Our stake Youth Conference in the summer of 2017 was absolutely amazing. It was based solely on the Book of Mormon, and the entire thing from start to finish was something I will never forget. My testimony of the Book of Mormon {which I shared in THIS POST} is strengthened, and I know a lot of the kids felt the same way. Testimony meeting the Sunday after was probably the most spiritual testimony meeting I have ever been to in my life.
For those of you who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I figured you may want to know details about what we did, but if you aren’t members of the church it may be interesting to hear about what we did too.
First of all, a “stake” is a geographical area in the church, and youth conference is for the 14-18 year olds. So if you want details or are curious, I’ll tell you all about it.
I was only a small part of the planning, so I want to give proper credit to those on the committee, so that’s why I will try my best to name those who did a lot of the work.
Karen and Matt Fergusen are an amazing couple in our stake who were asked by our stake presidency to be in charge of youth conference this year. I think I have thanked them 100 times for letting Dan and I help. I genuinely felt lucky to be a part of such a wonderful event. I felt the love of God firsthand. I felt His hand directing us, and like I said before, I was only a small part of the planning.
Look how cute the Fergusons are! 🙂 {Sidenote: Jen Hurst took all of the amazing pictures! Check out her Instagram page}. Amy and Wes Nance helped a ton too. They were the Fergusen’s assistants in planning youth conference. Dan and Shelly Flake were in charge of the tribe games, and Dan built our iron rod and amphitheater.
In October 2016, the Ferguson’s had a Youth Conference fireside and challenged those who would be attending youth conference to read the entire Book of Mormon before Youth Conference.
This is the section of the Book of Mormon that is called “Moroni’s Promise.”
Moroni’s promise is at the end of the Book of Mormon, and in short, it promises those who want to know if the Book of Mormon is true to read it and ask with a sincere heart if the book is true. And if they do these things, God will testify to them individually of its truthfulness.
The youth {and adults} of our stake were encouraged to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it and ask God if it’s true.
Karen and Matt found the perfect place to have our youth conference. A member of our stake named Alan Heaton owns 200+ acres near Glendale Utah. Karen said as soon as she got out of the truck the fist time, she knew she was in the right place for the event. Alan opened up his cabin, his land, and his heart to our stake youth, and I will forever be grateful for his service. We were able to go up to the Heaton property a few times beforehand, and every time we went up, Alan was taking such detailed care of his property for the youth. He even walked the property himself to exterminate ants.
Alan is the best!
Look how beautiful his property is…
He built an amphitheater and stage in the side of a mountain, and even opened up his cabin to the stake leaders. The youth used the stage to do skits about Book of Mormon stories and compare them to this day and age.
The kids and leaders were asked to dress in Book of Mormon attire, and it was really cool to see their creativity.
The first night of youth conference started with a short fireside by a member of the Stake Presidency who was “Nephi.” He discussed how Nephi and Sam were obedient but Laman and Lemuel just didn’t get it. How they were always disobeying their father Lehi. Later that night, the kids got to experience first hand a reenactment of Lehi’s dream.
This is the part of youth conference that Dan and I got to help with.
Lehi’s Dream. Lehi had a dream that his family was trying to get to the Tree of Life. A long iron rod led the way to the tree, but many people were getting lost along the way because they weren’t holding tight to the rod. There was a great and spacious building full of people mocking those that were on their way to the tree, plus a dark and dreary mist made it hard to find their way without holding to the rod.
I read and studied the story in the Book of Mormon many times, and we wanted to make sure we were doing what the Lord wanted and needed us to do. Allyson and Rich Luekenga {good friends of ours} asked us to help them with this task, so we put our heads together to make it as great as we could. Dan Flake, another member of our committee found some aluminum fence piping on a major sale, so our “Iron Rod” was actually a 400 foot long metal rod. We started the activity as soon as it got dark.
The kids started with short instructions from a man in a white robe. He told them to hold tightly to the rod in order to make it to the tree.
After they were on the rod for a few minutes, they found themselves in a dark and dreary world. We created this with smoke machines.
