Lessons I Learned From Teenagers

So this summer I was ridiculously lucky to have a job working with some of the most incredible youth in the world. As a counselor for Especially For Youth (EFY), I spent the summer with 14-18 year olds. EFY is a summer program through Brigham Young University which holds week-long sessions across the nation, The purpose of Especially For Youth is to strengthen youth in their commitment to live the gospel of Jesus Christ by providing inspiring, edifying learning opportunities and wholesome social experiences. Basically, I was spoiled because that meant that I got to be around the coolest people on the planet, meet tons of new friends, be surrounded by the Spirit, eat lots of pizza (especially in Ohio...where I accidentally ordered pizzas the size of France), go to amazing classes, rock out at dances, and tell people that they can't have my sandwich :)

Each week, I was assigned to work with a group of 10-16 girls. Our "company" was made up of my girls and a similar-sized group of guys and their counselor. Session sizes I worked at ranged from about 270 youth-1000 total youth. So basically, yeah, I worked with rockstars all summer. Through devotionals, games, testimony meetings, chats, embarrassing moments, scripture studies, and dancing to Baha Men and Cascada, I gained a reservoir of cherished memories with the youth and other counselors. I learned countless lessons from them, but I have categorized them into 5 biggies (in no particular order).


1. I Am Enough

Stemming from the 2014 EFY song, this idea of being enough became a theme at most of my EFY sessions. The Savior values me. He values you. In His eyes, we are never too much and we are always enough. There is a reason we are in this world. We have a purpose. The Savior cares about us individually. The Savior went into the Garden of Eden for each of us. Even if it was just for me or just for you, He still would have done it. "The irony of the Atonement is that it is infinite and eternal, yet it is applied individually, one person at a time" (M. Russell Ballard). To any of my girls who may be reading this, please always, always, always remember that YOU are enough. You are beautiful. You are good. Every sacrifice to repent and be pure is worth it always. But you are never too far out of His reach. You are accepted and wrapped in His love. Sometimes it's hard to see that, but never forget it. You are enough.

2. We Were Made For Greatness

Holy cow. I cannot describe in words the example and hope these youth gave me. They were just so good. Seriously, as soon as they'd start talking about their testimonies and experiences, I'd just look at them, thinking, "Where the heck did you come from??" Like, really...their examples were inspiring to me. They reminded me through their words and actions that Heavenly Father has great plans for us--greater plans even than we have for ourselves. He has great plans for everyone. He wants us to follow His will and come unto Him because He knows how to make us great. 

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." (1 Corinthians 2:9)

3. "Are you from Tennessee? Because you're the only ten I see!"

One of my favorite things about EFY is that going to EFY is like walking into a land of cheese. From pick-up lines to jokes to dances, EFY redefines "cool" . Basically, the cheesier, the better. And the best thing about that? It's like the funnest week of your life while having the Spirit.  I loved EFY because not only did we strengthen our relationships with others and with the Savior, but we had a blast doing so. We laughed hard, danced hard, played hard, and partied hard. The young men and young women reminded me that Heavenly Father doesn't just want us to strengthen our testimonies by reading scriptures and praying (although He definitely does want us to make that a priority), but He wants us to have fun, too! He wants us to enjoy all of the good, clean, FUN things in life. We were made for greatness, but that includes the fact that we were made to laugh and make memories. He wants that to be part of our lives too. 

4. "All of us can be a strength to each other. We just need to try."

One of the youth in our company said this in a testimony meeting in Ohio. I love it. I saw this group, and every other, reach out to each other each day of the session. Teenagers that may not have normally been friends went out of their comfort zones to build each other up and include those who were less involved. Many have continued to strengthen each other in following weeks and months, even after returning to their distant homes. It was a powerful example to me. Talk about Zion. 

5. When We Let Him, God Will Take Care of Us

I  talked to so many teenagers from different backgrounds. One unifying factor among them all was their willingness to seek God's help. Not that they were perfect at it, and not that I know how to be perfect at that either, but they were trying. Hard. Every single day those youth fight against temptations, peer pressures, and choices that are hard. They really are fighting. The thing that makes them so amazing is that they want to do what is right. They were willing and wanting to know how to be better and how to do better. So many of them were and are willing to give up selfish desires and popular opinion to do what they believe is right.

What could be more inspiring??! Seriously! It is so heartening to see that 14-18 year olds are so dedicated to following the Savior, Jesus Christ. If that's not a happy thought, then I don't know what is. I hope I can be more like them. I hope to have as much faith as they do that when we follow the Savior, we receive help from Heaven. Always. It's not always in the way or time frame that we want, but it always comes. We really are never alone.

In a couple of sessions I worked, my girls and I focused on the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 84:88, which says:

"And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."

When we follow God, we are never alone. He sends His Spirit to comfort and guide us. The Savior strengthens us. We have angels surrounding us to bear us up. God takes care of His children. He loves us no matter what. We don't have to qualify for His love. He simply loves us. And because of that, we can remember that we are never alone.

* * * * *

...And finally, a few quotes from these awesome youth that I wrote down during testimony meetings:

"Our weakest weakness can become our strongest strength."
"Don't forget the power of fasting."
"Weak things can become strong through Christ."
"I am worth it."
"I need to let Christ help."
"Christ can help us through any trial we have."
"Am I ignoring promptings I should be following?"

I LOVE THESE YOUTH!!!

~Kristilyn