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 think it leaves a reference point in their hearts of how they should be and who they can become."
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With temptation and peer pressure more abundant than ever, the young men and young women of the Church need anchors to hold them fast to the principles of the gospel. This is the mission of the Especially for Youth (EFY) programs sponsored through Brigham Young University. Through these activities, teens can receive precious spiritual gifts of faith, testimony, and preparedness to anchor their souls in the gospel.
The scriptures often teach of gifts and the many rewards that can be obtained in this life. But of all the gifts we could hope to receive, there is one far better than the rest—the Greatest Gift, as it is referred to—that of eternal life (Doctrine and Covenants 14:7). It is on this theme, “The Greatest Gift,” that the 2006 Especially for Youth programs will be focused.
In the Beginning
EFY first evolved as an inspiration of Ron Hills, who was working in Youth and Family programs in 1976. He believed that it would be good for young people in outlying areas to have an opportunity to get together in a youth conference setting and have a spiritual and social experience together.
“As I recall,” remembered Randy Bird (an EFY Director and Instructor), “we almost cancelled that first EFY due to a small enrollment. At the last minute, a stake from California mailed in enough registrations to put us over the top to hold the first EFY.” That year there was just one session, 172 participants, and 15 counselors. And the cost? Just $66.50 for the week per participant.
Two years later, Pete Kadish, now Administrative Assistant for EFY at BYU, attended his first EFY session. “I joined the Church in April of 1978 while living in California, just before graduating from high school. I was seventeen years old at the time and had virtually no knowledge of or experience with LDS people or their culture. But, I had been taught well by some great missionaries, I had gained a powerful testimony, and I was anxious to surround myself with all of the goodness the Church had to offer.” That summer he took a seasonal job working on a farm in Driggs, Idaho where he first heard about EFY.
View the complete article here >
by Janine Simons Creager LDS Living Magazine Jan/Feb Issue
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