What to know ahead of visit by president of LDS Church

The leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is set to make an appearance in the Valley Sunday at what is expected to be the largest gathering of Church members in Arizona history.

President Russell M. Nelson will hold a devotional at State Farm Stadium in Glendale at 6 p.m. Sunday.

Nelson's message for congregants will be to "bring the love of the Lord to people everywhere," according to Church spokeswoman Jennifer Wheeler.

"No matter where it is, the gospel of Jesus Christ has within it the power to lift and to love, to serve," Nelson said in a statement. "Our doctrine is not complicated or convoluted or complex. It's so simple — love God and love your neighbor."

An estimated 68,000 people are expected to attend the devotional, which is believed to make the event the largest gathering of Church members in Arizona history, Wheeler said.

Congregants received free tickets from their congregations on a firstcome, first-served basis.

President Dallin H. Oaks, who serves as one of Nelson's counselors, will join Nelson at the event.

The Glendale devotional comes one month after Nelson's visit to Chico, California, where he sought to offer hope to victims of last year's Camp Fire that became the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history.

Nelson, 94, became president of the Church in January 2018. Last year, Nelson urged members to stop describing themselves as "Mormons," saying that it is offensive to God to use anything other than the faith's full name.

The Church has more than 428,000 members in 895 congregations in Arizona, Wheeler said.

There are currently five operating temples with a sixth — the Mesa Temple — under renovation.

Parking lots for the event open at 3 p.m., stadium doors open at 4 p.m., and guests are asked to be in their seats by 5:30 p.m.

The devotional is set to begin at 6 p.m. and conclude by 7:30 p.m.