tHe fOrSaKeN

Session: SLC 04, Company name: The Forsaken (shakin bacon!)

Man oh man, what an experience! This week was so good! I felt so much more confident going into it, and everything went great! Sunday night fireside was awesome, Brother and Sister Searl were our session directors. We talked a lot about how one of the main reasons we are here on earth is to go to the Temple and make those sacred covenants there. I felt that this week it was important to teach to the Temple. Each of the choices we should make should lead to the Temple.

My Co-counselors this week were awesome! During co-counselor planning we had so much fun just getting to know each other. We laughed and talked and prayed and I felt so prepared. My co's were Angela and Keith. Angela and I were newbies together last week, so we already had that connection. Keith I had heard of and seen last week, but never really met till this week. He is like a whole universe FULL of energy all stuffed into one little man. But also so awesome and good with the kids. Keith is engaged and getting married on Sept. 3 and I am so excited for him! He can't wait! My BC this week was Nicole, and boy was I grateful. She is an awesome girl.

Meeting my girls on Monday was great! Then meeting our company was even better! During orientation I did the dance and it was so funny. I don't even know what it was called, but it's "the finger dance." I wish I had it on video. Basically it's the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Then we decided during a certain point in the song we'd all dance around like chickens. Haha I think the kids thought we were crazy, but at the Tuesday night dance they all did the exact same thing. Even danced around like chickens, I laughed so hard. It's pretty crazy when you realize the influence you can have on others.

Here's my girls:

Back: Kendra, Destiny, Grace, Stephanie (2nd week of efy this summer, crazy huh?!), Monica, and Kelsey!

Front: Brianna, Alyssa, Chaylyn, me, and Tiahna!

Tuesday nights dance was awesome!

Tuesday night things got a little bit crazy. I went in to make sure the girls were still planning on teaching the participant devotional the next morning and one of them said "why do I have to teach a lesson, I don't even have a testimony." Aaa! I could tell she wasn't into gospel stuff, but I had no idea she felt that strongly. I told her that she should pray about it, and try to do it anyways (maybe a little to forceful??). I went back to talk to my roommates cause I was wiggin out and they helped me. I am so grateful for the roommates I had this week. They were awesome. So I went back and told she didn't have to teach the lesson, but she said she could do it.

After finally getting all the lights out I was on my way back, and this girl's roommate came running out of her room with tears streaming down her face. Oh no! I told her to come into my room and we talked and she cried and said that she couldn't handle being roommates with this girl because the spirit couldn't be in their room. We talked some more, I told that Heavenly Father does things for a reason, and that maybe she could help this girl. We prayed together, then I gave her my scriptures to read and told her I'd be back. That's when I went to find my BC, Nicole. I told her everything that was going on and she gave me so much guidance and encouragement. I really appreciated it.

Wednesday morning I talked to my anti-church girl and asked why she came to efy. She said she came because she wanted too, she told me she had a testimony once she just wasn't sure about it anymore, and that she had questions. After hearing that I had so much hope. I knew that she came for the right reasons, and we just needed to help her open her heart. I relied a lot on my co's this week too, they prayed a lot for me. I am so grateful!

During class on Wednesday I went to the store for pizza night with Christopher and Sam and it was so fun. I finally made some friends this week! Hooray! When we got back I went to the bathroom, dropped my phone in the toilet, grabbed it, and said a quick prayer that it would still work. Soon after that, BC Sam asked if I would be on his panel, (every week we have the kids write down questions they have about the gospel, then on Thursdays during the BC morningside 3 counselors are on a panel and answer their questions with scriptures and such) I said yes of course, but I was super nervous. It's crazy how last week everything went so smooth, no high stress anything, and this week

everything just piled on.

The rest of Wednesday was crazy, go go go without a phone. Games night was awesome. Keith helps make it fun :) He's nuts!

We took 3rd place in the banner competition!

and here's our cheer: (hmm not working, note to self: if ever I want to watch that again, it's on my mom's computer.)

I made it through devotional and lights out, and then my roommate Kindal and I stayed up till 1-ish preparing for the panels we were going to be on. I went to bed exhausted, knowing I only had a few hours to sleep (Counselors start their days with a BC meeting at 6:45am). Thursday morning I woke up praying and praying that the spirit would punch my anti-church girl right in the face. Thursdays at efy are amazing, and if anything could help her I knew it would be the events that happen on Thursday.

We went to our BC morningside and I could tell she wasn't really paying attention or listening. About half way through she told me that she wasn't feeling good. My heart just sank, "not on Thursday, not when she needs this so bad" I thought. I told her we'd talk to a health counselor between meetings, but to stick it out till then. I prayed the whole time that she would feel better and that her heart would be touched. When we talked to the health counselor he couldn't find anything wrong with her, so he sent her to the session director morningside, hooray! I went in and got my girls seated.

I said a quick prayer for my anti-church girl and each of my girls, then I had to leave to go be on Sam's panel. I was so nervous! I walked into a room, chuck-full of priesthood holders all dressed in white shirts and ties and thought, who am I to teach them? I prayed pretty much the whole time. I was on a panel with Tyler and Andrew, and I think it went really well. Several of the boys came up and thanked us after. Sam seemed especially grateful. It was such an awesome experience. I know Heavenly Father helps us when we try our hardest to do our best.

After being on the panel I went out to find my girls at lunch. I saw my anti-church girl, and she gave me this huge smile and said she was feeling much better! I could tell she had felt the spirit. When I asked her about the meeting I had missed she said it was SO good, that she balled the whole time. Its funny how hearing that someone cried, makes me so happy. ha.

That night during testimony meeting my anti-church girl bore her testimony about how grateful she was to be a member of the church. She said she came to efy and was kind of ashamed to say that she was a mormon, but now she's glad. It was so neat to hear. She still has a long ways to go, but hopefully she'll always be able to look back on efy and remember the spirit that she felt.

Friday was awesome. I love Fridays because everyone is so relaxed, we all know each other pretty well, we've had the bonding experience of the testimony meeting, and we know there's not much time left, so we're all determined to have so much fun! Here's a few pics from the service project:

Notice Tanner (black shirt) slowly falling asleep... and below completely out :) We work 'em hard at efy :)

Me and Angela, we had so much fun! She's gotta be one of my favorite girls ever!

Friday nights devotional was awesome. We had decided as co's during gospel study that we were going to sing the theme song to our company. That's right, little old me with my non-singing ability sang a solo to about thirty people! I was so scared! But I did it! I don't think my part was very good, but I sang with my heart and I could tell it touched them. We talked about how we much have the courage to stand strong so that someday we can go to the Temple. Keith talked about how he was so excited to be sealed to his fiance' forever, and how he knew it was right. It was such an awesome devotional. We sang the theme song as a company at the end, then we were going to have our last prayer together. Mitch offered to say it, and he asked that we all kneel down and hold hands since it was probably the last time we would all be together before the Celestial Kingdom. He said an amazing prayer, just thanking Heavenly Father for the amazing experience we'd had, and asking blessings on each one of us. It was so neat.

A few last things:

• My camper, Chelsea, from this week of Oakcrest was at efy this week! She lived below me, and it was so fun to see her! She seems just as happy as ever. I love that girl! (sorry it's upside down, I can't figure out how to fix it)

I wish I could see the way you just tilted your head to be able to see it better :)

• One basic lessons I learned from this week is that Heavenly Father places us with the people we need most to help us. He is in control, and it's amazing to see the way He works. I love being a tool in the Lord's hands.
• Dear me or future generations: If someday I want more details about this week of efy, it's all in my journal.