MoPro (Mormon Prom) is common in some places but it was just this year that one happened here for the first time. I don't have much to say about it so I'm mostly making this post to post the pictures.
The dance was DJed by a boy band named "Prince Ivan" that hailed from Branson. They also put on a short concert half way through which I didn't love (boy bands and screaming girls aren't my thing). Thankfully, there were other rooms with activities like silly pictures (as seen below) and a mock "Dating Game" which I went and watched because a few of my friends participated in it. The building was decorated nicely to go with the theme "Time After Time", meaning it was a decades themed dance. Yes, I did dress in a formal, which my mom helped me make modest by finding a shirt that actually matched surprisingly well. And yes, I had a date (although we didn't go to dinner or do the corsage/boutineer thing). Yeah, bet you didn't see either of those coming. So, here are some pictures. Yay!
In case you think this post is short and undetailed...well you're right. I'm really excited to work on the next post so I just did this one quickly. Don't worry, it'll be worth it!
I can't believe it. This summer I went to my last year of stake girls camp. Some days I still feel like a 12 year old beehive again but then I look back and realize that I really have grow since then. My first year of camp I had no idea what I was actually going to go do. I asked people what you do at camp and never got a clear answer until I got there. And to think, this was the second year that I was a YCL that knew what was going on. Or at least I was supposed to.
I got less pictures this year at both camp and youth conference because my mom usually had my cameras. And I'm to lazy to figure out a way to get pictures from other peoples cameras this year.
Day one, June 3, the YCL's went to camp. We brought our wards gear and stuff and put it in the ward campsites. We did some other preparations to get ready for all the campers the next day and then headed to the shooting range. We got to shoot semi-automatic and bolt-action rifles.
I absolutely love shooting by the way.
The next morning we greeted our campers at the curb by the main office of the camp. After everyone was there and settled, we took a group picture. Shortly after that, the 3rd years, who I was over, left for the shooting range. There wasn't enough transportation for the YCL's to go so we were able to stay back at camp and have a little free time. When the girls got back it was their free time so the YCL free time was just longer. When that enjoyably long break was over, the 3rd years (when I say that, I include us YCL's too) hiked over to our certification area which was at the other side of the camp over half a mile away. We did some certification activities and then hiked back to main camp.
After dinner we hiked to a pavilion that was almost as far as our
certification area where the YCLs did a skit about the rules of camp.
Along with minimal pictures this year, I got less video because I didn't
have tripod and I was having battery problems. My mom did get most of
the rules skit but its chopped up a lot.
After the skit, Elder and Sister Deshler, who came to visit, also spoke to us.
After breakfast the next morning we started the low ropes course. Unfortunately it started to rain so we ended early. In fact it rained all day. My shoes got completely soaked, which made me absolutely miserable. During pool time for the 3rd years me and a couple of my cabin mates decided to just chill in our cabin rather than try to swim in the cold rain. Emily F. decided to paint because she had brought the materials (only an artist would think to randomly bring paint to camp) and she painted a dino on my leg.
Shortly before it was time to go, I decided to put dry socks on, wrap my
feet in pieces of plastic (from ripping apart a trash bag, as seen below) and then put my sopping shoes back on. I was a happier camper for the rest of the day.
Next up on the to-do list: more certification. This meant slopping through the mud to our certification point. We got that over with as soon as we could so that we could get back for free time. After dinner we did our skits and talent show. Our wards skit was a Wizard of Oz parody. Our talent was a "serious" (but actually hilarious) ribbon routine to The Final Countdown. And then the KC1st & 3rd YCL's did a tongue twister in Tagalog. Sadly, no video footage of any of it.
The last full day at camp we ate breakfast, did the last of our certification, had singing time, ate lunch and then it was pool time. I decided to brave the water this time. I jumped in and out so fast you would have thought something bit me. It was super cold and I was not about to stay in there. So instead I went to showered off and then sunbathed. Minus the sun part because the clouds conveniently came out right about that time. For the afternoon activity the 3rd years went zip lining. Because the YCLs already done that, we just got to sit there and watch.
