Week Number 25

On Saturday, September 29th, we had our last campers at Heber Valley Camp.  We had a few Wards, and some families.

  We both had the thrill of one last ride on the swing.  You never get over the breath-taking feeling when you make that first 9 foot free fall before the swing catches you and you sail upward again on the other side!

We had a family of 14 on Challenge Course 5.  I'm so glad I was able to work on the Challenge Courses this summer - especially Challenge Course 5.  It will always be one of the fondest memories and experiences of my life.  

On Sunday the missionaries met for a two hour Fast and Testimony meeting.  The time flew by listening to the sweet thoughts of so many wonderful friends.

We have 11 days left on our mission for the Summer of 2012.  The Winter will be full of preparations for next year and with FAMILY! 

Elder & Sister Guisinger

LESSON LEARNED THIS WEEK:  Joy - pure, down deep in your heart joy - comes from service and the association of friends and family who feel and live the gospel of Jesus Christ.  When all is said and done, there is nothing to compare.  And the beautiful thing about it is 1) it's free to everyone and 2) it's so simple to have in your life.   

Week Number 24

I just found last week's post as I was starting this week's post.

This week was filled with training so I really don't have much to say.

I'm going to enjoy this next assignment as soon as I get it in my brain.

• I keep track of all the funds that are come into camp.

• I help with scheduling, correspondence, etc.

• I put together a HUGE three-ring binder that is given to each missionary couple next Spring.  My winter will be filled with computer work.

• I sit at a desk 8 am  - 5 pm, Monday - Saturday.  This is such a change from Challenge Course.  The great thing about it is - I love office work, computer work and I'll have a lot of interaction with missionaries and campers.

Mike will work with groups that come to camp to do service projects.  He'll be out side a lot and working with Boy Scouts, YM groups, etc.

We had a fun Relief Society activity on Tuesday.  Elder Kenyon, our District Leader, and a great chocoletier, taught a class on making caramel, fondant and dipping chocolates.  He made it seem easy and THE BEST PART - we got to take 6 chocolates home!

Elder Kenyon and his chocolates

 I tried to get a picture of the Fall colors but I am not able to capture their brilliance with my camera.  Red, Orange, Brown, Yellow.  It's amazing. 

My weak attempt of capturing amazing Fall Foliage

The biggest news of the week was the birth of Joe & Katie's daughter, Megan Alice Guisinger.  Born - Monday, September 17th.  Weighing 6 lb. 7 oz.  St. George seems so close yet so far away.  We can't wait to hold her.

Megan - 1 hour old.

LESSON LEARNED THIS WEEK:  God's majesty and glory and wonder can be found EVERYWHERE, from the glory of the Autumn leaves on the mountains to the tiny, perfect face of a new born infant.    Even chocolate is a creation of our Heavenly Father.

Week Number 23

Wow!  I'm a little dizzy.  

This week was such a change from everything we've been doing all summer.  

     Since April we've been outside, very active and challenging ourselves.  This week was spent in the office.  There were challenges but they we more in trying to remember SO MANY responsibilities for next year.  I'll be busy all winter with preparation work for 2013.

This is my desk  - next year.

Mike was outside much more than me.  He was still working on staining cabins and his responsibilities next year will be with groups serving outside.

We did get to work on Challenge Course a couple of times, and we had a special guest.   Our special guest was the mother of our Challenge Course Team leader.  She was at camp celebrating her 90th birthday and brought her entire family  She rode the swing twice and loved it.

Happy 90th birthday -- Putting on harness for swing.

On Sunday afternoon our District took a 10 mile ATV ride to the outback.  We visited an old Sheep Herders cabin that is being refurbished by the camp missionaries.  The couple that built it in 1939 and spent their summers in it came to the mountain and explained it's history.

Sheep Herders Cabin

LESSON LEARNED THIS WEEK:  You've got to get in the driver's seat.

    When we learn to drive we can read every book on the subject, watch videos, talk with experienced drivers, but until we sit behind the wheel in the drivers seat we will not know how to drive.   We can read every cookbook and eat delicious food, but until we actually cook we don't know how to create the dishes.  We can read every parenting book and talk with other parents, but we finally "get it" when we have our own children.

     We can read the scriptures, listen to inspirational speakers, and study the gospel of Jesus Christ.  But, until we LIVE it's precepts of love, obedience, kindness, sacrifice, etc. we have not and can not become true followers of Christ.

