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Our FSY Experience
When we were called as the Session Directing Couple (SDC) for FSY NaCoLayan (Naic, Bacoor, Balayan), we entered the experience with prayerful hearts and a deep desire to learn.
Speaking with other former SDCs, we discovered that every FSY, whether carefully organized or faced with unforeseen challenges, carried the same beautiful outcome: lives were changed, testimonies were deepened, and faith in Jesus Christ was strengthened.
As we began our own FSY session, we immediately witnessed the diversity among the youth and leaders.
Different personalities, backgrounds, and experiences brought unique perspectives and, at times, differences.
Yet, throughout the week, we saw something sacred unfold: the miracle of the Savior’s love. As in 3 Nephi 5:13, the youth and leaders began to truly take upon themselves the identity of being disciples of Jesus Christ, finding common ground despite their differences in their shared desire to follow Him.
At the start, many youth arrived with hesitant hearts. Some were simply attending out of expectation, unsure of what they would gain. But the balanced programs of FSY the devotionals, classes, activities, and daily opportunities to feel the Spirit created an environment where change became possible.
We saw young men and young women who had once been distant from Church activity bear testimony of their desire to return.
We heard youth who had never before considered missionary service express an earnest wish to prepare and serve and even one young man who just after returning home from FSY have already filed his missionary application.
We witnessed a youth who right after attending FSY has entered the waters of baptism and made sacred covenants unto the Lord.
Others felt prompted to refer their friends to meet with the missionaries, becoming instruments in gathering Israel, as prophesied in Mosiah 18:9, where Alma taught that those who were “willing to mourn with those that mourn … and stand as witnesses of God at all times” would be prepared for baptism and covenant living.
We witnessed tears shed during classes where gospel truths were taught simply and powerfully. We saw friendships form that were rooted not just in common interests, but in shared testimony and covenants.
And perhaps most humbling of all, we saw young hearts turn toward the Savior not merely in word, but in action: in prayer, repentance, forgiveness, and renewed obedience.
FSY invites the youth and the leaders to look and come closer to Christ, not just by feeling His love, but by following Him. As taught in John 14:15, “If ye love me, keep my commandments,” FSY provided opportunities for participants to translate testimony into action: to commit to serve, to study, to lead, and to love more deeply.
For us as leaders, FSY was both a test of faith and an accelerator of blessings.
Like the youth, we were refined by witnessing our weakness and seeing that we cannot do this calling only relying in our own strength. We were taught daily to rely more completely on the Spirit, to lead with love, to forgive quickly, and to trust that the Lord magnifies humble offerings.
As we dedicated our time and efforts, we witnessed miracles far greater than anything we could have orchestrated ourselves.
In the end, the evidence of the Savior’s work was unmistakable: youth returned home with a renewed understanding of who they are as sons and daughters of Heavenly Parents, a stronger desire to keep their covenants, and a deeper love for Jesus Christ. Leaders, too, returned home changed more committed to serving, more reliant on the Lord, and more aware of the quiet but undeniable miracles that occur when we gather in His name.
We bear witness that FSY is an inspired work of the Lord. It is a gathering of hearts and spirits, a modern fulfillment of ancient promises, and a manifestation of the Lord’s profound love for this rising generation.
We are eternally grateful for the privilege of being a part of FSY NaCoLayan and for the sacred experiences we were blessed to witness.