I lived over 3 years surrounded with great single adults and it has been an exciting experience. As my winter, spring and fall days passed, I saw many of my friends and associates getting engaged and getting married. One spring Saturday, I looked at my calendar and was surprised to see that I have 5 wedding reception invites that day. Browsing my social media account, I saw engagement and wedding announcements one after another. Others even had babies before they graduated. I graduated with a few friends not married. I have seen the many blessings of getting married and starting a family early through the lives of my friends and family. I am very well aware that we are counseled to not put off marriage and I agree. However, there are young adults whose time has not yet come to receive this blessing.  I am one of them and I want to say to all those who are on the same shoes as mine, “Take heart. Let not your heart faint. Our Heavenly Father is mindful of us and we should trust his time.”

I have yearned to have the blessing of getting married in the temple as early as 21. I have dated wonderful faithful young men of good moral character. We did activities together and had fun. However, dating is but one step of finding the person you will be with for eternity. Dating these young men did not reach the courtship stage. There was a moment that the light of hope in my heart was failing me as I saw almost all my friends engaged and married. I once asked the question, “What am I doing wrong?” Through this moment, the words of Isaiah gave me a resounding assurance,

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

A young woman strolling joyfully under the rays of the sun.

I learned time and time again that we need not question the Lord’s timing. This righteous yearning in my heart has taught me to use my agency to wait upon the Lord and increase my faith. I chose to not have my time wasted on self-pity and doubt. Rather, I found myself desiring more to be in the service of God. I sought and prayed for callings in the Church and I have been dedicating my time in magnifying them. I spend time with my parents more as they are growing old. I spend my time writing articles to help spread basic doctrine of the Church. I read bible stories to my nieces, write poems, play my guitar, take pictures, have adventures with friends, and attend Church activities especially those that are intended for young single adults. Waiting upon the Lord means being “anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of [our] own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness.” (D&C 58:27) I recently turned 23 and I’m still single and it is okay. I trust in the Lord’s timing. I know his promises will not fail.

May all those young adults who are still single find courage and faith to wait upon the Lord and say “Thy will be done.” May we be not weary in seeking righteousness. May we always be welcoming in terms of dating faithful young adults. May we not doubt as we wait upon the Lord for our time to enter the holy covenant of matrimony.