Girls Camp at Mantua- No pictures (sorry)

This week I went to girls camp for the first time in over 18 years. When I was in the young women's program I had no idea that my young women leaders loved and learned as much at camp as we did. Because I didn't want to leave Mo to man the house for all three days I only went up all day Tuesday and back up Wednesday night. The young women in our ward are amazing girls... it is so much fun to be able to be around them and to share in their energy in living the gospel principles. I learn so much from them. On Tuesday morning I picked up the canoe's from the Weber State Recreation Department and headed up to Mantua with my friend Amy (the beehive advisor who makes young womens even more fun- thanks Amy!). We got there just in time for crafts and lunch(our camp director hired the best camp cooks so every meal was fabulous). After lunch we spent the afternoon canoeing on Mantua lake. For any of you who are not familiar with it- it is the little lake up Sardine Canyon. I thought it was going to be a horrible place for camp but I was definitely wrong(I was right about the moss), it was actually the perfect place. The girls loved paddling out the canoe's to the deeper water past the moss so that they could swim. All of the leaders had so much fun canoeing with them. Being together in the outdoors away from all of our distractions really helped us all become better friends. Amy and I stayed for dinner and then we headed home so that I could relieve Mo of his duties before it got too late. I headed back up Wednesday afternoon mostly to hear Joni speak. I figured since I had her asked to do it that I better go support her. She did such a great job. I know she prepared her talk for the girls but every word she said was something that I personally needed to hear. When I got called to young womens I was really excited but I was also really worried because I wasn't sure that I could offer the girls what they needed in the way of spiritual strength. What I have come to realize though is that I wasn't called to young womens for what I could offer but I was called to young womens because of what young womens has to offer me. Being in the young womens program gives me the perfect opportunity to learn and to grow spiritually and to become closer to my savior and my father in heaven. When I was listening to Joni's talk the spirit helped me to feel and to see the person that my father in heaven intends me to be. I was inspired to be more humble and more prayerful so that I can be guided by the spirit to develop and progress to be that woman. I love when the spirit is able to touch us in a way that makes us rededicate ourselves to the things that we already know that we should be doing. After Joni spoke we had our testimony meeting. The spirit was so strong and I hope that every girl felt it and was able to realize how much love our father in heaven has for us. I think every girl bore her testimony and I am sure that even those who didn't verbally express it could feel it in their own heart. One of my favorite thoughts that was shared (by BJ) was that God is Good... Always!