At one point, we put a large tent over the river so that the smoke would be extra thick. In the tent, the kids crossed the river by walking over a small bridge. At this point, they could not see where they were going. They had to hold tightly to the rod or they wouldn’t make it.
After they held to the rod through the dark and dreary world, they emerged to see the great and spacious building. Dozens of people dressed in costly apparel were dancing, playing on their phones, drinking out of goblets, and mocking those who were on the rod.
The Heaton cabin had an upper balcony that served as the great and spacious building. We had party laughter and a beat playing in the background. We were very particular on what kind of music we played. It was eery, and had mocking laughter. We also had strobe lights that pointed at the cabin, and we put black visqueen on the bottom of the cabin to mimic the story since it said the great and spacious building seemed to “float.”
The kids {and adults} on the rod went directly past the partying at the cabin. Some stopped to look, others left the rod and tried to get onto the balcony. But most of the kids and leaders who were on the rod, held tight and paid little attention to those who were calling their name.
We found a perfect little tree for the Tree of Life and wrapped its branches with LED warm white Christmas lights to make it bright like it is in the story. In fact, you could see the tree from the start of the journey. But it was hard to tell how to get to the tree because it was so dark and there was a lot of brush in the way.
After they past the great and spacious building, the kids could see the Tree of Life. It was bright and welcoming. We had instrumental music playing and as soon as they turned the corner, the feeling of the Spirit was very strong. The contrast of feelings between the great and spacious building and the feeling at the tree of life was huge.
It was kind of crazy because the people who were on the balcony were loud. But as soon as you could see the tree, the feeling of light and good drowned out the dark feeling from the great and spacious building.
The rod led them directly to the tree.
Each bishop in our stake took their turn standing by the tree wearing white to welcome the youth of their ward. We also had three angels standing to welcome the youth to the tree. {These were the Stake Presidency’s wives}.
The experience was one I will never forget. Testimony meeting was that Sunday and we heard story after story of the kids’ experience at the tree of life. I am grateful for the spiritual guidance we had while planning the activity. I know that the Lord helped us.
Some of the other stories that were discussed and reenacted were:
King Benjamin’s Tower, King Benjamin was a righteous king and taught his people from the top of a tower. His people traveled to hear him speak and pitched their tents facing the tower so they could hear him. Our youth pitched their tents facing King Benjamin’s tower also. They camped in wards, and each ward had an area that was chalked off for them to live in during the conference.
I was so impressed with the tower that the Ferguson’s built!
Our youth built ships before youth conference and brought the ships with them to sail in across the sea. Some ships broke, and others sailed successfully.
The Anti-Nephi Lehi’s who buried their swords. The Anti Nephi Lehies made a promise to God that they would no longer fight, so they buried their weapons of war. Even though they knew that their enemies were coming, they still did not break their promise to God.
We made cardboard swords to bury, and the kids wrote something they needed to work on or give up and promised to bury it with their swords.
Helamon’s Strippling warriors. These were the sons of those who took an oath to not shed the blood of man. So their young and valiant sons went to war at a very young age to fight for freedom and righteousness.
My daughter who was at youth conference said this was her very favorite part. While the boys were taken to their portion, the girls were taught about the importance of mothers and how the sons of Helamon had been taught well by their mothers.
Meanwhile, the boys who were between 14-16 were asked to meet by Helaman {who was a member of the stake presidency} and were each given a bandana to unite them as a group. They marched as warriors behind Helaman into the camp and when the girls saw their friends as warriors it was really special. It helped them to realize that the warriors in the Book of Mormon were young like their friends. Sound of drums was what Oaklyn heard first. She said the spirit was so strong that everyone was crying.
The older youth had a different part in this reenactment. This was one of the coolest parts of youth conference. The parents of the older youth, 11th grade and above were asked to come to a different portion of the camp and were asked to put on Sunday clothes. This was a surprise for those youth, and the parents had prepared their clothing for them.
These “modern day warriors” marched in after the stripling warriors marched in. Some who had received mission calls carried flags to those countries and some were going into military service, so they carried those flags. The girls who were juniors and above were also part of this march.
