Two world records set over the weekend illustrate the size and reach of the 2024 Utah Area Young Single Adult Conference for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Over 35,500 singles between the ages of 18 and 35 attended the three-day “Together in Christ” conference at the Salt Palace Convention Center, Delta Center and Conference Center in downtown Salt Lake City. Thousands of others participated online.
The conference’s goal was to strengthen faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and increase participants’ sense of belonging to the church, each other and others who support them.
“The world is so lonely,” Audrey-Marie Fraiser, a recently returned missionary, told the Deseret News. “I just think it is cool that we can do this.”
What Guinness World Records did the Utah Area YSA Conference break?
Conference participants broke the Guinness World Record for “Most Contributions to a Greeting Card.” Official counting for the record stopped after 31,384 people had written in-person and virtual messages to President Russell M. Nelson for his 100th birthday, which is Sept. 9.
That alone shattered the previous record of 20,482 set in 2022 in Abu Dhabi, but the number of YSA messages to President Nelson continue to climb. As of noon Monday, there were 94,825 messages.
The card is now on display in the lobby of the Conference Center.
Messages included:
- “I want to be a doctor just like you.”
- “Thank you for making me want to love God more.”
- “Here’s to a century of inspired living.”
The card called attention to President Nelson’s 100th birthday wish. In June, he asked those who wanted to commemorate his birthday to follow Jesus Christ’s teaching about the shepherd in the parable of the lost sheep and reach out to “the one” in their life who may be feeling lost or alone.
The second Guinness World Record was for the “Largest Speed Dating Event.” The YSA conference speed date included 2,060 young single adults, overwhelming the old record of 964 participants set in Dublin in 2019.
Each participant had to speed date 20 other people for three minutes each. A Guinness World Records adjudicator declared the record broken on Saturday afternoon, the Church News reported.
What else happened at the 2024 Utah Area YSA Conference?
Other conference activities included dances, concerts, personal development breakout sessions and more.
The capstone event was a devotional by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He provided guidance about possible fears of the future.
“You were created to fly with the eagles and to reach celestial heights. You are a beloved child of Almighty God. You were made to soar,” he said.
There also was a showcase on the plight of the world’s refugees and a FamilySearch area where people could record their histories or learn more about their family records.
The Friday keynote speakers were President Emily Belle Freeman of the Young Women general presidency and Elder Kyle S. McKay, the Church historian.
Sunday’s keynote talks were Sister Sharon Eubank, director of Latter-day Saint Charities and a former member of the Relief Society general presidency, and Elder Kevin W. Pearson, the Utah Area president.
