pioneers

Please watch this even if you don't read my post:)


This is the multinational celebration of the opening of a temple in Kyiv, Ukraine. It is a huge celebration because a temple (NOT the building we attend every Sunday for church) is necessary in our faith and there had not been one in this area of the world until now. It serves the people of Ukraine as well as the people of it's surrounding countries. These people had been waiting a long time for this day to come.



I cried a lot when I saw this. (Thanks Chelsea.) I started crying when the two young men said that not many people know about their country, Kazakhstan. And then I lost it when they said that they want the people in the church to know they are strong youth, and that "there is a rising generation in the church that can be relied on, that the church can continue to build on the new generations, because we're the pioneers in our countries."

Hearing him talk about the youth being pioneers, and seeing that this video featured strictly the youth of the church just completely tugged at my heart strings. In the past, I don't think my church had realized how strong today's youth could be. I remember my mission president ( head of our efforts in Argentina) consulting with me personally on a few occasions when he was concerned about the age of some people I was teaching who wanted to be baptized and become part of our church. He was hesitant with my decision to move forward before talking with me privately because they were teenagers without the support of their family. Typically in the past, the statistics of a teenager without family support staying faithful were depressing. I reminded him of my own life story and talked with him about the hearts of these young people. After speaking with me, he trusted my judgment from then on, but let me know my scenarios would be exceptions and not the norm.

Now I see the youth in this video, and the youth I dealt with years ago in Argentina, and I think they are becoming the norm, and not the exception. Teenagers and young people all over the world are inundated in filth, dishonesty, deceit, and hate and exposed to so many disgusting horrors, that it's no wonder why so many youth are seeking for good things. It's no wonder why so many young kids are becoming pioneers of their generation.

This was not to toot my own horn in any kind of way or a fish for compliments, but a realization that things are changing. In every aspect of the world I have known and lived in, things are changing and paradigms are shifting. And one of the things I am in awe of, is the change I see in the makeup of my faith. The youth of the world are carrying this church on their backs. They are breaking ground and clearing paths in every country. I see young converts updating their statuses on facebook in Spanish with scriptures, and I see videos like these in languages I've never heard before, and I'm amazed that they are young people without any family support and who were denied most of the tools for success that parents gives to their children.

God bless these young people that make such beautiful lives for themselves out of such discouraging circumstances.