Girl's Camp

I am Young Women's President in my L.D.S. Ward. We have a really small group of girls...only four. And each is so special. And they couldn't be more different from each other in temperament or needs.

We went camping last weekend. Camping is one of my least favorite things to do in the world. I always say that it's not a vacation unless someone makes my bed for me. It took me 3 days to recuperate from sleeping on the ground.

I didn't attend the first two days of camp because of work. But when I arrived on Thursday night, my four girls clamored around me; hugs all around. The best compliment came when they shyest young woman of all said, "It's always more fun when Joey's here." Ah, it is worth it!

My daughter, Emily, is surprised at my "popularity." She said that she thought I would be a serious Young Women's President and never show my wacky side. I am serious in class, but wacky everywhere else with them.

The camp theme was "Liberty." Each of the wards had to choose a woman of significance in U.S. history. Our ward chose Harriet Tubman. The highlight of the camp was the last evening. It was raining...pouring really. The girl's offered a prayer that it would let up enough for us to have our program. It took a while, but it did stop raining and we ended up with a beautiful sunset.

Then we had the opportunity to "retire" American Flags. We sang the "Stars Spangled Banner" and said "The Pledge of Allegiance." Then the color guard presented the flag and retired it in the fire while we all stood at attention with our hands over our hearts. It was very moving. As I watched the flags burn, the stars would be the last to drop into the fire. I wondered where each flag had been and how it had served.

Finally we had a retired colonel from the army talk about his feelings for the flag and his service experiences. One of the sweet young women, in bearing her testimony, said that as she saw the puffs of smoke arise, she thought that each one was a representation of a soldier who had died to give her freedom. (Deep thoughts from a 13 year old!).

But the greatest part of camping is the stars. Surely the stars were that bright in the valley when I was a little girl, weren't they? It remember them that way. But now you have to go up to the mountains to see that kind of show. The sky sparkles with stars and it's easy to see falling stars...and to wonder...about the life of the star that just burned out, and to wonder about life, and to dream...

There is a song by Carly Simon that says, "Maybe that's why each new star is born, expanding Heaven's room; eternity in bloom." Yes, that was the best part of the camp out...seeing Eternity in Bloom.