Girls Camp--June 29 to July 6

Our Young Women Girls Camp this summer, was, thanks to our inspired stake presidency who thinks outside of the box, at High Adventure Girls Camp (because they believe the young women can do hard things just like the young men) in Bailey, Colorado! That is about 18-20 hours by two charter buses and several rented vehicles on top of the handful of personal vehicles already going. [Our week of camp was scheduled right when all the terrible forest fires were happening. So we prayed for rain! And our area was okay--didn't have to evacuate.] I never heard the official cost for the charter buses but I have a pretty good idea of the price tag. We were told that there was an "anonymous" donation to make that work. The price per girl was around $500, but the stake was paying part of that and each unit paid part of it and they all had fundraisers. Each girl paid around $125, out of pocket. I was a  attending as a stake leader, so I didn't have to pay anything, which was really nice, seeing as how I found out I was going at the last minute. But it was an INCREDIBLE experience and I can't take any credit for it. Our camp director and her two assistants were phenomenal in the planning and vision and execution of camp. My counselor and I WERE responsible for Family Home Evening Monday night, but other than being there and pitching in to help wherever we could, we didn't do much but we made awesome memories for a lifetime!

We met at the stake center Friday night, June 29th, at 8pm. With a departure around 10pm so we could spend the bulk of the driving in the middle of the night. The gym was packed with over 90 young women, plus YW leaders, unit camp leaders and awesome priesthood leaders. And some families there to say goodbye.

The buses!

The Youth Camp Leaders (YCLs) leading the young women in camp songs to pass the time while waiting for everyone to arrive and check in.

Trying to get allllll that luggage and cots and sleeping bags under the buses proved very challenging. In fact, it didn't all fit. But, there was a priesthood leader driving his truck up the next day and we were fortunately able to get him to bring the overflow stuff up with him.

I was on Bus #1 with two of the camp leaders, as well as Caldwell Branch, Navasota Branch, Brazos Ward, CS1 and CS2 and I sat right up front with my friend, Julia Howard, one of the YCL leaders.

President Roeth trying to get in after jumping out for a brief second when the bus drivers made a quick stop.

The bus driver's seat.

We finally pulled out of the church parking lot closer to 10:45pm. Not too bad considering we didn't have enough room for bags. Julia and I talked for quite some time because we were wide awake and wired. But after midnight, I started dozing off. The next thing I remember was jolting awake from the shrill, warning horn of a train--the long, continuous blast, getting closer and closer. Except to my horror, it wasn't a train, it was a semi-truck barreling down on us in the right lane. It flew past us. I was still trying to shake the cobwebs out, but it scared me. As soon as the truck had passed us, it cut us off by moving into the left lane. That movement was so fast and jerky, that the container on his trailer rocked a little. We of course had to slow down but our driver, very calm and cool, moved over to the right lane. I was talking to Julia about these events and so I missed what happened next, but a couple minutes later (if that), the shrill horn of a semi-truck was blaring at us again. I didn't know where it was coming from, but apparently, this truck was now flying up past us on the left side. Wasn't he just in front of us in the left lane?? The horn was long and loud as if someone was just laying on it. The semi-truck gets so close to us this time that we were run off the road a little bit. Our driver had to swerve onto the shoulder to make room for him and then try and get back into the right lane. My friend, Caroline Roeth, who was in the same seat as me in Bus 2 behind us, saw everything unfold right in front of her eyes. She said she grabbed her husband's leg and just knew we were going to wreck. We were definitely being watched over that night. It was 1:30am and I was now WIDE awake, no thanks to Mr. Reckless driver. I took a picture of the back of the truck. I mean c'mon. We're out in the middle of nowhere Texas and there's not enough room for you on the road. There was no one else out there. I was so rattled and upset at the number of lives that he endangered that I decided to call 911 and report him. A lady answered really fast. I first asked if this was number to report a reckless driver and she said yes. I explained we were two charter buses full of young women and that out of nowhere this semi-truck (actually a tractor trailer) started laying on his horn and flying past us on both sides and that we got run off the road but our driver kept us upright and safe. She asked for a description of the truck and we did the best we could in the dark. Couldn't give her a plate, but could tell her the 4 big, black letters on the back. Then she asked for our location. I told her as near as I could the towns we were in between. That's when she said, "Yup, I've got you on satellite." Hmm. Interesting. She let me know there was a patrol car at the next town 50 miles north of us waiting for our arrival and they were on the look out for this trailer. As we neared that town, a patrol car came up from behind us...so there was another one on the case. Once we got into the town, we saw the patrol car move right behind the trailer. And then...we had to turn into a gas station for a quick stop. Darn. Now we'll never know what happened. But...I was super impressed at the quick and ready response by the highway patrol that was miles and miles away. They didn't dismiss our report and I thought that was pretty cool.

