Youth and young adults — 350 of them — descended on Las Vegas Dec. 3-5 for the first Nevada-Utah Conference-sponsored youth rally. Youth department leaders were thrilled with the turnout.

“A little over 150 people registered by the deadline, so I only ordered 200 T-shirts,” said Janice Straub, youth department secretary. “We don’t have enough T-shirts, but this is definitely a good problem to have.”

About one-third of the attendees traveled on two 50-passenger charter buses and four minivans for six hours, beginning the journey in Ogden, Utah, and stopping to pickup passengers in Salt Lake City and Provo along the way.

“It was a long trip, but it was fun,” said Danielle Byrd of the Salt Lake City Central church. Fifty young people traveled eight hours from the Reno area representing the Carson City, Reno/Sparks Spanish and Sparks churches. There were also representatives from the Monument Valley, Utah, church. The remainder were from Vegas-area churches.

“I know there are a lot of people here this weekend, but there should have been more,” said Lopiseni Finau, a member of the Sparks church. “I wish all the youth from my home church came. They need to hear what Elder Rojas had to say.”

Because the Nevada-Utah Conference covers so much territory, it is difficult for all the youth within the conference to get together regularly during the year. To counter this problem, local area federations were created. “We don’t want the youth to wait for a conference-sponsored program to get together, so we’ve helped create ‘area federations,’” explained Don Krpalek, Nevada-Utah Conference education and youth director.

There are three federations within the Nevada-Utah Conference, and each of these federations has a president, secretary and treasurer who work with local church youth leaders to put together programs and meet the needs of the local youth. The federation leaders also work with Krpalek and Gustavo Orozco, assistant director of education and youth, to create conference-sponsored programs. Federation leaders and conference officials worked together to organize the first youth rally.

The theme for the weekend, “United by His Love,” featured Pastor Jose Rojas, director of North American Division Volunteer Services and Young Adult Ministries. The La Sierra University praise and worship team and groups from various churches provided music.

The weekend program started Friday night with a vespers service at the Las Vegas Maranatha Spanish Church. The church was filled to capacity, but this did not discourage attendees. Rojas challenged young people: “Tell me who you’re with, and I’ll tell you who you are. Can people see Jesus in you?”

The Las Vegas Convention Center held Sabbath services. Rojas teamed with Nevada-Utah Conference President Brad Newton, Krpalek and Orozco for a forum where young people asked questions about youth work within the conference and the Adventist Church in general.

Rojas then presented a new program called “Seven Signs” that the North American Division is preparing to launch in April. “Seven Signs” is a program that trains youth and young adults to disciple their friends and peers for Jesus.

Ten conferences within the North American Division were selected to take part in the initial launch of this program, and Rojas challenged the Nevada-Utah Conference youth to participate. “I know for a fact by what my eyes have seen this weekend that these young people understand the challenges in this world, and they have accepted to do something, to learn how to reflect the character of Christ and to lead others to Him.” Not one seat was occupied after Rojas ended his sermon with an altar call asking the youth to “choose Jesus.”

The weekend program ended Sunday with sports and other fun activities, even though temperatures fell into the low 40s and the wind was gusting. “We need to do this more often,” said Lizette Arizmandi of the Logan church. “Getting together with all the youth within our conference is great.”

Conference youth leaders are excited by the positive response from the youth and their parents. “We’re excited by the enthusiasm,” said Krpalek. “Our hands are tied financially, and with limited resources we can only do so much, but we are going to do everything we can to keep the flame burning within our young people.”

Even though funds are limited, conference and area federation leaders are working together to plan next year’s rally and other programs for the months ahead. For more information on helping with the Nevada-Utah Conference youth, please call the youth department at 775-322-9371.