Girl's Camp 2017- F.L.Y.

Last week I was blessed to camp for a few days with the young women in my ward (church congregation).

I went to girl's camp last year, but this year was different. Last year, there were only 4 girls who came to camp; this year we had 12 girls (10 from our ward and then 2 friends). Last year I barely knew the girls since I was new to the ward; this year I already had a good basic relationship with most of the girls and I was able to really see some of those friendships strengthen. Last year it was just me and one other ward leader; this year there were 4 of us leaders, and I think that sometimes we had more fun than the girls. We laughed and sang and talked and told stories. All in all, it was a good camp. 

The theme for camp this year was the first line of the Young Women's theme: "We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us and we love him." Well, the stake leaders admitted that it was rather long and not very catchy, so the created a shortened version: F.L.Y.

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F.L.Y. = Father Loves You!

I really loved the theme. It was simple, and yet it encompasses a vital truth: our Heavenly Father knows each one of us and loves us. He wants us to feel that love through the Spirit, and He wants that love to motivate us to obey the commandments and one day return to live in His presence. I think that this is a really important thing for the youth to learn. 

I especially loved that our ward chose butterflies to represent us because there are so many things you can learn about life and growth and potential through butterflies. In some of the devotionals and scripture study times, our girls were able to ponder lessons we can learn from a butterfly. Some of these include:

• How nature is beautiful proof that Heavenly Father lives and loves us.
• The Butterfly Effect - through small things, great things are brought to pass.
• The life cycle of a caterpillar as it transforms into a butterfly - similar to our journey to become like our Heavenly Father.​

I personally am grateful for the spirit I felt at camp. Even as a leader, I felt rejuvenated in my relationship with my Heavenly Father and my dedication to reach my eternal goals.  

And in addition to all the spiritual nourishment, we had campfire treats, learned CPR and safety certification, participated in an awesome skit, sang songs, played games, and bonded with each other. It was awesome. Thanks, Girl's Camp! :)