Helping Youth See Themselves as Future Missionaries, Parents, and Leaders

Ask a 14-year-old what they want in five years and you’ll usually get a shrug.
Ask them what they’re doing this weekend, and they’ve got details.

It’s not that youth don’t care about the future—it’s that they haven’t been given a compelling vision of who they could become.

As leaders in LDS youth activities, our greatest impact isn’t just in running games or sharing spiritual thoughts. It’s in helping youth glimpse their divine potential: as missionaries, as parents, as future Relief Society presidents, bishops, temple workers, and community builders.

This isn’t about pressure. It’s about possibility.

Teens Need a Picture of Their Future

When youth can visualize a meaningful future, they begin making choices that support it.

“When I know I want to serve a mission, suddenly my daily scripture study matters.”
“If I see myself as a future dad or mom, I start thinking about the kind of person I want to become now.”
“If I believe I might lead someday, I want to learn how.”

This isn’t just youth spiritual growth—it’s identity formation.

How to Plant the Vision

1. Use Testimony Moments Strategically

Let leaders (especially younger adults) occasionally share a 5-minute story from their mission, marriage, or leadership experience. Not to preach, but to witness.

Stories like:

“I didn’t think I’d be a good missionary—but God showed me I could be.”
“I remember a youth activity that actually changed how I see others.”
“Being a parent has made me more Christlike than anything else.”

Keep it real, not ideal. Youth don’t need to hear perfection—they need to hear hope.

2. Weave It Into Activities

During a youth mutual night idea, ask:

“What skill are we learning tonight that might help in the future?”
“How did tonight stretch your ability to communicate or lead?”

Even 2 minutes of discussion can link fun with faith.

3. Give Them Adult-Sized Trust

Let them:

Teach a mini-lesson
Plan a portion of a stake youth activity
Mentor a younger youth one-on-one

When youth lead, they glimpse adulthood. That’s when identity takes root.

Mini Activity (4–8 Min): “Future Me” Prompt

Hand out index cards with the question:
“In 10 years, what kind of person do I hope to be?”

Let youth write anonymously. Then read a few aloud (if they agree), and discuss:

“What could help us become that person?”

Keywords: lds youth leadership ideas, youth spiritual growth activities, gospel-centered youth activities

Your Role Is to Hold the Vision

You are a mirror of possibility. Every time you see leadership potential in a struggling deacon, every time you call out kindness in a shy Mia Maid, every time you plant a seed of “you could be more”—you shape futures.

They won’t remember every activity. But they will remember how you saw them.

👉 Want help preparing youth to become confident, gospel-centered adults?
Our Forged in Faith Growth Track gives you a full roadmap—from vision casting to real-life preparation.

Forged In Faith