Amazing Girls Camp

I have been our ward's camp director for the last four years. While I'm not totally comfortable being the "planner" or the one in charge... I've enjoyed it. I always stress out for the couple of months leading up to camp, but it always seems to work out. This year was Stake Girls Camp, and although I wasn't sure if I was really needed, I'm SO glad I went. It was an amazing experience from start to finish. And it started early!

Monday morning: We had to be at the Stake Center at 7:00 am! After everyone finally got there and we got situated, the girls boarded a couple of big buses, and we leaders hopped in vans and cars, and we headed up to Heber Valley Camp. It is a really cool place. It's beautiful, and the spirit is extremely strong there. The missionaries there call it the "Temple on the Mountain." And it really seems to be! It was dedicated by President Hinckley. Deer aren't afraid to come right within a few feet of people. They just feel safe! After arriving and unpacking our gear, we had time for a quick bite, then it was off to the Challenge Course! Being that I had done it last year, I figured I was safe. I didn't think I'd have to do that big, high-up, scary challenge again... however, it was a completely different course with totally different activities. So I wasn't off the hook! The big challenge this time was a Giant Swing! You get strapped into your helmet and harness, and they hoist you clear up near the top of a tree, and yell up to you "LET GO!" Which means let go of the rope you are holding on to for dear life. Then you come swinging backwards and downwards. I love swings and all, but this one was a bit bigger and higher than I'm typically comfortable with. I totally lost my breath with the free-fall feeling as I came down, and I didn't scream for about 3 swings! Atleast I can say that I did it!



After the Challenge Course, we headed clear back out to the gates of the Heber Valley Camp, where we had been promised a once-in-a-lifetime event. We were there for the first week of Girls Camps, and they were having a special ceremony to unfurl the golden banner that represents the new Young Women Value of VIRTUE. There was even a special guest who came to speak to us. It was Sister Elaine S. Dalton, the General Young Women President. She was amazing! The talk she gave was wonderful. She told about how they came up with the Value of Virtue, and the color that would represent it. It's amazing how the spirit works! We all got rained on, but it certainly didn't dampen our spirits. After the program, a couple of our girls wanted to stay and try to fight the crowd to meet Sister Dalton. We were there for about a half hour, but they were finally able to get up close, have a hug, and get a few pictures with her. Then we headed back to camp. It was a 4 mile hike uphill to where we were camped. We got there just in time for dinner, and just in time to find out that Sister Dalton was coming to eat dinner with us! What a great experience. I sat just a couple of seats away from her. She spoke to our girls about remembering who we are and how important each of us is. The spirit in our camp that evening was amazing. I was blessed to be able to meet her and talk with her for a moment before she had to leave. Awesome!!


The rest of the week was ALMOST as great as that first day. Tuesday I was able to go on the 2nd and 3rd year hike. It was a LONG one. We first hiked up to the top of a hill, but we could see lightning and hear thunder a ways off. Soon one of the missionaries came up on his four-wheeler to tell us that there were lightning strikes about a mile away and that we needed to come back down. We came down, but our hike was not over. It was still several miles. And the storm stayed away just long enough for us to get to camp, then it started to rain and blow - again!

Wednesday, I got to go on the first year hike. Not QUITE as long as the one the day before, but still far enough. After that hike, and after lunch, we hiked down to the lake for a little canoeing! I was originally planning on just taking pictures, but got talked into hopping in a canoe. It was fun, and only one canoe capsized (thank goodness it wasn't ours). The water was cold and it was windy, so those poor girls were FREEZING! The hike back to camp was uphill and we were exhausted by the time we got there. I think we ended up hiking about 20 miles all together through all the days we were there. Wow!

Thursday was really low key (which was fine by me, since the other days were PACKED full of activities!) It was a really relaxing day, which ended with a really awesome testimony meeting. Some of the older girls gave talks, along with a member of the Stake Presidency, then we split into wards. We headed over to a little campfire, and had our ward testimony meeting. I think it's the best one I've even been involved with. We had one girl who isn't active, and her friend who is Catholic... both stood to speak. Both talked about how they had felt something this week that they had never felt before. The spirit really touched the girls all week long. It was AMAZING. I'm so glad I was there. I hope they keep me in for one more year so I can go with Eryn. I kept wishing that she was there with me, but that 12th birthday is coming quickly enough!

Here is a little slide show of some other pictures from camp. We really had a great time. We had fun activities, amazing spiritual experiences, super yummy food (we were much too well fed!), and just tons and tons of fun!