Wyntre, Mardee, Ali Jo, Alex, Haley, Monet, Cassidy, Kortney, Courtney, Allie, me, and Chelsea My girls were way into pranking this week, which in result, got us pranked a lot too. For one of the pranks we twined Ellipsys' cabin. In return... they stole our matresses and "pantsed" us (meaning they hung up pictures they colored of pants all over the front of our cabin and left signs saying 'you've been pantsed!').
Some of our handy work... This week I got to go on the East hike for the first time. I think its my favorite, because it is SO beautiful! Hikes are really geat! When we first get there we do something called breaking news trek, which is just a lesson on how there is so much bad in the world but there is good too. And we just talk about seeing the good, and being the good in the world. We also talk about how faith and fear cannot co-exist and how we just need to have faith! It's really good. Then we eat sack lunches, mmm pb&j! After lunch we sing songs and play games. Then, we take the opportunity to read the story of the First Vision. The girls read it straight out of JSH, which is something most of them have never experienced. We talk about how Joseph Smith was the same age as most of them, and how they too can turn to the Scriptures and then ask God and can get an answer. Then we tell them that they have the same opportunity as Joseph Smith did. They can now go out into the woods and pray and search the scriptures just as he did, and we promise them that Heavenly Father will speak to them. We give them an hour for solo time, and its super neat! I really love it. Anyhow, this is a picture of the East hike.
It's places like this that make me want to go on hikes and enjoy the beautifullness of the mountains for the rest of my life!! So across the street from Oakcrest there is a mountain. On the mountain there is one tree all by itself. It has become known as 'The Lone Tree.' Everyone has a salute that they do to the Lone Tree, and everyones is different. This week we were walking to dinner and we had some extra time so I told my girls we were going to do the Lone Tree Salute. I then made this up on the spot :) This is my first group to do the salute, but it will continue for the rest of the summer! Haha hooray for traditions!
On the last day my girls really wanted to kidnap Bunga, so we did! :)
Here is the result...
Our last group picture... Sad day. I really did love each of these girls so much! They all clicked really well, and we had a lot of fun together. They each had such a yearning to learn the gospel. They loved just talking about the gospel, we discussed a lot of questions they had, and searched the scriptures. It was super neat spending a week with them. I love them!!
Back: Courtney, Haley, Kortney, Cassidy Middle: Monet, Alex, Chelsea, Allie, Ali Jo, Wyntre
Front: me! :)
Miracles of the week:
- At Oakcrest I have learned something. I am really bad at keeping track of all of my stuff. So this week not only did I loose my jacket and water bottle, but also my first aid kit. I soon found my jacket and water bottle, but I was kind of stressing about my first aid kit. I decided to pray, and guess what? I stood up and found it in less then thirty seconds. AMAZING!
-My girls learned the power of prayer. Ali Jo lost $20 on Tuesday so I told her to pray about it. She did, and she didn't loose faith. She kept praying, on Thursday, we found it.
-Later several more of my girls lost their money. Ali Jo asked "did you pray." They did and they both found it.
-On Thursday Allie lost her shoe. All of my girls asked "did you pray?" and so she did. and guess what? We found it on Friday! I loved watching my girls learn that! I hope that as their home now, they will keep asking... did you pray?
-for the first time I had two girls who were never where I told them to be. I'm still not sure what they're deal was, because they were kind of quiet girls. I think they just wandered around all the time. I don't really know. But... not being able to find your campers when you have something planned is an extremely frustrating feeling. I prayed to have patience with them, and Heavenly Father blessed me with patience.
-During the week I was completely exhausted. Like all I wanted to do was crash. So I went in my room. Drank lots of water, then prayed, hard. I prayed that I would have the energy required to make it a great week for each of my girls. As soon as I finished I started feeling more and more energy. We went to the next activity, and I had SO much energy! We played hard and it was amazing!
-On Thursday night Chelsea came up to me almost in tears. She asked if she could talk to me, so we stepped outside. I was a little nervous because I didn't know why in the world she was crying! She apologized for crying and said that it was really unusual. She said they're happy tears! Then Chelsea told me about a miracle in her life. She told me that during Unit Prayer that night she felt Her Saviors love for her more strongly than she'd ever felt it in her life, (she's balling at this point), and it felt AMAZING! She loved the way she felt right then! She just thanked me for helping her feel that, I of course told her it was the spirit... but then she gave me one of the greatest compliments I have ever received. She told me that her week had been amazing, that she had learned SO much! But that it wasn't so much from the things that I taught, but just from the way that I am, the way that I live my life. She told me she wanted to be just like me when she grows up. I felt completely honored. WOW! She is an amazing girl, and I'm sure she will be far better than me when she grows up. I feel honored to have had her in my group!
-I made it through another week! and i still LOVE it! :)
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