LDS Youth Reach More Than 3,000 Temple Baptisms for Their Ancestors

When Alayna Efnor, Young Women president in Mesa, Arizona, heard her stake president say:

“We have a limited amount of time to make a difference in the lives of young people.”

Those words moved her deeply. She couldn’t stop thinking about them.

“How can I help them feel the Spirit? How can I ignite in them a real desire to go to the temple and understand why it’s so important?”

She decided to launch a challenge: a friendly competition between the young men and women, focusing on vicarious temple ordinances. The group that performed the most baptisms in seven weeks would win a dinner.

But what happened next was much more than scoreboards and teams. It was a transformative experience that changed hearts, strengthened testimonies, and brought heaven a little closer to young people.

Even if We Lose, We’ve Already Won

Credits: Carrie K. Snider

From day one, the teens were enthusiastic. They learned how to use FamilySearch, created their accounts, and began searching for their own ancestors’ names, even involving their families in the process. But soon, the goal went much deeper than simply scoring points.

“On my way back from the temple, I heard the girls say, ‘I know they were there today. I felt it.’”

The atmosphere in their homes began to change. The young people’s activities took on new meaning. The excitement was no longer about winning, but about connecting with their ancestors, feeling the Spirit, and discovering the joy of serving in the temple.

Credits: Carrie K. Snider

A very shy young woman, who rarely spoke in church, began attending church regularly. Later, she was encouraged to take the pulpit to share her testimony about how this experience had changed her life.

“Even if we lose, we’ve already won.”

During those seven weeks, the temple became part of their lives. At first, the groups went three to five times a week. Eventually, some were attending daily.

They encouraged one another. They sent messages to their leaders to report how many baptisms they had performed. They also researched the people whose names they took to the temple: their birthplaces, their stories.

“It wasn’t just names anymore. The young people felt a real connection.”

Father and Son Complete 1,000 Names

Credits: Carrie K. Snider

One of those young men, Ian Christiansen, was especially committed. “I’ve always believed that when you devote time to spiritual things—even if they don’t seem enjoyable at first—the Lord blesses you.”

A relative gave him an idea: what if he and his dad traveled to a less crowded temple so they could do more baptisms in one trip?

They got to work. With the help of several family members and the Ordinances Ready tool , they managed to collect and print 1,000 names. With that enormous package in hand, they boarded a plane to Billings, Montana.

“It was surreal. We were like kids, super excited. We couldn’t believe we were actually going to do it.”

They coordinated with the temple president, President Wilde, and asked if they could do 300 names. “No more?”

Credits: Carrie K. Snider

That’s when Ian knew completing the 1,000 names could be possible. They immediately began performing 100 consecutive baptisms. The temple workers were amazed—and very willing to help. After a short break, they continued. And continued. By the end of the first day, they had already performed 500 baptisms and confirmations.

“My eyes were burning a little from the chlorine. But otherwise, I was ready to go.”

His father insisted on performing each baptism himself. “His arm hurt a little from lifting it a thousand times. And his voice was almost gone from repeating the prayer so many times. But we made it.” On the second day, they adjusted their pace to make more progress. The pile of names grew smaller and smaller.

“At the end, during the last confirmation, my dad and I cried. We hugged everyone, shook hands, and thanked everyone. We became so close to the workers that by the second day they knew our clothing sizes and had dry clothes ready so we could change quickly between baptisms and confirmations.”

True Winners

When Ian returned and shared his experience, he impressed Sister Efnor.

“We had several in-depth conversations. I asked him, ‘Didn’t it just become a numbers game?’ And he replied, ‘At first, maybe. But he constantly reminded me why I was there.’”

Although the young men were declared winners of the competition, the girls prepared dinner for them as a reward. And in a gesture of unity, the boys arrived with flowers and invited them to share the meal with them.

What began as a challenge—the goal of completing 3,226 names in seven weeks—ended in conviction. They had changed. Their hearts were more tender, their testimonies stronger, and their understanding deeper.