April 10th, 2025, 4:30pm MDT
Members of the Norman YSA Ward of Norman Oklahoma Stake recently drew a chalk art photo from the life of Jesus Christ on the University of Oklahoma campus to share the good news about Easter.
The activity included invitations for other college students and young single adults to participate in Easter services.
Megan Doxey said the ward would follow directions from leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to make the Easter holiday a much more focused event. So they plan some activities that the community can take part in, including sidewalk murals.
“I gathered a few artistically confident people in the ward to outline them. The rest of the ward members were able to fill it with colour. We created a stunning, colorful mural of events from the life of Christ,” she said.
The YSA district includes college students and other young single adults in the community. Bishop J. Joshu Anelson said he was inspired to do more on university campuses, listening to the area-wide broadcasts in January and listening to the area-wide broadcasts with Elder Jose L. Alonso, Director General, 70, and president of Southwest North America.
After that broadcast, when he met with members of his ward, the young single adults shared many ideas about how they could focus on the Savior. “It was a great experience as a bishop to witness,” he said.
From that meeting he created a “remember him” committee of the ward.
“This chalk mural came through his memory committee,” Bishop Nelson said. “They figured it out and put it together.”
The university gave permission to paint campus grounds, and the ward reached out to other denominations of faith. The final square on the sidewalk after the mural includes the dates and times of the Easter concert and Sunday service at Norman YSA Ward, St. Thomas More University Parish, and Norman’s United Methodist Church.
Ward members met on Monday, March 31st for a home night activity to create artwork. Alex Ailworth said, “It was a great outcome, and I felt that we all united and approached Christ.”
Aliworth was also grateful to involve the community and other congregations.
“I love the way that I was able to incorporate not only the Bible, but other dates and times that people could come and see,” she said. “As Easter approached, it was a great way for me and others to focus on Christ.”
Doxey agreed. “This activity has been a great way to remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ as part of the Easter celebration and expand our influence into our community.”
Bishop Nelson said he was impressed and inspired by the young single adults in his ward. He has had a YSA counselor since being called Bishop in January 2023, and has seen how young single adults lead, plan, invite and share the gospel.
Doxie said she appreciated the inspired advice from the general authorities and the bishop who took that advice to heart to begin planning his activities to celebrate the tone sin and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
She said, “I am the most grateful to the Savior of the World. I am the king of the king who bleed, weeped, and died, so I can sing and love with him.”
