The 2025 Global Youth Activity at RootsTech celebrated the first milestone in a lifetime of temple attendance. The focus for this session was 11- and 12-year-olds, who are new to temple attendance. All Young Women classes and Aaronic Priesthood quorums are invited to watch the 2025 Global Youth Activity at RootsTech as part of a weekly youth activity.
Sandou Trio Kicks Off the Activity with Brother Wilcox
The session opened with the Sandou Trio, world-famous aerialists and acrobats. Their performance culminated with 11-year-old Kaylie Sandou coming onstage for an impressive solo demonstration of energy and skill.
Following her performance, Brother Brad R. Wilcox, First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, asked Kaylie some questions:
Brother Wilcox: How old are you?
Kaylie: 11 turning 12
Brother Wilcox: Recently you had the opportunity to go to the temple. Tell us a little bit about that experience.
Kaylie: It was very peaceful. When I went inside, I didn’t expect the paintings and the flowers—so beautiful.
Brother Wilcox: Tells us a little bit about how you felt when you did baptisms and confirmations.
Kaylie: I felt the Spirit with me when I just walked inside.
Brother Wilcox: Did you take an ancestor’s name with you?
Kaylie: Grandmother from father’s family.
Brother Wilcox: Once you got home, how did you feel?
Kaylie: I felt really peaceful.
Youth can answer these or similar questions about how they feel in the temple. Youth (and adults!) can capture and share their temple experiences and feelings on the FamilySearch Together page.
Brother Wilcox Gives Temple Quiz
Brother Wilcox revealed the main reason we do family history—in a word, temples! To use a few more words—we do family history so our ancestors can have their ordinance work done in temples. When Brother Wilcox was 11 years old, the Church had only 13 operating temples. At the time of the 2025 Global Youth Activity, the Church had 193 operating temples, with nearly 200 more under construction or announced.
Brother Wilcox taught that one way to make a temple experience more memorable is for the youth to find the name of one of their own deceased relatives. The Bible teaches us that baptism is a cleansing. The Book of Mormon, said Brother Wilcox, teaches us that “baptism is entering a covenant relationship with God and Jesus Christ” (see Mosiah 18:10). In the temple, we give our relatives a choice to accept God’s covenants. “You can make a difference. You can help God unite families—past, present, and future—FOREVER,” Brother Wilcox emphasized.
A former 6th-grade teacher, Brother Wilcox gave the audience a test:
Question: Why should we do family history?
Audience answer: Temples!
Question: What can we do in temples?
Audience answer: Baptisms for our ancestors!
Question: What is so important about baptism?
Audience answer: Covenants!
Announcing that the audience received an A+, Brother Wilcox then concluded: “I testify that temples matter, baptisms for our ancestors matter, and covenants matter. Most of all, Jesus Christ matters, and YOU matter.”
Ysabelle Cuevas Performs the RootsTech Song
A short video introduced singer, songwriter, and YouTube sensation Ysabelle Cuevas. She then took the stage in person and performed the 2025 RootsTech song “Who I Am.” Relating the theme of the song to the temple, Ysabelle said, “The temple helps me remember who I am.”
Ysabelle was one of RootsTech's virtual keynotes this year. You can enjoy her full presentation on the RootsTech website.
Sister Susan Porter Testifies About Temple Peace
Sister Susan H. Porter, Primary General President, testified about the importance of the temple and temple work. Her opening remarks explained why we are drawn to the temple: “I love the temple. It’s in the temple I feel Heavenly Father’s love and peace,” she said.
Explaining further the emphasis of the Church on temples, she noted, “President Nelson has taught us that Jesus Christ is the reason we build temples. Each is His holy house. You have seen these words above the door, ‘Holiness to the Lord, The House of the Lord.’”
“The most important part about temples,” she continued, “is what we learn and what we feel and what we do in temples. In the house of the Lord, we focus on Jesus Christ. We make covenants to follow Him, and we come to know Him. You will feel His Spirit as you are baptized for your ancestors.”
"When you go to the temple and perform sacred ordinances like temple baptisms and confirmations for those who have died, you are helping gather Israel,” she said. She quoted President Russell M. Nelson speaking to the youth in the 2018 youth devotional:
“Anytime you do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel. It is as simple as that” (“Hope of Israel," Worldwide Youth Devotional, June 3, 2018).
Asking the youth to remember their own baptism day, Sister Porter shared her own baptism-day memories. “I felt warm, I felt peace, I felt joy. . . . That is what each of you can offer to your ancestors. To have an experience with the Spirit when you offer them the ordinance of baptism.”
Preparing for Your First Visit to the Temple
“So,” Sister Porter asked, “What can you do? How can you get started with your first visit to the House of the Lord?” Answers to these questions came in a video of young people preparing for their first visit to the temple.
Sister Porter shared the story of her great-grandmother, who died when Sister Porter was 13. Sister Porter lived 2,000 miles away from the nearest temple and so was unable to be baptized in the temple for her. Years later, when she came to Utah for college, the very first person she was baptized for was her great-grandmother. “Heavenly Father has invited each of you to help in His great work,” said Sister Porter. “[You can open] that gate [to obtain eternal life] for your family members.”
Those who may not know someone in their family who needs the ordinance of baptism can get help. They can use Ordinances Ready on FamilySearch.org to find a relative who needs this ordinance.
Sister Porter identified 4 blessings that President Nelson has promised us when we participate in temple work: we will feel Heavenly Father’s love in greater abundance, we will receive heavenly power, God will never tire of helping us, and we will more easily receive answers to our prayers.
Temple Worthiness Lights the World
Sister Porter encouraged the youth to live worthily so that they always have a temple recommend, even if they don't live close to a temple. Having a temple recommend can help you have more kinds of opportunities to do family history! At the end of this session, all the youth in the audience held up tiny finger flashlights. Viewing the sea of tiny lights, Sister Porter declared, “Even one tiny light cuts through the darkness. But together, all of our lights combined are spectacular!”
“Friends, each of you has a light inside of you,” she concluded. “And that light is the Light of Christ. Your light matters. . . . When we put all of our lights together, it’s like a ray of sunshine that leads others to Christ. . . . As you perform sacred ordinances for [your deceased relatives], you are offering them the opportunity to have more of the light of Christ.”
What Is RootsTech?
RootsTech is a place to learn, be inspired, and make connections through family history. Hosted by FamilySearch and sponsored by other leading genealogy organizations, RootsTech has hundreds of expert classes, tips and tricks videos, and inspiring stories that can help you experience family history like never before. Visit our on-demand learning library or make plans to join us for our next virtual or in-person conference event.
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