At the end of youth conference, the Stake President talked to the kids as “Captain Moroni” and had each of the bishops in our stake take a small portion of time to talk to the youth too.
A few other things that they got to do:
Participate in a battle {where they played steal the flag}
Tribal Games in the field.
I just came across this blog post as I’m planning a similar youth conference and wondered if you have some materials you’d be willing to show me, like, itinerary’s, activity plans, etc… Any information would be great. This looks like it was an amazing youth conference!
YES! Let me get you in touch with the people who were in charge of the event! I’ll email you their info!
I would love any materials you have as well! We are gearing up for our Youth Conference this June but are already in the midst of planning next year and this idea is so inspiring! Thank you so much for sharing all the great stories and pictures!
Check your email! 🙂
Could I get the email as well?!
We’re doing a stake trek but instead of pioneer, we’re doing Book of Mormon!
Yes! Please send us an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com and we’ll point you in the right direction!
I was excited to find this website. I too would like any information as we would like to do something similar for a Preist/Laurel conference.
Just emailed you!
If you still have the itinerary I would love it for our Youth Conference, this sounds so amazing!
Check your email.
Hi Brooke- Loved your YC blog and would love any info. you might have to pass along to us here in Southeast Idaho.
Thanks!
Brooke- would it be possible to learn more about the “Tribal games” that were played?
Hi Tanis! I will send you an email with the contact of the leaders who were in charge!
I would really love to get a copy of the itinerary and any games activities that went with this!!! Thank you.
Hi Brooke: I am also curious about the tribal games. We are doing Moronis Quest nex t summer and would like to incorporate these types of games. Thanks so much.
Check your email!
I would love this email also! We are getting ready to start planning our stake conference and this looks and sounds so amazing!!
Check your email 🙂
I would also love that list
I would love an email about this as well! Would you mind sending it to me?
Ward Youth Conference this year. We would love a copy of your BOM conference!!!! Thanks.
I would love more information about your event, such as activity plans, itineraries, etc. Can you please put me in touch with the right people for that?
Thank you!
Check your email! 🙂
Amei a idéias para ilustrar as histórias do Livro de Mormon, quero adaptá-las para usar na primária. Pode enviar pro meu email ? Muito obg por seus talentos e criatividade.
Our stake is doing this in June.Is it possible for me to get a copy? Thank you!
Check your email! 🙂
Hi! I would also love to get the itineraries and any other information available for our Youth Conference. I did email allthingsthriftyassistant, but I am not sure if it’s still a valid email address. Thank you so much for sharing your youth conference.
I know this post was long ago, but I just stumbled across it last month and we got approval from our stake presidency to move forward with a similar YC. We will be meeting soon to begin planning and I would really appreciate any of your info you may still have.
Yep! Check your email!
I know this post was long ago, but I just stumbled across it last month and we got approval from our stake presidency to move forward with a similar YC. We will be meeting soon to begin planning and I would really appreciate any of your info you may still have.
You bet! Check your email in 5 minutes!
I am a Stake Young Men’s President who would love the information also. Thank you for this wonderful detailed Youth Conference idea and the pictures were great. Any information would be so appreciated!
Check your email! 🙂
So so so amazing!!
I would love your info too please! My husband is a new bishop and we are always looking for great ideas for our youth!
Thank you so much!
What a wonderful experience for everyone involved. Can I get information as well? Thank you!
Please send this information to me too!
-Bishop Francis
Yes! Please send us an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com and we’ll point you in the right direction!
Hi- could I also get the information and details in this! My husband and I are in charge of a one day youth conference. We’ve been wanting it to be fun- but more than that. This looks perfect! Thanks so much!
Yes! Please send us an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com and we’ll point you in the right direction!
I am curious about the tree of life specifically as we are doing a similar youth conference. Did you have fruit for them at the end? If yes, What was it? We wont have power and will be using generators for light, i am nervous about the noise
What did you do? Also, it will take over 1.5 hours to get all the youth through, did you have activites before and after for your youth? Looking for good yet reverent ideas. Thanks much for any help you can offer.
