This past week was Girl’s Camp at Bear Lake. We had a great time hiking, swimming, boating and just hanging out, spending time with each other. We had a lot of opportunities to do things that challenged us to do things we hadn’t ever done before. On the first day we hiked to Lake Bloomington where there is a 30 foot rope swing. It took a lot of guts to take the leap but many of us, including Sister Loock and Sister Jensen, took the plunge. The next day was spent on Bear Lake, having fun, getting major sunburns (despite our leaders attempts to get us to put on sunscreen), boating, and building some of the most awesome sand castles I’ve seen. On Wednesday we went to the Minnetonka Cave.
We had a really cool experience in the cave. When we got to the end of the cave, the guide told us that one of the only two places in the world to achieve complete darkness was inside a cave. She told us to hold on to someone’s hand if we were scared (I automatically did; I pretty much knew I’d be scared no matter what was coming) and she turned off the surrounding lights. It was so relentlessly dark, I could not see my hand waving in front of my face. She then told us she was going to let us walk back through the passage to the next cavern with no lights on. With one arm hanging on to Tonya for dear life and the other clinging to the handrail, we began our little journey in total darkness. I concentrated on not falling down, and not letting go of the railing and especially not getting lost. The floor was uneven, so my steps were small and careful. I only relaxed when I could hear Sister Bills warning us about upcoming hazards. Almost as soon as we started walking, someone started singing, “Hold to the Rod.” It seemed like a long time before we could see a dim light ahead of us, showing us that we were almost out of the darkness. Finally, we could begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel- most literally.
It was easy to relate our experience in the cave to the gospel. The handrail in the cave was like the Iron Rod in Lehi’s dream. If we held on tight, we would find our way back to the light. If we let go, we could wander around, completely lost as to where we should go. I found great comfort as I listened to Sister Bills because she had walked the path before me and warned me of things to avoid. Likewise, if I listen to my parents and leaders that have gone before us and know the way, we can avoid some of the uneven bumps and trials they have experienced. I also see how important it is to choose the right friends and hold on tight to them. Their positive influence will make our paths that much easier to follow.
Camp this year was really, really amazing. We learned a lot, and had a fun time. The camp’s theme was the ‘Bear Necessities’, since we were Bear Lake. We focused a lot on testimonies, something that is absolutely a necessity. Being there really strengthened my testimony. I know that this church is true, and that Joseph Smith restored it to the earth. I know that Gordon B. Hinckley is a living prophet, and in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
We had a really cool experience in the cave. When we got to the end of the cave, the guide told us that one of the only two places in the world to achieve complete darkness was inside a cave. She told us to hold on to someone’s hand if we were scared (I automatically did; I pretty much knew I’d be scared no matter what was coming) and she turned off the surrounding lights. It was so relentlessly dark, I could not see my hand waving in front of my face. She then told us she was going to let us walk back through the passage to the next cavern with no lights on. With one arm hanging on to Tonya for dear life and the other clinging to the handrail, we began our little journey in total darkness. I concentrated on not falling down, and not letting go of the railing and especially not getting lost. The floor was uneven, so my steps were small and careful. I only relaxed when I could hear Sister Bills warning us about upcoming hazards. Almost as soon as we started walking, someone started singing, “Hold to the Rod.” It seemed like a long time before we could see a dim light ahead of us, showing us that we were almost out of the darkness. Finally, we could begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel- most literally.
It was easy to relate our experience in the cave to the gospel. The handrail in the cave was like the Iron Rod in Lehi’s dream. If we held on tight, we would find our way back to the light. If we let go, we could wander around, completely lost as to where we should go. I found great comfort as I listened to Sister Bills because she had walked the path before me and warned me of things to avoid. Likewise, if I listen to my parents and leaders that have gone before us and know the way, we can avoid some of the uneven bumps and trials they have experienced. I also see how important it is to choose the right friends and hold on tight to them. Their positive influence will make our paths that much easier to follow.
Camp this year was really, really amazing. We learned a lot, and had a fun time. The camp’s theme was the ‘Bear Necessities’, since we were Bear Lake. We focused a lot on testimonies, something that is absolutely a necessity. Being there really strengthened my testimony. I know that this church is true, and that Joseph Smith restored it to the earth. I know that Gordon B. Hinckley is a living prophet, and in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
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