Young Single Adults Discover Potential

More than 1,300 young single adults from six stakes and one district met late last year in Eket, Nigeria, to take part in the Nigeria Uyo Mission 2004 young single adult conference.

The conference, which discussed several topics pertinent to young single adults, focused on the theme “Discover Your Potential.” It featured talks, panel discussions, classroom instruction, testimony meetings, and dances. Many of the lessons taught at the conference focused on marriage and pre- and post-mission life.

The idea for the conference started with former Nigeria Port Harcourt Mission President Jerry V. Kirk. While interacting with single adults during his time in Nigeria, President Kirk discovered that many of them chose to remain unmarried because of shyness and limited opportunities to get to know other young single adults.

President Kirk discussed with local leaders the possibility of holding a multistake conference. The local leaders agreed to undertake the project and began to plan.

Leaders from surrounding stakes and the Nigeria Uyo Mission prepared lessons. Among those who spoke were former and current mission presidents, a stake Relief Society president, stake presidents, a bishop, a stake high council member, and family history missionaries.

President Stanford Owen of the Nigeria Uyo Mission instructed returned missionaries that they need to stay strong in living the gospel.

“It is a difficult transition from the structured life of a mission to the unstructured environment at home,” President Owen said. “You need to realize that you are the strength of the Church in your home wards and branches, and you need to begin to seriously look for a companion to marry in the temple of the Lord.”

Ephraim Ebong of the Calabar stake high council instructed all young single adults to be wise when managing personal finance.

Brother Ebong suggested that for us to fully discover our potential, we should follow the counsel of Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to “pay [our tithes and offerings] as a personal expression of love to a generous and merciful Father in Heaven” (“Like a Watered Garden,” Liahona, Jan. 2002, 39).

In a different address, President Owen instructed prospective missionaries on what they can do to better prepare to serve missions. He explained that developing Christlike attributes, living mission rules, studying hard, and having a good attitude are four things that can increase a missionary’s likelihood to be successful.

Brother David W. Eka, a former mission president in Nigeria, concluded the conference, saying: “Today you have been given the tools you need to fortify yourselves, your homes, your families, and to brighten your future of greatness.”