09641_000_016For youth in the Exeter New Hampshire Stake, being a light to others isn't just a theme for youth conference. It's a way of life.
Imagine yourself as the keeper of a lighthouse. It is nighttime and the sky is black. The wind is cold and strong with the scent of rain. Waves crash against the shore. You know that off in the distance there is one ship, maybe more, searching for the safety of your harbor. They need your bright light as they steer through treacherous waters. The beam from your beacon will guide them safely home.
Youth in the Exeter New Hampshire Stake, which also includes parts of Maine and Massachusetts, live in an area where many lighthouses stand along the shore. They know how lighthouses guide sailors through the waves in spite of darkness and storms. So when the time came to choose a theme for their youth conference, "A Beacon in the Night" held particular significance for them. Not only did it capture their coastal heritage, but it also symbolized the experience of many LDS youth here, who keep their own light bright so that others watching them can find hope.
Many of these LDS teens are the only Church members in their schools. When spirituality is scoffed at, they defend their faith. When others engage in shadowy indulgence, they let their standards shine. For them, being a beacon in the darkness is a way of life. And because they are like a light shining in the darkness, others look to them to find their way.