As the Easter season approaches, many people all over the world look for ways to elevate their relationship with Jesus Christ.
A new four-episode YouTube series produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints illustrates how four young adults with diverse backgrounds were able to strengthen their faith in the Savior during a 30-day challenge recorded as four separate vlogs.
The first episode of “Try Faith: A 30-Day Challenge,” is now available. Viewers are invited to follow along with a 30-day goal of their own that will help them strengthen their faith and relationship with Christ. The rest of the series will be released on YouTube over the next two weeks. The final episode publishes March 12.
The four vloggers, who range in age from 20-30 years, live in Nevada, Italy, Colombia and Hawaii and represent a broad range of Latter-day Saints with very different life experiences.
They were challenged to pick an invitation from general conference, the Church’s biannual religious broadcast, and find ways to apply a change or act on a gospel teaching for 30 days.
“The goal was to invite them to internalize the messages about the gospel of Jesus Christ and recognize how living the gospel changes lives for the better,” said Chad Phares, the Church’s director of enterprise social media.
The vloggers all said they sought spiritual guidance as they worked to achieve their different goals. “Each of these four people did personal things and saw personal miracles and answers to their prayers,” said Phares.
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Maria Coz Becerra at the Kyiv Ukraine Temple on December 24, 2022. Image is a screenshot from video. All rights reserved.
Maria Coz Becerra wanted to find ways to feel peace daily, Melody Christman looked for opportunities to serve, Hansel Aguilar prioritized time with his wife, and Dayrin Pirir challenged herself to develop self-love by taking care of her health.
Phares said that the 30-day challenge was a way to jumpstart a process inviting the young adults to act. “This was all part of a progression — a process to get to know God better and to develop a personal relationship with Him.”
Small Changes, Big Results
The vlogs show a noticeable change in behavior and perspective.
“One of the remarkable things we saw from the young adults who took this challenge was that making a deliberate effort to change in small ways had a major impact on their relationships with God and with others,” Phares said. “We see growth in finding peace, in building relationships, in loving yourself more, and coming to know God better.”
By the end of the challenge, Coz, whose goal was to feel more peace, realized she had been feeling peace all along. “I got a deeper understanding of the peace that comes from our Savior,” she said. “I had the reassurance that He was with me and was hugging me in the darkest times.” She hopes people all over the world can understand that “they’re not alone and no matter what they’re going through it matters to God.”
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Image is a screenshot from video. All rights reserved.
Christman prayed for an opportunity to help others every day, even if she already had a service activity planned. “I was incredibly lonely; despite being surrounded by so many wonderful people around me and online.” Turning outward and serving others helped her make meaningful connections and fill her life with love. “When you put someone’s needs before yours, you can feel how the Savior feels for you,” she said.
Aguilar, who wanted to spend more time with his wife, said, “Reading the scriptures helped me have an eternal perspective, which allowed me to understand the importance of my priorities.” He often shared his goals with his wife, and by the end of the 30 days, he was able to see a difference. “I feel that the love in our marriage has grown even more,” he said. “Love is a verb, so loving each other and God is the best recipe for a marriage.”
Pirir said there were days when she was exhausted due to her busy schedule, but prayer helped her achieve her goal of taking better care of her health. “I could feel an additional push that not only gave me the strength needed, but also gave me the confirmation that I wasn't alone.”
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Hansel Aguilar and his wife, Emily. Image is a screenshot from video. All rights reserved.
Try the Challenge for Yourself
“We expect that the results these young adults found from their experiment would apply to anybody who tries to do the same,” Phares said. “Anybody can increase in knowledge that God knows and loves them and that Jesus Christ is their Savior.”
To find ways you can come closer to Jesus Christ, watch the “Try Faith: A 30-Day Challenge” on YouTube and perhaps even follow along with your own goal for 30 days. Other suggested resources from general conference include: