The Church is preparing to hold For the Strength of Youth (FSY) conferences in the United States and Canada beginning in the summer of 2021. Youth will participate in up to five days of devotionals, classes, and activities and engage in inspired learning opportunities and wholesome social experiences. These will help youth strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ and feel joy and belonging as they live the gospel.
The top priority for FSY conferences is to provide opportunities for the youth to strengthen their faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ while taking into consideration the safety of all who participate. Based on current information from medical and government officials, preparations are being made to hold FSY conferences in 2021, so please reserve the dates your ward is assigned to attend. Church leaders are closely monitoring the status of COVID-19 in all areas of the world. Based on updated information and local restrictions, the format of the conference may be changed or sessions may be postponed. If needed, an alternative youth activity will be provided. All affected units will receive additional communication as soon as decisions are made.
Additional information is below, including the request to recommend young single adults to serve as volunteer counselors, call stake and ward FSY representatives, and approve youth to attend FSY. The first six sections are applicable to all stakes, including young single adult stakes, regardless of what year the stake is invited to attend FSY. The last three are applicable to stakes invited to attend FSY in 2021.
2021 For the Strength of Youth Conferences Information and Guidelines
FSY conferences are an important part of the Children and Youth effort, and we encourage all eligible youth to make every effort to attend. Due to the volume and logistical complexity of registering local units, wards will not be allowed to request to attend during specific weeks, opt out of or request changes for their assigned session, or switch assignments with other units. We recognize that assigned weeks may interfere with previously planned activities, such as youth camps, but we request that you make the necessary changes to your summer activity schedule to ensure your ward can attend the assigned FSY session.
Please see below for information about youth who are unable to attend the FSY conference with their ward during the assigned week.
Recommending Young Single Adults to Serve as Volunteer Counselors at FSY
Bishoprics from throughout the United States and Canada—whether or not youth in their stake will be attending an FSY conference in 2021—are asked to submit recommendations for FSY counselors by October 15, 2020. Recommendations can be submitted through Leader and Clerk Resources (LCR) in “Applications” and then “For the Strength of Youth (FSY) Conferences,” or through this link, where instructions are provided.
We invite bishoprics to prayerfully consider and individually invite young single adults to apply to serve as FSY counselors. All FSY counselors must have a strong testimony of the Savior and His restored gospel and are ready to promote principles consistent with Church doctrine. Leaders should also consider potential counselors’ worthiness, ability to help youth understand the scriptures, willingness to uphold dress and appearance standards found in the For the Strength of Youth booklet, reliability, communication skills, humility, and positive attitude. Young single adult counselors play a pivotal role in the success of FSY conferences and have a major influence on the youth. As such, a young single adult should be recommended primarily because of his or her ability to strengthen youth rather than as an opportunity for the young single adult to be strengthened. For more information regarding qualifications and responsibilities, please visit FSYCounselor.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
Young single adults who are recommended to serve as FSY counselors will receive an emailed invitation to complete an online application. Bishoprics should encourage them to complete the application as soon as possible. Interested young single adults who do not receive an invitation, such as those currently serving missions or those who do not have a current email linked to their Church Account, should go to FSYCounselor.ChurchofJesusChrist.org to register. To ensure that they receive invitations and other emails, young single adults should update their email address in their Church Account.
The status of applications can be tracked through LCR under “Applications” and then “For the Strength of Youth (FSY) Conferences.” If a young single adult’s eligibility changes at any point after he or she has begun to fill out the application, please call 1-801-240-3009, ext. 1.
Calling a Stake FSY Representative
FSY will begin communicating with stakes very soon. We invite a member of the stake presidency to call a stake FSY representative. This calling will be the principle way in which we will communicate information regarding session dates, locations, transportation, registration, and other logistics to the stake. This calling could be considered in every stake, including young single adult stakes and stakes that aren’t assigned to attend FSY in 2021. For stakes who have not called a stake FSY representative, FSY will communicate through the stake young women president (or the stake Relief Society president in young single adult wards). Please extend this calling and enter it in LCR in “Other Callings” under “For the Strength of Youth” as soon as possible.
Stake FSY Representative Responsibilities
Stake FSY representatives will work with FSY staff, ward FSY representatives, priesthood leaders, stake and ward youth organization leaders, young single adult leaders, parents, and youth.
All stake FSY representatives should:
- Become familiar with the FSY website and refer leaders, parents, youth, and young single adults to the appropriate pages.
- Provide information and respond to questions from youth, parents, young single adults, and stake and ward leaders.
- Encourage all eligible young single adults to apply to be FSY counselors.
- Support volunteer FSY counselor training activities as requested in cooperation with the FSY office.
- Assist with additional assignments as needed.
Stake FSY representatives in stakes invited to attend FSY in 2021 should:
- Act as a liaison between the FSY office and the ward FSY representatives, communicating information about session dates, location, registration, and transportation.
- Coordinate transportation of youth from the stake center to the FSY location(s) with families and local leaders, as needed, and with the FSY office if transportation to the session location is being provided by FSY.
- Follow up on youth registration reports to encourage and help all eligible youth to register.
- Support efforts before and after the FSY session to build enthusiasm and “take home” the FSY experience—specifically, helping the youth organize two or more stake FSY activities.
