‘[God] Loves You,’ Sister Yee Tells Young Single Adults

Rachael Harper of Edmonton, Alberta, was thrilled to find that her tour of temples in Idaho coincided exactly with a conference for young single adult Latter-day Saints in Boise.

Kolby Wilding of Dallas, Texas, who is working this summer in Caldwell, Idaho, said he “lucked out” to join more than 800 other adults his age for a smorgasbord of spiritual talks, socializing and service.

“This is our gospel retreat,” he said while waiting his turn to hit a few balls at Boise’s Top Golf.

“I want to make memories with Jesus Christ,” added Kylie Stevenson of Kuna, Idaho. “I thought my days of attending special conferences like this ended with my youth. I love being around people who bring the Spirit in — and the Spirit is here.”

The four-day conference included the sharing of testimonies as well as games, recreation, a concert, a dance, workshops focused on building spiritual strength and a keynote from Sister Kristin M. Yee of the Relief Society General Presidency.

“There are many of us, many of us children of God. And yet we are individually valuable,” Sister Yee said. “It is a different accounting system in heaven. It is an eternal one, one that matters more. Your value is infinite, your potential glorious.”

The Idaho conference was one of three simultaneous conferences (all with the theme of “Think Celestial,” the title of a general conference talk from President Russell M. Nelson) being held for young single adults in the Church’s North America Central Area. Hundreds more gathered in Denver and Kansas City for get-to-know-you activities, spiritual development and service in their communities.

Sister Yee’s remarks were broadcast to all three locations. She told young single adults to focus on building a foundation for life based on covenant relationships with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

“Your worth is not your checklist, nor your degree, nor your careers, the number of friends you have, who knows you and doesn’t know you,” said Sister Yee. “Your worth is set — and it is great. He loves you.”

The Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency taught a concept she learned from a friend. It is important, she said, that we build a firm vertical foundation with God.

“If you have that kind of relationship with your Heavenly Father and your Savior, you will be less pulled and yanked to and fro by how other people think or how they judge you or how you compare against another person,” Sister Yee said.

She also shared experiences from years ago when she was a young adult navigating college and career decisions, seeking direction from the Spirit.

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“God works differently than man does,” said Sister Yee. “His ways are not man’s ways. His ways are higher and holier, and they require faith. It will not be like our university experience. It will not be what you see online. He will ask us to seek and become and do things on a spiritual level which will elevate all parts of our lives.”

In Kansas City, young adults also heard from Jeremy Guthrie, a former World Series pitcher for the Kansas City Royals. He served as president of the Houston South Mission from 2018 to 2021.

“If I could bottle up ‘Think Celestial,’ it would be to put God first in the decisions you make,” Guthrie said. “What would God have you do?”

Madeline Varone of Liberty, Missouri, was one of about 450 in the audience.

“Jeremy Guthrie spoke about unity and how we can do more when we are one,” she said. “I felt the spirit and power of unity this week as we gathered together to draw closer to Christ. It’s amazing how being around so many people with the same goal can be so incredibly motivating and faith building.”

Young single adults in all three states put on work gloves and spread throughout their communities for several service projects. Hundreds gathered at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ orchard in Caldwell, Idaho, to listen to a devotional, thin peaches and share lunch.

“It is honestly so much fun,” said Ben Black of Eagle, Idaho. “We feel the spirit of what we are doing here. It is for a greater cause, not for our ourselves or for our friends. It is for people who need it.”

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In Kansas City, the group planted trees and cleared trails at Heart Forest, the largest heart-shaped forest in the world. In Colorado, they assembled 5,000 hygiene kits with items ranging from diapers to deodorant and tampons to toothpaste. Justice Necessary donated feminine hygiene products for one month for 2,000 of the kits. The Salvation Army is distributing the materials to refugees and the homeless in four states.

“Service like this is the best way to show there are people in this world who care,” said Hyrum Spillane, who traveled more than eight hours to attend the conference in Denver.

Elder Jeremiah J. Morgan, Area Seventy for the Church’s North America Central Area, spoke to the young single adults gathered in Kansas City.

“Throughout the course of the weekend, you could see and hear spiritual memories being created with the young single adults,” Elder Morgan said. “The experiences they had together and in sacred places such as the temple and Church history sites were defining moments.”