Girls camp this year was a stake wide girls camp up at Heber Valley Camp.
I actually really prefer ward camp. We can have less rules, more freedom to do what we want and it's a great chance to get to know each other well. That said.... We had a great time and with very little effort on my part.
I got to go on a backpacking hike/overnighter with these lovely girls.
They enjoyed the ropes courses.
And a fun hike to the lake. I told them I thought I knew a faster way back. It was shorter (if you take out the time we spent getting ourselves UN-lost :). But it was straight up. I felt bad.
We played endless games. Cards, signs, mafia etc.
I stayed up late with them one night. They wanted to pull an all night-er. But the strange animal noises coming from the woods put an end to that around 2 am. We had fun playing cards and looking at the stars until then though.
It really was just a great experience. My girls are no-nonsense, no trouble, all fun, all kind, all good, all gorgeous and seriously the best 11 girls on that mountain. I'm sure of it.
And that's where, even a month later, I can' stop crying.
You see, a month ago (about 30 minutes before I was set to get up and talk in church) they announced that our stake was undergoing some serious boundary changes. And since I'm no dummy.... I knew that meant that my time as young women's president to this fantastic group was cut short. (I live on the very far corner of our ward... if anyone was out... it would be us and I was right. Actually, our whole ward was split into just about three equal parts.)
It really has broken my heart. The first year was hard. We had fun, but I had a big learning curve and it was hard. The second year was sure to be easier and it wasn't... it was HARD! But something about going through such a difficult thing... such a stretching calling, made me just fall in love with the calling and the girls and the leaders that I worked with. And I was SO looking forward to one more year to really get it right. SIGH!
In the last few months I have actually looked forward to giving the lessons at church. Something that used to scare me to death. Don't get me wrong.... I would still get nervous and I'm sure I didn't get an awful lot better at it, but that "I'm going to die" feeling was FINALLY gone.
I loved that the lessons were simple and easy to understand but deeper and more interactive than primary. Right at my level. I think I learned more about the gospel in these last two years than the last thirty something combined.
I loved getting to know and working with the leaders. Seriously. My Laurels advisor was my hero. She is fun, she gets teenagers, she knows a lot about the gospel, she is really good at teaching and I've never heard her say anything bad about anyone. Oh and they were probably all lying but they always made me feel good about how I was doing as a totally inadequate young women's president. My counselors were always there to help me and support me. I knew they were right from the start and I was happy that they accepted the calling. And good grief.... they knew me... they knew my family.
Going to the new ward is hard. I know very few people and the ones I do know it's more like, "I know where you live and I say hi to you now and then." Not the, "I've been through hard times with you and I've seen your children grow up and I know what you like and you know those things about me." It will come, but right now I just miss it and I don't want to bother.
And now that it's over, I'm finding that my timid, introverted self really enjoyed having weekly plans. Having a responsibility and a group to hang with every week.... well.... I miss it.
Now I'm in the primary presidency. Its a good calling. It doesn't take nearly as much time. I need to give it my all like I did before. I hope I can. I'm not there yet. But I hope I can. I am trying to have faith that these changes are for the best. I'm trying to have faith that even better friendships, growth and opportunities will come from these changes. Sometimes though... I wish it away.
In the mean time, I cry when I see our girls camp pictures or find a great link on pinterest for Young Women's. And I get a little jealous as I drive by the church on a Wednesday night and don't go in. (well, I'm sure I could if I really wanted to.... but that might be a little weird)
SIGH! Oh well. on to the next.
