I Know - Girls Camp 2018

Last week I had the opportunity to go up to our Stake Girls camp again as the Stake Camp Director. It was again another amazing week. I was a little nervous going into the planning of the week because last time we did this it turned out to be one of the most spiritual experiences I have ever had. I should not have doubted the Lord and his work.

The most fundamental truth I have learned is that if you listen closely enough, and find the theme the Lord wants you to have, the camp plans itself. The hang-ups happen when you second guess what you think you know.

Two years ago, as we were winding up our camp experience, one of my camp assistants bore her testimony, and as part of her testimony, she testified of the value and worth of being a mother. The spirit prompted me way back then that this should be our theme for camp. So when it came time to start planning, that is where I began. I began reading the story of the Sons of Helaman because every mother loves that story. I then read the verse that says, " We did not doubt, our mothers knew." As so often happens when I am reading the scriptures, my mind wandered a little, and I got caught up on the word KNEW. What did those mothers know, and why did their boys have no fear going off to war because of what they had learned from their mothers. Not only that, but why did their faith protect their boys. Bottom line, . . . there is power in knowing, and there is power in motherhood.

So our camp theme sprouted, and the Lord took it from there.

Our camp theme was, "I Know", and our song was Army of Helaman with an added forth verse.

Our mothers know the scriptures are true.

And by their examples we learn in our youth;

Their faith is strong, so ours too will be,

Our mothers know it and so will we.

We can raise an army of Helaman,

We have been taught since our youth,

And we can be the Lord's Marching Army,

To bring the world his truth.

In order to add this verse, I had to get permission. I hunted on the internet, and made a few calls, and then I called a number I found on Janice Kapp Perry's website, and started making my plea to the person who answered. When from the other end I heard, "This is Janice Kapp Perry." She gave us permission, and made me promise not to sing it outside of camp, and we were set.

We wanted the girls to know they can become as the mothers of the stripling warriors, and they come from mothers who know.  Often times when the Lord wants something to come about, it is through the righteous influence of a mother that it is brought to pass. President Nelsen in his address to the youth, stated that the Lord needs the youth to join the Lord's magnificent army, and I can not think of a better way to influence the world than by becoming what the Lord designed them to be. Women of the Lord. Complementing man, not fighting against them. The Lord needs them to know they are divine beings, sent to earth to bring about a divine work. They were saved for just this purpose. 

Everything thing we planned had a purpose:

The Faith Walk: Highlighted the role women had in the scriptures, the roles and responsibilities women have today, how learning the gospel strengthens women, and how they were created to be creators, and that marriage and family is one of the most important goals to obtain. Then we brought them into the lodge with I Know statements from each of the girls mothers. Emphasizing that they indeed come from Mother's who know, and are surrounded by righteous women in their lives. Sister Linda K. Burton and her husband helped us put together a video emphasizing that it is not just our secluded area of the world focusing on this issue. This is a global principle. I particularly liked a story she relayed about a successful business woman who had married later in life, and gave up her career to be a wife and a mother. When she was questioned why she would give it all up she answered, "You thought this was my goal all a long, but you misunderstood. My goal was always to get married and have a family." We had girls lingering in the lodge pondering and reading late in the night. We had bishops thanking us for choosing the theme we did because their girls needed this message. We had leaders contemplating just as much as the girls. In fact, it was a hard theme to choose, and one that I was very worried about going forth with. It is one thing to feel so strongly yourself about something, and live accordingly, but it is another altogether to present something the world doesn't want to be shared. 

The Craft:  We taught the girls a skill their grandmothers knew. Something the grandmothers did to bring comfort to their families. We taught the girls how to piece a quilt. Then we put the blocks together to make a quilt, and then donated to sisters in our stake. Material was donated by the sisters, and also one will be given to Sister and Brother Burton. While we were instructing them on why we were teaching them how to quilt, we held up quilts and told stories that went with them. Every quilt has a story!! It was during one of the latter wards to come through that I realized these girls knew more than I given them credit for. When I held up one of my mom's quilts that had been well loved, and was falling apart, and started telling the story, a voice in the audience said, "I have one that looks just like that one." It was then that I knew, everyone identifies with something they use to comfort them. To some it is a blanket, to others it might be something else, but we all need ways to cope. These girls know the reality of living in the world today, and they could very much identify with the need to be the one who brings comfort to others.

