Monday, August 17, 2009

Girls Camp summary

Well, finally some time to reflect on my time at girls camp. What a wonderful experience, President Hinckley must have been truly insprired to build the camp in Heber. It was wonderful not having to worry about keeping ice on food to keep it cold, or worrying about animals getting into the food or where we had to bring water from etc... I felt like we were really able to relax and focus on the girls and their relationships with each other and their needs. With the Yurts we were not worried about rain or lightening or thunder. They had wonderful activities and overall we just had so much fun!

The highlights for me were the Challenge course, the lake and the game Quelf.

The Challenge course was a variety of different activities put together so that the girls would learn how to work together and how to trust each other. I got to go around and take pictures of the girls, I also go to participate in the Zip-line and the Partner walk. Most of you know that I am afraid of heights so climbling up a 30 foot log, crossing another 30 foot log and zip-lining down a 100 yard line. Needless to say I was nervous, but I had challenged the girls in our cabin to atleast try everything! It was awesome! I was so glad that I did it, I think the more I do things that scare me the more I can accomplish! The partner walk was also fun, and thanks to Sister Farley, we both made it to safety!

The Lake was my reassurance that God works in very real ways. Several leaders went about in a canoe splashing everyone they knew. Funny how they made too sharp of a turn and everyone ended up in the water! Karma, fate, godly intervention, whatever you want to call it, it was really great! During our hour on the lake they have a 2 minute quiet time. It was so neat to sit in the paddleboat and just take in the beauty and nature around me. The sound of the water, the birds, the green of the trees, the majesty of the mountains everything just became overwhelming. What a wonderful spirit was there, I wanted to sit there for more time, but as soon as the 2 minutes where up, everyone started again.

As for the game of Quelf, if you have not played you must! It is truly an amazingly funny and random game that really puts you out of your comfort zone. Most of you know that I don't like acting out and doing weird things, but after this game I feel like I could really do anything! To start out my first experience my first card told me that for the remainder of the game I would have to include the word Bleep or Bleepity in every sentence that I used! I had to laugh everytime someone new would come through the door and ask why I kept saying Bleepity this and Bleepity that! My favorite was when Sister Hill had to play the game as if she did not have any arms! I had to laugh when one of the girls decided that she needed to eat a cookie, or when she was hot, how someone else had to take off her jacket!

Overall, my best experience was the break-through that I had while sitting at the table early in the morning reading a conference talk about service, I think that I finally came to a realization that service is not just service projects or things you make and take to people, but everyday stuff from the hello in the morning, to the holding the door for a patient in the clinic. Everything that we do for others is service in some way! I have always just thought about big things and not realized that sometimes it is the small things that count. It maybe a compliment that really brightness someones day etc... I think you get what I am saying, I had never really realized that, and sitting in the splendor or God's house and reading words from one of God's appointed really just hit me hard, I felt overcome with emotion and the spirit that even thinking about it now brings tears to my eyes. What a wonderful experience!

Well, I had a wonderful time, at a wonderful place with wonderful people.

1 comment:

  1. I had a wonderful time with you. And what is this about YOU not feeling comfortable acting things out......you seemed like a natural. It was great.

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