Makati Stake FSY Devotional
- Mark Jison, Jahzeel Pahilagao, Mary Jean Tardio
- Feb 5, 2018
- 3 min read
The Makati Stake conducted its first FSY (For the Strength of Youth) Devotional last January 28, 2018 at the Buendia Chapel. Attending are the youth with their parents and guardians, Bishopric, Ward and Stake Youth Leaders and some members of the FSY committee.
President Stephen Notarte, Second Counselor of the Stake Presidency gave the opening remarks and he shared about the two thousand strippling warriors in Alma 53:20-22 and he wishes the youth to be “exceedingly valiant for courage, and also for strength and activity...true at all times in whatsoever thing they were entrusted”. He remarked that the youth will be the future leaders, just like the strippling warriors who were the “support of the people in the borders of the land on the south by the west sea”. It is essential, after quoting the second stanza of the hymn “True to the Faith”, for young men and women to continue holding the iron rod as a preparation not just for the conference but for their future undertakings.
After the opening remarks, the Stake Young Men and Young Women leaders introduce themselves and they spent the bulk of the devotional introducing what the FSY conference is all about. The FSY conference, which will be attended by the youth of Makati, Makati East, and Mandaluyong Stakes, will be conducted in the Development Academy of the Philippines from May 14 to 19. Sister Jane Cabugao, the Stake YW President, presented a video about the sequence of the activity, from registration and social activity, to gospel study and meeting new friends. Sister Ruth Rodriguez, the Stake YW First Counselor, talked about the essentials of FSY, what will happen in the conference and the different activities and that it will be a combination of the traditional Multi-Stake Youth Conference and mini Missionary Training Center. They shared as well the purpose of the FSY conference is to:
Deepen their conversion
Help them prepare for a full-time mission
Help them become future leaders of the church
Help them become good husbands and wives
Help them build the Kingdom of God
Sister Lyra Asur, the Stake YW Second Counselor, shared that it is a must for youth to read the FSY pamphlet and treat it as if it serves as our compass in our daily life. She reiterated some of the challenges most youth are facing nowadays and shares ways on how to inspire them to overcome these. Brother Jaime Binhaon, the Stake YM President, also discussed and described the activities that will happen during the conference. Bro. Jead Advincula, the Stake YM First Counselor, also elaborated about the registration and age cut-off. Both of them emphasized that “joining the FSY must be like going on a mission”. Both YM and YW leaders also specified the rules and directions for the said conference and also laid out the guidelines for the variety show, musical program and the auditions.
Afterwards, President Notarte noted that the youth must be like the full-time missionaries, and we wish them to return with honor and this responsibility is shared both by parents and leaders. He discussed five big things the youth must avoid at all costs:
Pornography of all forms
Shoplifting, theft and vandalism
Breaking the Word of Wisdom
Possessing firearms and weapons of any kind
Doing anything harmful to yourself and to others, physically and spiritually.
During the Question and Answer portion, parents, youth and leaders were given the chance to bring up questions not tackled during the presentation with some inquiring the transportation of their children and communication with them during the conference. The leaders emphasized that them going to the conference is like going on a mission. Communication may be very limited but they are assured that the safety of the young men and women will be prioritized.
President Ferdinand Arzaga concluded the devotional by testifying about the experiences of Alma the younger and the four sons of Mosiah, the strippling warriors, and that prayers and fasting will blessed their lives. He testified that there’s an eternal purpose of the leaders and that they will guide the youth to be the Church’s future leaders.
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