Youth Camps

We had two camps this week... I went to a luxurious lodge and Wayne was with the Deacons/Teacher age boys in Goblin Valley with NO running water or toilets.  There was a ranger station 10 minutes a way that they did use the bathrooms there once in the morning and once at night, but other than that they were on their own… girls would NOT have liked this.   They slept in tents and had to drive 4 hours just to get there.  BUT...... Wayne had a great time playing steal the flag, and disc golf and hiking and doing dutch oven.  Of course, Wayne goes all out when playing...like he's still 30-- so today there is a very tired body and lots of aches and pains.

Girls Camp was a success!!! After so much planning and trying to get the YCL's to take ownership-- which is more of a challenge than I thought it would be - we CAMPED!

I asked the girls at the beginning of camp - picture yourself getting home on Friday night and your mom says how was camp? what do you want to tell her? Was it an amazing, awesome time where I got to know myself and other girls and my Savior better.... or was it boring and we did dumb things? Because you are in charge of what camp is going to be for you.

We used the scripture from Philippians as our theme–”I can do all things thru Christ which strengtheneth me.”  And really talked about trying new things and leaning on Jesus.  The sweatshirts were so darling… "I can do all things" on the back, then on the front right over the heart the words, “with Christ”. Feels like Team-Jesus!

We held a try-athalon– where we divided into 3 groups and had to try 3 things for 20 minutes and then rotate and notice what our brains were telling us..whether we could do it, or if it was embarrassing, or if feeling confident or less than… all these things we talked about after.  We had a drawing project, pickleball, and yoga/high fitness.  We also had the girls have 30 minutes of quiet meditation prayer time to notice what their brains were doing during this time as well without their phones or people to distract them and the thoughts that would float thru. ..boring, what am I doing, this is dumb type thoughts or I love journaling and praying and being with myself. We talked about how the brain has a negative bent in an effort to keep us safe and alive, but if we can not just accept the first thought as true, but instead move to a second thought of I can do this…life only gets better.  We talked about talking to your brain and not just listening to it and to try to be like Jesus…try , try , try. 

Basically I life coached the crap out of camp…it was fun. 

I also made an "I can" a can with eyes on it - that we passed around saying things we can do for ourselves, for others, for Jesus.

We were in a luxurious cabin that sleeps 30 in beds and has 7 bathrooms… so we did not have to rough it AT ALL. The food was great and there was zero drama!  

I was so glad to be able to be a part of this this summer.. I haven’t served with the young women for over 10 years.  

One of my BFF's Kimi Farley is the YW president and she does a remarkable job with this group of introverted girls.  She shows them love and sits and talks to them one on one like they are the only and the most interesting person in the room.  I applaud her leadership and compassion.

This cloud is God's Finger!!!