On Sunday, Sept. 22, roughly 2,000 young adults gathered at the Tempe Arizona Institute of Religion for a somewhat rare opportunity: to learn from and listen to an Apostle in person.
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Susan Bednar — joined by Elder Clark G. Gilbert, the Church commissioner of education, and his wife, Sister Christine Gilbert — spent the evening answering questions submitted by institute students about dating and marriage, overcoming challenges, and the importance of one’s eternal identity as a child of God, among other topics.
“There is power in being in the presence of an Apostle of the Lord,” commented Jason Olson, the Tempe institute director.
Many students reported to him that after listening to Elder and Sister Bednar, they had questions answered and felt God’s love, Olson said. “Heavy hearts were encouraged, revelation from the Holy Ghost was received, and we felt a renewed commitment to make and keep covenants.”
That devotional was one of five in less than a week where an Apostle addressed young adult audiences.
Elder Patrick Kearon of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles started off the round of devotionals by addressing roughly 13,000 Brigham Young University students during the weekly campus devotional on Tuesday, Sept. 17. The following Sunday, Sept. 22, Elder Bednar, Elder Dale G. Renlund, Elder Gerrit W. Gong and Elder Ulisses Soares, all of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, spoke at institute devotionals.
In 2021, six members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles also led devotionals geared toward Latter-day Saint young adults in one day. Still in the midst of COVID-19 restrictions, the Apostles’ words were broadcast to different areas of the world representing all six major continents.
This September’s series of devotionals, however, allowed Church leaders to provide more targeted counsel to smaller groups of young adults — Elder Renlund gathered with about 4,000 young adults at the Orem Utah Institute; Elder Gong with 1,400 young adults at the West Jordan Utah Institute; and Elder Soares with around a thousand young adults at the Pocatello Idaho Institute — all of which resonated with many.
The devotional with Elder Renlund and Sister Ruth Renlund, for example, filled every classroom and large space in the institute, reported Sean Dixon, director of the Orem institute adjacent to Utah Valley University. “These visits from Apostles bring a spirit and enthusiasm that is unmatched.”
Elder Renlund’s warmth and sense of humor, in addition to his Christ-centered message, deeply connected with students, Dixon said. “It was evident that they sensed they were in the presence of a prophet.”
Elder Gong and his wife, Sister Susan Gong, stayed two hours following the devotional to shake hands with those in attendance, and for Kristen Haws, a young adult from West Jordan, Utah, the opportunity to look Elder Gong in the eye and shake his hand gave her a renewed testimony of his calling.
“I felt so special,” Haws said.
Another young adult from West Jordan, Tristen Tharp, noted that the young single adult years can be difficult and full of many important decisions. “Having a speaker — a witness of Jesus Christ — spend their evenings with us means so much to us,” Tharp said. “It helps us continue on our journey on the covenant path.”
Ken Southwick, the institute director for the Pocatello Idaho Institute of Religion, noted that Elder Soares’ message “was incredibly relevant for our young adults. This was confirmed by students in our classes as we debriefed the devotional on Monday.”
BYU student Abigail Haven said she felt the love of Elder Kearon and his wife, Sister Jennifer Kearon, for them as students as the two entered the Marriott Center. “I loved that they were willing to get personal with us and also give us principles that we could each apply into our lives.”
Even though none of the Apostles know her personally, said BYU student Annie Zollinger, “through them I am able to feel the perfect love my Savior has for me. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to hear from living Apostles of the Lord.”
These type of devotionals — where attendees are able to be in the same room and be uplifted and taught by these special witnesses of Jesus Christ — are a “special treat,” said Ricardo J. Fernandez, a young single adult serving in the West Jordan Utah YSA Stake, who attended Elder Gong’s devotional at the West Jordan institute.
The Apostles and their messages testify “of a close, aware and loving Father in Heaven that wants us to stay connected with Him,” Fernandez said.