Check your email! 🙂
Will you please send me info on this if you still have it 🙂
Check your email!
Mona, I have some of the same questions you have. We are planning a Tree of Life activity for this summer for stake girl’s camp. How did you end up working out all your details? Thank you!
Summer
Could I also get your info? We are doing Stake trek, but book of mormon instead of pionneer!
Yes! Please send us an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com and we’ll point you in the right direction!
I would love more information! We just finished planning for this year, but we would love to do something based on the Book of Mormon next year. I would love a copy of your plan!
Hey! Shoot us an email and we will point you in the right direction!
I would LOVE to do a youth conference about the Book of Mormon. Will you please also send me the info! Thank you so much for posting this!!
Check your email! 🙂
Wonderful youth conference! Planning for next year (2019) and working on ideas, This idea just stands out to me of what our youth need to gain a testimony of. I would take whatever you have so we can discuss it as a committee. Loved reading your blog!
Just emailed you some info!
I would love to learn more about your Youth Conference, it sounds amazing! We are working on one for next summer.
I would also like this information! Sounds wonderful.
Thanks so much for sharing your amazing experience and ideas!!! Our stake really wants to do something like this. Any way we can get your itinerary and the “how-tos”? ?
Yes! Shoot us an email to allthingsthriftyassistant at gmail dot com !!
This sounds amazing! I am teary just from reading this post, and can see how powerful the spirit must have been. I would love information and details. Thank you for sharing this. My email is dawnzer@yahoo.com
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Just emailed you some info!
Please send me the details , I like to get ideas of how you do some of the things as our stake is planning the same thing. Thank you
Just emailed you some info!
I would love to receive the information. Thanks
Just emailed you some info!
This looks amazing! Could you send me an email with the details as well?
Just emailed you!
What an amazing youth conference! I am new in our YW organization and would love details as well, as we are planning our own Book of Mormon Adventure for this summer. Thank you!
Check your email 🙂
Totally Awesome ideas! I love it! Could you please email me the details of this youth conference as well?
Check your email 🙂
I would love a copy of the email as well. This looks amazing!
Check your email 🙂
Our stake is doing this also this year and I need a lot of help with ideas. Will you please send me any ideas, too?
Thank you! ?
Check your email 🙂
I’m not sure if I was able to send my info a few days ago. I would love any help I can get. Our stake is doing this in August and I’m in charge of the activities.
Any ideas would be appreciated! Thank you!
Oh my goodness. All I can say an answer to my prayers. I envisioned exactly the tree of life you had. I would like to see if I could also get the materials, or script.
Check your email 🙂
Hi Brooke!
We are doing something similar. I’d also be so grateful for any additional information. Thank You!
Check your email 🙂
Hi Brooke!
I’d love the details as well.
Thanks so much!
Check your email 🙂
Can you please send me the information as well. We have been talking about incorporating the Book of Mormon into our Youth Conference, this will give us some ideas,
Thank you so much.
Check your email 🙂
Can I please get more details. We would like to incorporate this in youth conference.
Thanks so muci
Check your email 🙂
Please send more information about this conference. I loved the ideas. Thanks, K Coleman craigcoleman@comcast.net
Check your email 🙂
This is way awesome! I would love info on this event if I may? thank you for always sharing ideas with us!
Check your email 🙂
Love this article! Can you please send me the info to my email? Thank you!
Check your email 🙂
I would love an email about this as well!! This looks amazing!!
Thank you.
Check your email 🙂
Love it! Can I get the email forwarded to me with all the info/itinerary/agenda as well?
Check your email 🙂
Please send any additional information.
Check your email 🙂
Thx for sharing! This is awesome… We are thinking of planning something like this for next year. Could you email me and itinerary or any details that you have?
Check your email 🙂
We are planning for next year and I would love to get an outline of all your activities. It sounds amazing. Thank you
Check your email 🙂
I would love a copy of your Youth Conference itinerary. It looks awesome. Thank you!
