Back in June I had the fun opportunity to go to Youth Conference with our stake at Snow College. It was so much fun! We were there for 3 days and stayed in the dorms. The kids were all divided up into different "Avenger" groups (the theme was Spirit Avengers), so we got to know kids from different wards. A couple of the girls in our group were a tad bit difficult to put it nicely, but the other kids were a lot of fun and a joy to get to know better.
The first day, we went up the canyon to do a ropes course. Now, I'm not usually a daredevil adventurous type, but I find that as I get older I am more likely to try things that push me physically. I'm pretty sure that it's a subconscious force that's driving me to prove that I'm still young. The reason I say all this is because I tried a few things on the ropes course that I was very proud of myself for attempting.
This challenge included pulling yourself up this wooden post using the little medal rungs, hoisting yourself up the tire, then climbing up the rope net to ring a bell at the top. Oh yeah, the wooden post is not cemented to the ground so it's swinging as you are trying to climb it. Pretty challenging, but in retrospect a cakewalk compared to what was to come...
This post was also not cemented into the ground, it was up to your teammates to hold the ropes in such a way that the post stayed as upright as possible as you tried to climb up. This picture does not do justice in showing just how high the top of the pole is.
Next, you have to try to get your body up onto this tiny perch. I probably should mention that I am securely harnassed (I'm not that crazy!)
Then, slowly rotate your body 180 degrees to face the trapeze dangling off in the distance. The hardest part was trying to stand from the seated position on the perch. My legs were violently shaking at this point. Once you are standing, your teammates slowly start to lean the pole towards the trapeze so that you can get yourself close enough to leap off the perch and grab the trapeze.
I missed.... but I was totally okay with that because I was very proud of myself for getting as far as I did. Not to toot my own horn, but I'm pretty sure I was probably one of the only female leaders who even attempted this challenge.
That night we went to the Manti pageant. I had never been before. It was pretty cool, especially having the temple as a backdrop and all lit up in the dark.
The next day the Snow Fun advisors (college students running the youth conference) did different games and activities with us. We rotated through with our groups. One of my favorites was riding on tandem bikes throughout the campus.
Later in the afternoon, we did water games which was a blast.
After the water games we had "bishop time" where our ward came back together for a devotional with our bishop.
That night was a fireside and a dance, then a testimony meeting the next morning before heading home.
Sherry, the other Young Women leader that was there from our ward and I talked about how much fun we had. Of course, you have to do the usual adult responsibilities like making sure everyone is where they're supposed to be, etc. but at the same time the leaders were very involved in all the activities. It was (no offense to our families) kind of fun to be there not as a mom or wife and to just... play. It's not very often as women that we get the chance to do that and it was oh so refreshing. It was one of the funnest youth conferences I've ever been to as an adult or as a youth and definitely one of the highlights of my summer.
