Stake FSY Activity - Planning Guide
Stake FSY activities can be customized to fit the needs of the youth in your stake. This activity can be done with only your stake, or you can 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 this activity, with the guidance of the stake Young Women and Young Men presidents. Stake and ward leaders or local seminary and institute teachers can serve as speakers. Local young adults, single or married couples, can serve as counselors. It is recommended that speakers and counselors demonstrate a testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ through temple worthiness and be recommended by their bishop.
Stake Pre-FSY Activity
Stake Post-FSY Activity
Adaptation Ideas
We encourage you to adapt the schedules and activities to fit the needs of the participating youth. You may also do activities that are not listed, or adjust the listed activities to fit the needs of the youth attending the event. Consider special needs of attendees (such as disabilities and so on) when making these adaptations.
Descriptions of activities that are included in the outlines:
Throughout the stake FSY activity, create both formal and informal discussion opportunities for youth where they can share learning and experiences with their peers. Encourage youth to share what they have learned or how their individual testimonies have been strengthened during the stake FSY activity with their families, friends, and ward members after they return home.
Dances
Dances are a fun way for youth to meet people and get out of their comfort zone. They can experience an exciting social atmosphere with popular and positive music, line dances, and respectful peers. You may choose to teach some of the line dances that the youth will be doing at the FSY conference. Those who oversee dances should carefully follow the policies outlined in General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 20.2.3 and 20.5.2 (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).
Large-Group and Small-Group Games
Some of these games can be played in small spaces, while others require more room. These games are just suggestions, so if there are other games your youth enjoy, feel free to play those. You are also encouraged to have a discussion after each game about how it applies to the gospel. Hold these discussions with groups of 10–20 youth. Let the youth be creative with their answers. There are some suggested conversation-starter questions included with each game description that may be used if the youth are struggling to come up with their own ideas, but use these only after a good period of silence.
You will want to do these games on a field, in a gym, or in some other large space, depending on how many youth will participate. This works best if there is at least one counselor for every 20 youth plus one counselor in charge. It is likely easiest either to have a counselor teach the game to all participants before breaking up and playing or to break up into groups of 20 or so youth to teach the game and then come together into larger groups to play.
The purpose of Reflect and Review (R&R) is to allow the youth time to ponder and process the information they’ve received and experiences they’ve had throughout the activity. The ultimate goal is for youth to recognize how they hear Jesus Christ and what Heavenly Father is trying to teach them individually (#HearHim). It is intended to help them think about and internalize what they’ve learned by inviting them to record their thoughts and share their experiences and testimonies with each other. This will solidify what they’ve learned and prepare them to receive further revelation. An effective R&R is not possible without the guidance of the Holy Ghost. It is He who carries the truth into the hearts of these youth and inspires them to change. The counselor’s primary responsibility is to create an environment where the Spirit can have the most impact.