Week Number 22

     We spent Monday through Thursday staining cabins in Camp Esther.  We had a great crew of missionaries working and the work went quickly.

     On Friday and Saturday we were busy with families on Challenge Course 5.  On Saturday we helped over 120 people swing.

     Wednesday, on our p-day, we drove to Salem, Utah and had the most delicious sausage and bacon pizza I think I've ever eaten (Mike ordered it)  plus a cherry strudel pizza.  Our dear friends, (more like family) the Nielsons have opened "Big Don's Pizza".  

I am feeling a little guilty but loving the pizza.

Good stuff

     At church on Sunday they announced the assignment for Team Leaders for next year.  There are seven teams, Camp Management, Challenge Course, Maintenance/facilities, Maintenance/trails, Lake, Camp Hosts, Security, and Support Services.  Mike and I have been asked to be Team Leaders for Support Services.  We go to a meeting in the morning to hear our job description.  I know I work in the office and Mike works with service projects.  - More information to follow -

     On Sunday afternoon it was fun to line up 100+ ATVs in the parking lot and take a huge group picture.  It was five rows about 20 deep.  They stood in the basket of a tall crane to take the picture.

     Sunday evening we rode our ATVs out to Maple Grove, an out-back camp.  Now Fall has come to the mountain the colors a beautiful.  As we walked out of the sun into the quiet shade of Oak Grove it was so peaceful.  The ground was carpeted (literally) with red, yellow and orange leaves.  The sun filtered through the trees above.  Heavenly Father is an artist.

carpet of leaves

so beautiful

 LESSON LEARNED THIS WEEK:   Give me a mountain. 

     A talk by Elder Von G. Keetch, Area Seventy, Utah Salt Lake City Area, today in church was centered on facing the challenges that are put in our lives.   Many of the missionaries here have health problems or their families are facing problems. 
     We may ask why do trials come to us when we are striving to live as good a life as possible?  To put it simply - it is because we are being prepared to be better than we are now.  When we face our trials with courage and faith we grow spiritually.   Our trials may seem to be mountains to climb but we should appreciate them for the the strength they bring to our lives.

Week Number 21

This week was much different from the previous weeks.  We like change.

     On Monday we had a Challenge Course Team meeting to discuss our new assignment now that there are less guests visiting camp.  We will now be staining the cabins in Camp Esther, and Camp Rebekah.

     Mike and I attended the meeting thinking we would simply be getting instructions from the team leaders and we were asked to coordinate the missionaries.

 

     There are approximately 20 missionary couples asked to stain cabins.  There are thirty eight cabins to be stained.  We have three weeks to get it done.  We need to assign the missionaries.   Who goes where, when to be there, and what to do.  They also need to work on course at various times during the week.   Can we spell j-u-g-g-l-i-n-g?

    We spent the week spray washing, sanding and spraying a wood preservative on the cabins.  This is totally new to us.  This is a new challenge.

Working on cabin in Camp Esther

     We all worked hard Monday thru Thursday.  Families filled the camp Friday and Saturday so we worked on Challenge Course 5 all day, both days.  It's good to be busy.

     Monday evening all the missionary couples met together for a presentation on the Parable of the Ten Virgins.  We used a powerpoint that I made for the Knolls Ward.  It was a great evening and everyone seemed to enjoy the presentation.

LESSON LEARNED THIS WEEK:  Leadership was taught by Christ.
I really like this quote. 

 “Jesus said several times, “Come, follow me.” His was a program of “do what I do,” rather than “do what I say.”  . . .  He walked and worked with those he was to serve. His was not a long-distance leadership. He was not afraid of close friendships; he was not afraid that proximity to him would disappoint his followers. The leaven of true leadership cannot lift others unless we are with and serve those to be led.”
― Spencer W. Kimball

Week Number 20

The Challenge Courses are really winding down.  We only had one session during the week but we were booked full all weekend.

We had time to go on a long, beautiful hike through the camp on Tuesday.  We hiked across a small stream and through thick aspen trees.  This mountain is truly amazing, quiet, and tranquil. 

On our P-day we took a long drive.  We drove 45 miles to Mirror Lake and to Provo Falls which are close to the mouth of the Provo River.

Mike at Mirror Lake - Elevation 10,800 ft.

