More than 100 the from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Maple Valley Stake converged on June 26 for their annual Youth Conference in Maple Valley – and got going on a welcome FUSS.

Comprised of youth – ranging in ages from 14 to 18 – from Buckley, Enumclaw, Maple Valley and towns in between, the theme for the conference was chosen by several members of the Youth Committee Council: Fun, Unity, Spiritual Strength (FUSS). With that, the youth and leaders began the planning to make the conference meaningful and fun.

Because the stake boundaries (a stake is a geographical area which encompasses several LDS church wards, or smaller units within the stake) boundaries are spread out, the conference is an opportunity to develop friendships on a broader spectrum and instill a sense of unity within the boundaries of Maple Valley Stake.

During the conference, the kids met and were then divided into “families” and then assigned volunteer “host families” living in Maple Valley for the three-day conference. The host families’ role was to house the kids for two nights, then shuttle them to the church each morning for activities.

Pam Berry and Ron Sorenseon, the stake Young Women’s and Young Men’s presidents, oversaw the activities, while the husband and wife duo of Rick and Cathy Smith headed up the conference as specialists.

“The youth came up with the ideas. We were just the facilitators,” said Rick Smith.

Amongst the activities planned for the youth, the most meaningful and satisfying was their day of service in the various communities the morning of June 28. The teenagers were divided and sent in four directions, rendering service at:

• Flaming Geyser State Park, where they widened and improved trails.

• Enumclaw’s Expo center, where they painted fences and a snack stand.

• And two Enumclaw retirement communities, Crystal Aire and Mountain Villa, where they pulled weeds, trimmed hedges and straightened flower beds, among other jobs.

Organizers said the teens were eager to serve, and the smiles on the faces of the residents at Crystal Aire and Mountain Villa showed their satisfaction with the work.

Mary Oechsner, one of the residents of Mountain Villa, said it was “wonderful to see the kids out there working and serving. I really appreciate this.”

“Learning good time-management skills, working together to accomplish a goal, being unified as a group, and rendering meaningful service are a few of the things that we hoped that this youth conference would bring about,” said Sorenson.

Berry and added that “working together for a common cause is always unifying, whether it be in a family or a group who share the same desire and outcome.”

Throughout the church, youth conferences are held annually and help create a bond and establish strong foundations for these kids who share the same beliefs and values, according to church leaders. The goal is to help kids develop the spiritual aspects in their lives.

After the community service in and around Enumclaw, several workshops were offered to the kids, with titles such as “Strenthing Home and Family” and “How Choices Can Affect Our Lives.”

Megan Maine, a 14-year-old from Buckley, noted that it was good to be with the youth of the church “so we can all grow together”.

Emily Kunz, also from Buckley youth, was one of the girls who work at the Crystal Air retirement community, where “the people were so great,” she said. “I’m so glad I had the opportunity to serve them in that capacity. I felt so much better the rest of the day.”

Stephen Hogg, of Maple Valley, had a similar experience while working on the trails at Flaming Geyser State Park.

“We all worked really well together. I enjoyed the opportunity to help out in the community,” Hogg said.

LDS leaders noted FUSS follows the lead of scripture that emphasizes helping others.