Girls Camp, part 1

I've been thinking about girls camp and superheroes and super powers for the last couple of weeks. I even got asked to speak at the last minute in sacrament today about my experience (last minute being yesterday at 2pm).

But for some reason I have had the hardest time sitting down to try and convey my thoughts about those four days. It was one of the most spiritual experiences I've had in a long time and I guess it's just hard to transfer what was felt and heard and thought into words on paper. It's a hard thing to describe to someone who never quite grasps what the Holy Ghost feels like or what it's like to have the spirit touch your heart.

I do know that it is one of the most wonderful feelings that I always want to feel, and I just wanted to bottle them up and bring them home with me so that when I needed a little boost, I could dab some behind my ears or put a few drops in my bath water or throw a little in my family's dinner to share with them.

Well, for one, being in nature where there is little cell service, no ipods, no to-do-lists, no ringing phones or beeping text messages, no social media plays a big part in allowing the spirit closer to our hearts. The spirit is quiet and gentle and still. He won't shout like my mother used to do when we wouldn't listen. I realized one morning as I went for a run at 5:45 that that is a perfect time to be awake to be able to hear the voice of the Lord. It's quiet. It's still. It's rather uninterrupted. The spirit is real.

For a few weeks I've been thinking about what I can do to have the spirit stronger in my overall life and also in my day-to-day life.

Here goes the first of several girls camp posts . . .

In March I was asked to be the Assistant Camp Director for our ward. I was a little nervous. It'd been 20 years since I'd been and I knew things were different. WAY DIFFERENT! (I'm the one playing peek-a-boo)

  B. R. A. V. E.
Being Righteous Adventurous Virtuous Examples

with a little Superhero twist to it.

Our ward chose
Ironwomen: Guardians of Virtue

as our superhero

Here are some highlights:

--snowball fights and snowmen

--water fights

--painting the bishop's fingernails

--bubble soccer

--firesides

--morningsides

--flag ceremonies

--good food with homemade donuts

--secret sisters

--cold toes and fingers

--testimony meetings

--camp set up and take down

--junior leaders

--certification 

--guest speakers

--camp fires and roasted Starburst

--singing and dancing

--camp cheers

--a bishops pie eating contest and pie fight

--release of balloons

--awesome video

--camp crafts

--minute to win it games

--star gazing

--lots of pictures

--beautiful sunsets and sunrises

--waterfall hike

--snipe hunts

--camp awards

--fun stake leaders

--and LOTS of HOT CHOCOLATE!