Why is It That Owl City Songs Have The Strangest Titles?

Nah, the title has nothing to do with the post, just my current thoughts. :)

Whaa? You don't listen to Owl City while you blog??? What a sad existence you lead. It rocks. And stimulates genuis.

Aaanywho, I guess I should blog about Girls Camp right?

WRONG!

Because I was foolish and did not take pictures of anything at camp. All I really have is this one picture that somebody tagged me in on Facebook. It is beautiful and flattering and I look so clean and... sane.

So instead of writing a super long winded post about my last year of Camp I'll show you all that picture and summarize! :)

Ready?

This last year of Camp was, in a word, increadible. Absolutely amazing. I had mixed feelings going to camp with my new Stake because, 1- I knew hardly anybody in the Stake. I knew my ward, and maybe one YCL, but that was it. I was so afraid of not fitting in, and not being able to be a good YCL to the girls that I'd be over, 2- I admit that I was a tiny bit bitter at not being able to go to camp one last time with my old Stake... it's shameful, I know. I wouldn't be going to Lo Mia, and I wouldn't be singing any of the same camp songs, my schedules and responsibilities as a YCL would be completely different, and I was afraid that camp just wouldn't be camp if it wasn't done like it was in Desert Ridge Stake, 3- I just didn't know what to expect in general! And this was probably my greatest anxiety. Fear of the unknown is probably the worst of all.

HOWEVER!

I was absolutely and completely wrong! Camp turned out to be amazing and my testimony grew so much as a result. My first day at camp with just the YCLs was a little bit rough and so I said a long and sincire prayer that I'd be able to find my niche at camp and my purpose for being there and that I'd be able to make this year of camp not about myself but about the people around me and that with his help that I'd be able to make the most of the week.

And boy did he answer those prayers!

I didn't really bond with the other YCLs, but my relationship with all 15 of the Lindsay 3rd Ward second years that I was over (yes 15) was increadible. I learned all of their names within an hour and bonded with them so well. It was increadible, and I cried so hard when it was time to tell them goodbye. I became the group back masseuse (sp?) and was able to form good relationships with a lot of them by just chatting with them and giving them hugs and telling them that I loved them and actually being a big part of their camp experience unlike some YCLs. I took my responsibility as their YCL seriously and as a result I bonded with my little girls so quickly! One of them even tearfully confided in me the unfortunate circumstanes that she was experiencing at home while we were in line for the zipline and told me that she wished that she could stay at camp forever where her friends were close and where the Lord was even closer.

And I couldn't have said it any better. Camp is absolutely amazing and I've seen it change people!

In fact, there was one girl in my group who was shy and standoffish. She was a bit on the heavy side and just seemed sad and like she needed a friend. Me and my partner (and amazing friend... I'll talk about her later) tried our hardest to include her. When she'd fall behind our group when we were walking places we'd fall back too and try to be her friend, or walking buddies, or something, but at her first chance of escape she be gone! She started actually trying to avoid us and when we'd try to talk to her she'd give us the silent treatment hoping that soon we'd go away. Well we didn't. :) We tried as hard as ever. On our hike I was up at the middle/front most of the time while my friend and partner in crime Shelby was having knee pains and hung out at the back where, lo and behold, so was this sweet sister. And they talked and bonded and BAM! There was a total change. She started seeking US out, and she'd tell us about her day and give us huge hugs when we had to go to our meetings. She'd wave to us during role call and just about cried when she realized that we were second year YCLs and wouldn't be coming back next year. She told us that we made her camp experience so much better and that she loved us an dowuld miss us... and man. That just makes it all worth while. It was increadible, absolutely amazing. :)

I also bonded with the first years from my ward in a big BIG way. I have a small ward of only about 12 young women, so we really only had like three first years, but during our breaks I would sometimes sneak on over there and hang out with them (because honestly, our first years were cooler than most of our YCLs). Boy let me tell you, we had a BLAST! All we did was play mind games and we laughed so hard and had the grandest time ever!

I also have the most amazing leaders on the planet who made camp so enjoyable and amazing. These ladies inspire me so much and make me want to live better just so that I can be close to being like them when I get older. I just love 'em. :) I definately want to be called as a Young Womens leader when I grow up and live on pleasant lane (I'll blog about that later :) ) and be a Laurels leader or a Beehives leader or a Mia Maids leader... really any of them will do. :)

So anyway, before I run out of time here I want to tell you all about a special girl who came to camp with me this year. Her name is Shelby (aka, my partner in crime). She is the girlfriend of one of my guy friends in the ward and I have bonded with her so much these past couple of months. She decided to go to Girls Camp with our Stake and has been coming to our mutuals to get to know us a little bit better. She was a little bit unsure at first but once she got to Camp she was a natural! She helped with certification, made friends with so many of the YCLs and girls there, and took so much of the Spirit in from Camp and I could definately see a change in her. Not that she was at all a bad person, but she just seemed happy and filled with the Love of Christ. Even though we were dirty and gross, we had a blast and you never would have been able to guess that she wasn't a member of our church!

What?!

I forgot to tell you that part? :)

Yep, Shelby isn't LDS.

And her testimony made it all worthwhile, and seeing her grow and start learning more about the gorspel made Camp not only a service exprerience, but a missionary one as well. :)

All in all, Camp was increadible and while I'm sad to leave it, I have a feeling that I won't be leaving it for long... but I guess we'll just have to wait and see. :)