If Youth Congress could be any city in the world, where would you have it? Why?

survey sez!
Reader's responses to The Big Question

July 16, 2007

The Question: If Youth Congress could be any city in the world, where would you have it? Why?

The Answer: “Greenville, Mississippi. I choose my own town, because then I could attend. I’m a school teacher and school starts back on August 6th, so I can’t get off work the first week of school to attend Youth Congress. That’s the only setback to being a public school teacher!”

The Answer: “Well, I would first choose somewhere—anywhere on the West Coast. I honestly find it ridiculous that year after year we have to deal with General Conference, Commune-ity Meetings, and Youth Congresses being no further than Salt Lake City so that attendance will be higher.

I’ve heard all types of excuses from the fact that they want to keep it close to the Bible Belt, or they don’t think it’s fair for people to travel so far in one direction. Really? Tampa? Toronto? New Orleans? Raleigh? Columbus (twice!)? To my knowledge, in the last five years the West Coast has hosted the Phoenix, Arizona General Conference. That’s it! One conference in five years!

While I am not a part of it, the Western District is huge! Many youth from the West Coast do turn out for Youth Congress, and even more people faithfully attend General Conference, as well! Imagine attendance if Headquarters decided to allow one of our cities to host a national conference! I just find it ridiculously unfair for us to have to bear the burden of traveling and whatnot year-in, year-out, when we’d just like to have at least once conference in our general direction, every couple of years!”

The Answer: “A top-tier city (New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, etc.), so our youth group could go for some extra days and sightsee.”

The Answer: “St. Louis—so I wouldn’t have to travel far!”

The Answer: “Atlanta, Georgia, plenty of conference hotels, plus we got us a airport so all you folks can fly here. Not to mention we’uns eat a ton o’ fried chicken in ‘Lanta.”

The Answer: “Branson, Missouri—It is middle of the USA and close to us!”

The Answer: “London.”

The Answer: “In my backyard so I wouldn’t have to travel anywhere. Yeah, for not traveling!”

The Answer: “Orlando, Florida seems like a perfect destination to me because there is so much to do all over the city. Plus, if your youth group is into things other than roller coaster and amusement-type activities (sure...), it’s close to historical sites (i.e., St. Augustine) and great camping and fishing. Plus, it would be pretty cool to have an ‘Apostolic Day’ at Disney World, maybe the Tuesday before or the Saturday after Youth Congress.”

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