Girls Camp part II

Part 2.....
So I have to tell you about some miracles that happened. When we got word that camp was cancelled everybody was really disappointed. 2 years in a row! Last year early evacuation due to fire, this year mud and rain. Hmmmm! Anyway- I had a bunch of messages on my phone so I started listening to them. One was from Tom Prince saying he had heard that camp had been cancelled and was there anything he could do to help organize another one for just our ward. Miracle 1- He is the one who put the idea into my head of doing our own thing. (Maybe I would've thought it myself.... eventually. He just got it there a lot faster!) So I called Bishop John Piet and asked if we could. He was a bit resistant to the idea cause he had some major, valid concerns. Location???? Food??? (Seriously no budget!!!) Priesthood???? If any one of those things couldnt be worked out, we wouldnt be able to do this. So I called Wendy Wallace. She started working on the location. Then I learned that the Stake was willing to pass out the food they had been planning on using for camp- show up at 6:00pm @ the church. Also Robert Butler said he would be able to come and be our priesthood. Holy Crap!!! It was working out! Called Wendy again and suggested the Worthens cabin. Found out Brother Jon Raymond was on "staycation" (on vacation but staying home) and would be willing to go and be our other priesthood. Wendy called back and said the Worthens cabin was available. I want you to know this all happened in a matter of minutes. I started to cry. I called the Bishop back and told him it was all set. I got ahold of my other YW leaders who had taken the girls to Noelle Tippetts cabin in Duck Creek for the night. I asked them to meet at my house at 6:00 to plan this baby out. They all agreed. (Miracle #2). They all came- THEY ALL CAME!!! They were tired, hadnt seen their families, and I am sure would much rather have been sitting on their couches at home. But they came!!! We got it mostly worked out. Noelle and Sarah Prince went to the church and picked up as much food as they possibly could. Jackie Decker was texting me at 2 am. Then they were calling me at 6:30 am. WHEN DID THEY SLEEP??? I am so indebted to them for getting it all done. We had called the girls to let them know we would be meeting at the church at 10 am the next morning (thurs). I thought we would lose a bunch of girls but WE DIDNT! Only 1! (Miracle #3) Miracle #4-- ROBERT BUTLER! That man is seriously AMAZING! He got in his truck and went all the way back to Kolob and picked up all of our girls stuff. Who does that? Someone who truly loves the Lord and wants to be of service to him in anyway possible, that's who! (And he went to the dentist the next morning too!) We ended up with only 2 girls stuff missing. And it all worked out just fine! Another cool story about their stuff was this- Mizlon Manuel had invited her friend Karly Kemp to come. She was worried about her stuff not being there to go to Mt. Charleston, so she and Mizlon didnt come to the church the next morning. Mizlons sister Deayjee was there so I asked her why Mizlon and Karly werent there. She told me the reason. I asked Robert if he recalled any bins for a girl named Karly. He said "hold on a second" and opened the drivers door of his truck. There sitting on the front seat was Karlys bin. (Miracle #5) I called them and told them to be ready to go. I was coming to pick them up. They came!
We finally made it to the cabin after a few lost drivers and overheated cars. We got the girls helping to unload. (Miracle #6!) They all helped with no complaining! We got somewhat organized and started having fun!
I want to tell you that I am truly thankful for a loving Heavenly Father that so knows what he is doing! I was a little worried about Jackie Decker, she was the camp director and she had been gone really a lot leading up to camp, and when I say gone a lot, I mean..... GONE A LOT!!! So I was worried. She is so the one who was supposed to be the camp director! She is the reason that Tallie & Sara Meyer were at our camp. She did so many extra's- like secret sisters- the girls were a little worried at first because they hadnt brought anything to exchange. She explained that no- that wasnt how this SS was going to work- you were supposed to write cute notes and make cards for each other. She had a tent set up with all the paper and supplies. I am pretty sure that that tent was NEVER empty! The girls were so excited about it! She had even brought this cute mailbox thing. She did a cute dance thing for our silly song. She divided the girls up into groups- 70's, 80's, 90's and present day. They had to make up a dance to go with their music. She played a game with the Bishopric- Who's Bishopric is  it anyway? Where she had done a survey with the Bishopric and they had to answer with silly props. She had stuck the big huge canopy in her trailer, just in case... So when it started to rain the 2nd night we had some place to go to be out of the rain. She was just so fun and cute with the YW! They totally loved her! She was definately Miracle #7!
We did lots of stuff-
Minute to Win it games! Seriously FUN! Dakota totally won the Oreo from forehead to mouth game due to her monster tongue!
The YCL's gave the cute baby beehives their new camp necklaces with their binky charm on it. We had also made a new charm for this year. So Jackie passed them out, they were really nice! They were made out of 2 glass squares, soddered together with a sun sticker in them- signifying "Seekers of Light". I loved having the YCL's pass out the necklaces. I think that should be a tradition every year.
Then Solo time- where everyone gets their scriptures and journals and goes off by themselves to read, journal or meditate. It was pretty awesome! Everyone really did do it and it was so quiet that you really could think. I really enjoyed it!
Dinner- MMM! Delish! Noelle and Sarah became the designated cooks and boy did they feed us well! Hawaiin haystacks, rolls, Beef stroganoff, noodles and gravy. It all was yummy!
We had divided the girls into their levels- 1st yrs, 2nd yrs ect. and given them the topic of "Seekers of Light" and told them to come up with a skit. THEY TOTALLY ROCKED IT!!! They all were so stinking good! All of them! We had even told the priesthood they had to do one. And they did! Theirs was the best I must admit! They did one about Bro. Raymond being a spanish dude in a dark bathroom with no toilet paper--- ask them for the details! AWESOME!!!!
Snipe hunt! Whitney Prince totally cried her eyes out she was so scared! (and her mother just laughed!) The YCL's did such a great job taking the cute baby beehives! Then Sarah fried up some Snipe legs (Spam she had cut into chicken leg shapes and fried) It was the coolest thing EVER!
During the Snipe hunt- Tallie Meyer had asked for a blessing. So our wonderful priesthood gave her one. Bro. Raymond annointed and Bro. Butler blessed her. It was an incredible blessing and she was given some pretty amazing counsel in it. The other thing that I thought was so cool was that Bro. Raymond after the blessing sat her down and taught her some doctorine on blessings. It was pretty neat. I think all of us in that room learned something.
Also during this time- Sarah Silveira was having a hard time. She was lying in her sleeping bag crying. I asked Tami Taylor to go over and see if she could help her in some way. When I checked on her later they were still talking together. Tami was the right one to send into that situation- More on that later.
Then we got the girls all settled on the giant platform outside for bed. It was really cool to be able to sleep under the stars!
The leaders did an impromptu devotional- Sarah talked about the 4 returned missionaries that came to help them get up the mountain & out of the mud. Then we sang them a hymn. I loved at the end of it, the girls wanted us to keep singing. I think the Spirit was felt by all! Then we had a family prayer led by Brother Butler.
Then.... well you know---- it took about 3 hrs+ for them to all fall asleep. Lots of farting and laughing. Music to a YW leaders ears! (Maybe not the farts but the laughing sure was!)
It was seriously the most perfect day!