Our first stop was around 5am. This is where we switched drivers and ate our packed breakfasts. Beautiful sunrise.

If you can't tell, there are girls sleeping in the aisle--which made it an interesting climb back to the bathroom for those of us up front! But we did it!

Getting closer to Colorado!

Time to stop for some pizza for a late lunch/early dinner.

And then we headed to a park to eat it.

And got rained on! Fortunately, that was near the end of our meal and we dashed back onto the buses. I had to bring a pre-cooked GF pizza for Karcyn (and another leader who needed GF). It wasn't really fresh, but it was food.

Rush hour traffic.

Gaining altitude.

Storms all over the eastern part of the state that day.

Heading into Camp Firewalker.

As we were coming in, there was a jeep full of guys going OUT. But we're bigger, so we won! :) This is a picture of them going in reverse!!

Haha!! Sorry guys!

Yay!! We FINALLY made it!!

Except the bus driver was nervous driving the charter bus (which sits low to the ground) up that questionable road with rocks and holes and ruts. He tried, but didn't get it around that curve. Finally, he told Pres. Hull (on our bus) that he wasn't going any farther. President Hull walked the rest of the way up to camp...about a quarter mile. And we really had no other choice but to unload the girls, the bags and get moving.

The girls were great sports! No one complained. Probably because they were just so happy to be off that bus! This was also around the time we realized or learned that Bus 2 was having mechanical difficulties and never even made it to the turn off. So we got all our stuff up to camp and eagerly waited for word on them.

Thankfully, President Pullins from the Brenham Branch was already there and brought his pick up truck down.

But the haul was worth it.

We stayed in BIG army tents with dirt/grass floors and flaps for doors. With big wood posts to hold them up.

We waited and waited for our friends from Bus 2 to arrive. It was after 10pm before they got to the point of no return where we were. Then when we saw their flashlights on the horizon, we went out to meet them and carry their stuff the rest of the way for them. It was very touching to see those who stayed up to help go after the ones who had been stranded for hours.

One of the signs at camp.

Sunday, July 1st, getting ready for outdoor church complete with Sacrament Meeting and talks.

Time to reflect during Sunday school.

The view from our amphitheater.

All meals cooked by two amazing husband and wife teams with YSAs as assistants. And these were the best meals I've ever had camping! I was able to meet with the lead couple cooking and talk about the menu and give them GF options. They were wonderful in making sure they catered to Karcyn (plus two other leaders) for their dietary needs.

A little BIG reminder for the stake YW leaders/camp directors to look at every day in our tent.

The camp directors getting ready to give the YW a camp orientation and instructions with their schedules/lanyards/whistles/and camp shirts/headband.

The three camp leaders: Jennifer Miller (director), Linsay Jarvis (assistant), Kelli Kimber (assistant)

Making Peace In Christ charms for key chains or zippers. A super fun craft where it's easy to be creative.

Sunday evening, we hiked to the lake for a lakefront "fireside."

90% of the group is sitting on a Texas-sized tarp. No joke. It took up half the beach.

Each unit took turns sharing why they chose their ward/branch sub theme for where or how they can find Peace In Christ that they designed and put on their unit flags. Like "Peace Anywhere You Are," "Peace in a Crowd," "Peace in the storms of life," etc.

Folding up the Texas-sized tarp.

Gorgeous. President Sharp shared thoughts that night and talked about Peace when I look in the mirror, as he referred to the glass like reflection of the lake. He said we are all beautiful because of the beauty in holiness. It was a touching message and I believe it resonated with many girls and big girls.

The next morning, Monday, July 2nd, the 4th year girls took off for their overnight hike in the mountains.

I spotted this guy coming out of a hole in the ground on the side of our tent.

