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Young Men General President Steven J. Lund speaks to youth at an FSY conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in January 2024.2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com. It is not for use by other media.
By Mary Richards, Church News
Youth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world have been participating in For the Strength of Youth conferences at the beginning of 2024.
FSY is a large, five-day event that includes devotionals, workshops, interactive classes, service and other activities designed to help strengthen faith in Jesus Christ and help youth have fun as they learn to apply the gospel in all aspects of their lives. Topics included family history, missionary preparation, temple attendance, scripture study, and more.
At FSY, youth will associate with other youth who share their beliefs, learn to receive revelation and answers from the scriptures, and be mentored by young single adult counselors who teach and encourage them in gospel living, engage in activities that will bolster their self-esteem and increase their confidence.
This year, the theme for FSY is the 2024 youth theme “I am a disciple of Jesus Christ” (3 Nephi 5:13).
Below are examples from New Zealand and Argentina in January.
New Zealand FSY
The first FSY to be held in the Church in 2024 began January 1 at King’s College in Auckland, New Zealand.
Elder Taniela B. Wakolo, General Authority Seventy and First Counselor in the Pacific Area Presidency, encouraged the youth to enroll in seminary, have a current temple recommend and receive — or prepare to receive — a patriarchal blessing.
“When you make a decision for yourself to stay on the covenant path, you are also making a decision for your posterity,” he said. “Bind yourself to the Savior by reading the Book of Mormon from cover to cover this year and be a strong link in your family, and that is how you can continue to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.”
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Elder Jeremy R. Jaggi, General Authority Seventy and Second Counselor in the Pacific Area Presidency, center; Elder Jared V. Ormsby, Area Seventy, third from left; take a photo with FSY leaders and youth at a For the Strength of Youth conference at King’s College in Auckland, New Zealand, January 9, 2024.2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Elder Jeremy R. Jaggi, General Authority Seventy and second counselor in the Pacific Area presidency, addressed youth at the next session of FSY the following week.
He told the youth that they can know for themselves that the Lord knows them and loves them and that Jesus Christ is the strength of youth.
“Everybody has trials. No one is immune,” Elder Jaggi said. “But when we let the Savior into our lives and let Him run to us, then He will give us the strength we need to fight the battles that we are facing.”
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Youth listen to a devotional at For the Strength of Youth conference at King’s College in Auckland, New Zealand, January 9, 2024.2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Several youth told the Church’s Pacific Newsroom about what they learned.
Larell Armstrong said, “I feel inspired to better balance my life between sports, school and church and not push the Lord away.”
Fuli Tautaga said, “I know God will always be there for me. I want to read my scriptures more.”
Asovalu Tauiliili said, “I loved learning about the temple and the ordinances of the gospel. I am excited to go to the temple to receive my endowment.”
Funaki Lousiale said, “Jesus Christ is always near, and it is up to me to let Him into my life. I want to let God prevail and to allow Him to help me.”
Argentina FSY
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Young Men General President Steven J. Lund and his wife, Sister Kalleen Lund, take a picture with youth at an FSY conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in January 2024.2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Young Men General President Steven J. Lund visited two FSY conferences in Formosa and Buenos Aires, Argentina, in January.
The Church’s Argentina Newsroom reported that during his visit, President Lund addressed the youth and said that at FSY, “you will make the best friends of your life. You will meet leaders who will help you find yourself and the Savior. Jesus Christ comes to these events, His Spirit is very active among those who come seeking to improve their lives.”
In a video posted January 20 to the Instagram account for PFJ Argentina (PFJ is FSY in Spanish), President Lund said he was having “the time of my life” at the conferences.
“I would urge everyone I know everyone I love to come to these camps,” he said.
Conferences took place in January and are taking place in February in the countries of the world that are experiencing their summer months.
2023 FSY Conferences Strengthen Faith in Jesus Christ
In 2023, FSY conferences around the world had the 2023 youth theme, “I can do all things in Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).
During the five days, young people had opportunities to study the gospel together, enjoy social activities, share talents, develop friendships and come to know that Jesus Christ is their strength.
Below are two examples from Cambodia and Rwanda.
Cambodia FSY
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Youth and their leaders attend a devotional during a FSY conference in Siem Reap, Cambodia, held November 27-December 1, 2023.2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.More than 400 youth from across Cambodia gathered in Siem Reap for a FSY conference from November 27-December 1, 2023.
Elder Benjamin M. Z. Tai, General Authority Seventy and president of the Asia Area, spoke to the youth during a mid-week devotional. When he asked how many were new members of the Church, more than half of the participants indicated they were attending FSY for the first time, reported the Church’s Cambodia Newsroom.
Elder Tai encouraged the youth to envision their future: “Close your eyes and try to imagine where you will be in 10 years. You have a lot of decisions to make in the next 10 years that will affect the rest of your life. The best tool we have to make these decisions is to follow the doctrine of Christ,” he said.
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Youth take part in a service project packaging school supplies for schools in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, Cambodia, during a FSY conference held November 27-December 1, 2023.2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.Manypiesy Meas said, “I wasn’t planning to attend FSY, but I prayed about it and the Holy Spirit told me that I needed to go because it would be really important for my life. I learned that through the power of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice I can learn to take control of my feelings. That really strengthened my testimony. I am so glad that I decided to attend.”
Kanika Nget said, “I learned that Jesus Christ has a plan for everyone, including me. I had thought that I was too weak to serve a mission. Today I learned how Jesus Christ can make me strong. This gives me the confidence to make the decision to serve.”
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Youth performers take the stage with a traditional Cambodian Apsara dance during a FSY conference in Siem Reap, Cambodia, held November 27-December 1, 2023.2024 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.During the conference, the youth assembled school supply kits for nearby schools in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. The week after the conference, Church humanitarian missionaries delivered the kits and backpacks to the students.
Rwanda FSY
In the last of nine FSY conferences for the Africa Central Area in the summer of 2023, 400 youth gathered in Kanombe Kigali, Rwanda, from all parts of the country.
Elder Paul B. Pieper, a General Authority Seventy and second counselor in the Africa Central Area presidency of the Church, taught the youth how to be patient, how to love each other and about forgiveness. All people who want to be true followers of Jesus Christ should seek to develop the same attributes, he said, as reported on the Church’s Africa Newsroom.
Youth also heard from the area director of Seminaries and Institutes of Religion, the mission president of the Rwanda-Kigali Mission and full time senior missionaries.
Many participants said FSY had been an amazing experience for them — their testimonies were strengthened, they made new friends ,and they learned how to make right decisions.
The youth also took part in a service project where they cleaned the school where the conference was held.
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