Check your email 🙂
I am in the process of planning a Book of Mormon youth conference for next summer. I would LOVE any additional information you could send!!!
Thank you so much!
Check your email 🙂
Is it too late to jump on the bandwagon and ask for any info you could send? 🙂
Check your email 🙂
This is awesome. I would love to get some information too.
Check your email 🙂
Would love the information for your Youth Group.
Check your email 🙂
These are amazing. Can I also get information of this Tree of Life activity? And sll thd other activities mentioned above? My email addy is manukelsall@gmail.com
Thanks so much.
Check your email 🙂
Would it be possible to still get the info for this?
Check your email 🙂
If you still have further info available on this idea, I would really love a copy. Thanks!
Would you be so kind to send me the email you sent the others on this thread? We are preparing to our youth conference.
Thank you!
nathanpratt99@gmail.com
Check your email 🙂
Thank you for being willing to share such a powerful youth conference! Could you email me the same info you’ve sent to the others?
Much love & appreciation!
Check your email 🙂
Do you mind sending me some info on this event? We would like to do something similar next year.
Check your e-mail!
??Onward Children Soldiers??
Wonderful message.
Nothing warms the heart quite like a depiction of kids going off to war to destroy people who are different than them. “They obeyed.” What a great moral. Reminds of that movie, Jojo Rabbit.
Love to see religious people celebrating militarism. Nothing frightening about that.
I disagree 1000%. Being ready for attack is much different than going out to kill. Fortifying your cities and homes to protect your families from danger is what this book is all about.
We would love your information. Our stake is planning something like this.
I would also love the emailed information, please!!
I love this idea so much. thanks for sharing with so many of us. I would love a copy as well.
Hey! I really appreciate the post! We would love the details of this youth conference as we would love to put this together for our youth as well. Would you be able to email me more about this or who to contact? Thank you!
This is just amazing! I would love to try to recreate some of these ideas in Nebraska this summer in June 2020 for our Youth Conference. I would love an email with any extra information as well if you would be so kind!
Would I be able to get a copy of materials used to put this conference together.
Thank you
This sounded amazing! Would also appreciate any information you can share for our upcoming youth Conference! Thank you so much for your willingness to share!
This is such a wonderful service to share your success with this amazing youth conference! Would you mind sending me the information you have sent others?
Thanks so much!!
Maybe your tired of sharing your great idea, but if you feel so inclined would you help another sister out? Thank you so very much!!!!
Jenniferbringhurst@hotmail.com
Such wonderful ideas! We are planning our youth conference and would appreciate any additional information about this activity.
Dear Brooke, I would love to plan something like this here in Germany. Could you please please email all infos and list ect for it? Thank you sooo much
Claudi.jung22@icloud.com
Brooke, would you mind also sending me a copy of the materials you have for this event? It sounds amazing!! Thank you for sharing!
Hello! Thanks for your awesome ideas! Would you be willing to send an email with detailed info? Thank you so much!
I just came across this post and I too would love to get more info on the specifics of this youth conference please. Thank you!
I would love this information as well! This looked so wonderful!
I LOVE THIS!! Could I get that email with itineraries?
Thanks
please I would love more info !! this would be an amazing youth conference
Would love information on this great idea! Thanks for posting it so we could try it. Especially interested in how to, supplies, etc. for the tree of life experience. Great plan for the Youth!! Thanks
Awesome! Can I get a copy of the tribal games?
I would love information about this as well! I was a part of a BOM Quest several years ago, but only minimally, so I’d appreciate any details on this event. Thank you!
Can I also get in on this amazing youth conference info? So many great ideas!!
Brooke, I’m a new Bishop planning a youth conference for this summer. I’m so impressed with what you guys did in your youth conference. Could you send me an email?
Hi John,
I’m just digging out from my old comments. I’m so sorry this is a late response. I’ll send you an email with the info now. 😉
Hi! This Youth Conference looks amazing! Reading your post brought me to tears. Would you mind sending me the info/email as well? I think our Stake would really enjoy something like this. Thanks!
