“For the Strength of Youth: A Guide for Making Choices” testifies over and over to youth that “Jesus Christ is your strength.”
As Young Women general presidency members have studied and discussed the expanded “For the Strength of Youth” guide for the past few months, they have made sure to point out the eternal truths, invitations, promised blessings, and questions and answers in each chapter — all while reaffirming to youth that Jesus Christ is their strength.
The presidency and Young Men general presidency invited youth to join them in a readathon to prepare for September when the new youth curriculum based on the FSY guide will be used in Young Women classes and Aaronic Priesthood quorum meetings each Sunday. Some of presidencies’ learnings and insights have been posted to their social media channels.
For instance, in a livestream posted to the Young Women Worldwide social media accounts on Tuesday, Aug. 4, the Young Women general presidency discussed Chapter 11 of the FSY guide titled, “Truth Will Make You Free.”
Young Women General President Emily Belle Freeman said, “One of my favorite parts starts right in the very top paragraph, and it talks about part of valuing truth and holding on to truth is bravely standing for what you know is right, even if you have to stand alone.”
She told a story her daughter Grace experienced one day at her high school, when a group of boys tore the pages out of a Bible and threw them on the ground. Grace saw another boy go right up to the group and quietly begin gathering the pages from the ground. The group of boys became angry with him before finally leaving.
The boy told Grace he had been praying for an opportunity to stand up for what he believed and this became that opportunity for him to testify with his actions.
Sister Tamara W. Runia, first counselor in the Young Women general presidency, pointed out how the chapter discusses having questions and finding answers.
“I’ve come to this conclusion that not understanding is not the same as not believing. Because while I may not understand everything, I can still choose to believe in Jesus Christ, and that’s helped me,” Sister Runia said.
Sister Andrea Muñoz Spannaus, second counselor, said when learning new things and gaining testimony and testifying of truth, the Savior is there. “We are walking with Him.”
In another livestream discussion, on July 7, the presidency discussed Chapter 7 of the guide, titled “Ordinances and Covenants Give You Access to God’s Blessings.” This chapter discusses the Aaronic Priesthood ordinances of baptism and the sacrament and invites youth to look for the Savior in the ordinances.
“Because everything points to Jesus Christ. He is our strength,” Sister Spannaus said.
About the sacramental prayers she said: “I’m so grateful to have that possibility to have the Holy Ghost, because the Holy Ghost could teach us, could remind us things, comfort us, give us peace, a lot of things. And little by little, it can change our hearts. We can start changing.”
President Freeman said, “Every time we partake of the sacrament, we can have the power to overcome temptation, sin and the trials of life because making and keeping covenants gives us access to God’s power. And with that power, you can face anything with confidence.”
In its social media livestream on June 2, the presidency discussed Chapter 2 of the FSY guide, “God Wants To Communicate With You.”
Sister Spannaus read from 2 Nephi 32:8-9, which says to pray always.
“Each one of us has this moment of, ‘Oh, I’m too tired to pray,’ or ‘I don’t want to do it,’ or ‘I don’t feel like praying.’ But at that moment we need to pray. We need to kneel and just wait till we open our mouth and start praying to our Father.”
Sister Runia said one of the questions the presidency gets asked the most is about feeling or hearing the Spirit. She read from Chapter 2, which says to seek Heavenly Father in prayer and to “share with Him your joys, worries and questions. Be still and listen for His answers, which may come as feelings of peace, thoughts in your mind or impressions to do something.”
Then, she read from the guide: “Ponder what He might be teaching you and write down impressions that come. … If you have a thought or impression to do something kind that will bless someone, do it.”
President Freeman pointed out that this chapter — like the others — testifies to the youth that Jesus Christ is their strength.
“This is one of the places we can turn for strength, to hear words from prophets and apostles, and to help us understand better the principles, the eternal truths, the invitations and the promised blessings that come from the Lord.”
