Girls camp

I have been wanting to sit down and blog about camp last week. It's been crazy around her and to be honest I have just tried to spend time with my kiddos.

I went to girls camp with our ward this year. Eve's first year. Wow, I don't seriously know if words can do it justice. This was the first year I have gone as an adult leader. Being a leader versus a teenager is so different. And not to mention the camping style is too. Camping for the girls is a/c cabins and bathrooms in each cabin. And bunkbeds. Crazy huh.

Ok really I have to say even with all the downs of other things going on there and putting out fires in other areas it was a wonderful week. I am so impressed with our girls in our ward. Maria and I were cabin moms for 11 girls from our ward. We ended up with most of the younger ones.We had one YCL Hannah but other than that our oldest was 15 and the rest for the most part were beehives and a couple of mia maids. These girls were so much fun. But what really blew me away was how they all just meshed together and watched out for each other.Yes, our side of our ward cabin was the loudest, giggliest(if that is a word) but it was fun to watch the relationships form. We had alot of late night singing (not always what we wanted to hear), hide and seek in the dark in the cabin during the bad weather, ghost stories all of that fun stuff but they did there PJ's (prayer,journal and scriptures) also. They were just a very good group of girls. They went where they were suppose to and did what we asked them too. They found someway to have fun in everything they had to do. The last day they had to clean the cabin and have it done by 12:45. Some of them during there free time started cleaning it up early. When they all started to clean there was laughing,joking but amazingly it was perfect when they came for cabin check. Even though our older side was nowhere close. I was very impressed with them.

All week Maria and I talked about how lucky we were to have the girls we did. I truly meant it. We have an amazing set of girls in our ward. I really think that camp brought our girls closer together. At least the ones that wanted to be. With all wards you have your drama but the good definately outweighed the bad.

I heard from someone that one of our older girls said that testimony wasn't spiritual at all and how bad of time they had at camp. I found that interesting. It is truly what you make out of it. If you have the bad attitude it makes you have a bad time. And your eyes aren't open to what you have in front of you. In our ward we had a very new convert come for the first time. A young lady who can't come to church on a regular basis due to family issues and a young lady that came that was a non member. We have all kinds of girls. All week we saw relationships form that built those testimonies.Situations that brought our queiter girls out of their shell and helped them open up. On testimony night we listened to these girls talk about feeling like this was family to them. Opening up and giving their testimony for the first time in public. And our sweet Sam opening up and giving her testimony of a church she hasn't been baptized in. The tears flowed down those cheeks that understood what was happening. It may not have been the most spiritual to all but it definately was life changing for many.
I watched so many girls find friends in older girls trying to make sure that everyone fit in to girls camp.
My niece Dess came to camp this year as her first year. I know how scared my sister was at her going and not fitting in due to her illnesses. She had a rough go at first. As she came to my cabin crying about something that had happened all my cabin girls sat and listened to her. One of the girls from another ward who to be honest was driving me crazy well lets say it changed how I looked at everyone there. She stopped in front of Dess and asked her if she could give her a hug. Dess said yes. Then as Dess and I decided to go get her things she needed for the day out of the cabin this young lady asked if she could walk with Dess. Before we got into the cabin she asked again if she could tell Dess something. So Dess listened. The girl talked about how hard a year she had with a leader and that it gets better. She continue to tell her that she would be there as her friend this year and wanted to see her back next year. I gathered Dess stuff up and this girl continued to talk to her and comfort her. She spent another 15 minutes or so on top of that showing her some things. Later in the day she walked up to Dess and said just remember a 3rd year girl loves you. I can't tell you enough how much this meant to Dess and changed her attitude towards camp. It made her carry on with her day and it was much easier for her. We always tell our kids not to judge a person by the cover and I did I was so sorely mistaken on this girl. It set me up for having a different attitude also.

There was one other girl who was in our ward that really just blew me away. She was one of our YCL's. She had so much love in her heart for her 1st year girls she was over. During our wonderful Severe storms and Tornado winds she was so worried about the girls.She wanted to go check on them. But her sweet spirit motivated even some of our older girls to be better leaders also. I got to know these girls so well this week and this is one that will just hold a special place in my heart. It is hard to explain. She doesn't have the easiest life at home. She doesn't have the support to attend church and read scriptures etc at home but she does it anyways. There was one day we were at a meeting and some drama was going on about doing DEAR...(drop everything and read) and she walks into the cabin and just tells all the girls that look if you didn't come to camp to be closer to God, to read your scriptures and do the spiritual stuff than next year don't come back. But right now SUCK IT UP. Do you know I had more girls that changed their attitude because of what she said. They said she said it lovingly but they knew her and what she had to over come and it change how they saw things.

I look at these girls and see such strong spirits in them. I am amazed at everything they have to deal with in the real world. So much more than we ever had to. They carry such sweet spirits and love for each other that it truly made me want to be a better person. You know getting to go to camp has really helped me get to know the girls better and vice versa.I put in a plug for personal progress at camp with quite a few that had been standing still on getting things done. They committed to coming to my house one night so we can work on projects and try and get everyone going again.
I was so blessed to be able to go to camp this year. I loved watching Eve come out of her shell with the ward girls and be herself. She is always so quiet at church. I think now her and several others that might not be as outgoing are more comfortable to be themselves. It was fun to see my other nieces Hannah and Sarah too. It was a rough year this year for all 3 of them. I hope next year my sister Stephanie gets to come maybe it will be easier for them.

I really don't know if I was able to express the week very well or the love I have for these girls. I am just so happy that I got the opportunity to go and really get to know these girls.