The Church of Jesus and Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced a series of in-person music experiences for youth to participate in through the end of 2026. These activities, which include music devotionals, concerts, and faith walks, aim to bring young men and women together in worship and the celebration of their faith.
Purpose of music experiences
According to a notice from the Church, these music experiences are intended to help youth feel a sense of belonging while exercising faith in Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. The Church stated that music serves as a powerful tool to invite such feelings and experiences.
Planning and implementation instructions
To facilitate these opportunities, local units and areas are encouraged to plan in-person events. As reported by Church Newsroom, local unit leaders have been asked to begin preparations for devotionals immediately by reserving dates and adding the events to local calendars.
Focus and spiritual themes
The planned music experiences are designed to center on Christ, highlight the youth theme, "Walk with me," and emphasize eternal truths from the recently updated "For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices."
Details on Youth Music Devotionals
One primary component is the Youth Music Devotional. These devotionals, which can be hosted by local units or stakes, are intended to last approximately 60 minutes and involve participants regardless of their musical ability. To maintain a sense of reverence, the Church recommended that these devotionals be held in local chapels, noting that while Sunday may be the most appropriate day, local circumstances might necessitate different timing.
Available resources and languages
Resources to assist with these devotionals—including music, lyric videos, and suggested programs—are scheduled to be published on youth.ChurchofJesusChrist.org in August 2026. These materials will be enough available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French.
In addition to devotionals, the Church outlined plans for Youth Concerts. These larger-scale events allow youth to gather as a single stake or across multiple stakes. Because of the celebratory style of the music used in these concerts, the Church suggested that outdoor locations or large gathering places might be most effective. Unlike the devotionals, it was noted that these concerts may work best if held on a day other than Sunday and could serve as an activity for youth conferences or camps.
A third type of experience mentioned is the "Faith Walk," which serves as a reflective activity. This experience combines physical movement with guided spiritual prompts and music to encourage youth to quietly consider their faith and discipleship.
A faith walk can be completed either individually or in small groups and may be held alongside other music experiences or integrated into existing youth camps and conferences. While the Church noted that these activities are best held outdoors, they also suggested that creative indoor versions could be successful. Unlike the devotional resources, materials to create a faith walk are available now on the Church's youth website in English.
The Church has provided specific principles for leaders to follow when organizing these events. A primary recommendation is to "let youth lead," by inviting the stake youth leadership committee or other youth leaders to oversee the planning and execution of the activities.
Participation is also a key focus. The Church encouraged youth to become familiar with selected songs before an event occurs. To aid this, leaders are encouraged to provide lyrics on screens and ensure sufficient volume levels so that all attendees feel welcomed and encouraged to sing along.
Additional guidance was provided regarding the scope and logistics of these gatherings. The Church suggested that for both devotionals and concerts, youth should be encouraged to invite friends of other faiths to join in celebrating Jesus Christ.
When planning, leaders are advised to consider the appropriate size for the gathering, whether as a ward, branch, stake, or district. Furthermore, the Church noted that when managing costs, leaders must ensure that funding is drawn from the correct organizational level so that local budgets are not negatively impacted.
