The ups and downs of YSA

For those of you not familiar with LDS vernacular, YSA- or Young Single Adults- is the age range of 18 to 30 year old single members.  They don't don't know what to do with us because we're all a little crazy, so they stick us together and hope that we all pair up like the animals of Noah's ark.  Recently the church decided to switch things up a little bit.  There used to be single's wards and student wards.  Now everything has been consolidated into the the new YSA stakes.  It doesn't matter if you are a student or 28 year old wealthy bachelor, we're all in this together.  Ogden was the the guinea pig the First Presidency chose to set up the new YSA wards.  Now the idea is spreading across the church.  They are fun.  I avoided the single's ward for a long time, but it isn't too bad. :)

The three main purposes of the YSA wards.

3.  To keep an eye on us. No more ward hopping.  It used to be that everyone went to the 'coolest ward', this explains why the old 13th ward was so big.  Everyone is required to attend the single's ward depending on the boundaries of their home stake (group of wards).  This is nice, because people stay put, you get to know everyone in your area and the bishop can keep an eye on you.

2.  So we can go out and 'Rescue' the less active and non-members of our area.  It is important to make sure all the YSAs out there know that they have a ward they can attend, that there are people to welcome them and help them.  We know who lives in our area, so it is easier and more comfortable to be good ward missionaries.  The goal after the reorganization was to double all the ward sizes.  It's going pretty well. :)

And now we come to the number one reason for YSA wards.  You think that priesthood stewardship and missionary work would trump, but no- the biggest goal is to get us all married.  And it's working too, there isn't a week that goes by that someone new isn't flashing a ring or dating a new guy in the ward.  But it isn't working for me- but that's totally ok.  I don't need to be married right now.  And most of the guys in the ward aren't really my type.

YSA activities can be super fun.  Family Home Evening is every Monday night and it's really just a fun opportunity to hang out and get to know each other, while the bishopric plays matchmakers.  We played 'Where's Waldo' today at the mall.  We got in groups and tried to find the bishopric members and their wives.  They hid in the stores wearing hilarious disguises.  There's fun dances, stuff going on at the Institute and ward linger longers.  Downside is the wards can be downright cliquey and I can really feel left out of these groups some time.

For the most part, I love the YSA scene.  But the pressure of 'go get married' is really annoying.  There is plenty of ward members in their late twenties.  It will happen well it happens.  But I love getting to know everyone!