Monday, July 2nd--the dreaded day for me. I was in charge of the biggest Family Home Evening I've ever done. I spent many hours thinking about it, counseling with my presidency about it, preparing for it. I still wasn't feeling 100% confident. And then Mindy and I took some time alone at the amphitheater to talk about it some more and it became a very emotional meeting. We finally determined that Satan was attacking us with doubt and fear and lack of confidence and forged ahead as planned. I was nervous, especially with all the priesthood there. But I called on girls by name when they shared thoughts. And my intro part about gratitude and strong women seemed to go over okay. Then it was time to separate in small groups (the YCLs agreeing to lead those groups) as they studied about strong women from the scriptures and what they could learn about them. I walked around and got pictures of the groups as they read and discussed together. (Karcyn is in the blue coat/backpack in the foreground on the right in this picture--one of the youngest girls there!)

When their time was up for reading and discussing, I had everyone come back to the benches and I had a spokes person from each group, share what they learned from their strong woman and what that means for them in 2018. The girls came up with some great thoughts--some very different from what I had thought, which is why we share. Mindy did her part, focusing on how they are each daughters of God and it was very moving. I'm not very good at determining how things "went" when it comes to the youth. But after our Family Home Evening, Mindy and I received many compliments from the adults who were there. I also heard from some unit camp leaders that it was great because several of their girls were still talking about the strong woman they had read about in the scriptures back at their tent later that night. Then, as we were walking back to our tent before bed, another camp leader stopped us to tell us that one of the youngest girls in their tent shared that she learned for herself, at FHE, that the Book of Mormon is true and that God loves her individually. Whoa. Mindy and I knew immediately that she was the reason why we were feeling so much opposition in the things we had prepared. Satan didn't want her to receive that testimony. It was a powerful witness to us. But let me tell you, I was SO relieved that my one part was over. Now I could really focus on having a good time. :)

We got some major lightning through the area Monday night. But no rain, thankfully.

Tuesday, July 3rd, we headed to the lake. Many girls wanted to bathe and wash their hair, but it had to be a special biodegradable shampoo. I didn't bring anything like that. I had wipes to clean my body each morning, but I decided I wanted to see how nappy my hair would get without it being washed for 6 or 7 days. :)

The lake was beautiful, but the water was CHILLY!!!

Karcyn is in the front of this canoe.

Having a great time! I didn't see her much. Just as the big gatherings, but she was with her group and I was doing other things. Which is how I wanted it. I wanted her to experience camp "without" me around.

A cool rock formation on the beach--which was super rocky and hurt your bare feet.

Looking at our amphitheater from the eating area.

I happened to run into Karcyn while she was on her archery rotation.

Susan from the Navasota Branch was helping her out. Very sweet.

Gorgeous sunsets!!

Our "kitchen" and eating area and storage containers that are metal and locked every night to protect from bears.

The mountain where the 4th years went to do their overnight hike.

Tuesday night, we gathered for the "Hold the Rod" Activity. Once the sun set, we were all blindfolded and then ushered to a large field where a rope (representing the rod like in Lehi's Dream in 1 Nephi 8) would lead us through a not so easy path to the tree of life. But first we had to find the rope. I was in a group with two other adults..Caroline in front of me, Mindy behind me. We CLUNG to each other and would not let go. There were some voices that whispered, one in particular to me, that I needed to let go of my friends and do this on my own. But I was confused. Didn't know if I could trust that kind, gentle voice. Maybe it was a trick. So I stuck with my friends. Some even tried to pull us apart. It was actually very disconcerting. We finally found the rope and held on to it with all our might with one hand and clung to each other as tight as we could with the other hand. Caroline was good about telling us if we were coming to an obstacle like a tree, or a hill or a rock, etc. There were people along the way helping us when there were HUGE obstacles where you had to duck and climb simultaneously. Or at a bridge. This path went on and on and on. I couldn't believe how long it took and didn't think it took Lehi's family that long. We heard other people around us trying to find the rope or hollering to people they know or saying they needed someone to help them. We also picked up a couple people along the way who were alone and told them they could join our train. At one point, we heard a young woman, Rhianna Boivie (sings in choir at school with Cooper, friends with Jake) that she lost her glasses. She couldn't find them anywhere and is truly blind without them. After what seemed like an hour, I heard faint singing in the distance and the ground beneath our feet started to slope upward and the rope, changed into a true metal rod. I could hear angel voices singing hymns. Then we were quietly told to stop and wait. All of a sudden, someone with strong hands, gently took my wrists and said, "Welcome home." I'd recognize that voice anywhere. It was President Sharp. I took my bandana off and there were other young women and leaders sitting on a hill, in the dark, facing a large tree that was lit up with lights--simulating the tree of life. It was impressive. And we sat and sang and watched until everyone else had finished the course and joined us there. A few young women were asked to bear their testimonies of the experience. It was awesome! I was surprised by how jolting that experience was for me personally. Maybe we should have done it alone. But I liked that we stayed together in a group, encouraging and helping each other. That illustrated for me the power of ministering. If we didn't do anything else at camp while we were there, it would have been just fine, because of the Hold to the Rod activity. It was a powerful experience!

