Camp

Seven months ago I was called as Camp Director for our ward. Although I love to camp and hike and be with the young women, this was a terrifying assignment for me. Anyone who's ever been knows that girls camp is more than camping. The year revolves around this experience for the girls, and people have expectations. Even though this year was a stake camp, I was pretty nervous about organizing our part and making it flow with what the stake had planned.  I was probably too close to events to judge, but I think everything came together and the girls had an great experience. We went down to the church's JR Property near Fairview, where I spent all my girls camps growing up. It was a great full-circle sort of experience for me. It was cool that Bishop Jarrett and Jody (who lived in my ward during my youth), and Becky Kemp (married to Kris Kemp also from my ward growing up) were there all week with me as well. Living in South Jordan I never am very far from my past.

Some of the girls waiting for the zip line. 

We had a rain storm on Thursday night just before the stake's elaborate faith walk / singing program for which they had prepared for 9 months. We wondered if they would cancel as the rain intensified, but since we hadn't heard about any change of plans we tried to water-proof the girls as best we could and hike them up to the main amphitheater at the appointed time. There was a fair amount of grumbling, even quietly among the leaders (including me - I was thinking about how freezing cold these girls were going to be if we got them soaked to the skin after dark, and how muddy those tents were going to get when we got them back into camp). Once at the amphitheater, we waited for direction from the stake. We waited half an hour in the rain, the YCL's got the girls singing in the rain for a while which helped, before the stake leaders appeared to get the show on the road, and amazingly, the rain stopped right on cue. The stake camp director, my next door neighbor, told me later that they had been praying for the rain to stop. Some wanted to scramble to make a plan B, but she told them to hold off until starting time because the Lord would intervene. Miracles are real.

It was a spiritual evening, but by the end the girls were pretty cold and wet. Thank goodness Bishop Jarrett returned to camp ahead of us to start a big fire, you should have seen the steam rising off those girls around the fire!  We got them into bed about 11:30 that night. I worried that they would be cold in the night - but every single one of them told me the next day that they were so worn out they slept better than the previous nights. 

Grace waiting in the rain. Her anxiety was at critical mass because of the rain.
She was so afraid that lightening might start striking.

Jess getting wet. For the record, before we left home I double checked with her about whether she had a rain poncho or shell. She told me, "Yeah, yeah. I packed one." Apparently not. :)

 The next morning several of the other leaders and I woke up the 3rd years at 5:15 for a sunrise hike. We decided to drive them to the meeting place since it was so early and muddy. It was a pleasant hike, and the view was beautiful.

Sunrise Friday morning.

After our sunrise hike. I made them hold their shoes for the ride back to camp. Sleepy and muddy.

My main girls - the YCL's. These guys were invaluable to me. LOVE THEM!

One of the cool experiences we had this year was having Sister Oscarson, the General Young Women President, come to speak to us on Friday night. Apparently someone on the stake committee is her niece, so they were able to work it out. Here's a picture of our ward with her (she's in the red in the center next to Grace). Sister Oscarson was awesome. She requested to greet every one of the 450 girls we had up there at camp (plus all the leaders). I was impressed with her. 

We had a wonderful devotional and testimony meeting Friday night - with the Stake President, and Stake Committee people from our ward joining with us. 

Saturday we broke camp in record time (thanks to the men who came to help us -- made my job easy) and caravanned home -- down that familiar highway that I used to travel as a young woman. It was awesome. 

Honestly, the best part was the girls. I cannot remember going on any girls camp where the girls were more helpful, willing, grateful, low-drama, hilarious and FULL of beautiful personality. I LOVE THEM!