Andy Black was days away from his 31st birthday in October 2023 when his young single adult stake announced that Latter-day Saints in his area could attend young single adult wards up to age 35. Previously, the cutoff was age 30, with unmarried members ages 31 and older known as single adults.
Black, a young single adult in Bayonne, New Jersey, said the news that his stake was among those helping test a potential Church-wide age change made him “ecstatic.” Not long after, he was called to serve on the high council and as a member of his ward’s bishopric.
“I was able to serve because of the age change, and I am so honored to be helping where the Lord needs me,” Black said, adding, “I just think [this change] helps people connect more and have opportunities ... It may not seem like much, but I know that community within the Church is huge. We’re not meant to do it alone.”
Now, the blessings that Black has seen in New Jersey will extend around the world.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced Thursday, July 18, that the term “young single adult,” frequently abbreviated as YSA, now refers to unmarried Latter-day Saints ages 18-35, with the term “single adult,” abbreviated as SA, now describing unmarried Church members ages 36 and older.
Where available, young single adult wards may include those ages 18 to 35, with single adult wards for those ages 36 to 45.
And in areas with many young single adults — particularly where there are YSA stakes — leaders may consider recommending adjustments in units, such as a ward for members ages 18 to 25 and a separate ward for those ages 26 to 35.
The announcement also noted that institute classes are now available for ages 18 to 35, with classes to be divided by ages 18-25 and ages 26-35, unless attendance numbers are too small to justify dividing classes.
Washington D.C. Young Single Adult South Stake President Kyle Sampson said the local area presidency approved the age change for his stake in 2023. Since then, he said, he’s seen the stake’s strength increase thanks to the addition of “mature members” ages 32-35 in each ward. Some now serve in bishoprics, on the high council, in the stake Relief Society presidency and on the stake Relief Society advisory council.
“The age-range adjustment is further evidence that Church leaders understand and care about the day-to-day concerns of young single adults,” President Sampson said. He added: “Strong wards are like strong families, where members love each other, feel a sense of belonging, learn about and are converted to Jesus Christ, and make and keep sacred covenants. And in my view, the age-range adjustment ... will help strengthen YSA wards. It has for us.”
Preserving Christ-centered communities
Multiple young single adults reacted to the announcement with excitement and gratitude, emphasizing how the age change will help them stay rooted in Christ-centered communities.
Jonathan Schroeder, a young single adult in the Washington, D.C., area, said the young single adult demographic he has seen is increasingly becoming older, and the age change reflects that.
But ultimately, he feels that what matters more than the age change itself is how it will “preserve the community of Christ,” he said. “YSA wards are important to strengthening the testimonies [of] ... young single adults. This age change allows more people to stay in the [YSA] environment — should they so choose — and be in community with others in a similar stage of life.”
Jaimie Lee Dannelly, a young single adult in Spanish Fork, Utah, said she’d been hoping for an age change and was “so excited” to hear the announcement.
Danelly said she’s felt a little lost and unsure where she belongs over the last several years, floating between mid-singles ward, which were previously for single members ages 31 to 45, and family wards without ever feeling totally at home. But with the new age bracket, she’s hopeful that a ward for those ages 26-35 will soon be available to her.
“I have seen many single people in their late 20s to early 30s become inactive because Church becomes hard and awkward when you don’t feel like you fit,” she said. “These new groupings will hopefully help members find a place where they feel like they are loved and valued so that we may all help each other grow in our testimonies.”
Jane Shinobu Rothery in Brisbane, Australia, is a single adult but has experience helping young single adults transition into the mid-singles group. She said she’s also seen a trend of single Latter-day Saints struggling through their late 20s and early 30s; especially in places where there are few Latter-day Saints, aging out of a young single adult ward can be deeply isolating.
. “More YSAs will feel supported [and] remain strong in Church activity throughout their 20s and into their 30s,” Rothery said.
Young single adult leaders also commented on the benefits of this change. New York New York Young Single Adult Stake President Yoshiya Yamada said his stake participated in the pilot program and saw an “overwhelmingly” positive response, including a “renewed sense of [excitement] about regular Church attendance and activities.”
Bishop Blake Carter of the Hudson River Young Single Adult Ward in New York added that he’s met with many Church members over the years turning 31 who feel “kicked out” of their previous community. To him, the age change highlights how important a ward family is for single Church members.
“It is not only an opportunity to worship [and] serve together, but also a key stabilizer as the ward members really become a new family unit,” Bishop Carter said.
