequently. Many members of the Church will receive monthly issues that include 48 pages of inspiring material. Other members, who currently received one to four issues per year, will now receive a 32-page issue every other month.

Members in about 150 different countries will be united around gospel messages that correlate with the Liahona’s tagline: “Pointing us all to Jesus Christ.” The articles will appeal to adult members of different ages and life situations yet provide universal truths that will offer additional insight on how to navigate the turbulent times we live in.

“While each of us faces unique circumstances and challenges, we all have the goal to be happy and to find peace,” said Sister Reyna I. Aburto, second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency. “I believe the messages included every month in the Liahona are one of the surest ways to attain the peace and happiness that come through following God’s plan for us.”

New features in the Liahona this coming year will focus on aging faithfully, explaining gospel basics to new members and helping all members feel a sense of belonging. Readers can also expect more parenting tips and articles on the roles of women in the restored Church. Each issue will also include articles on a specific topic that is similarly covered in both the Friend and For the Strength of Youth magazines to aid family discussions. For example, in upcoming issues of all three magazines there will be age-appropriate articles on topics such as incarceration, disabilities and mental health.

Most subscribers will also receive an insert of local material in the middle of their magazine. These pages will contain stories and articles written in the country in which the members receive the magazine. “Location-specific materials in the magazines will help members deal with their particular environment because not everyone’s is the same,” Relief Society General President Jean B. Bingham said.

The Meaning Behind the Magazine’s Name

The name for the Liahona magazine comes from the Book of Mormon and refers to the compass that directed Lehi and his family as they journeyed to the promised land. Just as it was used as a tool to navigate their surroundings, the magazine can be used as a guide to help individuals and families find their way back to Heavenly Father’s presence, Sister Aburto said.

President Bingham said, “Can you imagine how grateful Lehi and his family were when they discovered that the ‘Liahona’ would guide them to safety? Hopefully we feel some of that same wonder and gratitude when we receive the words of our prophets and leaders through the Liahona magazine.”

Online Reach

In addition to changes with the printed magazine, the Church magazines are developing more digital content to reach members of the Church across the world. Each month, exclusive digital Liahona content will be published online at liahona.ChurchofJesusChrist.org and in the Gospel Library app. These additions will support that month’s topics as well as provide insights on other topics. 

Associated with the online Liahona content will be a greater emphasis on the Young Adult (YA) Weekly section. While this section began in 2018, the content created by young adults, for young adults will be expanded, and efforts to produce more content will be increased. This section publishes new content weekly and tackles themes for young adults, such as healthy sexuality and mental health, and plans to cover topics on overcoming doubt, facing life transitions, healing through the Atonement of Jesus Christ and navigating questions about Church History. New articles for YA Weekly can be found on ChurchofJesusChrist.org and in the Gospel Library.

Improvements for the Future

The Liahona is changing to make it easier for members to receive and read its content. In coming months, the Liahona will improve its magazine experience online and on personal devices by alerting readers of new content through notifications in the Gospel Library app and in additional digital channels.

“What a marvelous blessing to have the words of the prophets and apostles delivered right to our homes and digital devices!” President Bingham said. “I am excited to think about the impact these magazines can have on individuals who will know better how to focus their lives on Jesus Christ and His gifts.”

Subscribe to the Liahona

To subscribe to the Liahona magazine or give a gift subscription, visit store.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.