J. MERRILL M.

CALDA
FSY Coordinator, Tanauan 1st Ward,
Tacloban Philippines Stake

FSY TACLOBAN SESSION 2019

“Doubt not, fear not” a short verse that help me

realized the importance of the call extended to me
being a coordinator of FSY Tacloban Session.
When Elder Revillo extended the call to me, I am really overwhelmed for the responsibilities
prior to this call because I don’t believe in my capacity to lead the FSY staff and the whole FSY
session. I prayed hard and fast to our Father in Heaven asking for the strength, comfort,
inspiration, and love that I’ll be able to magnify this call properly & be accountable before the
Lord despite of my weaknesses. I could still recall every night after I’ve been set apart for this
call, it’s kind a like a fast forward imagination about what will happen in FSY and what trainings
will be applicable to be given to the Assistant Coordinators and Counselors in preparation for
this session.
Looking back, I am so humbled, honored, faithful, blessed and grateful for this opportunity to
serve the youth of Tacloban, Tolosa and Carigara Stake. Being a coordinator is really an
indescribable spiritual experience for a lifetime because we are the heart of this program and the
success of FSY will be upon our shoulders. It was way pressured in our part but we remember
the promised in the staff handbook that “whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies”. We trust the
counsel of President Thomas S. Monson that we will be able to see the Lords’ hand working
because we are entitled for His divine help because this is His work and not ours alone.

Every activity from the FSY is very different and has a purpose behind in strengthening the
youth in these latter days. We can see that our Assistant Coordinators assigned in their respective
assignments of activity was fit according to their strength, they were not a perfect but we see the
potentials in them doing an extra mile in studying their respective assignments. During the FSY
proper, it was really a miracle when every Assistant Coordinator seems they know what they are
doing without pressure. I really witness how the hands of the Lord help us in working together
and by allowing the youth to be participative in every activity since Day 1 to 5.

One of the challenges for me as a coordinator is prioritizing FSY in every aspect of my life even
it takes a sacrifice in my part. I witness the miracle behind those sacrifices. One of the sacrifices
I had is to have an absence of my major subjects during Saturday and Sunday classes because of
the trainings. For the 15 trainings that we had, I only missed once because it was our final
defense in one of my accounting subjects and it is a requisite for passing the subject. Even
though I can say that I am really behind in my studies, Heavenly Father is still mindful in my
situation. I did remember the same situation when Prophet Joseph Smith was in Liberty Jail, the
Lord spoke to him and said, “My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine
afflictions shall be but a small moment”. I really feel comforted from this verse, the blessings
was I can still catch up our lessons and miraculously achieved highest grades in our accounting
subjects during that semester. What a wonderful promise given to me by the Lord in obeying His
commandments first before my own will (D&C 82:10).

MIRACLE WILL HAPPEN BECAUSE YOU WANT IT TO HAPPEN.

One week before FSY, we did finalize everything especially the groupings of participants
according to their assigned counselors. We prayed for the guidance of choosing the right
counselors for every youth. There was this experience together with our Session Directing
Couple Kuya Jhumer Operio and Ate Jean Operio, our Logistic Couple Kuya Ronualdo “Tres”
Galang and Ate Maylene Galang and my co-coordinator Bernadeth, we had witness how we are
guided by the Lord in this time. The laptop that we are using automatically shut down for almost
10 times every time we put one of the names of our counselors to that respective group of youth.
We prayed again for guidance and instruction about the action that we will be doing and it
prompted us to change the name of the counselor to be assigned for those respective group of
youth and miraculously the laptop was responding properly until we’ve finished everything. It
was one of the best experiences we had in preparation for the FSY session.

I can literally say that “NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY IF WE ARE IN THE

LORDS’ ERRAND”.

My favorite experience during FSY was the service activity on Day 5. The youth was given a
chance to express their love to their love ones either a friend or a family member who didn’t yet
received the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ when they go home. It was done by writing their
testimony in a special paper about the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon.
As I observe the youth, I was touch and inspired by these little ones seeing them happy by
writing their testimonies about the Savior, some were in teary eyes while writing, some were
smiling and some were totally crying because they were totally touch by the Holy Ghost while
they were writing their testimonies and they can’t help but just cry for a little time. The area was
filled with the atmosphere of love (while playing the FSY youth theme in background);
everything was mixed emotions including us FSY staffs because of the joy that we’ve felt for
this youth. It was a powerful representation the Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ lives and loves
every one of us and the Holy Ghost played an important role in softening the hearts of these little
ones that time.

I have come to a realization that every activity in FSY was designed to those who are lost – lost
in the decision of choosing the harder right than the easier wrong and finding who really they are
and who they will become. We can see the change of heart of these youth for the entire 5 days of
FSY. I am enlightened and strengthened by the Spirit and through the examples of the youth. I
can say that the youth of this generation was the noble and great ones and the finest players in
these latter days in preparation for the Second Coming of our Savior Jesus Christ through
gathering of Israel.

I learned in this historical conference that pure love of Christ is the essence of everything. We
cannot truly love God, if we really don’t know Him. I was able to witness many miracles in
different aspects in our session because of the love that we felt from each other having one heart,
one mind and dwelt in righteousness. I am honored and blessed for our Area 70 assigned in our
session, Elder Revillo and Session Directing Couple for this session Kuya Jhumer and Ate Jean
for their unwavering support to us coordinators and staffs, for their inspired leadership that help
us to continue with love and faith in our calling. Also for our Logistic Couple, Kuya Tres and
Ate May who help us to be active in every way especially during the entire trainings and also
during the FSY proper by doing some extra mile to give what we need for the entire session. We
are also grateful and blessed for the FSY staff (Assistant Coordinator, Counselors, Scribe and
Health Counselors) – for the call that they’d accepted, sacrifices in every trainings attended, for
their work, studies and their priorities. Lastly to the youth who attended the FSY, for their
decisions to join FSY even without any gadgets, leaving their families for 5 days and leaving
their priorities behind for their profit and learning. Our sacrifices were paid off because of you
all. I am really blessed and grateful for the opportunity to serve the youth in this simple way. I
am always comforted behind my weaknesses, turning my weaknesses into strength, changing my
perspective to be more centered in Jesus Christ and most especially the art of doing our very best
whenever we are called to serve in every different way. I will always recall and remember what
Elder Revillo taught us during one of our trainings whenever I feel inadequate in my call, he says
“ONLY YOUR BEST IS GOOD ENOUGH TO THE LORD”.

It was the best ever spiritual 5 days of my life and will always be treasured throughout my
generation. So blessed for this experienced to feel the Saviors’ footsteps.