Girls Camp

Summer seemed to fly by way to quickly. A part of my summer that I was always so sad to see end was Girls Camp. This was hands down one of the best camps I ever participated in. Lucky for me I was able to go five years! Four of those years I was just a normal participant, and the fifth year I was a YCL (Youth Camp Leader). The year I remember the best is being a YCL and honestly, that was probably my favorite year. It was great being this “older” girl who all these young women looked up to. I was a YCL for the first years. They were all so stinkin’ cute! These girls were such an inspiration in how excited they were to learn and how willing they were to pitch in around the camp. They were all so innocent. I couldn’t believe how much I had changed through high school in comparison with them.
The YCL cabin was a ball. It was so good to be with a ton of girls who shared my standards, and we could all go makeup free, not worry about boys, and be totally open and honest with each other about things. It was so awesome! An experience I wish I would have experienced more, meaning I should have gone back as a YCL the next year (but I actually ended up leaving for college earlier than expected).
The year I went as a YCL the leaders had brought a life size hand cart to use as basically the symbol of the camp theme. One night, the YCL’s got bored. So we ventured out to check on all the girls. After teasing them for a bit in good fun, especially this one girl who was there with a friend and totally not listening to “authority,” we decided to pull a prank. On our walk back to the cabin, we were obnoxiously singing and dancing when we saw the handcart. The handcart was basically the “center piece” at the campsite, somehow being incorporated into the camp theme for the year. Missy Smith (Williams now), one of the funniest girls I have ever met, decided that we should steal the handcart. Clearly we thought this was the most brilliant idea we had heard the entire week! So we all pulled our weight, literally with the handcart, and ditched it into the woods somewhere. We had to leave it there because we heard leaders coming out and had to ditch and run as fast as we could. We couldn’t stop laughing! I mean really, how random as a prank, to ditch a handcart in the woods.
The next morning, the leaders did not find our prank as amusing as we had found it the night before. Maybe we were deprived of sleep, who knows, but we thought it was seriously hilarious. They lectured everyone as a whole about some stuff I can’t even recall. I believe they mentioned about the handcart and how that prank was not appropriate. We tried our best to not laugh out loud because that’s about all any of us wanted to do.
Camp songs were always a blast and we got to sing a lot of these during every meal! Meals were a fun time to relax and chitchat. The best part however of every girls camp, without a doubt, was testimony meeting. I can’t even explain how strong the Spirit was felt by myself and I’m sure everyone else there as well. I can say without a doubt that at those testimony meetings I had no doubt about anything in regards to the gospel and the fact that God loves me. Those meetings were so powerful to me and I remember wishing I could always feel the Spirit that strongly. I always loved right before our testimony meeting; our bishops and usually the entire bishopric of all the wards would come and talk to all of us girls from the ward. It was very inspiring. Then we were able to hear from the Stake Presidency. I can promise you that Girls Camp is inspired; I know from this single experience at it. There is no way it could not be inspired by a loving Heavenly Father. I hope that one day I have the opportunity to serve in a calling that allows me to be a part of Girls Camp again, even if it’s not as one of the young women there. I’ll always remember that President Quinn really emphasized and taught me and the rest of the girls what a pure testimony was; since then, I always try and share my pure testimony rather than anything else. I have such a love for all of these leaders; even knowing that they still cheer for me to do well in this life helps me appreciate them that much more. They all hold special places near and dear in my heart. There was no stopping me from crying at these testimony meetings. It was a time to truly pour out my testimony and gratitude and love for my Heavenly Father.
One year at Girls Camp, I believe I was a third year, I did the possibly one of the dumbest things I have ever done. I accepted a dare from Bianca. Bianca and I had been talking to each other across from our top bunks after lights out. She told me that I should come over, and suggested I just jump from my top bunk to hers. Well, I ended up doing more of a leap in the dark, and that was a crucial mistake. I missed… badly. It seemed like a longer jump when I was actually in the air than it had originally looked. Next thing I knew, all the lights were on, and everyone was surrounding me when I opened my eyes. I must have blacked out for a second. After all, I did land on concrete floor smack on my back and head. Looking back, I am really so lucky that nothing worse happened to me! I was mostly embarrassed and tried to laugh so nobody would be concerned. I told them I was fine, but when I went to get up I literally couldn’t move at all! The Priesthood leaders who were there were woken up, and had to come lift me into bed and give me a blessing. I remember the very next morning missing out on an activity, when I was all-alone, praying, more like pleading with my Heavenly Father. I still couldn’t walk and was being taken home later that day by another member who was headed back to Saline. I told Heavenly Father that I knew I was meant to be up at Girls Camp and that there were things I needed to learn. I told Him I knew that Girls Camp was where I was supposed to be and that I didn’t want to miss out. I asked Him to help heal me. Well soon after that prayer, I was walking. I still went home just to be safe, but came back the same day later on. I’ll never forget that experience. It may seem silly to you, but to me it was life changing. It taught me the power of Priesthood and it reminded me of the power of prayer; how significant it is and how much it can do if you truly have faith and if you truly open up and talk to your Heavenly Father.
Girl’s camp taught me so many things. It was such a wonderful blessing and opportunity to be able to go with these divinely inspired leaders, and to have my testimony strengthened more and more each and every year. I truly can’t wait until I have the opportunity to attend again in a calling, and until my own girls will be able to attend! It truly is a blessing and the opportunity of a lifetime.