- Especially for Youth
Especially For Youth (often abbreviated as EFY) is a week long youth-oriented
seminar focused on fellowship and teaching the principles ofThe Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Attendance is open to all youth aged 14 to 18. Sessions, which are primarily held in theUnited States , follow a common curriculum created by the Church. Sessions take place during the summer months in order to coincide with the summer break practiced by many American schools. The program is led byLatter-day Saint young adults who serve as counselors in exchange for a stipend. Speakers are selected from the Church's Institute and Seminary programs. All sessions are organized and managed out of the EFY headquarters in Provo,Utah .EFY states that its mission is to help participants "come unto Christ". [ [http://ce.byu.edu/yp/efy-programs/efy/what-is-efy.cfm What is EFY?] , Especially for Youth. Retrieved
March 19 2008 ]History of EFY
According to EFY's Participant Journal the program was created by Ronald C. Hills, in 1976. when 172 youth and 15 counselors met for the first session of the summer program.
Jeffrey R. Holland , now of theQuorum of the Twelve Apostles , was one of the banquet speakers at the founding session. The next year, attendance had risen to 863 youth. Currently, EFY's summer program includes sessions which are held at various locations throughout the United States and Canada. As of 2005, the total number of participants who have attended EFY over the years is 409,484. [2005 Participant Journal pages 72 - 73]In 2006, EFY expanded outside of North America for the first time, with sessions in
England andGermany andScandinavia . [2006 Participant Journal pages iv - v]In 2007 EFY held a session at
Exeter University in the United Kingdom.EFY Themes
2008 - Steady and Sure
2007 - Power in Purity
2006 - The Greatest Gift
2005 - A More Excellent Way
2004 - Stand in the Light
2003 - Look and Live
2002 - We Believe
2001 - Remember the Promise
2000 - Forward with Faith
1999 - A Season for Courage
1998 - Joy in the Journey
1997 - Treasure the Truth
1996 - Live the Legacy
1995 - Return with Honor
1994 - Serving with Strength
1993 - Sharing the Light in the Wilderness
1992 - A Time to be of One Heart
1991 - Walk with Me
1990 - Learning for Myself
1989 - Forever my Friend
1988 - Win the Race
1987 - Sailin' Home
1986 - Lovin' Life
1985 - Let your Light Shine
1984 - Discovering New Horizons
1983 - Ascending Together
1982 - The Time Has ComeReferences
External links
* [http://ce.byu.edu/yp/efy-programs/efy/ Especially for Youth] : official website
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