Provo Falls

Down stream from the falls

We really want to take our grand-kids to these falls and play with them in the water downstream!  The water must be about 40 degrees but kids were having a fun time playing in it.

The same day we also took a drive along a dirt road in the mountains across the valley from Heber Valley Girls Camp.  We drove from Midway on the North to Aspen Grove and Provo Canyon on the South.  Probably 40 miles.  SO MUCH FUN!

We helped inventory camp supplies on Wednesday morning.  So, we did some service.  This next week will see a lot more work around the camp. 

LESSON LEARNED THIS WEEK:
God's creations are spectacular!  Nothing man made in this world can compare to them.

Week Number 19

Heber Valley Girls Camp is slowing down.  School has started so there aren't many family reunions scheduled.  We have a few but we will now be starting on different assignments.  Cabins need to be painted, and the entire camp needs to be made ready for winter.

I thought I'd post a few photos of our Challenge Course 5.  It has been so much fun serving on this course.

Our shady spot

The picture doesn't do it justice but this is our shady spot under huge pine trees.  We sit here to eat, visit and prepare between sessions of guests on the swing.  On hot sunny days it provides a cool, shady, almost cave like place to sit.  LOVE IT.

Helmets and Harnesses

This is how our harnesses and helmets are hung ready to be put on the guests before they fly high on our swing.  In the back ground in our shady spot.

Challenge Course 5 Sand box

For the children who are not using the swing (and sometimes parents) we have a sandbox.  Mike once saw 14 children playing in it at one time.  This is a popular spot.

We went to Provo on our P-day, Wednesday to attend BYU Education Week.  We usually spend the entire week going to classes.  This year we were able to attend three classes on Wednesday afternoon.

                                      We learned so much in those three classes. 

As I write this, Chad, Sloan, Jessica, Rachel and Tanner or flying over the Pacific Ocean on their way to Guam.  They are excited - as they should be - but I will miss them and, of course, I will worry about them because --  I worry.
At least Reed is here attending the Y so we will see him often.

LESSON LEARNED THIS WEEK: 
              Normal does not exist.  In this life we need to be faithful and flexible.

Week Number 18

    This was our last week having Young Women at camp.  We will miss them.

     We had a weekend full of family reunions.  We were busy from morning until night.  Our Challenge Course is a favorite for families.  Children love the swing.   Anyone 3 years old and older can swing.

     This week we helped a 91 year old great-grandpa swing.  He went all the way to the top!   He had such an amazing attitude.  He was cheerful and ready for a new experience.   I knew he was secure and safe but the initial drop can and does take your breath away.  I was holding my breath the whole time.

     We also helped a young woman who was blind to ride the swing.  She had a wonderful time.  Imagine the trust it takes to be pulled up 40 feet and let go of your security strap so that you dropped down until you start swinging.   In complete darkness!!

     This evening we went on a long ATV ride with 2 other couples.  The ATV trails here at camp are amazing!  There are some over looks that make you feel you're on top of the world.

     I want to find new and interesting events to share each week but some weeks are pretty much the same as all the others.

Lesson learned this week:
     Enjoy each day no matter what it brings.  It's your attitude that keeps you young and opens up the opportunity for new experiences.

Week Number 17

This week was full of Young Women Camps.  The camp takes on a whole personality of it's own when the Young Women are here.  They are so full of energy! 

We also had our cabin re-stained on Friday and Saturday.  We had to be up and out by 6:30 each morning and on Friday we weren't needed on course until 3:30. At least on Saturday we were on course by 8:15 am.

Starting work at 6:30 am

spraying our cabin

 Since we had eight hours on Friday morning we decided to go to the Timpanogos Temple.  It was a wonderful experience except I "misplaced" Mike for about two hours.  I waited in the chapel while he hurried into the 8:00 am session.  The temple workers and security were searching for him until we figured out where he was.  He did a session and I was able to enjoy some quiet time.  When we met up again we did some sealings.  No matter what you do in the temple you spend your time in peace and quiet while serving.  It was a wonderful morning.

Mount Timpanogos Temple

Lesson Learned This Week:
We had a reason this week to go to the Lord in prayer and ask for His help.  It was a time of need and we are so grateful for the knowledge of His love and our ability to approach Him with faith that He will hear our prayers.  
I also learned that as we pray to our Heavenly Father we need to feel worthy to ask for His help.  Since we never know when the need will arise we must live each hour of each day to feel that worthiness.