Friday-
Woke up- cloudy and overcast- hmmmm, what about doing out night hike? I guess we'll see!
Brother Raymond did a compass course for us. We divided the girls into their levels and he taught us how to do it. I think I am a really S.L.O.W. learner- I still dont get it! It was fun though! I was really glad Tami came along to help our group out!
Then the YCL's did certification for the levels.
Lunch- then Solo time. We passed out the letters from the parents, it's kinda tradition. I had had the spouses of the leaders write them one also. I was really happy with the one Lorin wrote to me. This one was a keeper. (some of his are well- not super heartfelt) but this one was. It made me feel really good. (Thanks Lor!) This Solo time didnt go quite as smoothly as yesterdays. We lost one of the girls and was looking for her for about 30 min. Rrrrr! And the girls didnt all go out by themselves. It was an interesting moment in time!
Then the Bishopric came and it was chaos again. (good, fun, happy chaos)
Jackie had a game- Who's Bishopric is it anyway? That we all played. It was fun getting to know them a little better in such a fun atmosphere. They are total hams! It started raining during this so we all squished under the canopy.
Then the girls did their silly song for the Bishopric. It was crazy!
Dinner time!- Yummy again!
Then it was time for testimony meeting. We had planned on going on a night hike and doing it outside. But the rain made us come up with plan "B". As it turned out- plan "B" was exactly what we needed!
Sister Decker did this Rainmaker thing where you snap your fingers and rub your hands together and it all sounds like rain. It was really amazing! Then Sister Tippetts led off with the Seekers of Light theme. Then the Bishop spoke on obedience. i love to listen to him speak. He totally got the kids to participate while driving home his point. Mizlons friend Karly is deaf so Mizlon was signing to her. It was beautiful to watch. What a wonderful talent! Then Natalie Winterton started the testimonies. She is such a  wonderful YW! What a great leader! She did such a good job!
I think I started crying at the very beginnining of the meeting and I am sure I didnt stop until the very end. It was the MOST amazing testimony meeting. The testimonies that were shared and the Spirit that was felt was so incredible! I wish I could share the things that the girls said and felt. It makes me emotional just to think of it. We closed singing the song Seek the Light.

This camp was so what our ward needed. The time together, the fun we had. The friendships that were strengthened or renewed. The Spirit that was felt. We so needed this time together!
I've lost track of the miracles that happened but one final one was in me- I was overwhelmed, sad and tired before camp. I came away with a softer heart, a lightened load and the energy to be able to continue. I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for this time I was able to spend with these INCREDIBLE, beautiful, wonderful and amazing YW and leaders!