Just as in every other aspect of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon Church as it is more commonly known, the youth have special programs set up specifically for them.
Both of these programs had unofficial beginnings within the restored Church. For the most part they were intended to help guide the youth in helping their parents and families. It wasn’t until 1875 that the Young Men and Young Women programs were properly organized by former Latter-day Saint president, Brigham Young.
It was actually in 1869 that President Young noticed a disturbing trend among the young women of the Church, and especially in that of his daughters. Their focus seemed to gravitate to more worldly interests: young men, socials, and clothes (sound familiar?). Feeling there had to be a way to help turn the minds of the daughters to more eternal and service-oriented things he organized the Young Ladies’ Department of the Cooperative Retrenchment Association. Quite a mouthful, don’t you think? They adopted the term Retrenchment Association or Retrenchment Society to shorten it up a bit.
The turnaround in the girls was a beautiful thing to see. As President Young watched how the young ladies were now blessing the Mormon community, he began to think on the welfare of the young men. At first the young men in the Church hadn’t shown as great a need for an official organization. President Young began to notice that during the growing season, Spring through Autumn, there wasn’t too much concern as the young men were fairly well employed. Yet during the Winter season there was far too much time on hand and far too little to help productively pass away the hours.
Out of this idea came the Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Association, and a renaming of the Retrenchment Society to the Young Ladies’ Mutual Improvement Association.
President Young stated:
“Ours is a religion of improvement; it is not contracted and confined, but is calculated to expand the minds of the children of men and lead them up into the state of intelligence that will be an honor to our being.” (Deseret News, 15 June 1864)
Though previously only intended for those fourteen and older, it now encompasses all youth aged 12-18. Each program encourages the youth to actively participate in helping themselves improve.
I myself can testify to just how wonderful this program can be. Several of my leaders helped guide me in things I was just too embarrassed to take to my own parents (how many teens really open up to Mom and Dad on an ongoing basis?). I built many close friendships there, and learned to better deal with those girls I had a harder time getting along with. Truly these programs were inspired by God. Without them I know many youth who would have been lost.
