Youth Conference 2009

Fire Mountain Scout CampThis bear is carved out of the stump of a tree and sits outside the main lodge.
Our Theme for Youth Conference was --
"Because We Believe"
Each person was "called" on a mission and assigned to one of 12 missions. They were assigned a companion and district. All of our activities were based around a missionary theme.
Fire Mountain Scout camp is in a very beautiful area and the facilities are very nice and well maintained.

Kyle and I were down by the lake and saw an eagle hunting...he never did dive but he was hunting....and it was very cool to watch.

More of the camp....

Kyle and I were assigned to sleep in the Black Hawk camp. Each camp has 4 cabins. Each cabin sleeps eight people and is equipped with wooden bunk-beds. There are 2 leader "dog houses" for each camp. I showed Kyle the cabins and asked if he was going to stay there with the other guys. He walked in, looked around and said, "All done." I took that as a "NO", so he and I slept in one of the dog houses.
One of the cabins....
Our "dog house" -- not the most posh lodgings -- but it was comfortable, kept the rain out and I could stand upright, even in the corners......
This is a portion of the mural in the main lodge. It depicts many of the activities available at the camp, and makes the inside of the lodge very colorful.

The map of the world has pins that indicate each of the "missions" represented at the conference. There were three big flags and then, there was a trivia game on the tables to match the mission with the flag and fun facts.

DAY ONE

After we arrived at the camp and ate lunch -- there was an "obstacle course" laid out for the youth. This was a contest where each task helped their district (8-10 kids) acquire points. They got to choose which tasks they completed -- with three tasks being mandatory. The tasks were: Pack a suitcase/tie a tie; Write letters to Missionaries; Scripture chase; Bike Ride challenge; Temples dot the Earth; Group musical presentation; Cultural learning; Foreign language; Foreign Food challenge; Physical fitness; Companion triathlon; Name that Hymn; and the three mandatory tasks were -- Missionary discussion; Zone conference; District meeting.

The district with the highest score won a prize and the prize was front row with a huge bag of candy and other goodies while we watched a movie that night in the lodge. It was a lot of fun to watch them decide which tasks to do. I walked around just a little and took some photo's -- and also worked at the letter writing station. Kyle went with his district for the day.

The Food

The food was fantastic! We had barbcue pork sandwich, barbcued ribs and chicken, taco salad, hoagies, pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, orange/apple juice, fruit loops, Captain Crunch, cinnamon rolls, popcorn, candy, cobbler, mini-pies and brownie sundaes.....there was soooo much good food and I don't think anyone went hungry -- if they did it was their own fault.

Kyle had -- bread, applesause and chips -- all brought from home. But he had fun mixing in and sitting with everyone else who was partaking of the bounty.

The tables were decorated with flags and flowers in every color of the rainbow.
Bernie Wilkinson and me -- chatting after lunch on the first day.
Kyle sitting with Sam Aguirre
After the activities and dinner on the first day we had a fireside. President Showalter of the Washington, Everett Mission spoke and then we watched the movie -- "The Best Two Years".
Day Two

Climbing Wall
Day two started with a huge breakfast and instruction on etiquette and why it's important to be polite and learn to get along with others.

The days activities consisted of 4 -- hour and a half blocks -- the kids were divided up and sent to different areas, then they rotated through until they'd done each activity. At each activity, there was a speaker who spoke about sharing the gospel -- and each had a specific subject and they were to liken the activity to the subject. I was speaking at the climbing wall. I had read and studied and prayed. I could not make my subject match to a climbing wall. Derek wrote me an outline of how he thought it should go -- then he gave me some sound advice: "Mom," he said, "Less is more! They aren't gonna want to listen to you yammering on for 20 minutes -- so if you can do it in less, that's what I'd suggest."

I didn't use his notes and I didn't go over 5 minutes on any of the groups. You can tell when people stop listening to you -- as their gaze wanders to the wall......that's when you sit down. What did I talk about? Didn't use Derek's notes or any of the things I'd prepared. Because my subject was -- How to share the gospel with someone who's interested -- and personal preparation is what I kept coming back to -- how can you share something that you know nothing about? So -- we prepare ourselves and the answers will come when we need them.
This climbing wall has three vertical sides that you can climb -- with varying degrees of difficulty. It also had a horizontal climbing wall around the outside. Jeff Wrigley (bottom middle and right) was able to climb around it twice without falling.....it was amazing to watch. Many tried and the funniest one was the kid who had someone kneel and hold him up while he used the handgrips.......
Kyle's group came to the climbing wall as the last group. It had not rained all day and when they got there......it started to rain. Kyle doesn't like the rain -- but he tried the wall.
Rick attaches the rope so that Kyle can climb.
The harder it rained....the less inclined Kyle was to climb.

This is as far as he would go -- but he tried. When he was done we went to the lodge where it was dry and waited for dinner!

Boats

I'm not sure who spoke at the boats -- or what the subject was....but I know that the kids had fun! You could hear them singing -- mostly Disney songs -- while they paddled their canoes. They had fun swamping the boats, or just jumping out and swimming for shore.

Did Kyle get in a boat? No! But, Bud Harkcom (bottom-middle) assured me that he had a PFD (life jacket) on and was almost ready to get in -- if there had been an extra boat and Bud had gone with him -- he thinks Kyle would have tried it out.

ArcheryAll the activities were fun....but I heard the most about popping the balloons with the arrows.

