Ensign (LDS Magazine)

''The Ensign of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints'', commonly shortened to ''Ensign'' ( ), was an official periodical of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1971 to 2020. The magazine was first issued in January 1971, along with the correlated '' New Era'' (for youth) and the '' Friend'' (for children). Each of these magazines replaced the older church publications '' The Improvement Era'', '' Relief Society Magazine'', '' The Instructor'', and the '' Millennial Star''. Unlike some of its predecessors, the ''Ensign'' contained no advertisements.

As an official church publication, the ''Ensign'' contained faith-promoting and proselytizing information, stories, sermons, and writings of church leaders.

For many years, the May and November editions of the ''Ensign'' provided reports of the proceedings of the church's annual and semi-annual general conferences. These issues contain the full sermons and business of the conferences, as well as a current photographic list of the church's general authorities and general officers.

The text of every issue of the magazine is available on the church's web site. Each issue since January 2001 is also available in PDF format.

In April 2018, the magazine discontinued its First Presidency message, an article traditionally found at the front of the magazine written by a member of the church's First Presidency. This message was traditionally used by home teachers for a lesson as they visited their assigned families. This change coincided with the church's revamping of the home teaching program into ministering.

In August 2020, the LDS Church announced that the ''Ensign'' would cease publication at the end of 2020 and would be replaced by the English-language version of '' Liahona''. The final issue was dated December 2020.

Editors

The magazine's editors included the following, with all those beginning with Dean L. Larsen being general authority seventies:

* Doyle L. Green (1971–1975)
* Dean L. Larsen (1977–1978)
* James E. Faust (1979)
* M. Russell Ballard (1980–1984)
* Carlos E. Asay (1985–1986)
* Joseph B. Wirthlin (1986)
* Hugh W. Pinnock (1987–1989)
*Rex D. Pinegar (1990–1994)
* Joe J. Christensen (1994–1995)Rex D. Pinegar and Joe J. Christensen were co-editors in 1994.
* Jack H. Goaslind (1996–1998)
* Marlin K. Jensen (1999–2000)
*Dennis B. Neuenschwander (2001–2004)
* Jay E. Jensen (2005–2008)
* Spencer J. Condie (2008–2010)
*Paul B. Pieper (2010–2012)
*Craig A. Cardon (2012–2015)
* Joseph W. Sitati (2015–2017)
*Hugo E. Martinez (2017–2018)
*Randy D. Funk (2018–2020)

See also

* List of Latter Day Saint periodicals
* Herald (Community of Christ)

References

External links

''Ensign'' Official site

{{LDSChurchpubs

1971 in Christianity
1971 establishments in Utah
Monthly magazines published in the United States
Defunct Christian magazines published in the United States
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints periodicals
Magazines established in 1971
Magazines published in Utah
Mass media in Salt Lake City
2020 disestablishments in Utah
Magazines disestablished in 2020