Youth Conference 2012

Are you ready for picture overload? Because there are a ton of pictures in this post. I had a hard time picking just the few that I did.

We had the opportunity to join our Stake at Youth Conference for 3 days at Badger Creek this year.

Our stake leaders did a great job!!

We met at the Stake Center Wednesday morning and each received a colored T-shirt. That color determined which group we would be in. We didn't stay as ward groups, but intermixed with everyone throughout the stake. I got to know several new people over the next couple of days.

The pictures don't necessarily go in any order.....

Kenneth and Jordan waiting for the buses to arrive...

Our ward gathered quickly to get a group shot.

Sunny M, Josh T, Mindy J, Hannah M, Rhyannon T, Abby S, Bekah M, Makayla K, Kole P, Matt F, Mark F, Josh K, Kenneth J (we were missing Trinitie S who didn't want to be in the picture and Emily M who was laying down - she wasn't feeling good :(

 All of the girls from the stake were assigned to sleep in 2 large yurts. There wasn't enough room, so they set up a large tent. All of the girls from our ward and 14th ward picked to sleep in the tent together rather than be in the yurts.

Hannah, Makayla, Bekah, Abby, Trinitie

The boys resting in their tent

Matt, Kole, Josh and Kenneth

One of the first activities our group did was a team building one. It is called the spider web. The group had to work together to get all team members from one side of the rope to the other without touching the rope. The leaders were not allowed to help and the youth couldn't speak to each other. It was a great teaching tool!

This is another team building exercise. Our entire group (I think there were 9 of us) had to swing on a rope over the top of a stick without knocking it down. Then we had to land on this small platform. Our entire team had to be on the platform and not fall off in order to accomplish this exercise. It took a while and a few different strategies. Our group did well in communicating and helping each other out. I didn't know any of the youth in my group, but they were all amazing!! We had a good time together.

Bishop Fielding on top of a power pole. After getting to the top he jumped - kind of like Superman!

  The incline log with Lexi. The purpose was to climb the log and then walk across the other log, then rappel down. She did great! 

Cutler (I think) doing a Karate Kid pose after going up the incline log!

The jungle gym..

 President Bishop working his way along the jungle gym... 

Waiting to ride the horses...

Playing human foosball....

Giant game of twister. Kenneth is the one in the center with the hat on...

I missed seeing him....so I was taking advantage of the short opportunity that we saw each other on Thursday afternoon...

Me and Sunny - the other leader that came from our ward.

She is fantastic!!

There was a dance and karaoke going on, but the girls thought hanging around outside of the tent was more fun.

I found this "throne" and we snapped a fun pic.

Back: Abby, Trin, Makayla

Front: Bekah, Mindy, Rhyannon

 The view of the Tetons right outside of our tents...it is gorgeous! 

The theme for Youth Conference this year was "Livin the Dream" meaning Lehi's dream.

The stake leaders organized a fantastic iron rod activity.

This was the iron rod.

The youth started down a trail and there were a few scriptures for them to stop and read. Then the youth continued down the trail and there was a great and spacious building (a cabin) that had a bunch of people trying to entice them with candy and they had a party going on with music and the game Dance Dance Revolution going on.

After they got past that, they were brought to the iron rod. At this point they were blindfolded and their hand was connected to the rod. They were instructed to not let go. Then they started walking and feeling their way through the trail. 

There were several people along the way that were tempting the youth to let go of the rod. Some of the trickier things they used included....

They would stand in front of the youth and tell them the rod was broken and they were trying to fix it. They told them to just let go and go around them and get back on. As soon as they would let go for an instant, someone would grab them and move them away from the rod. 

OR

One lady was very convincing and she would tell them that they were at the end of the rod and to go ahead and let go....it was a trap!

If one of the youth did happen to let go of the rod, they had someone (bishop, stake leader, etc) right there to talk to them and help them and guide them back to the rod. Then they would continue on their blindfolded journey.

At the very end of the rod they came into an area with this tree....representing the tree of life.

They had a notebook and were able to sit as long as they wanted and write down their thoughts and feelings about the whole experience.

The youth LOVED this activity!!!! Several of them had very moving experiences.

We had a fantastic time and enjoyed the variety of activities - both physical and spiritual.