Calling a Ward FSY Representative
FSY will begin communicating with wards very soon. We invite a member of the bishopric or branch presidency to call a ward FSY representative. This calling will be the principle way in which we will communicate information regarding session dates, locations, transportation, registration, and other logistics to the ward. This calling could be considered in every ward, including young single adult wards and wards that aren’t assigned to attend FSY in 2021. For wards who have not called a ward FSY representative, FSY will communicate through the ward young women president (or the ward Relief Society president in young single adult wards). Please extend this calling and enter it in LCR in “Other Callings” under “For the Strength of Youth” as soon as possible.
Ward FSY Representative Responsibilities
Ward FSY representatives will work with the stake FSY representative, priesthood leaders, ward youth organization leaders, young single adult leaders, parents, and youth.
All ward FSY representatives should:
- Become familiar with the FSY website and refer leaders, parents, youth, and young single adults to the appropriate pages.
- Encourage all eligible young single adults to apply to be FSY counselors.
- Provide information and respond to questions from youth, parents, young single adults, and ward leaders.
- Support volunteer FSY counselor training activities as requested in cooperation with the FSY office.
- Assist with additional assignments as needed.
Ward FSY representatives in wards invited to attend FSY in 2021 should:
- Act as a liaison between the stake FSY representative and the ward, communicating information about session dates, location, registration, and transportation.
- Ensure all youth have an operational Church Account with a membership record number and email linked to their account.
- Follow up on youth registration reports to encourage and help all eligible youth to register.
- Support efforts before and after the FSY session to build enthusiasm and “take home” the FSY experience—specifically, helping the stake leaders and youth organize two or more stake FSY activities.
Registration Details and Approving Youth to Attend FSY
All youth within an invited stake will attend during the same year, although wards within a stake may be assigned to different sessions. See the yearly stake assignments here. All youth within a ward will be invited to attend the same FSY session except in rare cases where housing availability is limited. See the ward assignments for 2021 here.
All eligible youth who are invited to participate in an FSY conference should be approved by a member of the bishopric before January 20, when registration begins. Youth can be approved through LCR in “Applications” and then “For the Strength of Youth (FSY) Conferences,” or through this link, where instructions are provided.
Approved youth will receive an email inviting them to register for their assigned FSY session when it is time to register. Please ensure that each youth has an active email account and a membership record number linked to his or her Church Account. Youth can find their membership record number on their temple recommend, or a member of the bishopric can provide it. Youth can register at FSYYouth.ChurchofJesusChrist.org after they have been approved to attend and registration is open but before the registration for the assigned session is closed.
To register for an FSY conference, youth will need an account with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
- Members of the Church will need an account that is linked to their membership record number. They can either create an account at account.ChurchofJesusChrist.org/register or update their current account with their membership record number at account.ChurchofJesusChrist.org/membership.
- Nonmember youth will create an account without a membership record number at account.ChurchofJesusChrist.org/register.
There may be instances when youth from your ward are unable to attend the assigned FSY session due to situations like family vacations, medical issues, moves, or custodial considerations. They may request an exemption through a member of their bishopric to attend a different session. Exemption enrollment will be available after the ward registration is complete. The individual may attend any session that has availability within his or her own country. Transportation will not be provided by FSY. Bishops will be able to grant the exemption requests through the bishop’s approval tool or in LCR under “Applications” in “For the Strength of Youth (FSY) Conferences,” where instruction is provided.
There may be instances when a youth outside your ward needs approval to attend FSY with your ward—for example:
- Youth who are not members of the Church
- Youth who live part-time in your ward
- Youth who have a parent or sibling who lives in your ward
Instructions for approving these youth are found in the bishop’s approval tool. If you have questions regarding approving youth from outside your ward, please call 1-801-240-3009.
Stake FSY Activities
We encourage all stakes to plan at least two one-day stake FSY activities within the year they have been assigned to attend an FSY conference. One activity could be held in the months preceding the conference and the other in the months following the conference. Stake FSY activities will help increase the spiritual impact of FSY conferences by encouraging youth to prepare or continue to grow spiritually, create greater unity within the stake and ward, and find joy in gospel living as they strengthen their testimony of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.
Stake FSY activities before the FSY session will generally include devotionals and activities, such as dances, talent shows, and group games, that will help youth know what to expect, get excited for FSY, set goals, create stake unity, and prepare spiritually.
Stake FSY activities after the FSY session generally will give youth the opportunity to reflect on their experiences, strengthen bonds with others, remember and recommit to goals set during FSY, create new goals, and strengthen their commitment to follow the Savior.
Stake FSY activities can be customized to fit the needs of the youth in your stake. These activities can be done on a stake level, or you can coordinate and combine with other stakes to give youth the opportunity to make new friends outside of their stake, just as they will at FSY. Youth are encouraged to take the lead in planning these activities with the guidance of the stake FSY representative. Stake and ward leaders or local young single adults can serve as speakers and counselors. It is important that speakers and counselors demonstrate a testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ through temple worthiness and Church service and be approved by their bishop.
More information regarding stake FSY activities, including suggested schedules and events, will be communicated to stake FSY representatives in the coming months.
Additional Information
Counselor Qualifications and Responsibilities
Local Unit Budget Allowance (LUBA) Guidelines
FSY Accommodation of Persons with Disabilities Policy
Stake Assignments for 2021-2023
Ward Assignments for 2021