Week Number 15

Because this last week was a holiday week in Utah, (July 24th is Pioneer Day) we were open all week to family reunions.  Our experience with families is a lot different than with Young Women.  

     Families bring their own personalities, discipline, age groups and expectations.  Most families are wonderful to work with.  Especially families with little children.  Challenge Course 5 is unique because of our high swing.  Although the swing is it's own challenge, it doesn't have as much anxiety or strength requirements as the other high courses.  We can take a two year old in a full body harness and give them a great experience swinging up as high as 10 - 12 feet.  

     This week we had an 18 year old girl visit with her family.  She graduated from High School this Spring and is heading off to college this Fall.  She also had a stroke a year ago and lost the strength in her right side.  She hasn't got the use of her right arm and walks with a limp.  But, she was determined to swing to the top.  Everyone else holds on very tightly with their right arm as they are pulled to the top.  The left hand holds onto a red strap that, when released, lets you swing.   This young girl had to be pulled up 40 feet without the security of a tight grip on the rope.  I'm not sure I would do that but she trusted us and was determined.  She had a wonderful time.  I expect her to have a wonderful future and obstacles will not stand in her way.

We also had some moose visit our camp this week.  It was fun to see one up close.  It looked at us without any fear.  I missed the Bull moose that visited.  The moose visit the area at the top of the camp and our cabin is at the bottom so we don't get to see them often.  I took pictures of it but it just looks like a big black shadow in the trees.   Some experiences just don't translate well into photos.

Moose in camp

We had an evening of square dancing Saturday evening.  SO MUCH FUN!  I highly recommend it to everyone.  You don't need to be extremely coordinated to have a good time.  I took pictures of it also but once again it just looks like a lot a people bumping into each other.

Square Dance

We have only two more weeks of Girl's Camp.  We will still have family reunions into September but the joy of working with the girls is coming to an end much too soon.

Week Number 14

We are starting on the second half of our mission.


We had thunder storms in the late afternoon three days this week   With lots of thunder, lightening and rain.  We needed to close the Challenge Courses on Friday evening because of the lightening.  A family was disappointed and we felt bad that the course needed to be closed.  But, lightening, metal cables, and tall poles just aren't a good combination.


On the other days the storms blew through during hours when the courses were already closed.  We worked in the rain a few times because we don't close for rain.  Only lightening.  Working in the rain is really refreshing.  Felt like old times in Washington State.


Thanks to Joe I have a YouTube video to share.  Mike and I are working in it.  I'm connecting a Young Woman to the swing and Mike is working behind me.  Thanks, Joe!
 
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZKADwoGKYQ

I hope you can go to this link and watch the video.  A picture is worth a thousand words.

Week Number 13

This week saw one big change but for the most part settled into the pattern of weeks on the mountain.

     The Challenge Course team, comprised of 16 couples, has been rotating through the challenges courses.  Mike and I have spent two weeks on course 1, 5, 4, and 3 each.  We were quite sure we would spend the next two weeks on Challenge Course 2 but that was changed when the Team Leaders decided it was time to give each couple a permanent assignment on a specific course.  Mike and I were assigned and will spend the remainder of our mission on Challenge Course 5. THE HIGH SWING!!!   We are thrilled.  We love the course and love the other two couples we will be serving with.

Elder and Sister Bastian

Elder and Sister Bastian are the Course Leaders.  Their home is in Neola, Utah but they spend the winter in St. George.  This is their second summer at Heber Valley Girls Camp but their first summer on the Challenge Course.  They are fun and kind and we love working with them.  We are finding we have a lot in common with them including the fact that we each have 12 grandchildren.

Elder and Sister Harkness

Elder and Sister Harkness live in Sandy, Utah.  This is their first summer at Heber Valley Girls Camp.  We really enjoy working with them.  They are full of energy and fun to work with.  We look forward to getting to know them better.

For our p-day this week we simply bought some deli-food and sat in the park for a few hours.  We had a long talk and just enjoyed being together.  Of course, we're together 24/7 serving on our mission but a peaceful, relaxing picnic was wonderful.

Our picnic in the park

This week we had a very special guest on Challenge Course 5.  She came with her sister who was so devoted. 

