Girls Camp

Because I am a convert to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints., this was my first year at girls camp. I was excited to go mainly just because I would be getting a break from my daily duties of taking care of a family. The fact that I would have fun activities to be able to participate in was an added bonus.

The first day I didn't sleep well at all. I was hot believe it or not. While everyone else was freezing, I was kicking my sleeping bag off. I didn't know any of the girls or leaders well enough to feel comfortable, so I wasn't. The second day proved to be much better. We drove to Meadows Park where there was a lake with a water trampoline and other water toys to play with. The girls had a blast. I spent the time coming up with a cheer to do for our hike the following day. Knowing that they were going to be judged, I tried to do my best to make it a "winner." I remembered a cadence done by a guy in the Navy so I redid the words and here's how it went....each line was repeated by the girls:

Hey, Hey, all you girls

Don't worry 'bout makeup and your curls

With those shoes on your feet

We're gunna be a hiking fleet

A hiking fleet

On the trail we'll meet

Hey, Hey, all you wards

put on your helmet and your swords

With that pack on your back

Choose the right and stay on track

A hiking fleet

Stay on track

and you won't lack

Hey, Hey, Mormon chicks

Don't forget your walking sticks

With that stick by your side

We'll get rid of all our pride

A hiking fleet

Stay on track

Get rid of pride

Lengthen your stride.

About ten minutes before we were to perform this "chant" Margo told me that there were certain requirements for the chant but she didn't remember what they were! (That would have been nice to know before hand.) I went over to the YCL's (Youth camp leader) cabin to ask about it. They handed me the paper that said the chant must have the words "hike, rainbow, hot, Myspace, and water" in it. I thought we were screwed! I'd spent hours working on this really cool chant and it didn't matter now because it only had one of the words in it, and a form of the word at that! Not only did I learn that, but it also had to have cheer moves in it! Dude, I came up with a military chant, not a CHEER! I decided to try and remedy the situation rather than sulk. Having already had the girls in a single file line for the chant, I decided to quickly come up with a formation to do a simple cheer move and add a few lines to deliberately include the required words. Here's what they did at the end of the chant:

I see rainbows

I'm so hot

I like Myspace

Water I've got

Cheesy? Yes. But guess who won the prize? That's right. We did! I was so proud of the girls. They did really well and kept a good attitude for scrambling at the last minute and taking orders from a frantic adult leader. What did I learn from this? First that I'm an hopelessly competitive person. Second, that it's so important to know the rules for yourself and not rely on other people. The spiritual symbolism: When you don't search the scriptures yourself and only rely on what others say, you can be lead astray. You must know for yourself firsthand the rules that Heavenly Father has set for us to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven or you'll fall short.

The third day we went on our hike up to a point called "Bertha." We were told that it was a 6.6 mile hike, but that half way through it we would stop and eat lunch. At that point, any who didn't want to continue could go back to camp. This was not your average "stroll in the park" hike. The pace was set by brother Lowell (an avid hiker) and the trail was full of inclines and rocky surfaces. It was tough to get to the half way mark. Several girls had to stop for inhalers and a few had a nervous breakdown. When we finally made it to our lunch break a few of our girls were very upset because they wouldn't be able to get "certified" that year unless they hiked 5 miles. The option was given to them to continue on 20 minutes, then go back so they would be certified. Our girls thought it would be too much for them and so they declined. With my competitive nature, I went the full way. I learned a great lesson in this hike as well. That 20 minutes turned out to be only five and the trail was completely level. It was the easiest part of the hike. The girls who decided to "endure to the end" and thought it would be difficult were blessed. It was an easy road. Life is a lot like this too. Sometimes we think that we just can't go on and right around the corner, unknown to us, is a wonderful stretch of blessings.

That being said, those of us who went on to Bertha Peak had a rude awakening. That part of the hike was flat out brutal. The inclines were treacherous and the pace was swift. To keep up with the others took EVERYTHING I had. Those that were in shape physcally or mentally found it to be tough, but certainly not impossible. Then there were those who were neither physically nor mentally prepared and they declined the challenge. I was somewhere in between. I'm not totally out of shape and I knew it was going to be a challenge, but I didn't think I would be out of breath the first long stretch of an incline. This part kicked my butt! My saving grace was having people all around me feeling the same way. Talking made the trek bearable. I learned through this that when you surround yourself with people who are going through life with goals like yourself and who are positive, you can make it through so much easier. It's possible. I finally made it to the top and was so relieved. If it hadn't been for my incredibly full bladder and inability to pee in a straight line, the hike down would have been outright glorious!

I had a massive headache after that hike and a pretty good sunburn on my head. Four ibuprofen and a nap later, I was alright.

The last day of camp we decided to get up early and take a hike to a place called "Testimony rock." I prayed and asked Heavenly Father to help me come up with a topic for the girl I chose to lead the lesson. This scripture kept running through my mind in Matthew 10:32 "Whosoever therefor shall confess me before men him will I confess also before my Father which is in Heaven." (Also found in Luke 12:8) At the time, I was thinking about how it tells us to share the gospel. When we finally made it up to the top, the assigned girl started pouring her heart out about how she didn't sleep at all last night after she realized what the scripture was about. She continued to tell the girls that she hasn't shared her testimony in four years. Her life was turned upside down when her Father went through problems (trying to commit suicide and mutilating his body). She failed school, ditched daily, and started having eating disorders. She struggled all night knowing that she needed to share her testimony, or what the LDS call "bear her testimony." She felt sick all night trying to come up with every excuse to not share this scripture. In the end, she let all of us know that she knew the gospel was true. She said her heart was softened coming to camp, and this experience totally broke down the wall she had built up for years. Here's the funny thing: I had no idea that she was having such a hard time. I didn't even put two and two together with the scripture having to do with bearing your testimony and hiking to "Testimony" rock. She read something into that scripture that I hadn't. This experience let me know that there is a Savior. That the Holy Spirit truly does testify of Christ. When you ask sincerely, in the Name of Christ, your prayers will be answered. You can't expect Christ to claim you in the end if you never claimed Him publicly before men. It's amazing that our church is set up in such a way as to monthly give the opportunity to everyone to "bear" their testimony. What an inspired blessing!

