Sister Kristin M. Yee, second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, told young single adults how to find divine belonging, purpose and peace.
“I know the Lord has a great interest in you and your life, the decisions you are making and the soul-stretching challenges you are facing,” she said Saturday, Aug. 15, as part of the Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference in Salt Lake City.
In her keynote address, Sister Yee pointed to seven principles about identity and Heavenly Father’s love for each person.
Identity
Sister Yee explained “young single adult” is just a demographic term. “It is not who you are, not by a long shot,” she said.
“Let us anchor ourselves to those identifiers which have the power to lead us to eternal life,” she said. “Along with being a child of God, a child of the covenant and a disciple of Jesus Christ, you are also members of Relief Society or members of an elders quorum, who minister and bring relief in the Savior’s name.”
Sister Yee said covenant keepers are no less than any other disciple in the Lord’s kingdom “because of your age or marital status.”
“If you are living your covenants, you are living plan A,” she said. “There is no plan B for those who keep their covenants with God.”
Finding belonging in Zion
The Savior has taught that his people are to be “of one heart and one mind” (Moses 7:18).
Sister Yee spoke about how she has experienced this in her own life, through attending different wards for both families and young single adults. In those wards, she received callings and “learned to trust in the Lord as I helped ward members and learned to let them help me.”
Ministering
Sister Yee said she can’t imagine her life without caring for others.
“It’s part of who I am and hope to be, which is more like our Savior, Jesus Christ,” she said. Sister Yee said the Savior has blessed her as she’s ministered to others with “merciful healing, love and relief.” And, she said, “the Savior is the embodiment of ministering.”
She added, “We are blessed to have His example to follow, to learn how to love, minister and become as He is.”
Partnering with Jesus Christ
Sister Yee said one does not need to face life’s uncertainties, heartaches and challenges alone.
“As you prioritize and nourish your covenant relationship with God, you will find divine belonging and spiritual resilience not of this world,” she said. “When you choose the Lord as your primary source of validation, you will not be so easily pulled or bothered by the perspectives of others.”
Feeling God’s love
Sister Yee said one of the greatest motivations in life is “feeling God’s love for us personally.”
She shared an experience where she clearly saw God’s awareness and love. While waiting for a delayed flight at the airport she met a young woman who was also delayed. Sister Yee said she felt impressed to study some of the messages she was preparing and share them with the young woman.
“She stopped me just a few minutes in and put her hand on her heart and with emotion said: ‘I don’t know how you know this, but this is exactly what I needed to hear. I know my Heavenly Father knows where I am right now,’” Sister Yee said. “We worship a God who knows and loves the one; He knows and loves you.”
Family history and temple work
Sister Yee told how she was able to connect with her father’s Chinese ancestors through a series of events that she called a “miracle.”
Sister Yee said that on the same day a family historian was searching on behalf of Sister Yee for her great-grandfather’s village, another inquiry was made at the genealogical museum in Taishan, China, by a man from that same village. When that man heard about Sister Yee’s search for her family, he recognized her ancestors and donated 93 generations of his own family tree that connected to hers.
“You can’t imagine what God can and will do, till He does it,” Sister Yee said. “It was made so clear to us that He had orchestrated this tender and powerful miracle in my family.”
Believe in Jesus Christ
Finally, Sister Yee encouraged those in attendance to “not be distracted by the cares of this world.”
“Our strength, happiness and peace lie in trusting Him who gave us life and who loves us completely,” she said. “I believe that our Heavenly Father wants you to be happy now — not just when you finish that degree or have that relationship, home or career. He wants you to find happiness today. He delights to own and bless you with those things that bring true happiness now and in the eternities.”