With free time and dinner over, it was time for Bishops Survivor night, a challenge course to show our bishops what we had learned during the week. Some of the events were starting a fire with a magnifying glass (aka the-sun-was-too-low-so-we-used-a-match), making a sling, using a compass, and even making a stretcher...upon which we carried our bishop. We ended up placing 2nd or 3rd I believe.
The next morning was spent packing up and leaving. For me, never to return as a camper. I'm sure I'll be back though. Someday...
Then there was youth conference starting the last Thursday of June. Despite having the temple celebration a year ago, I guess some of the leaders were ready to put together another large gathering. Although not quite to that scale, a tri-stake youth conference is still a big thing to plan and put together. My mom helped with the food so that's mostly what I have pictures of. I posted more about the food on the family blog.
The highlight of the conference was that Brad Wilcox came for two of the days. He spoke to us as the main speaker at the devotional before the dance on the first night. The most memorable part of the talk was when he explained "advanced" church dance etiquette. It was very similar to a talk at EFY last year, just longer, more detailed and even funnier. The dance was pretty good and not as crowded as I thought it would be. My host family was super nice. My roommates consisted of one girl from my ward, 2 from Olathe and 2 others from Lenexa. When we arrived at the house, our host mom made us popcorn and root beer floats.
Our first activity the next morning were workshops, the first one being another talk from Brother Wilcox about why standards are not limiting but freeing. After his talk, we split up into 3 large groups to rotate through the other workshops. One was given by the Hendricksons about the temple celebration and where we are to go from there, another was about an amazing conversion story, and the last one was a youth panel talking about For the Strength of Youth.
After lunch, we went with our host home groups to service projects around the area. My particular group went downtown to a place called Jewish Vocational Center, a place that helps immigrants and refugees start a life in the U.S. We sorted donated clothes for a few hours and got a lot done. We went straight back to our host home and chilled out for awhile until it was time to meet back at the Lenexa Stake center where we ate dinner.
For the evening activity, we went to Worlds of Fun. We went on school buses where we had to sit 3 to a seat. It was only for a couple hours but my group of about 10 was able to get to all the big roller coasters. There weren't really any lines to complain about at any of the rides.
The last morning we went swimming at Black Bob Bay. It was kind of cold so I didn't get in until the very end. For lunch, we walked over to the pavilion across the street and ate hamburgers.
Afterwords most people went back to their host home but I decided to stay with my mom and go home with her, take a shower there and make sure I was ready for my quickly approaching adventure of going to Philmont. We hurried back to the Olathe stake center where the testimony meeting had already begun. It was scheduled for two hours which, initially, sounded like a painfully long time but ended up being a great meeting.
For dinner: pizza. This is where the sheer multitude of food looked and really was extremely daunting. The kitchen looked like a castle made out of pizza boxes. We had one last dance before it was all over but I had to leave pretty early to catch a train to New Mexico where my next adventure started...
First up, girls camp. It was that week that the temperatures really started rising. Although it was only mid June, the 18-22nd, it was already hitting the high 90s. Basically, we were very, very warm all week. The YCLs, youth camp leaders (16 & 17 year olds), got to camp late Monday morning. We were there to help set up camp, but the girls in my ward didn't do a whole lot for a few hours because our tents and boxes weren't getting there until later that evening. By mid afternoon everyone was just trying to survive the heat so we all ended up mingling in the air-conditioned dinning hall for a few hours and helping with small jobs that we could do inside. A few of us ended up taking naps too. Our camping gear was finally brought up so us KC1 girls set up camp.
We
had pizza for dinner and then went back outside to set up the first
activity that we would be presenting when the rest of the girls got
there later that night. This activity was about spreading your light. As the girls arrived, about 9pm, a set of YCLs would take a group through a small part of the forest, leading them with only a flashlight while it got progressively lighter as they walked. They reached a pathway lined with nightlights, then tiki torches and finally the opening with light everywhere.
In the morning, the YCLs needed to go get the girls in their group. For our 4th years (I was a 4th year leader) we dressed up as limo drivers and called them out of the dinning hall after bearkfast. It was time to get right on the big project of the, now famous, glowstick dance. Guess what song we did it to this year. Yes the one and only: What Makes You Beautiful. Sorry 1D fans, but I got sick of the song pretty fast.
