Letter from The Saratoga Hills
Stake Aaronic Priesthood and Young Women Committee:
Dear parents and leaders of our amazing youth,
2020 will be a wonderful year for our youth. Our stake has been privileged with the opportunity to be among the first in Utah to attend a ‘For the Strength of Youth’ Conference. Since this is a unique and infrequent opportunity, we want to emphasize the blessing it will be to our youth.
We know that there are many questions around this conference and this letter is intended to help answer those questions and assist you in planning for 2020 activities.
We invite you to be familiar with the following website that answer many existing questions:
FAQs
This unique style of conference, will be different than other youth conferences in the past. Much like an Especially For Youth (EFY) conference, youth can select any available time to attend (see dates and locations below). This camp will take the place of our normal stake and ward Youth Conferences for 2020.
Our roles as stake and ward leaders will be to encourage eligible youth to participate, and help youth share their learnings, experiences, and testimony afterwards. As a Stake Aaronic Priesthood and Young Women Committee, we feel that can best be accomplished in the following ways:
1. Ward and stake leaders will help educate families on the process to register, and encourage and invite all eligible youth to participate.
2. Individual families should council together about the best date and location option for their youth.
3. Although not required, youth that wish to attend with other youth in their class/ quorum, or ward can coordinate a time / date to go as a group. Some will benefit most by attending a session on their own. Others will prefer to go with other members of their class or quorum. The stake is considering some suggested dates if youth may want to attend with others from the stake. Additionally, wards may also select dates to help coordinate among their youth. As mentioned, ultimately families should decide which conference works best for their individual situation.
4. Youth class / quorum presidencies will be asked to help invite all class / quorum members and encourage everyone eligible to attend.
5. Families will be asked to contribute $75 per youth attending. The ward and stake will also be paying $75 per youth. More information about this fee will be provided when we receive more information about the registration process.
6. The stake will not be providing transportation for this event. Families will be encouraged to make individual arrangements or coordinate with others attending the same session.
As announced early this week in an email from the church, the registration process will begin on February 3rd, 2020 at 9:00 AM
The registration page can be found on this website: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/youth/childrenandyouth/fsy/about?lang=eng
On this page you will also find details coming soon for parents, materials, leaders and other details.
We are still learning for ourselves all the logistics of this conference. There will be much more information to come and we will try to proactively share this info as soon as it becomes available. This will be a very special opportunity for our youth. With so many options we hope that every eligible youth will make this a priority and attend a session at the most convenient time.
Sincerely,
The Saratoga Hills Stake Aaronic Priesthood and Young Women Committee
1. What is FSY?
For the Strength of Youth (FSY) conferences are modeled after Brigham Young University’s
Especially for Youth (EFY) conferences. These five-day events have been held extensively outside
the United States and Canada for a number of years. Youth may attend beginning in the year they
turn 14 and until their high school graduation. Each stake will be invited every other year.
FSY conferences include activities, devotionals, and classes designed to help strengthen faith in
Jesus Christ and provide opportunities for youth to grow spiritually, socially, physically, and
intellectually. Beginning in 2020 in the United States and Canada, FSY conferences will be
provided by the Church and held locally with the support of BYU. Areas outside of the U.S. and
Canada will continue holding FSY conferences under the direction of the Area Presidency.
A list of stakes in the United States and Canada scheduled to attend FSY in 2020 is available at
newsroom.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Information on scheduling for 2020, 2021, and 2022 and
tentative dates and locations for 2020 is enclosed.
2. Are stakes scheduled for FSY responsible to plan the conference?
Ward and stake leaders are not responsible to plan the conference, to secure FSY locations, or to
provide speakers. If assistance is needed, area leaders may call upon local leaders.
Ward and stake leaders are responsible for helping youth register and for arranging transportation
to the FSY conference as described in question 9, below.
3. Is it necessary for stakes to provide adult leaders to attend FSY conferences?
Young single adults will fill logistical and leadership roles at FSY conferences. A limited number
of adults will attend FSY as session directors and teachers. The majority of the adults serving in
these positions will be full-time seminary and institute employees. Area leaders will reach out to
local leaders if their assistance becomes necessary. All local leaders are encouraged to prepare
youth for FSY and to talk to them about their experiences when they return home.
4. Who will serve as FSY counselors?
Young single adults ages 19–30 may volunteer to serve as counselors at one or more conferences.
To understand the role of local leaders in identifying young adult counselors, see the enclosed
document “Recommending Young Single Adult Counselors for FSY.”
5. Does FSY replace youth conference, Young Women camp, and Young Men camp?
In the year that youth attend FSY, their stakes should not hold other large events, such as a youth
conference or trek. Stake or ward Young Men and Young Women camps and other regular
activities may continue as normal. Camps should be scheduled at times that do not conflict with
scheduled FSY conferences.
6. Do all youth from a stake attend the same FSY conference?
FSY is a five-day conference. Stakes will be invited to the conference or conferences their youth
are eligible to attend. In areas with many stakes, youth may have options of choosing among
several conferences. In such locations, youth and their parents may register youth for the
conference that works best for their family. Youth are encouraged to register early to ensure they
can attend the conference that best fits their schedule. Participation is, of course, not required.
7. Will BYU hold EFY for youth whose stakes are not assigned to attend an FSY
conference in a particular year?
Traditional five-day EFY conferences will no longer be held. EFY Special Edition and EFY
Express will still be available. For more information, see efy.byu.edu.
8. At what ages are youth eligible to participate in FSY?
Youth may attend FSYs scheduled for their stake beginning in the year they turn 14 and until their
high school graduation. Each stake will be invited every other year. Those who have graduated
from high school may not attend.
9. What are the guidelines for travel to the conference?
Individuals whose stake center is located less than 2.5 hours away from the conference will be
required to provide their own ground transportation to the conference location. If a large number
of youth from a stake will attend the same conference, stake leaders may arrange for commercial
transportation, following the guidelines in Handbook 2: Administering the Church, 13.6.24. FSY
will provide transportation for those who live more than 2.5 hours from a conference.
10. Do youth stay overnight at FSY, or do they come home at night?
FSY conferences will typically be held at college or university campuses. Youth will stay
overnight in the campus dorms.
11. How much will FSY cost?
Each participant will be asked to pay U.S. $75. In addition, the stake or ward will pay U.S. $75
from the local unit budget allowance (LUBA) for each individual. The bishop may also use LUBA
to help individuals when necessary. If desired, wards may use the annual fundraising effort to help
offset the cost (see Handbook 2, 13.6.8).
12. How and when can youth register for FSY?
Youth in stakes scheduled for an FSY conference in 2020 will be invited to begin registering online
within the first quarter of 2020.
13. What responsibilities do stake and ward leaders have for helping youth register?
Ward and stake leaders should encourage and help youth register for FSY. Bishops should
consider the financial circumstances of the youth in their ward and determine if there is a need to
provide assistance so all who are eligible are able to attend an FSY conference.
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