Young single adults who attended last year’s first-ever Utah Area YSA Conference will recall 30-minute TED Talk-style messages called “Christ Daily,” given by Latter-day Saint leaders, professionals and public figures.
But this year, conference organizers are opting for a more traditional conference format: morning keynote addresses followed by hour-long breakout sessions, with afternoon keynotes capping off each day, according to the conference’s website.
The 2024 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference takes place from Friday, Aug. 2, through Sunday, Aug. 4, in Salt Lake City, and will include concerts, dances, a devotional and a two-day convention on Aug. 2 and 3.
Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman will give the morning keynote address on Friday, Aug. 2, with Elder Kyle S. McKay, General Authority Seventy and Church historian, giving the afternoon keynote.
Sharon Eubank, director of Humanitarian Services for the Church and former first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, will give the morning keynote on Saturday, Aug. 3. Elder Kevin W. Pearson, General Authority Seventy and president of the Utah Area, will give the afternoon keynote address.
Between keynotes, the main stage will feature a variety of Latter-day Saint musical artists: Musical trio Gentri and pianist William Joseph on Aug. 2, and “American Idol” Season 21 winner Iam Tongi and country music group Due West on Aug. 3.
The convention’s breakout sessions will focus on four areas: emotional wellness, personal development, spiritual growth and temporal well-being. Speakers include mental health professionals, Brigham Young University professors, certified financial planners, seminary teachers and more.
For the full convention schedule, see www.utahysaconference.org/convention.
Convention classes
Haley McFadden, a young single adult on the conference’s planning team, spearheaded the effort to coordinate speakers for this year’s convention. She said her team decided to try a traditional convention format this year to help determine which approach works best for their audience.
They also hope that this year’s format, with keynote speakers and breakout sessions, “might connect with the audience a little bit better,” McFadden said.
She continued that the class categories — emotional wellness, personal development, spiritual growth and temporal well-being — were recommended by the Utah Area presidency.
After her team brainstormed ideas for classes, they polled young single adults about topics they’d like to learn about during the conference, McFadden said.
“We really got a lot of input and direction … directly from our audience, and the people we’re seeking to serve and inspire,” she said.
From there, McFadden’s team researched potential speakers, in part by exploring Church resources such as Family Services. The many mental health professionals teaching emotional wellness classes during the conference have been “fantastic” in helping develop those topics, she said.
The convention schedule also includes a variety of other professionals, such as author Ganel-Lyn Condie, life coach Matt Townsend and Seth Bigelow, senior manager over health services for the Church’s workforce.
Brigham Young University professor Jared Halverson, who spoke at last year’s young single adult conference, said he is looking forward to joining this year’s event.
Halverson, who teaches in BYU’s Ancient Scripture Department, will lead a breakout session on Aug. 2 called “Intentional Scripture Study,” focused on helping young single adults get more from their scriptures.
Though the topic was assigned, it’s one he would have gladly assigned to himself, he said.
“Often in the Church, we have high expectations when it comes to scripture study but sometimes low education as far as how to do it,” Halverson said. “And I’ve learned that where there’s a gap between expectation and education, it fills with frustration. ... Most of all, I’m hoping that [young single adults] will learn to catch fish rather than simply eat the fish that are given [to] them.”
Halverson said this skill is especially important for young single adults, who are living in the “decade of decision” as they navigate a number of significant choices. So when young single adults learn how to receive revelation through the scriptures, “it’s incredible what answers can come to the questions that they may be wrestling with.”
Halverson added that when older and younger generations learn from each other, both are benefited. “I think there’s power when you combine perspectives and allow the young adults to speak for themselves and share their insights and lead,” he said.
He also said he hopes that young single adults turn out “en masse” for this conference like they did for last year’s.
“This is an incredible opportunity to have fun, to build faith, to create community, and I’m just grateful to be a part of it,” Halverson said.
About the 2024 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference
The 2024 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference will take place from Aug. 2 through Aug. 4, in Salt Lake City, the Utah Area presidency and conference leadership announced Thursday, April 11.
“Following the excitement of the 2023 YSA Conference, the Utah Area Presidency is excited to invite young single adults ages 18-35 to the upcoming 2024 Utah Area YSA Conference,” the event’s website states.
At the conference, young single adults “can strengthen their faith in Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ,” the Utah Area presidency wrote in a letter to stake presidents, bishops, Relief Society and elders quorum presidents, and all young single adults.
Participants can expect a conference modeled after last year’s first-ever event. Activities will include:
- A two-day convention on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 2-3, with keynote speakers, service opportunities, classes and other activities.
- Concerts Aug. 2 and 3 in the Delta Center, featuring singers Ben Rector, Rachel Platten and Emma Nissen.
- Dances and other evening entertainment.
- A devotional at the Conference Center on Aug. 4 with Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Additionally, on July 27, young single adults will attend local gatherings of service projects, 5K runs, temple trips and other events.
Conference tickets are $50 and are available at utahysaconference.org. Conference registration includes the convention, concert and dances as one ticket.
The conference’s devotional requires a separate, free ticket, also available at utahysaconference.org. Conference registration is not required to obtain a ticket for the devotional.
Follow updates about the 2024 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference at utahysaconference.org or on Facebook and Instagram at @utysaconf.