(After we came home, Cayla took the blocks, and worked with another sister in the stake to create the first quilt for the Burtons. It turned out beautiful, and I was again inspired to make a change to our plans. The girls needed to see the quilt before it was given away, and the Relief Society sisters who donated the material needed to see the final product of the girls' efforts. I took it around to all the wards, and had the wonderful opportunity to testify to the sisters of our stake of the importance of women. They matter, and they needed to hear they matter. The world does not validate the work of mothers, but I will. On a day to day basis, everything we do has to be done again. We clean, we have to do it again. We cook, we have to do it again. We do laundry, we have to do it again. We teach, we have to do it again and again, but over time...everything we do matters!! Just like the quilt. Stitch by stitch, beautiful lives come together.)

The Fireside: Bishop Burton from the Angel Crossing Ward was our speaker, and he spoke about what it means to KNOW Christ, and how we all learn differently. It was perfect!!

The Hike: Sister Ashley Wenzel, one of my YCLs, texted me a few days before camp volunteering to do anything to help for camp. She wanted to go with the 4th year hikers, but due to the numbers of hikers going, she couldn't go. When I realized this, I was prompted to put her in charge of our stake hike. All I can say is WOW!! She LED the way, and President Stringham let her!! She gave a fabulous devotional at the top of the mountain, and many girls were impacted by the words she spoke. The hike is terrifying to a lot of the girls, and this was a good activity to make them not only recognize they could do hard things, but they could also relate it to life. Well done Ashley!!

The Flags and Skits: The skits this year turned out so cute. We gave them notice before camp, and a theme to stick to. They took it from there. We told them we wanted them to make their own Title of Liberties, and to plan their skit around the things in their lives that are worth fighting for. We had everything from Minnions, and Mulon to skits using lyrics from songs. The night was highly entertaining, and I loved how they were not focused so much on the negative, but rather the positive things in our lives worth fighting for. Yay!! huge success.

Family Home Evening: The Camp Presidency planned and carried out the lesson, discussion, and the dance party that followed. I was worried a little about the lesson, but the DANCE PARTY was big. I think we found a new tradition!!

Flag Ceremonies: I delegated!!! And, it was the best thing I ever did. Not only was I not stressed about getting all the information out to the ward each time we met, but Nancy took the flag ceremony to the next level. She made sure she found the girls doing the flag ceremony beforehand and ran through it to make sure they knew what they were doing. So, So Smart!! The girls were more aware and reverent during the actual presentation. And,... I was relaxed and enjoying camp!!

Camp Gifts:  We found an amazing deal on quilts back in February and bought a whole bunch. It was the perfect gift to hand out. We didn't know at the time we bought them that we were going to make quilts as part of our craft. It tied the whole thing together.

Over all, camp was again an amazing experience. I am so blessed to have been given the chance to be a part of it again. Girls Camp is important to the Lord. I am so humbled to have been chosen to be the one to lead it the last couple of years, and to work with such amazing ladies. The Lord loves the youth of the Church, and has a plan for them. They are going to do amazing things during the winding up phase of this earth life. I truly believe that they are going to succeed in large part due to the righteous influences of women. They truly are ready to lead the way.

I KNOW there is power in being a woman. I KNOW there is power in being a mother. I KNOW they are an instrumental part of God's plan, and I KNOW He loves each and every one of his children and they matter to Him!!

Here is my I Know statement from the Faith Walk:

I KNOW my Savior. I love Him. I trust Him, and lean on him often. His love for us is the very reason we are here, and why we have hope in this life and in the next.