Beehive Camp-Day 1

I have so many good memories of going to girls camp when I was a young women. I seriously couldn't wait until Beehive Camp!

This year's theme was We Believe-the thirteenth article of faith. This year was just Beehive Camp because all of the older youth go to trek. I honestly can say, it couldn't of been any better. Because I was able to spend more one on one time with each of the girls.

We had such awesome camp directors and girls camp couldn't have gone any better. We really wanted the girls to come closer to Christ as well as be more unified with one another.

Before girls camp we had a fourteen day walk with Christ. Where we would give the girls questions as well as a story that they needed to read every day. All of the leaders did this as well, so by the end of girls camp it would be our fourteenth day. After reading and really pondering the questions, I can honestly say that I became closer to Christ. I seriously love this about young women's.

So, for day one-on Wednesday, we met up at the Lilenquist's home where we had our morning devotional as well as muffins and juice.

We then loaded up the cars and headed to our destination. The Lilenquist family were soooo generous and let us have our girls camp at their family cabin. The cabin was only an hour and a half away from home, so it really wasn't too far at all!

When we got there we showed the girls where they would sleep and let them explore the cabin. Then we went on a five mile hike as a group. The hike was super pretty, and we all ate our packed lunches.

While we were eating our lunches, one of my beehives-Lindsay, was so tired from the hike she couldn't wait to sit down on a nice rock. Unfortunately, when she sat down it ended up not being a rock but a dry cow pie. So, when she sat down, the poop ooozed all over her. It was so sad, but really funny at the same time! Everyone had a good laugh!

After lunch, all of leaders did our welcome skit! Where we did a rap to get all the girls excited for camp!

This is how it went: (My creative friend Colleen came up with it!)

Chorus:(All) Yo Beehives, Listen up, we got somethin' to tell you. We're all here at camp learnin' values and virtue!

Shari: We got Becky & Keira, Denise, Ang, Colleen. There's Tammy, the priesthood & don't forget me!

Chorus

Denise:We're sisters and daughters, united we stand, helping all the people here in Zion's land!

Chorus

Keira: We will work so hard on our Personal Progress, once you get started you know you can't stop this!

Chorus

Becky & Priesthood: You know with every trial and lesson, Heav-en-ly Father's always there with a blessin'!

Chorus

Angie: Now when we fall down, we just need to work harder to be happy and live with our Heavenly Father

Chorus

Colleen: Because much is given, so much is required. No problem, B-dogs' cuz you are inspired!

Tammy: We'll all work together-make the best of each day. Our Father will help us' cuz we'll pray every day!

All: That's why we pray clap, stomp, stomp, clap We pray!

stmp stmp stmp mrch stmp clap clap

We got to pray just to make it to-day!

stmp stmp stmp stmp clap clap stmp stmp mrch stmp

The skit got all the girls excited! And they started acting more goofy like the leaders;)

I loved going on the hike though, because it was great being able to walk along the side of each girl and just to talk them, or joke around with them! I love just having fun with them.

Here's some other cute pics from the hike:

After the hike, we went back to the cabin and went over the 10 commandments of camp. So they knew what the rules were while we were up there.

We then played some games-Big Booty, Little Sally Walker and Ride that Pony! These girls sure know how to have fun! I completely forgot about these games. I haven't played them since I was a young women! I LOVED it! It's so nice to remember what good fun is.

Not long after, we all got in a circle to make our friendship necklaces. This was one of the neatest activities we did at camp. We had all the girls, including the leaders bring 20 pieces of one thing that they loved to do, or something that was there favorite. We went around the circle explaining what we brought and why we brought it. And then each of us put it on our necklaces and we wore the necklaces all throughout camp. I really think this also helped the girls be unified with one another.

We then made our secret sister buckets, so that we could put all of our secret sister stuff in them for the time we were at camp. For secret sister, we had the girls bring something that they liked, so by the end of camp you were to try and guess who your secret sister is. That way, they can get to know each other more. The girls at first were worried that who ever they had might not like what they brought, but at the end they loved having someone guess who they were.

Some girls had dinner prep while the rest played more games (for each meal, Denise would draw names out of a bowl, so the girls couldn't choose who they wanted to do meals with. That way they all had a turn helping with different people and again, being more unified).

After dinner, we had our evening devotional. We had the girls draw a picture of someone they didn't like or of someone who had offended them. I was a little shocked and saddened at how quickly and excited they were to draw someone. Because after we told them to draw that person, they would each get a turn to throw darts at their drawing. They didn't have to if they didn't want to, but they had the opportunity to do that if they wanted to.

Only two girls out of the ten decided they didn't feel comfortable doing that. We had the girls go outside and on the deck we had a bulls eye where they could place their picture. Each girl eagerly got in line and hung up there drawing. Some of the girls missed their picture, so with their last dart that they had they would run up to the picture and start poking holes through it. It really made me feel so sad inside to see so much anger come out of these girls. It made me wonder what really offended them or hurt them so much.

After each of the girls did this, we sat around the camp fire and asked the girls how did it make you feel to be able to draw that person and throw darts at them? The girls answers were this "It felt good" "I loved poking a dart in that person's eye"... After we let them tell us how they felt, we got the bull's eye target, and underneath it was a picture of Christ.

I knew Christ was behind the target, but still seeing holes all through him was so hard to see. The girls faces quickly turned from smiling to being sad, some even cried. Most of them quickly said to us "Well, if we knew he was under there, we wouldn't have done that." We then reminded them that when they are hurting others, or gossiping, or being mean to one another, we are still hurting Christ.

We then let the girls let out there feelings. I can't explain in detail what a neat experience that was for me. They asked for forgiveness with one another, and this alone helped the girls become one with one another. After this, all through out camp they watched out for one another, and made sure everyone was feeling included.

Don't get me wrong, all the girls generally all get a long, but I really think because they are still young and getting used to changes sometimes they just need a gentle reminder to include everyone and to not get in little groups.

After our devotional, we grabbed our can lanterns and went on a night hike. We gathered around one another in a circle and sang Walk Tall Your a Daughter. This is one of my very favorite songs. I love the meaning and the words of the song.

The spirit was so strong, listening to all the girls sing brought tears to my eyes. I am so extremely blessed to be able to be with them.

The girls spirits are all so strong to. Their testimony and the light of Christ shines through each of their eyes. They are all such beautiful girls, and they make me want to be better.

Once we hiked and sang songs, we went back to the cabin and got ready for bed. We then watched Tangled.:)

I sure love my BEEHIVES!