That night, we were able to perform a skit that we'd been working on since before camp. Lisa Caress came up with the idea of redoing the song "A Happy Working Song" from Enchanted. Both Lisa and I came up with a version of the song.

Here was Lisa's original:

Come my fellow friends

As we all sing a happy little working song

Merry little voices clear and strong

Come and dump all the drugs out So that we can clean up

Cigarettes make us throw up

As we sing along

Learning to choose good friends

As we cleanse a rebellious one

And it seems we just begun

With the new refrain

Of a happy working song

We’ll keep singing without fail

Inappropriate relations [they see the sign, shocked]

Getting rid of that male

And all those bad temptations

Ooh!

How we all enjoy letting loose with a little La-da-da-dong-dong

While we’re emptying the closet of

everything that’s wrong

A happy working song

Oo-ooh

A happy working song

Oh, if only it could be

One day be wor-thy

Of a temple marriage

Riding in a carriage

With a return missiona-ry

Is sure worth trying

Hey! Stop lying!

You could do a lot when you got

Such a happy little tune to hum

While you’re pondering what you’ll become

We adore each filthy chore Getting rid of cheating

With the Bishop you’ll be meeting

We’re a happy working song

Singing as we ditch potty talk

Those bad words need to take a walk

Sing along

As we get rid of what is wrong

As we’re finishing our happy working song!
Ah...wasn’t this fun?

Here's my original:

Come my female friends
As we all strive to live our lives worthy of
Entering the kingdom up above
Come take out your scriptures
So that we can learn how
to rise from the pettiness right now
as we sing along

Keep a smile on our face in the store
As we find clothes that will fit just right
Not too short or too tight
As we all recite
This happy mormon song

We'll be shining in the end
As stars in the moonlight
Here's things that we would recommend
If like us you want to shine bright
OOOHHH

If its tempting to get rich and be the best
Then I have a good suggestion
Humble your self and tithe your contribution
That's the evolution
Of a happy mormon song
Hmmmmm
a happy mormon song

Oh how strange people look at me
When I say I don't drink tea
I wonder what I should say
Here's what you can use as a reply
The wisdom's given from on high
and won't lead us astray
Try it! Just pray!

You can do a lot when you've got
a lot of friends who share your morals too
who build you up and like you for you
We're not all Molly Mormons
as some of you may expect
so friends though we're far from perfect
we're a happy mormon song

Singing as we drive the economic car
instead of the Miata that was cuter by far
sing a long
if you can not sing then hum along
as we're finishing our happy mormon song.
Ahhhh....wasn't that fun?

And here's the end result:

Come my female friends
As we all strive to live our lives worthy of
Entering the kingdom up above
Come take out your scriptures
So that we can learn how
to rise from the pettiness right now
as we sing along

Keep a smile on our face in the store
As we find clothes that will fit just right
Not too short or too tight
As we all recite
This happy mormon song

We'll be shining in the end
As stars in the moonlight
Here's things that we would recommend
If like us you want to shine bright
OOOHHH

If its tempting to get rich and be the best
Then I have a good suggestion
Humble your self and tithe your contribution
That's the evolution
Of a happy mormon song
Hmmmmm
a happy mormon song

Oh if only it could be
One day be worthy
You'd see me beaming
To have a fairytale marriage
Riding in a carriage
is what I'm dreaming
Hey! Stop screaming!

You can do a lot when you've got
a lot of friends who share your morals too
who build you up and like you for you
We're not all Molly Mormons
as some of you may expect
so friends though we're far from perfect
we're a happy mormon song

Singing as we ditch the potty talk
Those bad words need to take a walk
sing a long
while we're changing all that's wrong
as we're finishing our happy mormon song.
Ahhhh....wasn't that fun?

The girls did a great job with each part. I was so proud of them. The gist of the skit was that a girl sees all that is bad in her life and wants to change it. She prays and asks Heavenly Father to help her. She falls asleep and has this dream where all her "sins" are displayed: (Immodesty, Greed, Immorality, Impatience, Bad Friends, Judgemental, and Dirty Language). A princess and a maid come out and dust off the "sins" and turn them into virtuous qualities (Modesty, Charity, Chastity, Patience, Good Friends, Tolerant, and Clean Language.) When the girl wakes up, her life has been cleaned.

By the end of camp, each girl had gotten up to talk about their lives and let everyone know what they believed to be true. Some of these girls have a very hard life. It strengthened them to come to camp, and I think humbled those that have a fairly good life. All in all, it was an amazing experience and I feel so blessed to have been a part of it. I love these girls. I love the gospel. I love my husband for taking such great care of our kids while I was gone (even if he did forget one of the two things I told him to remember!) He's an amazing dad. I'm blessed.