What President Freeman said about road trips, Elder McKay about perfection, at young single adult conference

Young Women general president Emily Belle Freeman gave the morning keynote on Aug. 2, while Elder Kyle S. McKay spoke in the afternoon

3 Aug 2024, 9:45 a.m. MDT

Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman gives her keynote speech at the 2024 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman loves a good road trip.

She is full of humorous stories from her family’s drives, like the time their car’s wiper fluid mechanism broke, so her son periodically stuck his head out of the sunroof to pour wiper fluid directly on the windshield.

But President Freeman had some different kinds of road trips in mind while speaking to young single adults on Friday, Aug. 2: the roads to Damascus, Jericho, Calvary and Emmaus.

“If you are in the middle of a long or difficult journey,” she said, “if you are tired and in need of rest, if you just want to laugh a little and cry a little, if you are yearning for something more, if you are in deep trouble and looking for courage, or if your heart is weary and you are looking for strength to go on, here is one thing that I know: you do not journey alone. Jesus Christ promised to walk with you, to make sure you lack nothing.”

President Freeman shared this promise during her opening keynote address Friday morning for the 2024 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference convention. She was followed in the afternoon by Elder Kyle S. McKay, General Authority Seventy and Church historian.

Held Aug. 2 and 3 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City, the convention is the main event of the 2024 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference. The first convention day saw thousands of young single adults turning out for keynote speakers, breakout sessions, musical performances and much more. The theme of this year’s conference is “Together in Christ.”

In addition to Friday’s opening and closing keynotes, the convention hosted two musical keynotes throughout the day: the first featuring musical trio Gentri, and the second featuring pianist and composer William Joseph.

The convention continues through Saturday, Aug. 3. The conference will close Sunday, Aug. 4, with a devotional from Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

See more coverage of the 2024 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference

People take notes as Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman gives her keynote speech at the 2024 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

Spiritual road trips

In her morning keynote, President Freeman shared four gospel principles that she said have changed her life: faith, repentance, covenant keeping and listening to the Holy Ghost.

Faith requires action, President Freeman said. Like Elder Patrick Kearon taught during April 2024 general conference, God is in relentless pursuit of each person; “but do you live in relentless pursuit of Him?”

She continued that repentance can be represented by the road to Damascus — the road Saul was walking when Jesus Christ appeared to him. Saul was a fierce persecutor of early Christians, but after this day, he became a devoted disciple.

President Freeman noted that, during his encounter with the Savior, Saul asked “the most important questions we can ask”: “Who art thou, Lord?” (Acts 9:5) and “Lord, what wilt thou have me do?” (Acts 9:6)

This story illustrates that perfection isn’t required to come unto Jesus, she said, and that what matters most after someone makes a mistake is how they respond. Repentance is “turning again to Christ as many times as it takes.”

Then there’s the road to Jericho, where the good Samaritan helped a wounded stranger (Luke 10). This road points individuals toward the road to Calvary, where Christ was crucified and which represents the Atonement of Jesus Christ that allows Him to heal what can’t be healed, President Freeman said.

Making and keeping covenants and partaking in ordinances such as the sacrament, she continued, “are moments within the journey when we are reminded that we are His.”

Finally, on the road to Emmaus, the Savior’s disciples spoke with each other about the days following Christ’s crucifixion. The Savior joined them, but His disciples didn’t immediately recognize Him. Later, after realizing who He was, they asked, “Did not our heart burn within us?” (Luke 24:32), referring to the Spirit.

The Holy Ghost is “one of the sweetest gifts of mortality,” President Freeman said. Having the Spirit’s companionship requires submission to Heavenly Father’s will and cultivating an environment conducive to hearing its still, small voice; this will take practice, but it’s worth it, she said. “I have learned that one of the greatest achievements that can be ours in this life is to live under the complete influence of the Holy Ghost.”

Perfection not required for progress

Elder Kyle S. McKay, General Authority Seventy and Church historian, gives a keynote speech at the 2024 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

During his afternoon keynote address on Aug. 2, Elder Kyle S. McKay shared that despite the imperfection of self and others, Saints don’t have to be perfect to build up the kingdom of God and follow the Savior.

”You can be as He is — like He is — without being perfect,” Elder McKay said.

The original Quorum of the Twelve Apostles consisted entirely of young adults, he continued, starting at age 23. “God brought about the greatest Restoration ever using mostly young adults.”

These young Apostles were used for the Lord’s purposes not because they were perfect, but rather because they were teachable and willing to follow the Lord’s direction, Elder McKay said.

He added: “Like Joseph, Brigham, Moses and anyone else who has gone through mortality, save one, you are mistake prone. And yet, you can be a mighty instrument in God’s hands in bringing about His purposes.”

Young adults don’t have to be perfect in order for God to use their efforts, Elder McKay said. Perfection is not required of His children, but instead promised to them as they are “sanctified in Christ by the grace of God” to “become holy, without spot” (Moroni 10:33).

When Christ commands His disciples to be perfect, “He is simply reminding us that we need help, we need a Savior,” Elder McKay said. “And He is inviting us to come unto Him so that He can sanctify us, protect us and make us holy.”

The Kirtland Temple, which the Church of Jesus Christ acquired in March, wasn’t built in the richness and splendor of Solomon’s Temple, Elder McKay continued. Yet, “Jesus accepted it, perfected it and glorified it. Within its walls, He appeared and oversaw the restoration of the keys that govern almost everything of lasting significance in His kingdom here and now.”

How did a humble building come to have such significance? In the early Saints’ extreme poverty, they constructed what they didn’t have means to build, Elder McKay said. ”Give who you are. He will accept you, He will perfect you, He will magnify you and glorify you.”

Young adults can be compassionate toward others and themselves, Elder McKay said, trusting that Christ has both capacity and intent to work miracles in everyone. “Please be patient with yourselves, with your fellow believers, with Church leaders and with the Church itself as Christ works to iron out wrinkles and remove spots or blemishes all in an effort [to] make His children and His Church holy.”