Girls Camp

Two (hurt) thumbs up!  We survived Girl's Camp.

Monday was our only regular missionary day this week.  We were able to visit a couple of people and then finish preparing for Girl’s Camp.  We were quite grateful for a family in our ward who lent us plenty of camping gear.  At home, we have plenty, but didn’t think we would need sleeping bags and such on our mission.  They even had cots for us.  A couple of people had previously shared with us that blow up mattresses don’t fare well in Wyoming.  Every morning, they would be flat.  I guess due to either changes in the air temperature or the altitude - or maybe a combo of both.  We are taking their advice and going with cots.

Getting prepared and packed took a little longer than anticipated.  Since it gets so cold up in the mountains, we prepared, as advised, for hot and cold weather.  That makes for quite a lot of “stuff”.  We had planned on taking our car top carrier because we were taking two girls and their gear with us.  The zipper broke -  not a fun time.  So we packed the car as tightly as we could and prayed for the best.  All of our stuff fit, but wasn’t sure how it would go on Tuesday morning when we picked up the girls.

Tuesday morning, I prayed very hard that we would be able to fit the girls and their belongings and still have room to breathe in our car.  When we opened our car to put stuff inside, the girls gave a funny look - like - where is our stuff going?  Walt started pushing it in and everything fit in the back except one personal bag and their pillows.  Praying is great for anything - even space.  The two girls slept on the journey to camp - about 3 hours away.  It was at a place called Thorn Rider and is at the base of the Big Horn mountains.  It is really beautiful there.  We could never get tired of the views.

Creek at the camp

View at 6 am.  sunrise

The first day - Tuesday, was just for Youth Leaders (YCL’s).  They go up the day before to help the Adult camp leaders get things set up, get instruction and, of course, have some fun.  We helped them get unloaded and then headed off to our ward’s campsite.  We got our tent and a tarp over head set up, and then a tarp over the picnic table.  When the leader showed Walt where our site was, he noticed there wasn’t a table at that site.  So he got me to help him carry one over from the main lodge area.  He picked a light weight one and was trying to just sneak it our covertly.  Unfortunately, I am not strong enough to carry it quickly down the path.  I kept needing to rearrange my grip and stop for a breath.  We get to the site and he says, “I don’t think this is our camp site.”  I suggested he find out for sure before we start moving it somewhere else.  We went back to the main lodge and confirmed which site was ours (not the one we just took a table to) and also asked permission to take one of the tables to the site.  No problem.  Now two sites without tables, had one.  Even had the one other male there (Bishop from Sheridan ward) ask to help move it.  I was all over that.

Our Camp.  Organized chaos!

It was about 5 pm by the time we got everything set up.  We spent the night at the Bailey’s house in Sheridan (only 25 minutes from camp).  No sense in sleeping on a cot when a king size bed was waiting for us at the Bailey’s; plus a delicious home cooked meal.  We love staying with the Bailey’s.  The kids now come running up when they see us and give us hugs.  It’s great.  Their oldest daughter was going to camp for the first time.  

Wednesday, we stopped at Walmart (of course - it’s what we do when we camp) to finish our  last minute supply shopping.  We got to camp, just as our ward was backing in their trailer.  That may sound like a lot but at this camp, the ward cooks all their own food.  That more than doubles the amount of things needed.  We had 6 girls from our ward plus two leaders and us.  The girls had one tent, the leaders one, and we got our own.  Everyone helped get things loaded and set up.  I was really impressed with our girls setting up their own tent with only a little help.  I think we were mostly set up when it was time to meet at the main lodge.

I won’t bore you all with every detail of the week.  There was a lot of singing, some hiking, cooking, fires, testimonies, tears, laughter and making new friends.  Walt was great at keeping a fire going for us and keeping us dry with various tarps.  We found out once we got there that we had to keep all our food in totes and burn our trash due to bears.  The first day, there was actually a bear that came through one of the other ward’s campsite and got into their trash while everyone was up at the lodge.  Poor Walt, you know how much he hated keeping a fire and hunting for wood.  Best mission days ever!  We all appreciated him so much this week.  He also helped out the other priesthood leader with “guy” things.  We both had a great time.

Just chillin at camp

The first night was not the best sleeping we’ve had, but the 2nd and 3rd night were pretty nice.  So grateful for those cots.  It wasn’t nearly as cold as we anticipated.  I still slept with long johns and a fleece pair of cuddle duds with one sleeping bag.  The other bag and blanket got used more for padding.  We need lots of padding for our old bones.  I don’t know how the girls sleep in just a sleeping bag on the ground.  Guess we’re too old and hard.  

Our ward camp leaders kept us fed like kings.  There was even plenty of food to share with the ward that shared our campsite.  It made for a great friendship.  They had their own food, but we shared ours as well.  Their ward wasn’t cooking much, just keeping it simple, like cereal and sandwiches.  They had a nice stash of firewood that was super helpful on the last night when we had some rain.  Their wood was wrapped in plastic.  I hope our girls realize how much effort and time went into making their experience a great one.  They both really did a great job.