S.O.S. Kits

I can't believe that summer break is here already! Tomorrow is the last day of school for kids in our area. I am excited for the break, but sad at the same time that Kenneth is finishing up his final days of jr high. We have a tradition that we do something fun to celebrate the last day of school. Kenneth gets to pick the activity....I am not sure what that will be yet, I just know it includes going out to eat. I will have to post more details after tomorrow's adventure.

I wanted to do something fun this year for my young women too. After talking with the other leaders we came up with the idea of doing a "Summer of Service". We put together little kits that I will deliver to each young woman tomorrow as soon as school is out.
Thanks to Steph at www.somewhatsimple.com for allowing us to use the cute journal label!
And a big THANKS to my friend, Jessica, for all of her cute ideas!!!

We challenged them to do an act of service every day this summer. There is a journal included for them to record what they are doing each day. The letter explains why the other things were included in the kit. For example...."Remember, it is always KOOL to AID others."  

Plus, we wanted to congratulate them on finishing another year of school!

These were fun and really simple to make.

I love all the fun ideas that I found via Pinterest!

I am so excited to deliver these tomorrow!!

Overwhelmed

What a crazy week!

I have been thinking about how I feel all day today......

.....the only word that I can come up with is OVERWHELMED.

I was called to serve the Young Women in our ward about 2 years ago. Our ward was realigned a few months ago and I was blessed once again to serve the Young Women in our new ward (in the same calling). I have loved this calling. It has been my favorite and most time demanding calling I have ever had.

I am sad to say that it took me a long while to adjust to the new ward - I was being very selfish. I missed my other girls so badly that it hurt! I had become very attached to the girls and the leaders of our previous ward.

However, as I have served, I have learned to love each and every one of our young women. They are certainly different than my last group! But, I am learning to love the differences.

A few weeks ago our YW president, Erin, told us that she would be moving at the end of July. My heart sank. She has been such a fantastic leader to work with. I knew that with her moving, this would be yet another change for our young women. I thought that I might be released.....

nope.....

instead I was called to serve as the new Young Women's President.

Holy Cow!!

Really???

I asked the Bishop a couple of times if he was absolutely sure and he insisted that he was.

Deep down I knew that this was meant to be - I just didn't want to admit it.

As Mike and I drove home Wednesday night from visiting with the bishop, we talked about several things.

We talked about how hard the transition into the new ward was for me (it was pretty rough).

It was then that I realized that serving as one of Erin's counselors was one of the Lord's tender mercies in my life. He knew that I needed time to adjust and to embrace this new group of girls. He new that I needed to spend time at girls camp with this amazing group of girls and leaders. He knows me so much better than I know myself.

This new calling will certainly force me out of my comfort zone.

It already has.

I know that things will all work out how they are suppose to.....but for now ............I am just overwhelmed.

I will have faith!

Girls Camp

We had an amazing time at Girls Camp this past week!!!

Our theme was

A.R.M.Y

B.O.O.T Camp

That stands for A Royal Mormon Youth, Building On Our Testimonies.

We took 14 girls and spent 3 1/2 days in the wilderness with them.

They learned so much about each other.

New friendships were formed.

Testimonies were strengthened.

They learned that their leaders liked to pull pranks.

As leaders, we learned to love each girl even more.

We had so much fun together and didn't sleep very much.

Some of the things the girls got to do:

Set up an enormous Army tent for all 14 to sleep in.

Complete camp certifications.

Attend a local dinner theater that was hysterical.

Play games.

Hike.

Skits.

Hike into a cave.

Be scared half to death by Sasquatch and a gorilla (hehehe)

Compete in an obstacle course.

Solo time.

More games.

Participate in a great testimony meeting.

Weapons training.

Our camp directors did an amazing job!

They had such unique and fun ideas.

We had several girls tell us this was the best camp they had ever been to.

As a new ward, this was a valuable time for our girls to bond together.

Mission Accomplished!!!

Book of Mormon Challenge

On Sunday we challenged the youth of our ward to read The Book of Mormon in the next 75 days. That is not very much time! BUT, I know they can do it.

Before our ward split, we did a 75 day challenge earlier this year and it was amazing. We took all of the young women that completed the challenge to Salt Lake for Young Women's Conference. So I know it is possible to do.

The reward for this challenge is a weekend trip to a super nice cabin about an hour from our home. We did a similar challenge last year and it was fantastic!

