For Youth Conference this year, we did a Survivor theme. I've never really watched the show, but it sounded fun so I was game. Last week on Thursday, we traveled through the mountains to none other than: North Fork Camp Ground!!!! Yes, I know we are pretty cool. There we were divided into tribes, who are like family's on trek. We did lots of challenges, ate yummy food, and had a really great time!! I was going to steal from pictures from my friend Whitney, but the computer wouldn't let me, so I will just tell you about it.
Once we got into tribes (everyone knows that we were the coolest), our first challenge was to put up our tents. First tribe to finish gets a prize, last tribe gets kitchen duty. Out of twelve tribes, we happily got eighth. Then we could chill with our tribes. With my tribe, we played farkel. Its a fun dice game, and I won!!! I had never even heard of it before. I guess I just have good luck.
Our next challenge was to pass a wet sponge over-under all the way to the last person in line, who would run to another bucket and squish it in a pipe to get as much water out as possible. Then they would hold the pipe, and the remaining person would run back, get the sponge wet, over-under, you get the picture. First tribe to win won glorious and fabulous prizes. Loser got kitchen duty. I am happy to report that we got third on that challenge. GO TEAM!!! I mean TRIBE!!!
After that fun adventure, we went back with our tribes, played more farkel, until they called us back for ANOTHER challenge. This time there was a cookie sheet, flint, a piece of metal, and fabric. As you can guess, the challenge was making fire. Up above the cookie sheet and such, there was yarn that went from station to station with a cup full of water for each station. The goal was to get a fire big enough to break the string and have the cup fall. We were the first tribe to get a real fire going, but sadly, we came in third. Again. Yes, it was a sad day.
After all our challenges, we had dinner and then we headed to a pavilion where we had a guest speaker. Our guest speaker was a lady who was in a wheelchair. She was paralyzed from the waist down without the use of her hands. She told us how she was in St. George, and was hopping on boulders, when she saw another one. She jumped to go to it, and then realized that it was really a hill far away, and she fell off a cliff. She told us how service had helped her in her life, so that she wouldn't get angry. She was really an amazing person. She shared with us these two sayings: "When life gets to hard to stand, keep on rolling." That is her personal motto that she shares with everyone. She also shared this: "You often find people and their strongest, when they are helping someone else up." They were really nice. I am so grateful that she could come and speak to us.
After the speaker, we all got donuts and then headed back to our tribes. In my tribe, we played Big Booty, and I was the Big Booty the WHOLE time!!! As soon as I got out, we had to stop, because no one could bear it. Just kidding. It was because it was late. But the girls in my tent had no intentions of going to bed. We stayed up until two in the morning, giggling and singing "Tangled" songs. Yes, we had fun.
The next morning, we all got up, ate breakfast, and then we did yet another challenge. The challenge was, we all got a sticker with a job on it (i.e. logger, puzzed, tosser, fisher, builder, ect.) and they had to do that job. For example, the logger would saw wood, then they would move to another station where the builder would build a house of cards. After each station, puzzle pieces were awarded, and the final task was for the puzzed person (that was me) to put together a puzzle, and it was the 13th article of faith. Sadly, :( our team got last place and we had to set up the kitchen for lunch. The other half of the challenge was we made bags of school supplies for the children of Honduras.
After lunch, we did a challenge on dating. We divided into three groups, each one going to a different station. My group first went to a place where we did speed dating. We got to know people and it was fun. Then we went to a station where they talked about the rules and stuff not to do when you are on a date, and to pick a wholesome partner. After that we went to a station where we learned about dating etiquette.
A game my tribe would play during our free time was Honey I Love You but I Just Can't Smile. That game is really fun, especially where you get some very dramatic people playing. I can't say I was the champion of this game, but it was fun.
Later that night, we had a testimony meeting with our ward, and then we had a testimony meeting with our tribes. It was very spiritual and I am very glad that we did it. I was even mentioned in our ward one. A guy in my tribe went up and said, "I know what camping is all about. Its not about the thin pad you have, making a rock stab you in the back all night, or the loud neighbors that keep you up all night..." that was "not us." Not at all. P.S. and we didn't stay up that night until two in the morning!! OK, yes we did :)
In the morning, we woke up and put on blindfolds. We weren't really sure what we were doing. Then we all grabbed hands and we started going up a mountain. Along the way, the would drop people off, letting them take off their blindfold and then giving then a packet and some trail mix. I was the second to last one to go, so I went up pretty high. You had to put all your trust in your leaders because you couldn't see where you were going. When they did lead me off, and handed me my packet, I opened it. First you read a poem. Then you wrote a letter to your mom and your dad, saying how much you love and appreciate them. Then you answered some questions, and then they asked you to pray. I felt a lot like Joseph Smith because I was surround by trees and animals. It was so nice and I could feel the spirit so much. After we did that, we hiked back down, and started packing.
Youth Conference was really fun! I am so glad that I could participate in that and I can't wait until next year. It was such a spiritual experience for me and I am really glad that I got the chance to participate in it. I can truly say that I am a survivor, seeking after these things.
