Our Girls’ Camp dates were switched three times but in the end it worked out for the best.
Right after summer break I was praying and thinking about whom to call to help me with Girls’ Camp. One Sunday in September President Bird, the district counselor over me, told me to submit names for someone to be my counselor that day. I still didn’t have any names to give him. In sacrament meeting that day, Debbie Spencer got up to lead the music and I had a strong feeling I should ask for her. I had thought of her before but I knew they were leaving in less than four months to move to Australia. I asked for her anyway and she turned out to be exactly whom we needed for Girls’ Camp.
The first camp date was set for the end of September but two branch YW presidents had not been called yet so we had to postpone. The new date set in October fell through because ¼ of our girls were in a volleyball tournament. The third date was set for November 22-23. After changing the dates with Meadowbrook (the location we were going to hold it) and ordering t-shirts Emma came home with bad news—the Concordia dance gala had been moved to the afternoon of November 23. Debbie also had a daughter in the dance gala, so she offered to hold camp at her house, making it possible to slip away for a couple hours for the gala.
It ended up being one of the girls’ favorite camp experiences in recent years. The theme was “His Hands.” We had a fun dinner of stew and biscuits lit by lanterns at the Newmans’, bonfire with s’mores, a hike along the river to the Spencers’, devotionals, sleeping in tents in the Spencers’ backyard, baked oatmeal and hot chocolate, morning yoga, skits, several hours of first aid certifications, decorating aprons and sugar cookies and a powerful testimony meeting.
John has attended all 3 of the Girls’ Camps in Shanghai — I couldn’t do this district calling without him!
The YW leaders
Morning hot chocolate on the way to yoga
Experiencing unusually warm weather!
Making aprons