Kyle did shoot the bow -- and he did hit and pop a balloon. Woo HOO! It took some friendly persuasion from Dean Jolly and Doug Crandall who got him out there and helped him figure out how to hold the bow.

Kyle somehow talked Brother Chang out of his hat! And he wore for the first activity. I made him give it back at lunch.

Rifles
The subject at the rifle range was -- How to share the gospel with someone who's hostile -- when I heard the subject from Reed Carlson (the one speaking) I didn't feel so bad about my assignment anymore!

Kyle wouldn't try the guns.

Jeff Burnham -- our Stake President -- watching one of the activities -- not sure which one, but he made the rounds to all of them at one point during the day.
After the activities and dinner -- we had a fireside and President Burnham spoke to us -- then there was the dance.

The Dance

Just a few words about the dance! It was amazing! The kids all danced and those who didn't it was by their choice. Kyle (bottom -middle & right) had a blast.

He danced with everyone! And not just at the dance but at every meal or downtime and not once did I see a young woman turn him down.The line dance was so cool! No one sat out -- except for me -- I'd been relegated to a corner where I was told, "You sit here." Kyle wanted his space and I was happy to give it.....He didn't have any problem dancing with the other leaders and every girl in the place -- but dancing with your mom is NOT cool!Dancing with Hilary Skinner --he danced with Hilary whenever he got the chance -- but this picture was at the start of the dance. On the last dance of the night -- a slow dance -- everyone had paired off and was dancing. Kyle was standing in the middle of the floor watching. I was standing in my corner with my heart breaking just a little bit from watching him watch others -- he's so often on the outside looking in -- I was praying, "please let him dance the last dance." When I saw someone run from the back of the room where she was getting a drink.....she ran to Kyle and danced the last dance with him -- my prayer was answered -- the young woman? Hilary Skinner. Did she know she answered my prayer? No, but she revealed her kind, compassionate and loving heart and I am so grateful to her.This is during the dance -- but I'm not sure who the young woman is.....
The one above and the few below are not at the dance -- just at odd times when we were in the lodge and a willing partner was available.

Day Three

After breakfast the youth were asked to write their testimony on a sheet of paper that had their picture on it -- these will be used to help the full-time missionaries serving in our wards when someone investigating the church asks why people believe. There was a lot of thought and contemplation and peace during the time they were writing.

We had a testimony meeting -- it always amazes me, the depth of spirituality that these youth have, the many burdens that they carry and the things that weigh on their hearts. These times when they can come together and remember why they believe and spend time with others who believe as they do are invaluable. All the testimonies were good but one stood out to me, and I believe to everyone else too. Devin Munk -- a young man, the same age as Kyle, was hiking two years ago with his family, when he fell from a one hundered foot cliff. They didn't expect him to live, let alone walk again. He came to youth conference and had his wheelchair, but also was using crutches to walk short distances. Using his cructches, Devin walked to the front of the outdoor chapel we were using, and testified that, "there is nothing in this life you can't do, if you have faith in Jesus Christ." A living testimony of a truth he lives everyday.

Clean-up

Dean Jolly, Doug Crandall, Denene Crandall and Kyle.

Kyle followed Denene around like a puppy dog for the entire last day we were there.Kyle and I packed up and loaded the van before breakfast, so while others were cleaning their camps and loading the trucks, Kyle and I went to throw rocks in the water.

Kyle with Rick -- Rick came up to me and asked Kyle's shirt size. He then ran off and came back with a shirt. He said, "I wanted to give this to you. I was at an LDS encampment a few years ago with the boys scouts and I want you to have this shirt." It has a likeness of Captain Moroni on the back. Then, acting a bit embarrassed, Rick left for a staff meeting. It was such a nice thing for him to do.....he'd helped him at the climbing wall the day before. Kyle put the shirt on and wore it on top of two other shirts for two days.....until I could coax him to let me wash it.

Spencer Calvert, Hilary Skinner, Kyle, Makenzie Pollard.

Spencer was very good to include Kyle. One day at lunch he noticed that no one was sitting with Kyle, so he came over sat by him and then said, "C'mon Kyle lets go to our next activity."

Kyle with Nathan Lees -- Nathan was one of Kyle's "companions" and he was also a peer mentor with Kyle in the sixth grade.

Youth Conference was such a treat for me. I was able to go to ensure that Kyle would go, stay and particpate. He did great and had a fun time. I was so proud of myself too. For an entire day and a half, Kyle was with the other kids ALL the time -- without me -- and I survived! Everyone knows that most of the issues are mine and not Kyle's. But it's such a habit to make sure that he's safe, that he doesn't wander off, that he's protected, that sometimes I forget to let him branch out and live. So, while this was a baby step for me, it's a step I took, survived and might repeat again. I was able to watch such small and simple acts of kindness and compassion between these youth -- when they didn't think twice about it .....or even realize that it was service. I watched as two young men helped a young woman who was suffering from vertigo, stand and walk to share her testimony, and help her return to her seat. I watched them help Devin, the young man in the wheel chair, with his meals and a myriad other small things that meant a lot to me. I got to be a part of it all -- and it reinforces what I know -- that God lives, that He loves each of us and knows us by name. That Jesus is The Christ, that He gave His life that may live again. That the truth has been restored to the earth and that we have a living prophet on the earth today. How blessed I am to have this knowledge and how blessed I am to have been part of this great conferenc.