Our special guest

Jenna, 16, was in a wheel-chair and had no use of her muscles.  She couldn't sit up, walk or speak.  She could smile. When her sister was on the swing she watched with such delight it was wonderful.  We wanted so much to make it a good experience for her so we put a helmet on her an took a group picture with all the girls from her ward.  The most inspirational part of the entire afternoon was watching her 18 year old sister, McKenna.  She knew every eye movement, every sound, every nuance and could respond to Jenna, and meet her needs.  We witnessed complete charity - the pure love of Christ - between these two remarkable sisters. 


We were blessed with rain showers again this week.  They cooled the air and kept the dust down.  However, they never once interfered with running the Challenge Courses.

LESSON LEARNED THIS WEEK:

1 Corinthians 13:4 & 13
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity

• 
  We will never forget the charity we witnessed in the love and devotion of one sister to another.  I hope someday to have such a charitable heart for everyone I meet.
  

Week Number 12

Because this was the week of the 4th of July, the camp was open for families.  Girl's Camp will resume tomorrow, but this week we had 2,500 - 3,000 guests that were here with family reunions.

Our Challenge Courses were open for the families to use.  AND THEY DID!

We were on Challenge Course 3 this week.  It is a beautiful course. 

Challenge Course 3  - Up the cargo net, across the ladder to the nest and down the zip line

 

 

My view from the Eagles Nest

I thought I'd show you the different camps that make up Heber Valley Girls Camp.

 

Each Camp has five campsites with at least four cabins in each.  Each cabin sleeps 16 girls and their leaders.  Each camp has one large pavilion and several small cooking pavilions.

A typical camp site -- Can you see the deer?

The Priesthood who come to help have their own sleeping quarters.

Where the Priesthood sleep.  The cots are soft and comfortable

The girls sleep in cabins like this

Girls cabin -- Sleeps 16

The girls meet in the outdoor pavilion for meals and crafts, etc.

Outdoor pavilion -   Inside is a room for medical, staff and restrooms.

     Heber Valley Camp is amazing.  The girls have the Challenge Courses (of course), Legacy Lake, hiking trails, all the food they can eat, clean cabins, restrooms with showers.  Their leaders plan a week full of crafts and games and speakers who can touch the hearts of the young women in this beautiful setting away from the noise and commotion of the world.

     This week was so much fun.  We had some families with over 140 members at their family reunions.  They had a few days to get to know each other and strengthen each other.  The ages ranged from Great-grandparents (85+), Grandparents, parents, young parents, teenagers, adolescents, children, toddlers and infants.  I helped an 84 year old grandpa go down the zip line after climbing the cargo net and crossing the bridge.  I had a four year old girl do the same thing.  

LESSON LEARNED THIS WEEK:               Families Are Forever

The family unit is so important.  It gives meaning and purpose to every age.  Grandparents enjoy their grandchildren with such an unconditional love.  Parents learn patience as they teach their children the important lessons of life.  Children feel protected and cherished as they receive support from their family members.   I watched brothers-in-law acting as brothers and sisters-in-law interacting with the children of their siblings.  I watched Grandparents holding babies and cheering on their children and grandchildren as they challenged themselves on the high course.  Then the entire family watched with awe, amazement, and overwhelming support as Grandparents challenged themselves and succeeded.

This weeks tender mercy:

     We have been concerned with the fire danger this past month.  Utah has had 42 consecutive days with no rain.  The camp was so dry and dusty; making is uncomfortable for hikes, games, challenge course, etc.  We prayed for rain.  Not only to make it more comfortable and not only to reduce the fire danger but for all the people affected by the fires and all the brave fire-fighters.

     Rain came this week.  On Thursday we woke to pouring rain.  It was such a relief.  It rained all morning.  At 3:00 pm, when we started working on our Challenge Course, the rain let up and the sun shone through the clouds.  We worked with families until 8:00 pm.  As soon as we reached our cabin it started raining again and rained all night.

     

Psalms 40:11 Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord: let thy loving kindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

     (A side note:)  The deer enjoyed the cool rain also.  The forest is cool and damp.  Mike witnessed deer playing tag among the trees.  A bull moose (probably the father) was playing tag among the trees with a young calf moose.

 

Our Eleventh Week

Last Sunday, after I posted my blog entry for the week, I walked outside because there was heavy smoke in the air.  I took this picture.

Smoke on Sunday evening.

