Youth Confernce

Note:  The camera came home yesterday with no obvious signs of distress--only a newly cleaned sensor and a record of another 38K + photos since last time.  Feeling much better.

Today begins our ward's youth conference.  The Boy was on the committee for planning this three-day event but will miss today's activities because of football.  He isn't the only one, as we have four boys in our ward who play for one of the HS teams, but he was the only one of those that was a member of the committee.  I guess that is a lesson he needs to learn better. (I'm crossing my fingers for the trek committee.  He could really use that!)

The whole theme of the weekend is family history centered.  I think that is nice, but our ward sure seems bent on pounding this into us.  I've been taking the Family History class for Sunday school--by request.  And while I have done the assignments I haven't given it my all because I just don't seem to have time to do everything we are lacking.  (Amendment: I have been in the class long before the Olympics began on TV...and I know I have had lots of TV time this week....but that is different.  Right?!)

I am not sure if it is our bishop or the whole ward council who sees the Family History as an issue our wards needs to take care of, like, yesterday.  That is a little mystery to me.  But the youth will be marinated in family history activities all weekend.  Maybe The Girl will get the itch to do some research too.  She already goes to the temple once a week for baptisms--but just does the temple's names.  She gets the importance of it, but hasn't jumped on the research-bandwagon.

I guess, here's hoping.

Genius Golfer is with the kids throughout the conference.  That is one of the perks of being self-employed (as we like to call it here).  He has a pretty free schedule....besides the golfing.  And event hat he has put on hold for a couple of days.  That is serious, for him.

Weekend Update, Part 2

Last week was our Stake Youth Conference.  Three days of activities for youth ages 14-18 that ultimately were meant to draw the kids' hearts to Christ, strengthen their testimonies and develop a sense of unity between them.

Thursday night we held a BBQ and pool party.  You know what they say, "If you feed them, they will come."  It is true.

Lee and Steve feed the multitudes with burgers and dogs...and a unique item dubbed a "Ham-Dog".  I happened to eat toward the end of the cooking and ended up with a triple Ham-Dog.  Whoa.

Teenagers...hungry teenagers.  You've gotta love them!

Fruit, potato salad and veg on the side.  Yumm-OH!

We had an hour at the city pool to ourselves--or so we thought.  There was a little group of three or four kids that I didn't recognize.  I ask President Pam and other adult leaders if they knew these kids.  No one did.  Finally Pam asked them which ward they were from and they told us that they were there "for Austin's birthday".    But none of them had seen this mysterious Austin.  We had heard a rumor that a text was floating to the city's HS population that a pool party was open to the masses--when really, it wasn't!  But they didn't seem too concerned that they cheated their way into a private party--which caused us to pay for each of them to play at the pool.  Crazy, right?

Then we met again on Friday morning for more activities.  Of course, we lived the "If you feed them, they will come" line, once again.

Our fearless cooking crew!  They are awesome!

Some of our lovely young women, just waiting for breakfast.

The crowd beginning to fill in.  8 AM on a Friday in June is still early for some people, I guess.

We had 8 stations of activities.  Two stations had a double rotation through them, as the game required two teams.  All in all the kids rotated 10 times through these stations where they played and worked together and at every point heard a message of love and peace from the scriptures.

Sister C hosted a station where a game was played from the text of  "The Living Christ".

Contestants sat, waiting to help their team, and take their turns.

Steal the Flag took two rotations--but once we moved it to the shade, it was a lot of fun!

Melanie and McKenzie show us their GPS findings at another station.

Bocce Ball in the Park!  Go Madison!  What a throw!

The Rock Wall gave many of our youth a real challenge.  Not to mention the leaders.

A stop indoors was only a cooling off period for a second.  Dodge Ball gets heated even in the best of circumstances!

Ah, Lunch!  We had Big Sandwiches from WalMart along with some fruit, chips and juice.

Ladies first!  What gentlemen youth leaders we have!

We finished up the day with a few more rotations, so each group got to visit each station.  Then we broke up for a bit and met back at  the church, cleaned up in our Sunday clothes for a dinner and dance.

No photographic evidence remains from the evening's activities.  But it was great!  Trust me!

Then Day Three, Saturday, we held a morning side (with doughnuts) at the pavilion near the temple and from there each group left for a service project that lasted all morning.  My personal service project was working the bull pen for  swim meet I had committed to previously, so I have no photos from the Youth Conference projects.  But I know several groups did clean up at local parks, the rodeo grounds, yard work for elderly neighbors and even laid some sod for a family that couldn't get enough help themselves.  Because all these services were offered locally, the blessings were given (and received) by our neighbors and friends.  Each group sounded like they had a wonderful experience and felt the Savior's love as they served in His name.

Then Saturday night, we held a closing devotional with messages from our Young Men's leader, and Stake President.  Plus a special musical number by all the adult leaders of youth--an arrangement by Sister Amy of the Primary hymn, "I Know that My Savior Loves Me", as inspired by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  It was beautiful and powerful and a joy to be a part of for our youth to hear.

For all the good feelings and general Spiritual uplift, I was wasted that night and into the next day.  Crazy how running around with 150-200 teenagers will make you so exhausted.  So that is why I wrote little last week--but at least, no you know.

Kids and Their Plans

So this week is shaping into a busier than usual one here at the cul-de-sac. The Girl will go with the Young Men and Young Women for our ward Youth Conference this weekend--Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Meanwhile, The Boy seems to think that his 11 year old scouts are having a camp out on Thursday night through Friday--through no official word from their leaders, as yet. Then Saturday is the first swim meet of the year and The Boy and The Girl are scheduled to be swimming in that.

I understand that there are only so many weekends in a given summer, and I also realize that the world doesn't revolve around my family. This, however, doesn't change the fact that The Girl thinks she can (and will) be in two places at the same time on Saturday. And The Boy thinks that he can camp out and still be able to swim in the meet without being at the the practice just before the meet! ARGH. Good thing their coaches are so good with these kids. The coaches know that they are all busy, good kids and have always tried to encourage the swimmers to attend Family Reunions, Youth conferences, Girls' and Scout Camps even making exceptions for those swimmers to be able to compete when they get back to "reality".

I know we will figure everything out. With help from another swim parent, Dear Friend Kelly, we will get The Girl to Salt Lake City for the second part of the day on Saturday, and The Boy will camp out with his scout buddies and still swim on Saturday as well.

I'm just glad that my kids are busy being good and doing good things. I imagine what other families have to deal with in terms of wrong choices and their kids and thank my lucky stars (and a Heavenly Father who loves all of us) that we are just having to accommodate lots of good choices. Too bad the kids don't ask what would be convenient for me BEFORE the plans get made. But if it were that easy, then what would I have to write about???