Keeping youth engaged in meaningful, faith-centered activities can be a challenge. As leaders and parents, we want to create experiences that not only entertain but also strengthen testimonies, build character, and prepare youth for real-life challenges.

That’s why we’ve compiled this list of 10 powerful activities—each designed to bring gospel principles to life through hands-on experiences. And at the end, we’ll share an activity that could transform your youth program into something even more impactful.

1. Nephi’s Obedience Challenge

📖 Spiritual Principle: Faith and obedience
🎯 Activity: Leaders assign a series of “commands” that seem difficult or illogical at first but turn out to be beneficial. (For example, asking youth to walk blindfolded, follow complex instructions, or retrieve an object in a specific way.) Afterward, discuss Nephi’s obedience when retrieving the plates and how faith often requires action before understanding.

2. Captain Moroni’s Leadership Boot Camp

📖 Spiritual Principle: Righteous leadership
🎯 Activity: Divide the youth into groups and give them tasks that require teamwork, strategy, and problem-solving—such as navigating an obstacle course or solving a complex puzzle. Afterward, discuss how Captain Moroni prepared his people spiritually and physically for battle.

3. The Stripling Warrior Fitness Challenge

📖 Spiritual Principle: Strength through faith
🎯 Activity: Set up a series of physical challenges (push-ups, running, carrying weighted objects, etc.), followed by a testimony discussion on how the Stripling Warriors’ strength came not just from their training, but from their faith in Christ and the teachings of their mothers.

4. Lehi’s Vision: The Iron Rod Experience

📖 Spiritual Principle: Holding onto the word of God
🎯 Activity: Create an “Iron Rod” course using ropes or a railing in a dark or obstacle-filled area. Some youth act as tempters, while others try to reach the “Tree of Life” (a designated area with a treat or prize) by holding onto the rod. Discuss how we face similar temptations in real life and why the scriptures guide us safely through.

5. Service Quest: Becoming Like Ammon

📖 Spiritual Principle: Love and service
🎯 Activity: Youth take on a service challenge, where they must complete an assigned act of service (yard work, cleaning, making food for someone, etc.) without being asked or recognized. Afterward, discuss Ammon’s example of serving King Lamoni and how true discipleship is about action, not recognition.

6. Mormon’s Hidden Record Escape Room

📖 Spiritual Principle: Preserving truth and testimony
🎯 Activity: Set up a room where youth must solve gospel-related clues to find and “protect” the golden plates before time runs out. Each clue relates to a different scripture or Book of Mormon figure. Discuss Mormon’s role in compiling the records and how we can safeguard our own testimonies today.

7. Surviving the Wilderness: Nephi’s Journey

📖 Spiritual Principle: Self-reliance and perseverance
🎯 Activity: Have youth build a simple shelter, start a fire, or cook a meal outdoors with limited supplies. Discuss the hardships Nephi and his family faced in the wilderness and how self-reliance is a gospel principle that prepares us for life’s challenges.

8. Alma the Younger’s Change of Heart Walk

📖 Spiritual Principle: Repentance and conversion
🎯 Activity: Set up a walking path with signs representing Alma’s journey (rebellion, visited by an angel, suffering, repentance, joy). As youth walk through, read relevant scriptures and ask them to reflect on personal experiences where they’ve felt the power of repentance.

9. Mahonri’s Faith: Tower Building Challenge

📖 Spiritual Principle: Faith and persistence
🎯 Activity: Using only marshmallows and spaghetti noodles, have groups build the tallest, strongest tower. Then discuss how the Brother of Jared’s faith helped him receive revelation and how persistence in faith leads to greater strength.

10. Nephi’s Apprentice—A Full Journey of Faith-Based Challenges

📖 Spiritual Principle: Spiritual growth through real-world action
🎯 Activity: Instead of a one-time event, imagine a structured program where youth complete weekly or monthly gospel-based challenges—modeled after the faith journeys of Book of Mormon heroes.

That’s exactly what Nephi’s Apprentice offers. It’s a ready-made program that guides youth through real, structured challenges in four key areas:

✔️ Spiritual Growth – Strengthening testimony and applying gospel principles in daily life.
✔️ Physical Fitness – Learning discipline, self-reliance, and resilience.
✔️ Social Intelligence – Developing leadership, communication, and service skills.
✔️ Knowledge – Gaining real-world skills that prepare them for missions and adulthood.

Each challenge pushes youth beyond passive learning and gives them hands-on experiences to build their faith and character.

Ready to Take Your Youth Program to the Next Level?

If you loved these activity ideas, imagine having a full curriculum of structured, faith-building challenges at your fingertips.

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Nephi’s Apprentice isn’t just another activity—it’s a life-changing journey that helps youth become stronger, more confident disciples of Christ.

📢 Click here to learn more and start the adventure today!