Around 700 Latter-day Saint young adults gathered July 28-Aug. 1 in Ikaalinen, Finland, in the southern part of the country, for the 60th annual Festinord conference, reported the Church’s Europe Newsroom of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Festinord is an annual conference created specifically for young single adults from Nordic and Baltic countries, although YSAs from other areas also attend. Its location rotates among Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland. Young adults ages 18 to 35 strengthen faith and build friendships through devotionals, institute classes, workshops, service projects and dances.
This year’s theme, in honor of the event’s diamond anniversary, was “Use the gems of His happiness,” inspired by 2 Nephi 5:27, which reads, “And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness.”
Elder Kevin W. Pearson, a General Authority Seventy and Europe North Area president, gave a devotional with his wife, Sister June Pearson. Both spoke about finding lasting happiness through the gospel and trusting in the Lord through life’s challenges.
“God bless you, our young friends, to be true and faithful — to be valiant in the testimony of Jesus,” President Pearson said. “And as you do, we promise you, you will find happiness.”
Sister Pearson added that she and President Pearson have seen blessings from putting the Lord first, even during trials.
“We made a commitment to each other and to the Lord, that we would put Him first in our life,” she said. “That eternal perspective has made all the difference in the world. [When] life gets dark and dreary, don’t forget to pray.”
Other devotionals were offered by Elder Mark G. Stewart, an Area Seventy from the United Kingdom, and local Church leaders.
Jarna Laine and her husband, Miiko Laine, served as this year’s Festinord conference advisory couple, organizing the event along with young adult coordinators Sami Jäkkö and Renette Laine.
“The interest has been incredible,” said Jarna Laine. “We had around 200 young adults on the waiting list who were hoping to join us, but we simply ran out of space.”
Festinord’s history
The first conference that would become Festinord was in 1966 in Sweden, the Church’s Europe Newsroom reported.
Valkeus, the Finnish-language predecessor to today’s Liahona magazine, published an article about the conference, describing Relief Society sisters cooking for hundreds and young men from Sweden’s priesthood quorums making beds for more than 500 visitors.
Jarkko Metsätähti attended that conference as a teenager, along with the woman who became his wife. Later, his daughter and granddaughter met their own spouses at Festinord, and his great-granddaughter attended this year.
Metsätähti, who helped organize the 2014 conference with his wife, said he could hardly imagine in 1966 how Festinord would shape his family.
“Festinord has been a special spiritual experience and a chance to meet new people,” he said. “As a participant and an organizer, it has provided experiences that have been helpful in many areas of life — at home, at church and at work. I am very grateful for them.”