Wednesday, July 4th--Happy Independence Day! This was my opportunity to do rappelling. I'd never done before and was a little anxious, but this was my chance! First...we had to hike up (using our hands and feet) the mountain.

We made it!

After the bulk of the young women went, I turned to Zoey, who would be starting her senior year and who had been hanging back. I said, "I want to try it. Will you do it with me?" She said yes. So I got ready to go down one side while Zoey got ready to go down the other. All harnessed in, just trying to talk myself into it...

And really make sure I understand what the guide was telling me. :)

I did it though!! Walked right off that cliff backwards!! It was a little fast going down. I didn't quite master how to stop myself. But I landed on my feet and wow. What a rush!! In fact...I wanted to go down the OTHER side!!

I did it again!!! AND--I figured out how to brake! Boy--that hike back up from the landing spot was a killer.

Look at how this kid just leans off the side of the cliff. What trust he puts into that equipment tethering him to a tree.

I walked over the bluff with a couple people to see THIS view! Incredible!

There's our lake.

Peace in Christ--especially in the mountains. You can't help but feel closer to God when you're in nature--amidst all of his special creations.

Once everyone who wanted to rappel (some of us multiple times) had the opportunity to do so, we headed back down the mountain for lunch. These are just some of the views of the cliff we rappelled down. I don't know the exact height, but it wasn't no bunny hill.

It was a beautiful day!

After lunch, I wanted to try the ropes course. Turns out that's where Karcyn's group was also. These are pictures of some of the older girls in her group, giving it a try.

Karcyn has a fear of heights and let's everyone know. Her group (which was different from her ward--they were all mixed up) was very supportive of her and persuaded her to TRY climbing the ladder.

She got up five rungs before getting scared, but we applauded her efforts. 

I waited and waited to do the ropes course, but there was a gal going who has seizures and they didn't want anyone on the course with her. So I headed back to my tent to rest and read my scriptures. A little while later, Bishop Jenson (Bryan 1) found me and asked if I wanted to do the ropes course, because it was available if I did. So I headed back and Bishop was so kind to stay and watch and take pictures. Heidi Wilson (YCL leader) also came wandering over to watch and cheer me on. I've done something similar in Oregon several years ago. It's called "Tree to Tree Adventures." Super fun. But when I got up the first tree, I got all tangled up and turned around and felt like I got myself in a pickle somehow. I rolled my eyes thinking I wasn't even going to pass the first element. But somehow I figured it out.

I got through EVERY single obstacle and finished the course. Yay me!!

And finally, the end...

But you have to jump on a zipline to get down. Seems easy enough, but the grip thing slide out of my, well, grip and I was dangling very uncomfortably all the way down.

But I made it!! Definitely one of the BEST Independence Days I've had!!

We did skits on Wednesday night that we had been planning all week. We were given random skit props from other units and had to come up with something creative. The stake women leaders were in group and we came up with a skit about poop and the nasty latrines. :) It was a hit, of course!!

Thursday morning...our last day at camp. We'd be packing up at 5pm, having testimony meeting at 7pm and leaving at 10pm, just like we did when we left Texas.

The Camp Firewalker director had set out bird feeders on one of the tables and we watched as the beautiful humming birds came over to eat.

Jennifer Miller was also offering to wash the leaders' hair. So a few of them stepped up for that special service. I helped hold towels and necks.

