The following is excerpted from the Church News. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
For Jennifer Fortuné, a 17-year-old in Haiti, last week’s virtual For the Strength of Youth conference in the Caribbean was a testament of the Lord’s love during a time of hardship and isolation amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This taught me the Lord did not forget us,” said Fortuné, who lives in the St Marc Branch, Saint Marc Haiti District. “He inspired leaders to find a way to communicate with us because He knew we were in great need of this conference.”
Widely dispersed across 27 countries and territories, more than 3,000 youth in the Caribbean participated in a virtual FSY conference June 22-26.
Speakers included Elder Dale G. Renlund of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and his wife, Sister Ruth Renlund; Elder José A. Teixeira of the Presidency of the Seventy and his wife, Sister Filomena Teixeira; Young Men General President Steven J. Lund and his wife, Sister Kalleen Lund; Young Women General President Bonnie H. Cordon and her husband, Brother Derek Cordon; as well as the Caribbean Area presidency, several Area Seventies and their wives.
Youth met virtually in small groups throughout the week via technology for daily scripture study, discussions and activities. Two young single adult counselors led each group. Youth also participated in musical programs and devotionals broadcast on the area website in English, Spanish, French, Haitian Creole and Dutch. They were encouraged to invite non-member friends.
Elder Renlund, who visited the Caribbean Area in February and gave the concluding devotional address on Friday evening, said the FSY conference was a timely blessing for the youth — many of whom are in small units and are first-generation members and have felt even more isolated during the pandemic.
“If we had done this the way we typically do FSYs, there is no way at all that they would have heard from five General Authorities and their wives, two general officers and their spouses, and four Area Seventies and their wives,” Elder Renlund said. “This is better, in some ways, than had they come together.”
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
