Twenty-six young people from across Europe attended the Brussels Nexus Conference in Brussels, Belgium, from May 12th to 14th, combining their love of Jesus Christ with civic engagement.
The three-day program was sponsored by the European Union and International Affairs Office of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with support from the Europe Central Area and Europe North Area Presidencies, the Church’s Europe Newsroom reported.
The Brussels Nexus Conference is part of the Church’s broader efforts to involve young people in public life, religious freedom and family policy issues across Europe. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 35 and came from more than a dozen European countries. Their backgrounds were also diverse, including students, lawyers, analysts, translators, and public sector professionals.
Speakers throughout the conference included Elder James W. McConkie III, a General Authority Seventy and member of the Europe Central Area Presidency. Sister Jean Bingham, former Relief Society general president, and her husband, Brother Bruce Bingham; and Russell Bowers, Church Government Relations Representative and former Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives.
Elder McConkie encouraged young people to think of themselves as disciples called to share the truths they know with the world.
He outlined four principles from the Sermon on the Mount as a guide for young leaders. It is about developing Christ-like qualities, treating others with genuine goodness regardless of how they are treated, and acting and participating in activities without seeking approval.
“The great leader is Jesus Christ,” Elder McConkie said. “We can trust in God. With His thoughts and truth and your desire to do good, all things are possible.”
faith, family, and public policy
The conference opened on May 12 with the Bridging Continental Policy Exchange, a day-long transatlantic dialogue on family policy involving policymakers, academics, and legal experts from Europe and the United States. Participants heard from legislators, academics, and practitioners about the pressures families face today and how public policy can better support them.
That evening, the Church’s Secretariat for the European Union and International Affairs hosted the 2026 European Family Values Awards Dinner, honoring Antonella Sverna, Vice-President of the European Parliament, for her contribution to strengthening European families.
On 13 May, conference participants heard from Brothers and Sisters Bingham, who completed their service assignments at the European Union and International Secretariat in September 2025. They shared their experiences and encouraged young adults to strengthen their testimonies of the gospel. Elder McConkie said later that same day:
Participants also visited the European Parliament and the European Commission, met with officials and saw first-hand how the European Union’s institutions operate.
They then returned to the Church’s European Union and International Secretariat and took part in two panel sessions. One was about how churches and faith-based organizations engage in humanitarian work across Europe, and the other was about interfaith partnerships. The latter panel included representatives from the Baha’i International Community, the European Hindu Forum, the European Jewish Community Center, and the Church.
The day ended with a keynote diplomatic dinner with Hungarian Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg, Tamas Ivan Kovacs. He said the family is a “central and sacred place” and that institutions like the church “make the greatest contribution to the social fabric of every nation. They strengthen ties with neighbors, provide stability in times of change, and provide channels through which compassion and civic engagement can flourish.”
“Ambassador of Jesus Christ”
The conference concluded on May 13 with a devotional given by Mr. Bowers, Government Affairs Representative at the Church’s European Union and International Secretariat. “When you hear your conscience speaking to you, listen to it,” he said.
Francesco Di Lillo, Director-General of the European Union and International Secretariat, also addressed young people: “In your daily activities at work, school and in your community, you are ambassadors of Jesus Christ and are entitled to his divine help as you seek to uplift others and contribute to the common good.”
