Singles

Expanding our understanding of the covenant path allows us to support our families with more hope and joy.

In areas with many young single adults, 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.

Author Rebecca Connolly hasn’t found her own love story yet, but here’s how she remains a believer in “the hope of the happily ever after.”

Erica Glenn conducts more than music. She uses her testimony to promote peace and harmony in diversity—in choirs, the global Church, and beyond.

“I promise these blessings and express my love for you,” President Nelson said at the end of a video shared as part of Sunday's devotional.

Young adults and a YSA stake president weigh in to help you have more positive, joyful interactions with your young adults this holiday season.

For International Women’s Day, Sister Kristin M. Yee, second counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, shared a sweet new video message on her social media platforms.

A new official Church notice reads, “Except for stake presidents and bishops, all married members called to YSA positions should be considered for release.”

By shifting the focus of young single adult wards from finding a spouse to finding Jesus Christ, members can more fully enjoy life now.

Courses are taught by experts in their fields and range from how to improve your scripture study to overcoming doubts to talking to your kids about tough topics like pornography.

Choosing a college can be extra challenging for Latter-day Saints, thanks to some unique factors Church members need to consider.

There are a lot of things to experience and choices to make, but there is really only one thing on my bucket list I want to be sure I can say I’ve done.

We’d be willing to bet your next linger longer that most Latter-day Saints who go to YSA wards today have no idea how they came to be. Here’s a look at how they’ve evolved over the years.

I loved the thought Elder Gong was sharing but couldn’t help myself from sneaking glances at the sister sitting near me.

As a tried-and-true veteran of the YSA scene, I have some things you need to know.

“I would like someday to have something to show my kids and [say], ‘This is what I did ... when things were not playing out the way that I expected, but I tried to make the most of it.”

Some people who will be alone for the holidays are just hoping to endure. But there are some ways to manage this experience and find joy.

Young single adults in Tonga will have a congregation of their own where they can meet with other Latter-day Saints in a similar stage of life.

Editor's Note: The views, information, or opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author. Readers should consider each unique situation. This content is not meant to be a substitute for individual, professional advice.

On Sunday, November 1, six members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and their wives participated in broadcast devotionals in the United States and Canada.

Elder Robert C. Gay of the Presidency of the Seventy and his wife, Sister Lynette Gay, will be the speakers at the second worldwide devotional for young adults in 2020. The broadcast will be on Sunday, May 3, 2020, at 6:00 p.m. MDT.

Camille Fronk Olson is a professor emeritus of ancient scripture and former department chair at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. Her research and publications have focused on women in the Bible and Palestinian families. She loves to travel, garden, and research stories about her ancestors. She scored when she married Paul Olson, a decision that included the blessing of two children and four grandchildren.

Three Latter-day Saint therapists recently shared with us their thoughts about how to approach dating in an age that is increasingly virtual.

The following article originally ran on LDS Living in September 2015.

The first year Dr. Robert Ferrell spoke at BYU Education Week, he was surprised to find his classroom was packed.

From dating to ward activities, there are a variety of awkward opportunities that arise when you put a group of young single adults together! As LDS Living Facebook follower Kirie Close says about the most awkward experience in the YSA ward, "Ummm . . . my entire time as a ward member in it. But it was fun!" Here are a few more of our favorite Facebook comments from LDS Living readers who responded to our question: "What was your most awkward experience in the YSA ward?"

When prophets encourage us to perform temple ordinances for our ancestors, this includes all the necessary ordinances of salvation. However, some young single adults might avoid sealings, thinking they are relevant only to those who are married. But that’s not true! There are blessings unique to the sealing ordinance that can help us right now if we will participate.

Over the past century, Erma Rosenhan has prepared more than 400,000 of her German ancestors' names, according to the Deseret News. About this remarkable woman, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf recently wrote on Instagram, "She served as a missionary in Germany and volunteered in the Family History Library for 40 years. Her life has been full of meaningful service."

Typically you don’t think of the scriptures as a “how-to” manual when it comes to being single. But some of the best advice I’ve heard about being single and dating comes from the Doctrine and Covenants.

Don't do it. I know you want to. I know you want to pick up that jagged rock and just chuck it through their window. After all, they broke your heart. Worse, they threw it to the ground, danced on it, and then kicked it aside. But you don’t have to resort to criminal activity. There are better ways to get over your broken heart.

Being single in a family-centered church can be extremely lonely at times.

According to The Family: A Proclamation to the World, “Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan.” And yet, hundreds of thousands of Latter-day Saints now find themselves in a predicament few of them imagined: never married or divorced after what they expected would be an eternal marriage.

The following has been republished from alittlepencil.com.

For daily gospel-based relationship insights, join Jonathan’s Facebook group. To submit a question for Jonathan, click here.

“My original question had been, ‘Am I doing something wrong?’" Sister Oaks said about her experience as a single adult. "I learned that is the wrong question. I should be asking, ‘What more can I do that is right?’ You have that capacity.”

I remember feeling many times that I was just marking time, waiting for my life to happen.

I recently went through a pretty significant breakup. Significant because over the course of the relationship, there were several times when I believed this was it—this was the guy, and I was done looking. I am not going to get into the details of our breakup, but I will say it ended mutually and kindly and with plenty of sadness on both of our parts.

I’m just going to say it: Married people should wear wedding rings. Hear me out.

I was teaching a courtship and marriage Institute class for young single adults when I first read The Family: A Proclamation to the World (hereafter referred to as the Proclamation). In 602 words, 15 prophets, seers, and revelators gave us the Lord’s priorities for achieving successful, happy relationships. After studying this inspired proclamation, I felt it was perfect to use with my students. I explained to them that this proclamation was a revelation from God and therefore doctrine for the Church. It was a guide for them to make a proper choice in a marriage partner in order to achieve a successful and happy marriage.

This is an excerpt from the book Refuge and Reality: The Blessings of the Temple by John H. Groberg.

What powerful advice: I often have single friends that turn to me for counsel and guidance. And the most common advice I give? “Square yourself with Jesus. You so desperately want a relationship and marriage that you fail to realize what you need is Christ.”

Singles occupy a unique place in the Church. At least one-third of the adult Church membership is single. As President James E. Faust has pointed out, we were all single before we were married, and many, due to divorce or death of a spouse, will once again be single. The promise of an eternal family is nonetheless available to all who are worthy.

Dating takes work. Marriage takes work. Being a good spouse takes work. And no one is perfect. But sadly, there's a misconception that the perfect spouse or perfect marriage is just out there, waiting. But the truth is, you have to work at being a good spouse and you have to work to create a perfect marriage.

As a single sister in the Church, I’ve gone on my fair share of dates (more than I can remember in my 10 years of dating). Going out with someone who has a problem with pornography was never my goal in life. In fact, I had tried to avoid it at all costs. But as I got older, I realized that finding someone who had never been mixed up in pornography was going to be trickier than I thought.

As a friend of Sister Oaks noted: "Nursery children do not look to see if you have a ring on your finger as you wipe away their tears. It doesn’t take a wedding license to feed hungry Scouts or missionaries or shut-ins. Nowhere on the tithing slip do you indicate marital status as you contribute to the Church’s humanitarian service or Perpetual Education Fund. And they don’t have two doors at the temple — one for couples and one for singles. We are a Church that needs faithful workers. I’ve been blessed because I had priesthood leaders who knew this."