Jennifer Miller, Kelli Kimber, Linsay Jarvis, and Caroline Roeth.

This is the Leap of Faith. You climb a thin tree trunk and then jump! I didn't get a chance to do this, but it was fun watching the other girls do it.

Um, yeah, I don't think I could stand at the top like that!

This is the cat walk. All part of the obstacle course.

I went back to get pictures of the ropes course when I spotted my Stake President in the trees. :)

He was doing good and I thought someone should document his progress and the fact that he was actually in the trees.

President Sharp was doing the ropes course around 11:30am. This picture, with the gathering clouds, was taken around 2pm--right as groups were headed to their last activities. A storm was rolling in! The girls at the lake were already coming back. We were a little concerned about the group that went rappelling. But knew the Camp Firewalker staff would help keep them safe.

What I didn't get pictures of was the ensuing HAIL storm that pounded down on us. I had a full body rain suit, so I put it on. And in the pouring rain and HAIL, I went from tent to tent to make sure everyone was okay. Most the girls in the camp area, were huddled under the covered eating area. The rain was heavy. I wanted to save whatever came gear I could because in some tents, there were small rivers, with girls' stuff flowing in them and gathering in pools of water inside the army tents. It was distressing to me because no matter what I did to try and get the belongings piled up in a spot that was dry, the water just kept coming. Now I have an idea of what it must have been like in Hurricane Harvey. You are absolutely helpless. You can't do a thing to stop it. I saved a few things, but even if the gear (blankets, sleeping bags, books, pillows, etc.) wasn't in the path of a flow of water, there was still the rain seeping in from seams in the tent. And...a couple of the huge army tents collapsed under the weight of the rain and hail!! The Camp Firewalker staff told us, that's the worst storm they've had in about 20 years. And in some ways, fitting for us to wrap up our camp with trying to find Peace in Christ in the storms of life. The girls were all huddled together, singing and praying (mostly for the girls still on the mountain that we didn't know the status of) and comforting each other. I heard Karcyn was pretty upset from the storm. She doesn't like thunder and lightning. While her mom does and was out in the thick of it. :) By the time I found her, she was leaning on Susan McKneely and had fallen asleep. The GOOD NEWS...is that most of the girls had already packed up all their belongings before heading to their last activity since we needed to pack vehicles around 5pm at the end of their activity time. Since no buses would come all the way up to camp, President Roeth had been working all week at securing a Uhaul truck to use to load the girls stuff up and drive it down to the bus pick up stop. That Uhaul truck would be even more important now that everything was soaking wet. The staff with the girls on the mountain, radioed that everyone took cover and were fine. Some of the vehicles went to go get them and bring them back to camp. In the meantime, the stake leaders were determined we just needed to leave as soon as possible. So calls had to be made to the charter bus company. We had to have the girls get just what they needed for the bus and we drove them to the drop off spot where the buses would be waiting (about 30 minutes one way) and it would take 3 or 4 shifts to get everyone there, so it wasn't a fast process. But we managed to get everyone and everything on the buses. And those of us still at camp, made sure nothing was left behind. I was assigned to go home in a van and be a relief driver. The vans drove to Colorado from Texas in one long day up to camp. We weren't allowed to drive through the night (nor did anyone want to). One of the dads who was going our way and then flying out from the Denver airport with his daughter, got a few hotel rooms with his rewards plan for us to share that night so we could rest before traveling home the rest of the way. SUPER generous!! This was the blessed hotel room.

The blessed toilet that wasn't filled to the brim with nor reeked of sewage waste!

And me after a week with no shower. Not too bad. Actually, I was surprised my hair was NOT greasy. Hardly at all in fact. Must be because we were in a dry climate. 

One of the rest stops in Texas...it says "Watch for Rattlesnakes."

A cool dust storm.

As it turns out I didn't need to be a relief driver. I just sat up front to help keep people awake. We made it home and all was well, albeit a bit wet. My stuff was okay and Karcyn's wasn't too bad. Ugh...what a mess for some of them. All in all--considering the magnitude of this undertaking, it was a super successful high adventure camp for the young women. We got stormed out of our testimony meeting, so we held it that Sunday, July 8th. It went for about an hour and a half. Lots of testimonies shared. Lots of learning and growth and coming closer to the Savior. Definitely one for the books!!