With the exception of eating, this task of course took up most of the day. Every year this performance gets bigger & better and we weren't about to disappoint. Somewhere in there we were also able to work on our skit which was preformed after dinner.
After rehearsing a few more times, we began to tape the glow sticks onto everyones dark sweatsuits. As I mentioned before, it was unbearably warm in the first place. Wearing these outfits were completely and utterly uncomfortable even though the sun had set awhile before. It was still worth it.
The third day of camp was all about celebrating 100 years of YW camp.
The big activity of the day was the walkabout. The 4th years were in charge of leading the 1st years on this fun hike. First we gathered everybody to get their faces painted like aboriginal people. Well that was the idea.
Each 1st year was given a walking stick that they were going to decorate along the way. Every few minutes we would stop at a check point and find decorative
objects like ribbons, beads and stickers that had been placed along the path to put on the sticks. Each
object was a symbol of some gospel topic or principle.
After lunch we had a culture activity where we listened to some speakers and learned about three different countries. Brazil, Korea and the islands.
During free time we had a photoshoot. Here are the YCLs.
4 Years and the YCLs!
And some friend who were willing to take more pictures with me.
Now it was time to get ready for the birthday party! Yes, we threw a party for YW camp. Our families were even invited. My mom and siblings came (dad had to work). Almost all the YW participated. The story of the first camp was told, there was singing and a whole lot of dancing. The Polynesian girls did a few of their dances, the 4th years did the golwstick dance again, but without the glowsticks this time (lame, I know), the YCLs did an interpretative dance to Call Me Maybe (another song I am sick of, sorry guys!).
The 2nd Years also did an interpretative dance to our theme hymn: You Can Make the Pathway Bright.
Thursday we were in charge of our own lunch by level. We started on that soon after breakfast. The 4th years went all out and prepared a multicultural meal in dutch ovens. Rice, beans, veggies, meat and dessert all prepared from recipes from different countries.
During free time we got a visit from a water slide like last year. After mustering up the energy to walk through the sweltering heat across the field to where it was set up, it was worth it to cool down. I also made an ice candle which was one of the crafts.
Our ward was also privileged to watch this comedy provided by KC3 leaders:
It was ward night now. The bishopric and other ward leaders came and ate dinner with us. Each ward had been assigned a country and was supposed to make a dish from that country to contribute to the dinner. We were Norway so we provided Norwegian "reindeer" stew and apple strudel. This is a picture of the lemonade booth. There were different flavors to choose from that you squirted into the lemonade.
After dinner we had our entertainment of the night. A dance off between the FP & KC3 leaders. It was one of my top favorite parts of camp this year.
I passed off the theme hymn and signed my name on the sheet.
Now it was time for the spiritual part. Bishop gave us a little devotional about shining our light after which was testimony meeting. All the wards set up their chairs in the big field and watched a little skit about Joseph Smith and the 3rd Years sung their song "Testimony" that they had written. Although I didn't get a video of them right then, here is a recording someone else took earlier that day.
I was just getting semi used to the heat when the next morning we packed up and left after breakfast. Hello air conditioning!
And then there was Youth Conference. It was only one day this year, which made me sad. But after the temple celebration, the leaders were plumb tuckered out so they didn't have as much time to work on it.
The day began with games with the longest lasting one being jump rope. We were then split into groups and put onto school bus. Each group was sent to a different rest home where we talked and listened to the people who lived there. At the very end we went to the dinning room and sang a few songs. When we got back to the stake center, we ate lunch and then went to a few classes. I chose to go to a dating panel, a life decisions panel and career choices. The last class that everyone went to was about the temple. Then it was dinner time, which went faster than expected so there was some much needed down time to rest.
Marta, our Spanish foreign exchange student, along with two other Spanish students who were there, quickly made friends with some other girls who speak Spanish.
While waiting for the dance to to start, a long game of limbo was played. The dance was really fun with two other stakes, Warrensburg and Olathe.
