More Than 85,000 Friends Join Seminary and Institute Worldwide

Worldwide enrollment in the seminary and institute programs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints now exceeds 1,090,000, including 85,695 friends of other faiths, whose enrollment has nearly doubled in the past two years.

Behind that growth is a simple act: one person inviting another.

As institute marks its 100th anniversary, Seminaries and Institutes of Religion is looking ahead. Its vision is to help more youth and young adults become lifelong disciples of Jesus Christ — and help others find a place to learn and belong beside them. Recent enrollment milestones validate the reach of seminary and institute, but its future will continue to grow through personal invitations.

Love and Lead Like Jesus Christ

The Invite a Friend initiative helps youth and young adults participate in the gathering of Israel by inviting friends to study the word of God and experience the blessings of the gospel.

President Dallin H. Oaks has encouraged youth to attend seminary and invite friends to join them. He has also taught young adults that institute can prepare them to love and lead like Jesus Christ.

“I invite you to consistently attend institute,” President Oaks said in a recent invitation. “I also encourage you to invite friends to share in these same blessings. I promise that your time in institute will bring the Savior’s peace, joy and divine love.”

New Ways to Welcome a Friend

Updated resources are now available to make invitations easier and help visitors feel that they belong. They include:

• New posters and door clings
• “Debut patches” for friends attending for the first time
• Photo-wall designs that recognize and welcome friends
• Social media posts, stories and reel templates
• Customizable materials for local languages and cultures

Among the resources are “debut patches” inspired by those commemorating a player’s first Major League Baseball appearance. Local programs can give them to first-time visitors and take a photograph for a class wall — helping each new friend feel seen, welcomed and included.

Download Photo

Sharing the Invitation Online

Students can also use the new templates to share authentic seminary and institute experiences through social media. Additional content and invitation ideas can be found on ForStrengthofYouth, YA Weekly, local seminary and institute accounts and international youth-facing Church channels.

The goal is not simply to promote a program. It is to help students share why learning about Jesus Christ with friends has mattered to them. The awareness plan calls for youth-facing social content, international adaptation and collaboration across hundreds of program and area channels.

Growing One Invitation at a Time

Stories from Brazil, Ghana, Nigeria and the United States show what can happen when a friend extends a sincere invitation. Some visitors have found lasting friendships. Others have begun meeting with missionaries, joined the Church or influenced an entire family.

“It’s a remarkable thing to have so many friends of the faith learning about the Gospel of Jesus Christ through seminary and institute,” said Sister Becky Scott, associate administrator of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion.

“We’re grateful to play a small role in the gathering of Israel. We hope each young person will know there is a place for them, and that they can naturally and normally help someone else learn more about the Gospel, too.”

The new resources are available in the Invite a Friend Guidebook in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese and may be adapted for local needs.

Members and friends alike can find a class near them through MySeminary.ChurchofJesusChrist.org and MyInstitute.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Youth and young adults can also share “what’s next” on their respective sites to receive follow-up information as they enter new stages of life or move locations. Leaders can also find relevant reports regarding youth and young adult enrollment in their area on Leadership and Clerk Resources.

About Seminaries and Institutes of Religion

Seminaries and Institutes of Religion provide religious education for youth and young adults throughout the world. Seminary and institute classes help students study the scriptures, strengthen faith in Jesus Christ, build meaningful friendships and prepare to serve others. Classes are offered near schools and universities, in Church meetinghouses and homes, and online across cultures and time zones.

Newsroom New Resources Help Youth, Young Adults Invite a Friend to Seminary and Institute