Sending it now
I know this is super late, but if you have any skits from this activity, I would love to have them. Thank you!
Sending the contact info to you now of the people who were in charge. 😉
Brooke,
We are looking to accomplish something similar to this, do you have an outline or break out list of activities that we could use as inspiration? This looks like it was a fun activity and really impacted you and your youth.
Sending the info now.
Could I please get the details of your camp. We were suppose to do the pioneer trek, but since it got cancelled we are going in this direction.
Sending the info now!
Brooke,
May I have the contact information as well please? Thank you so much!!!
Shari Quigley
Yep! Sending the information tonight. Sorry it took me so long. I got behind on moderating my comments. 🙂
Your Youth Conference looked wonderful! I’m interested in your “tribal games” ideas. We are also helping to plan our Stake’s Youth Conference . I’d appreciate your help.
Thank you
Sending you the info tonight. 🙂
Would it be possible to still get the information for this camp?
1moozor@gmail.com
If so, thank you!!
Yes! I’ll send it to your email tonight. 🙂
I would love any information on doing this activity as we are planning our youth conference for 2022
Check your email!
I’d love the ideas as well, if you’re still emailing! Really interested in the cost–since all of the costumes, etc. look like was pretty pricey, Not sure if we could make it work, but it looks awesome!
Check your email!
Brooke it looks like you inherited your mother’s gift for putting on youth conference’s and girls camp! ? Do you still have your itinerary on this and info on the tribal games? I would love to get it and any other info you have on it!
Thank you!
Amber
Hello! I just ran across this post and it gave me all the chills! I would greatly appreciate if you would send me information for planning.
I sat in a sacrament meeting a few summers ago in AZ and listened to testimonies from youth who attended a similar youth conference. The spirit was so strong! I would love for our youth to have such an experience.
Thank you
Check your email! sorry it’s so late!
What a great event! I’d love to get any additional info/details. Our stake would like to hold a similar event in summer of 2023.
Check your email. I feel terrible it’s this late!
Could I please get details as well! We just were called to organize a youth conf/trek for next year and would love some ideas!!
Thanks,
Jenny
Check your email!
I know your youth conference was a few years ago, but would love to do something like this next year in our Stake! It sounds amazing! Could I get any information that you still have please?
Thanks so much!
This looks and sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing. Could I also get your information please? Thanks, Rachelle
Check your email 🙂
Hi Brooke, my name is Holly! My friend told me about this activity and I have been trying to find information on it. I live in California and our stake does not know what it is going to do next year. This idea is exactly what our youth need! You must be so tired of people asking you to send the info, but I am wondering if you still have it and could send it to me? Thank you so much for the time that you took to tell about this amazing activity!
Check your email!
Do you have a packet or something to follow on the book of Mormon youth conference?
Check your email 🙂
This is incredibly creative and powerful. Could I also ask for the materials you used for planning? We might try this at the ward level to a smaller extent.
Check your email. Sorry it took awhile to get you the information!
This is amazing!!! Could you send me an email as well so I can get details? Also do you know if he rents his property and props?
Check your email
Good Morning Brooke.
Can you share the schedules, itineraries, or programs you have for this activity, we are planning something for our 11-14 youth that is not participating on FSY this year, and I love this idea.
Thanks.
Good Afternoon Brooke.
Can you send us the Schedule and all the information file that you have on this activity, we are trying to do something fun for the 11-13 youth that does not go to FSY this year
Thanks
Emil Ciliezar
Sorry it’s a few months late. But check your email.
Same here pls?
I would also love more information about this amazing Book of Mormon Youth conference!
I sent an email hoping for the inside scoop on this, but maybe posting a comment is a better way to reach you. I would love to see any documentation you’ve got. This is amazing!!
Check your email!
I would love more information on this wonderful event.
Thank you
Check your email!
I would love the details on this conference! It sounds amazing!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Check your email. 🙂
This is amazing! What a wonderful and inspired conference. I know it has been years since you first posted this, but are you still willing to share details as to the schedule and activities? Thank you!!