Flashback to Young Womens

 I've just been called to be a Laurel Advisor in my ward and am super excited to get to work with the Young Women! I loved YW growing up and was even "lucky enough" to get to participate in 2 YW programs.

So with this new calling and planning activities, I have been deep into my memories of my experiences growing up and all the ways that my testimony was strengthened through participating in YW.

Battlecreek 1st Ward

This was the ward that I grew up in, which became my "dad's ward" around age 10.

I remember when I turned 12, mom Annette came in to introduce me to the YW and had a basket of all sorts of nice gifts for me. I was so excited.

 At our Evening of Excellence we would set up display tables "about us".

I was big into scrap booking and my journal jar is there because ever since I had a lesson in YW about reading my scriptures everyday and writing in my journal every day, I did.

I think it was at New Beginnings I sang my first ever solo. I sang "Send Me" and that is when I first realized that I get hives all over my neck when I get nervous or emotional. At another Evening of Excellence I sang "In His Embrace" with Katey and it wasn't so bad that time. Duets are my thing, no solos.

2000

My first YW camp at Mutual Dell.

2001

While I was living at Thornberry I went to YW camp with my moms ward near Scofield.

I remember our Olympic event was sumo wrestling and our skit was about being spiritually buff. 

That summer I also went to YW camp with my dad's ward at Mutual Dell.

We had a Star Wars theme and that year the leaders had all of our parents write us letters that we got to open and read one night at camp.

Kami Baldwin, Me, Katey Shelton, Shalise Hardy

 One of the nights there was a huge storm and the whole stake went to sleep in the lodge. Our ward was lucky enough to get the kitchen so that is where we all slept together that night! I slept on the counter. I also loved doing singing trees that year. Once it got dark each group sat in a different grove of trees and took turns turning their flashlights on and sing a song. My favorite game at camp was the animal game with a sound and a sign to pass to other people. And I loved quiet time when we went off to read and write in our journals. And of course listening to Sister Spencer tell us about the time she rode in Ted Bundy's car!

Katey, Natasha Love, Erin Parry, Me

 2002

 I went to Mutual Dell twice! Once with my dads ward and then again with my mom's ward.

Erin, Katey, Madeline Shelton, Me

Laura Yarn, Rachel Smart, Me, Chelsea Yarn, Whitey Warburton

2003 

Stake camp at Mutual Dell again. I wasn't with my ward, but luckily my friend Megan Meacham was in my stake.

That year my moms ward went to Bear Lake though and it was so much fun! I still remember the song that Rachel Smart made up on the way to camp.

"Everyone come to the meadow, for some camp wide games that are morally clean and fun.

you can dodge a ball, you can run run run, 

you can have so much fun fun fun, that is morally clean.

You know what I mean.

Cause the Women of the Woods are there, and they care, they care for bears.

But while swimming in the water, ferocious beavers like to slaughter!

And blood will fly and everyone will die in the meadow of fun, 

now this song is done."

We went out on a sail boat and I also got eaten alive by mosquitoes!

On our way home we got to tour the Minnetonka Cave.

 I got to go to EFY with Kayla that summer at BYU Provo. It was the year of Look and Live.

I LOVED EFY!

 2004

I went with my dads ward to YW at Mutual Dell and was a first time YCL with Katey. 

"I love my Savior so much and want to have no regrets when I'm able to see Him again. Without Him trials are impossible, but through everything He will help us and we can be closer to Him through them. Every commandment counts and we'll be happier for following all of them. My most precious possession is my testimony. I'm grateful for the Book of Mormon and reading it this summer has been clearer than last time. I'm thankful for my Savior. I love Him and that I can talk to Him with prayer."

 I got to go to EFY with Kayla again that summer, but we went to Logan and the theme was Stand in the Light.

My mom's ward took us to Yuba Lake for our Laurel Retreat that summer, but I guess I didn't go to YW camp with them.

Rachel, Brittany, Chelsea, Amy, Whitney, Me and Laura

 2005

 That was the year I think my dad's ward backpacked into the Uintah Mountains, but I stayed home to work. Kinda bummed about that now. I didn't like hiking back then, but now I love it.

I went with my moms ward to Aspen Lakes for YW camp.

Whitney, Me, Libby Thompson

 We swam, canoed and rode a zip line into the water too! We did a fun midnight murder mystery one night and a value walk another night.

It was an emotional year for me though cause my mom moved out of that ward so it was my last year with them.

 I wrote down my testimony again that year though:

"I am glad I got to come to camp since I can't go to YW as much as I want and I'm thankful for my leaders. I know this church is true and I know that the trials we're given help strengthen our testimony. I am thankful for my family and hope I can be an example to my siblings cause they look up to me. I don't know how someone could feel the spirit like I have and not want to have that more, I love it! I love my Savior and know that he lives and loves me. I'm going to miss this ward, you've been so much fun and I love all of you."

I LOVE testimony meeting at YW camp. Best testimony meeting ever. I bore mine every year. I think it's what strengthened my own testimony more than anything else because the spirit I felt around those fires was unforgettable!

 I had amazing leaders and did so many fun activities. We hiked Mt. Timpanogos, tubed at Soldier Hollow, and one of my more memorable activities was doing pedicures and starting a 10 day walk with Christ. Each morning for 10 days we had an envelope to open with a story in it. 

I remember playing Where's Waldo at the mall, looking for different people dressed up from our ward, Fear Factor, visiting the developmental center and learning to bake cinnamon rolls.

 I also loved our snow camp where we made these big burritos to sleep in and went to Mutual Dell and played in the snow and then slept outside in the snow too!

I remember a laurel retreat to Sister Schellenberg's cabin and youth conferences.

In 2005 I had finished all of my personal progress requirements and received my YW medallion!

It bothers me when some wards just hand a girl her necklace in sacrament meeting when the boys get a whole court of honor to recognize their achievements. Luckily my ward made all 3 of us getting our awards that night a slide show and had our parents get up to say something. Which is why I have criers face in this pic! I still remember my dad talking about how when I was little I would sing
"I am a child of God and He has sent me here,
has given me an earthly home with parents kind and WEIRD
Lead me guide me walk INSIDE me, help me find the way..."
and that even though my parents might be weird they'll always love me and that he hopes the Spirit will always walk inside me.

 2006

That was the year I graduated from High School. I didn't go to YW camp, but I did go on an American/Church history tour back east that summer and with my family and my dad's ward on trek to Martin's cove in Wyoming!

Kami, Me and Ashley Fausett

2007

This was EmmaLee's first year at YW camp so I got permission to go up for a night! 

They were at Castle Dell so we got to go boating and to the Castle Valley Pageant too. And I made sure to be there the night of testimony meeting. My favorite part.

"You are happiest when you are doing what's right. Once you move away from home nobody is there making you go to church. You need to go because you want to. Today's trials are tomorrows testimony. So true! Trials teach us so much about what we need to know, as long as we use them to help us improve."

 

 During one of our YW activities we started making quilts at Sister Schellenberg's house. I actually have a scar on my finger from being cut with a rotary cutter than night. Anyways, I cut all my squares, but never made my quilt. While I was in the MTC Sister Schellenberg mailed me the finished quilt! I LOVE this quilt. She even machine stitched different pictures on the quilt, like of us boating, camping etc.

 I just cannot believe all the planning that went into all these activities and am so thankful for wonderful leaders than helped me have a very worthwhile experience in the Young Women's program growing up. I hope I can be that for these girls I get to work with now. The youth have such battles to fight, they need spiritual experiences, they need testimonies and they need to know that their Savior is there for them and wants them to be happy.