y s a   l e a d e r s

In order to better understand how to promote friendship in your ward, it helps to realize the true feelings of a lot of members. A survey was taken by a Young Single Adult stake to identify patterns of behavior among its members. They found:

1. Only a small percentage of the members dated regularly, and many didn’t date at all.
2. When asked how many friends each had in their ward, the majority said they had seven or less. (A friend was defined as someone with whom you would walk or drive to school or church). This means they did not even feel a friendship with all of the members of their family home evening group.
3. Many of the members felt isolated, friendless, and unloved.
4. Given a choice of ward dances, ward dinners, school activities, church attendance, and small group activities as a vehicle to meet and make friends, a large majority said they would prefer small groups.

On one hand the findings of this survey can be discouraging, but on the other hand, the solution to helping more members becomes even clearer: members need small groups as a vehicle for making friends.

Ye are my friends

Young Single Adults do not have the constant companionship of a spouse. They are often far from their immediate families, and might not have roommates or other friends to turn to. These, and other reasons, are why Young Single Adult Wards in particular need to make friendship a top priority. When friendships are strong wards are better able to grow together in Christ. As brothers and sisters in Christ members should feel comfortable calling the people in their ward, “friend.” Jesus said to his apostles, “Ye are my friends…” (John 15:14). He also said, “This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you” (John 15:12). How can members love people whom they have never met and not served?

YSA Service Councils create a rich environment for promoting friendship by:

• Providing members with a calling through which they can serve
• Placing members in small groups, or councils, ideal for making friends
• Holding members responsible for participating with a “return and report” emphasis
• Allowing shyer members to shine in small group settings
• Keeping Relief Societies and Elders' Quorums at a manageable size

A ward organization that is based on small and efficient councils is ideal for creating an environment where friendships flourish. Additionally, when Elders' Quorums and Relief Societies are kept to around 30 people, each member has the chance to have a personal relationship with the presidency. In the truncated timeframe that many YSA Wards operate on, small organizational units offer a way to quickly and effectively build friendships and keep the ward running smoothly. Essentially the entire ward is involved, in some form, in planning and scheduling ward events in the service of other ward members. The councils not only get people talking and working together, they also help leaders build a healthy, happy, ward in a very short amount of time.