Leaders who are planning a youth activity on or around New Year’s Eve will want to plan their activity to fulfill a spiritual purpose, as explained in the Church Handbook of Instructions:

“Church activities should strengthen testimonies and foster personal growth. They also should provide opportunities to apply gospel principles and feel support in living them.

“Church activities should help participants develop friendships in a wholesome environment with others who share similar beliefs and standards. Activities also should create unity and a sense of belonging. In addition, they provide opportunities to reach out to nonmembers, new members, and less-active members and invite them to participate.
—Church Handbook of Instructions, Book 2 [1998], 271

Possible purposes include:

• Have fun and feel the Spirit of the Lord together.
• Help youth understand the spiritual power and safety provided by the standards in For the Strength of Youth and encourage them to make needed changes in their lives to keep these standards.
• Begin the new year by introducing the 2009 Mutual theme and inviting youth to personally commit to stand as “example[s] of the believers” throughout the coming year.
• Develop unity among the youth through service to others.
• Fellowship less-active youth and reawaken their desire to attend church and live the gospel.

If held on New Year’s Eve, the activity could also provide a wholesome atmosphere for LDS youth and their friends to celebrate the holiday without compromising their standards.

Leaders are invited to review additional guidelines and policies in the Church Handbook of Instructions as they plan and prepare for their activities. Leaders may also wish to preview the DVD A Brand New Year when it arrives in early December and consider ways it may be able to assist in meeting these or other spiritual purposes.