YW Camp 2016

YW Camp is quite different for us this year. We are joining with the 7 other stakes in our mission area for a huge Encampment. Women from all over this area are working hard to organize an amazing week for the young women to have an opportunity to attend a variety of interesting classes, go on high adventures, and be spiritually strengthened side by side with a thousand other young women. It is a lot of work, but it will be an absolutely incredible experience for these girls.

The theme for Encampment 2016 is "Glorious, Steadfast Daughters of God."



Even though everything has been different this year, we still wanted to hold a YCL retreat. The YCL retreat for YW camp was Friday to Saturday. It's so fun to be a part of girls camp, to work with these amazing women, and to get to know some equally amazing young women in our stake.

At the retreat, we had some really great speakers train us in leadership skills and talk to us about faith and our camp scripture (Ether 12:4). The young women were also given topics and then planned and shared short devotionals with us. And that's when I knew this group of young women is quite stellar. Each, in their own way, shone brightly with understanding or leadership or a strong testimony or wisdom. It was beautiful to watch.

While I didn't get any pictures there was also a lot of fun game playing and food, too.

Saturday morning I was part of a panel. The topic was friendship. The girls wrote down some questions anonymously (and us leaders snuck in some questions, too). We drew those questions out of a bowl and then the four of us on the panel did our best to answer the questions. I was nervous I would have nothing to say, especially compared to the other three wonderful leaders sitting next to me. I prayed fervently before we began. And what do you know I ended up with lots to say, the same as the others, and stories to tell about high school and lessons I learned. So when it was over I, of course, worried if I had made any sense. I hope at least something I said did.

We also prepared for Camp Kick-Off in a few weeks. We have changed the words to a Katy Perry song and made up our own little flash mob dance to perform at the kick-off. Pretty awesome. It was a fun collaboration.

To the tune of Firework

Do you ever feel like sleeping on the ground

In the great outdoors

With all your friends around?

Do you ever feel like hiking in the woods

Canoeing on the lake

Running from a snake

Do you ever feel like you’re all alone

Life is hard on you

You know you need a different view

Do you know that there’s still a place for you

‘Cause there’s a spark in you

You just gotta ignite your light

And let it shine

Just choose the right

Like a daughter divine

‘Cause girl you are glorious

Come on show ‘em what your worth

Stand steadfa-a-ast

As you join us at girls ca-a-amp

Girl you are glorious

Come on show ‘em what your worth

Stand steadfa-a-ast

As you join us at girls ca-a-amp

Clearly, it was a fun, edifying retreat. And now a part of me is so sad that I will not be able to go to girls camp this year (since we will move before the big encampment) and that in a few weeks, after camp kick-off, I will be handing all of my girls camp responsibilities over to someone else.

I love YW camp!!