Latter-day Saints Gather in Nauvoo to Serve and Be Uplifted

Some 300 single adult Latter-day Saints age 31 and up gathered in Historic Nauvoo on Thursday, September 18, to hear remarks from Sister Amy A. Wright, First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency. The group had come for a four-day conference to socialize, serve and grow spiritually in the historic setting.

Sister Wright taught and testified from the scriptures of the importance of making and keeping sacred covenants and following the counsel of a living prophet.

“When men and women are united in the cause of Christ, miracles happen,” she affirmed.

Sister Wright closed with the following counsel, “My dear friends, the greatest gift you can give to the world, your children, your family, your community, is to keep your covenants. If you want to successfully navigate the challenges of our day and be a light unto others — a light on a hill that cannot be hid — make and keep sacred covenants and follow the counsel of our living prophet.”

Her keynote address set the tone for several days of friendship and testimony building through workshops, tours of the historic sites, activities, performances, and community service.

Multiple workshop presentations focused on drawing closer to Jesus Christ to navigate life’s unique challenges, such as losing a spouse or starting over after a divorce.

David Boice, a YouTube personality and recent convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, talked about his spiritual journey. “Jesus had my hand no matter what,” he said, which allowed him to accept the invitation to be baptized, despite working in the sometimes toxic online world.

Elder Kirt L. Hodges, an Area Seventy assigned to preside over the conference, observed that the participants “are just trying to figure out where Heavenly Father wants them to be. They work through trials and adversities, but they don’t lose their faith, and they continue to look to the Savior and know that He’s the answer.”

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Many participants have made strong friendships through such conferences. Takao Miyazawa felt the conference provided a “chance to meet people of the same age,” and he loved the historic sites and Nauvoo Temple.

Liz Maughan shared: “I don’t just come for the conference. I come to experience Nauvoo and the peace that is here. This year, I was not going to come, but then I felt like I needed to come. I’m here and I’m not sure why, but I’m already loving being able to be away from the hustle and bustle of life.”

Anna Ismagilova called the conference “four happiest, spiritual and unforgettable days.”

On Saturday, many conference participants ventured out into a rainy afternoon to provide community service in conjunction with JustServe. Participants could choose from various projects, including cleaning the Miller House museum in Keokuk, Iowa, or picking up debris along the banks of the Mississippi River. Several volunteers worked to spread rock under newly installed solar panels at Camp Nauvoo, which is owned and operated by Community of Christ. Others helped with similar landscaping in Historic Nauvoo as well. Still others used their talents to make Christmas ornaments for people impacted by fire, crochet soap sacks for homeless people, and more.

Many participant comments on social media echoed one post by Javier Amaro that the conference was a “beautiful opportunity to meet wonderful people with the same values and goals.”