Since both Mike and I are youth leaders, we all get to participate. It is a great family experience! Last time we were all so into it that we ended up speaking "scripture speak".

Instead of saying....

"hey, will you bring that to me?"

we would say

"O my son, wilt thou go and get that for thine mother?"

It was pretty funny to catch ourselves doing it....but I think you had to be there to really experience the humor :)

This also qualifies as the virtue project for Personal Progress.

I am so close to earning my medallion........I only have a few things left, and one of them is the virture project of reading the Book of Mormon.

I have read the Book of Mormon twice in the last year...which is great....BUT.....I have to keep a journal while I read.....which is where I have faltered both times.

I am determined to complete the project this time!

I have my new Book Of Mormon that Mike and Kenneth gave me, my study guide, and a cute stripped notebook for my journal.

One thing I have decided to do different this time is to write in page headers as I go. I got the idea from Shannon (she inspires me to be a better person every day). I love being able to flip through and find a particular story or topic just by glancing at the top of the pages.

Monday night our little family gathered in the master bedroom and began to read together.

It made my heart smile.

New Ward = New Callings

We met for the first time as a new ward today. It was weird being in the same building and seeing some of the same faces.... but there are so many people that I don't recognize - including the bishopric. We had never met any of them before. This is going to take some time to get use to!!

Since we are part of a new ward, that meant we were automatically released from our callings. I was so incredibly sad!!! (I don't think that phrase adequately described how I felt)

I have loved serving in the young womens for the past almost 2 years. I have made so many unexpected friends. My testimony has been strengthened. I have had amazing opportunities to participate in youth activities, girls camp, cabin retreats, fundraisers and the list goes on. I have worked with some of the most amazing young women. They know so much about the gospel and they know who they really are and what their goals are. The entire experience was incredible.....I did not want it to end. But that is what life is all about....change.

I was also sad to realize that Mike would no longer be Kenneth's young mens/scout leader. The young men have had an equally amazing program! I know that Kenneth has been blessed because of the different leaders he has worked with for the last couple of years. I am so very thankful for each one of them and their dedication to these young men.

Kenneth was also released from his calling as Deacon's Quorum president.

So onto our new callings today:

Mike was called to be the 1st counselor in the Young Mens. Instead of working with the Deacons - he will now work with the Teachers Quorum. (Kenneth will join them in June when he turns 14).

I was called to be the 1st counselor in the Young Womens - so I get to work with the same age group - the Mia Maids! I am working with an entirely different group of leaders and the girls are mostly new to me. I am nervous, yet excited at the same time.

Kenneth said there are only 3 deacons total and the other 2 are a year younger than him in school. He is looking forward to his birthday in June when he will join his friend Josh in the Teacher's Quorum.

We have been praying that this transition will be smooth and that we will love our new ward as much as our last.

Young Women Conference

We had the amazing opportunity to take our young women to the young women conference in Salt Lake yesterday. In January we challenged the young women to read the entire Book of Mormon in 75 days. That is not much time! Those that completed the challenge were able to go on the trip.

We met at 6:30 Saturday morning and began the day. We were able to spend a couple of hours at Gateway Mall and let the girls do some shopping.

After lots of shopping and lunch we rode the TRAX over to temple square - the girls thought this was pretty cool since only a couple have ever been on it. We toured the visitor centers and took them to the top of the Joseph Smith Memorial building. The view over temple square is amazing from the top of the building.

We changed into our dress clothes and headed over to the conference center. Our seats were .....AMAZING!!!!! We were 21 rows from the podium and just slightly right of center. All 21,000 seats were filled with young women, moms, and leaders. When President Monson and his counselors walked in the complete center became silent and everyone rose from their seats.

The theme of the evening was the 13th article of faith - which is our mutual theme for this year.

When Sister Dalton (the YW general president) was speaking, I had the most overwhelming experience. I have never felt the Spirit so strong in my entire life. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind of what I felt. The Holy Ghost bore witness to me that I am a daughter of God and that he has a specific plan for me. The message was crystal clear - in this life the most important thing for me to do is to be a mom.

The entire experience of taking these girls to this conference was incredible! I love every single one of the young women and leaders that I have been able to work with. I have had so much fun and learned so much from them!!!!

We knew that our ward boundaries would be realigned today, so this was one last final group experience for us. What a phenomenal way to spend our last activity together!!!!