Our ward helping with wagon rides.  The Bishop (in the hat) and his dad are in the background

Two of our favorite things from camp were:  

1. The Wagon ride. Each ward was to come up with an activity.  Our Bishop and his dad both have horses and wagons.  So they brought them up ( a 3 hour drive for the Bishop and 2 hour drive for his dad).  All of our girls and leaders helped get them hitched, loaded, unloaded and got the horses brushed, watered and fed.  They really enjoyed it.  I didn’t see many girls who didn’t enjoy the ride.  A few were intimidated or scared, but most thought it wonderful.  The Checketts men made a “test run” and I suggested we sacrifice and ride along.  I was more than happy to be sitting right up front with the driver.  Bishop’s dad had the prettier wagon, so I rode with him.  He is quite the character.  He is a lot like my dad - jokes and has a lot of fun.  

The "test run"

2).  Our Priesthood night.  That is the last night of camp and the Bishops, their wives, and our Stake priesthood leaders and their wives come up.  Before dinner, the men were all called up to dance and lip sync to a song called “What Makes you beautiful” by One Direction.  Some men were totally comfortable and others just as out of place.  Walt was quite impressive - he did the “Q-tip” move and wiggled his hips.   After the dinner, the Stake presidency and their wives were sitting up front and answered questions they girls had written down during the week for them to answer.  The questions ranged from “Who is the best cook?” And “How long have you been married?” To “What do you do when you don’t feel the Spirit any more?”  It was so great to have these girls (and leaders) get to know these fine men and their wives on such a personal level.  Their answers were very straightforward and honest.  One of the wives even shared her current struggle with anxiety and depression, and some others their experiences with self-esteem issues.  The Spirit was strong as they bore their testimonies of the Savior’s love for each of us.  The fact that Heavenly Father knows us personally and wants to help us individually came up many times.    I can’t think of a better thing to understand and develop than our relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  They know us - loves us - and want more than anything to help us return to them.  

The final thing was the testimony meeting.  Most of the camps I have been to, this is done as a whole group - the whole Stake together.  They arranged this on a ward level.  So after the Stake Presidency question/panel, we all headed back to our campsites for testimony meeting with our Bishops.  It had gotten pretty cold, so I scooted Walt on ahead and had him get that fire going.  I brought his stuff for him.  We got there and it was just blazing.  Good man!  The girls were super appreciative, they seem to always be cold.  With only a small group of girls, our testimony meeting didn’t get going very well.  The Bishop of the Wright ward started us off.  A lot of the girl’s testimonies were about their personal struggles.  It breaks my heart to hear the situations these girls experience.  It seems our world is colder and harsher more and more.  I love that these girls can share and help one another, and that the leaders are able to be aware of their struggles.  This type of environment always lends itself to an opening of hearts.  Everyone is cozied up to a fire and we all just watch the magic of the flames, as hearts are opened and compassion is shared.

There was a thunderstorm off in the distance at the beginning of the testimony meeting.  As time went on, it grew closer.  Then it started to rain.  Our Bishop had already asked each girl to share a thought from the Stake Presidency’s discussion they liked.  So I guess, we needed to give each girl their turn.  The storm was getting closer, and raining more.  Some girls didn’t have a hood or rain jacket/poncho.  I kept going to my tent to find poncho’s and such for them.  I felt bad - very distracting.  I kept thinking, “I must be a soft one, these Wyoming folks just sit through the rain - like it’s nothing.”  They held out until the last girl finished.  Bless their heart.   Walt and I had rain jackets.  I shared a poncho and a couple of black garbage bags with some others.  

I guess - the very best part of camp, was Kay’s experience.  She is our young woman that has been taking the missionary lessons and will be baptized this coming up Saturday, June 22nd.  This was a totally new experience for her and she just loved it.  I have never seen her smile so much.  She made better friends with our girls and even, new friends with girls from other wards.  She even said the blessing on dinner one night.  That day, the girls had decided amongst themselves who would say which meal prayer.  Kay was chosen for dinner.  She said that she practiced all day what to say.  It was her first public prayer ever.  She did an awesome job.  Then during the testimony time, she started to share.  That was shocking!  Walt gave her a hug afterward.  She also gave us one of her painted rocks, since she knows he loves rocks.  She will be baptized on Saturday and I am so excited for her.  It always amazes me when a youth has a desire to follow Christ; especially when it’s not something they have grown up with or have that much family support.  None of her family are members of our church, but allow her to follow her heart.  Her sister said she’ll come to her baptism, and possibly her mom.  That would really be awesome.

Kay and Abi

Kay helping with the horses

It was a great week.  It seems that no week is exactly the same; some really different than others.  We are pretty sure they will be asking us to come to girl’s camp again next year, and we will definitely go.  Good luck to all of you that will have girl’s or boy’s camp this summer.  Enjoy the fun and look for the spiritual experiences to strengthen you as well.  We miss you all. 

Walt grooming the horse

Kay and Abi with the Bishop's Dad's horses (Rick and Rock)

One of the activities on the first day