Girls Camp

We went to girls camp the first week in June.  Girls Camp is always so hard to sum up.  So many experiences are packed in to just a few days.  We had our first Utah girls camp experience.  It left me with mixed emotions.  I loved the camp at Heber Valley! The facilities were great and it was such a peaceful, beautiful place.

The differences between here and Fresno North Stake were hard for me to adjust to.  It was the first time I had ever heard of girls not excited to go to camp.   They only have stake camp every 4 years.  The other years, camp is held on a ward level. It is often just over a weekend and never in the same place.  Sometimes they are in tents, sometimes in cabins.   The program isn't defined and carried on from one year to the next, so the girls never really know what to expect.   It made me sad and honestly, made me not want to raise my girls here.  Girls Camp can be such an amazing experience and something I always looked forward to. 

Heber Valley Camp was designed for the purpose of Girls Camp, but because there are so many wards and stakes that want to use it, there aren't enough weeks in the summer to accommodate everyone.  There is a waiting list.  I'm not sure what the answer is or how to get everyone on the same page.  As the week went on, I could see how a little consistency could work out the bugs they were experiencing and help them to use the facilities to their full potential.  

This year was stake camp, but we still slept and functioned on a ward level.  Every day, we would have activities that we would gather together for with the whole stake.  I just kept wishing I could bring them to girls camp in California to show them how awesome it could be!

With that being said, the girls still managed to have a great experience!  We did crafts,

Goofed off in our cabins,

we did silly skits

They had an amazing ropes course!

                             Amanda, Tiffany, Sabrina, Nicki, Debi (in the back), Robyn, and Me

                                          That's Jessica way up on the wires.

We went on a couple of hikes

The view of Heber Valley from the top on one of our hikes was beautiful!

We went canoeing one afternoon.

                                                            Christina and Jessica

Jen and Lynda

                                     We had fun at our devotionals in the amphitheater.

                                                       Chloe, Katie and Jessica

Nicki and Robyn

We hung out with our friends.

                                                            Abby and Jessica

Sabrina, Abb'ey, Me

                                      Lynda, Melanie, Jenny, Sabrina, Tiffany, Lesa, Nicki

                                                          Sabrina, Me, Tiffany
We took time every day to read our scriptures and enjoy our beautiful surroundings.

I was so impressed with Jessica.  I watched as she reached out to a girl who really needed a friend.  She hiked with her, left her notes on her bed and invited the girl to eat with her and her friends.  I love the tender side of Jessica.  She has a very nurturing heart.