Three Recent Youth Conferences

Three For the Strength of Youth (FSY) conferences were held in the Africa SouthEast Area during August 2016. These were held in Harare, Zimbabwe, Madagascar and Lubumbashi.

FSY conferences are large-scale, five-day youth conferences that include a carefully balanced program of classes, devotionals and fun activities for large numbers of youth (400-500) between the ages of 14-18.

Ravo Rainibe (Young Single Adult Co-ordinator) from Madagascar said: “We were indeed able to create an environment of revelation where youth were really able to experience the joy of the Spirit”.

He continued: “The youth had fun. They were able to make new friends and experience friendship in a spiritual environment. During key moments we could feel the Spirit of the temple, especially during the musical show and the testimony meeting. It was a miracle to see youth having a real change of heart”.

The theme for each of these FSY conferences was “Press Forward with a Steadfastness in Christ”.

At these conferences the youth were divided into groups that were led by worthy Young Single Adults, many of whom are returned missionaries. These Young Single Adults were crucial to the success of the conferences. They were called to serve, teach and testify to the youth and act as spiritual mentors.

One such leader, from Madagascar, said: “I have personally learnt that celestial-like experiences can hardly be described with terrestrial-like words. As a leader, He gave me the sacred privilege to feel for the youth what He feels as our Father. I love how the Lord was able to operate the greatest number of changes in our hearts in such a limited period of time; eternity seemed to collide with earth during those 5 short days”.

Merirei, a YSA female co-ordinator from Zimbabwe said: “I have learnt a lot from this FSY conference. I have learnt to love others and work with others, and I have grown spiritually”.

Her counter-part, Spenser Bundi, the male YSA co-ordinator from Zimbabwe said: “This has been a wonderful experience. This week has really changed my life. FSY has been a blessing and it has felt like mission again… It is awesome to see how the youth have grown spiritually”.

The session directing couple in Zimbabwe, Brother and Sister Chivunga, said: “It was clear that the youth were not only feasting physically, but also spiritually … It was amazing to see how the Young Single Adults were rising to their tasks”.

One participant from Madagascar said: “This week was an unforgettable experience for me. I learned and I understood. I am proud of who I am now. Thank you to God for giving me this chance”.