Shine!

 I had the privilege of going to girls' camp this year. Our theme for camp was Shine, to correlate to the 2012 Mutual theme of Arise and Shine. It was also the 100th year anniversary of Girls Camp. We have a beautiful place to camp here in SE Utah.  Our stake owns a recreational property between here and Blanding and it has a big pavilion for eating under and other activities. It has a big kitchen where all the good food is cooked for the campers. It has nice bathrooms and a wonderful amphitheater for special meetings and skits and such.  There is a big open grassy area for the tents and playing around.  So much better than what I remember from my own girls camp experiences. I disliked girls camp intensely as a youth. It was dirty, grimy and tiring. After a couple of years I had a job and never got the time off to go to camp. I regret that now.
But, I do think that the emphasis has shifted from camping skills(still talked about but not the focus) to a more spiritual experience.  I think that has made a huge difference in what the girls get out of their girls camp experiences. I know that as a leader I have enjoyed each of the 3 times I have been able to attend.

 To celebrate the 100th anniversary of camp, we each got a balloon to release simultaneously. It was fun to watch them all rise into the air and sail away. Not too environmentally friendly I realize, but it was cool to watch.

1st level tent. It was huge.

 I got to be one of the leaders for the 1st level girls. These are the 1st timers. Girls who may not even be in YW quite yet. We had 20 girls under our supervision. I had two other great women to work and camp with. I really appreciate all they did to make camp a good experience for these girls. I really had no idea what I was doing and was essentially a 1st level myself!

Hannah (in lovely green slippers) doing her level's lip sync. 

Nina(Black shirt and jeans) doing her level's lip sync.

In this stake they camp by level. That was a new experience for me. The other times I've been we've camped as wards. I liked camping as wards a bit better I think. I missed the unity developed by all the YW when they camp as a ward group. I also really missed getting to spend time with my own daughters who were in other tents with other leaders.

Jewish Wedding Feast

There were many terrific activities planned for the girls. We enjoyed game night, dancing, hiking?, a Hebrew market, a commitment hike, and it culminated with an amazing Jewish Wedding Feast on our last night there. We had been divided into our levels and had been scattered through the area. As the wedding processional came by we all joined it until we were all together. We followed the 'rabbi' to where the feast had been set up. As we walked around a corner it opened to our eyes. I was so struck by the beauty of what had been created in the wilderness for us. It was simply breathtaking. I wish I had a good picture of it, but the tables were literally covered with food for us. As we ate, we listened to a sister talk about the symbolism of it in relation to our Savior and his second coming. As the sky darkened our little oil lamps were lit and it was something to see.

Me, ready to hit a shower and my own bed!

I am so thankful that the Church provides this opportunity for our YW. Besides the temple, I know of nowhere else where it's as easy to feel the Spirit as out in the beauty He created for us to enjoy. I'm so thankful I had the chance to be a leader and share this experience.