Seminary_Life_Prep
A group of young adults enjoys each other's company. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has implemented new life preparation lessons into the seminary curriculum, which aim to enrich all areas of students’ lives by helping them see the spiritual value of important life skills.© 2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Seminaries and Institutes of Religion (S&I) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has implemented new life preparation lessons into the curriculum for seminary students worldwide. This historic shift in the seminary program, which is at the highest percentage of students ever enrolled, aims to enrich all areas of students’ lives by helping them see the spiritual value of important life skills.
Typically taught one to two days a week, these lessons will supplement the sequential scripture study seminary students are familiar with.
This new curriculum will cover topics such as:
- Temple Preparation
- Mission Preparation
- Succeeding in School
- Building Self-Reliance
- For the Strength of Youth
- Physical and Emotional Health
- Teachings of Our Church Leaders
- Preparing for Future Education and Employment
Brother Chad H Webb, the administrator of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, announced this new initiative in the seminary program during the Seminaries and Institutes Annual Training Broadcast on Friday, January 26, 2024.
“These lessons will address specific needs of our seminary students in ways that will continue to be Christ-centered, scripture-based, and learner-focused,” Brother Webb said. “By combining the approaches of sequential and thematic scripture study, we hope to unlock a spiritual reservoir unlike any we have seen before.”
Both Brother Webb and Elder Clark G. Gilbert, Commissioner of the Church Educational System, looked forward with hope for a stronger generation of youth.
“Grounded in Jesus Christ and anchored in the scriptures, I see young men and young women better prepared for missions, striving for their temple covenants, more emotionally resilient, more self-reliant, and better prepared for college,” Elder Gilbert said.
Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles expressed great excitement for these new lessons.
“To me, this seems like adding some extra fruit and a fresh pinch of seasoning to the pie. It’s going to be delicious,” he said. “With you, I am anxious to learn from this approach, and I rejoice in being able to provide something extra to those who make the effort and sacrifices to be in seminary.”
Impact of Seminaries and Institutes
Church President Russell M. Nelson recently extended an invitation for youth to attend seminary.
“As you [attend seminary], I promise that you will receive answers to some of your most difficult questions,” he said. “You will find friends you can trust. You will become a true disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.”
In the past three years, Seminaries and Institutes of Religion has added more than 125,000 students. In 2024, the seminary program saw its highest-ever percentage of seminary-eligible teens enrolled.
Brother Webb addressed the reach and impact of the S&I program during the 2024 Church Educational System Religious Educators Conference.
“Just by way of example,” he said, “last year alone in Central America, our [seminary and institute] teachers personally invited over 25,000 youth and young adults to attend classes. We also asked our students to invite their friends. As a result, there were more than 30,000 friends of other faiths who attended, which resulted in over 9,000 baptisms.”
Church research has shown that youth who attend seminary are four times more likely to stay connected with the Church in the future. Research also finds that young adults who attend institute classes experience many benefits: lifelong Church activity, testimony, feelings of belonging, feeling the Spirit, personal devotion, and family devotion.
Brother Webb added, “Enrollment growth is just part of the story. Everywhere I go, I hear stories of people’s lives being changed. As young people begin a serious study of the scriptures, they are blessed and receive inspiration and hope. And that is happening in our classes every day.”
Youth members and their friends are each invited to benefit from these lessons.
Learn more here.