By Mareva Arnaud, Presiding Evangelist

But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, “We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.” For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, “He has a demon”; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.

I see new communities being born where people take the risk to connect, trust life, and discover something real to share.

I think of a group of young adults from Côte d’Ivoire, France, Belgium, New Caledonia, and French Polynesia. They were brought together online to prepare resources for the 2027 Family Camp. They did not know each other. They live far apart, with different cultures, different realities, and, for most, nearly opposite time zones. What connects them is the French language and the church.

From the very first meeting, something unique took shape. There was listening, respect, curiosity, and a sense of momentum. Each person came with their own story, perspective, and ideas. Little by little, what was meant to be a task began taking on another dimension. You can feel that a community is emerging.

I also see this among the youth of my congregation. After a retreat at the chapel, something shifted. Before, many only saw each other on Sundays. They were together, but then each returned to their own week. Since that retreat, they meet every day to play sports, be together, and spend time. On weekends, they gather in one family’s home.

Simple connections are forming, strong like roots slowly taking hold. Now they do not want to miss a Sunday service. Church is no longer only a place they go. It is becoming a place where they feel at home, where they belong.

I also see a community being born in the middle of real suffering. ICE has broken many families among our people, often quickly and harshly. Lives fall apart. Families live with shame, silence, and pain that can feel unbearable. Many keep this hidden because it is too heavy.

Yet some people have begun to meet and speak honestly. No masks. No pretending. People put words to what has been destroying life, and this opens space for others. Tears come. The burden is shared differently. Nothing is fixed overnight, but something begins to breathe again. No one has to carry this alone anymore.

I also see evangelists creating connection in other ways. Through videos, artwork, poems, prayers, and simple testimonies, they share what they have lived. These resources travel from one country to another, reaching people who are tired, isolated, or discouraged. They remind people that God is still at work.

I see people who have been lifted up becoming a source of life for others. People marked by loss, chaos, or emptiness slowly regain hope. Then they become able to listen, encourage, and walk with others.

Where truth replaces appearances, where presence breaks isolation, and where people move forward together despite uncertainty, I see new communities beginning and flourishing.

Prayer Phrase

“a new community…is being born” (Doctrine and Covenants 164:5).

Spiritual Community

Meditate on a time when you experienced true belonging—a moment when someone welcomed you, listened to you, encouraged you, or reminded you that you were not walking the journey of faith alone. Prayerfully consider the qualities that help build a Christ-centered community: hospitality, compassion, forgiveness, patience, courage, joy, and a willingness to walk alongside one another. Offer a prayer of gratitude for the communities that have shaped you and a prayer of commitment to help create spaces where all people can experience the love, peace, and presence of Christ.

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.