Something I Hope to Never Forget

I used to tell everyone that the calling I dreaded more than any other, would be having to go to Girl's Camp.  Seriously, I could not think of anything worse.

Now, I honestly and sincerely hope I get the pleasure to go every year.  (Maybe not be in charge of course though.) :)

A couple months ago, I was asked to go on the 4th year hike.  This takes place the day before everyone else shows up to camp and it is with all the 4th year girls.  Since these 5 girls are some of my favorite people in the world, I said yes.  Then....week after week, they started giving me more information.  Such as, "now you can stay over night, right?" And, "Did I tell you that they have chosen to sleep under the stars with no tents and I'm a camper and I wouldn't even do that. Hahaha."  So my excitement of being with my girls soon turned to dread.  However, when we went on our practice hike a few weeks before the "real" one, I knew that it was going to be so much fun and other than swallowing some bugs in the night and hopefully not getting eaten by a bear, I would be fine.  And fine I was.

 In Fact, I think I may have had a little too much fun.

My sister made fun of me as I came home wear boondoggle bracelets I made, my fingernails painted an absurd color with stripes, and the smile on my face.  She then made fun of me more as I told her how I danced with the girls at the stomp for about 2 hours showing them my awesome dance moves, stayed up until 1:30 in the morning talking and playing cards and asked if I was feeling all right and I think was quite embarrassed for me. (I have to admit I am a little when I think of some of those dance moves.)

It was so much fun.

Girls camp is a time for young women to get to know eachother better, laugh, make crafts, eat a ton of food (which we had the best chef ever cooking for us), and most importantly, for testimonies to grow.  I don't know if my girl's testimonies grew, but mine sure did.

The coolest experience happened at camp and I hope I will never forget it.  We were beyond blessed to have the General Young Women's President, Sister Dalton come and speak to us.  Apparently, she is only allowed to accept invitations to 4 camps a year.  2 outside the US, 1 outside UT and 1 in UT.  We were the lucky one.  Oh how we were lucky.

Let's just say I was pretty much crying the whole time.  I've been asked many times, "What did she say?"  I don't even know where to start.  Leaders like that, you know they speak right from God.  They don't plan their talks.  She had nothing written down.  I believe she talked right to us.  Directly to us.  She knew what these women needed to hear.  The overwhelming feeling I got from her, was such a love I can't even express.  She loves these young women.  She really does.  I think she made each and every girl there feel so loved.  She made them realize, they are a daughter of God and their Heavenly Father loves them so much.  This is ALL I want my girls to know.  I want them to know this more than anything else.  As I mentioned in a previous post, when I was called to this calling, I felt more strongly than anything else that I had to teach these beautiful Young Women to see them the way I see them, the way their Heavenly Father sees them.  As Daughters of God.  As beautiful Daughters of God.  I was so thankful for Sister Dalton connecting with them and teaching them this.

After it was over, everyone rushed to talk to her, to touch her, to have her look them in their eyes.  It was the most incredible sight.  THIS WAS A CELEBRITY.  Not One Direction (yes, the girls have taught me about One Direction, not Beyonce, or Madonna.  This was someone to emulate.  This was someone you wanted to meet. 

She touched everyone.  She hugged each of them and even spent time looking in their eyes.  EACH OF THEM.  The sight was overwhelming.  I sat taking pictures, documenting, and wipinng my tears.  My girls sat patiently waiting for their turn.  Their turn to touch her.  It reminded me of the stories of when Jesus came and people reached out just to touch his robe.  Sister Dalton is an angel sent from our Heavenly Father to touch the lives of the young women.  I was told that when she was set apart as the General Young Women's President, she was told that she was blessed with the gift to look into these young girl's eyes and see their worth.  Oh, how she did this.  This truly is a gift that blessed so many lives that day.

I watched Sister Dalton as she laughed with the girls, looked into their eyes, hugged them, told them individual things (each of my girls were told something totally different), and showed them her love from them.  You could see that she knew those girls that maybe even needed more time with her.  She held them longer. She looked into their eyes longer.  And she reiterated her love and God's love from them.  It was beautiful.  It was something I hope to never forget. 

The night ended with the classic testimony meeting...it going to the late late hours of the night, and everyone bawling their eyes out.  The way camp should always end. 

It was a wonderful week.  I am so grateful I was there.