      I think most of Utah is on fire.  We have emergency preparedness meetings and training on evacuation procedures.   At least two of the Elders serving here are professional fire fighters - specializing in range fires.  They are confident that we are secure in even the worst case scenario.  Could be a very interesting summer.  I'm hoping for day to day service.


This week was spent working on Challenge Course 4.  We had Young Women, Youth Conferences, and family reunions.

We are busy everyday and becoming more confident with our assignments.

      On Friday we had a Ward Youth Conference visit our course.  One of the young men was 18 years old and in a wheel chair.  He was paralyzed from the waist down.  I was worried about him making his way through the wood chips.  I did not need to worry.  He was able to climb the pole - 25 feet - cross the cable to the Eagles nest and ride the zip line. ALL this with only the use of his arms! He is amazing.  He is on the Olympic paraplegic tennis team.  Nothing stops him when he sets a goal.   Whenever I feel like saying "I can't do this" in the future, I will think of him.

THAT WAS THE LESSON LEARNED THIS WEEK.

Our Tenth Week

Boy, time sure does fly.

We were assigned to Challenge Course 4 this week.  I have been very apprehensive to serve on this course.  The Eagles Nest is high and out in the open, and the cable you walk to get to the Eagles nest is tricky.  I knew I would need to be in the nest and do my part in making the course run smoothly but I worried and prayed a lot.  Monday arrived and when I woke up I felt confident and ready to go.  I marveled at the change in my mind set.  It was an answer to prayer.  I even enjoyed my time in the nest!

Bunni in CC4 Eagles nest.

Mike spent the week belaying.  This is hard work but he loves doing it.  It was a great week for us at camp.

The best part came on Saturday.  We had Chad's family (- Reed at BYU), Sheri's family, and Joe and Katie come to visit us.  WE MISSED Brooke's family.  Hopefully they can visit before our mission is complete.

On Saturday evening we were able to give them a tour of some low courses and play the games.  They stayed up at camp in one of the cabins.  On Sunday we attended Sacrament
meeting together on the mountain.  Afterwards we went down into Heber City for a picnic in the park before they needed to head home.  We can't get enough time with our grandkids.

L-R Tanner, Preston, Rachel, Benson, Ella, Jessica with Grandma & Grandpa

 Brooke and Nathan - this is a formal, public invitation to come and visit.

LESSON LEARNED THIS WEEK:

Put your faith in the Lord when the seemingly impossible is put before you.  This like unto the lesson I learned last week.  This time it applied to me personally.

Our Ninth Week

This was another busy week.  I think I'll probably say that for the next two months.  We seem to be getting into shape (a little) because we aren't completely exhausted most evenings.

We started the week Monday morning by helping at the Welcome Center when the campers arrived.  We helped direct traffic.  Mike even got to hold a flag!  You can see behind us are three lanes.  The left two lanes are for cars and trucks.  The right lane is for trucks pulling trailers and buses.  My job was to keep the exiting traffic from using the right lane when new buses were arriving.  There were times when the back up of traffic was about 15 cars in both lanes and 6 buses in the right.  I wish I had a picture but I was too busy to stop and take one.

Mike welcoming and explaining the course to girls and leaders

We spent the week working on Challenge Course 5 again.  We work each course for two weeks.  We start with an opening, welcome, and safety explanation.  Then we help the campers on the high course and low courses.  There are four - two hour sessions.

Mike resting between sessions.

Between sessions we have time for a quick lunch and a bottle of water.  Some days we only have time for a granola bar.

Filling our ATVs with gas

    This is how we fill our ATVs with gas.  We've put over 250 miles on them just going to and from our cabin to the Challenge Courses.  We're need to go on more rides in the outback and plan to as soon as we get our breath.

Sister C with her two daughters after her flight on the swing.

      We had a group arrive on the course that included a mother/leader with her two daughters.  Sister C told us from the moment she arrived that she was deathly afraid of heights and falling. (a bad combination for the swing)  We explained the safety and security measures we take to keep everyone safe but I don't even think she could or would hear us.  Her daughters "flew" and loved it.  They really wanted their Mom to try.  Daughters can be very persistent.  Finally, after watching, crying, and shaking for two hours, Sister C decided she would participate for one reason - to show her daughters she could face her fears and triumph.  SHE DID TRIUMPH. 

LESSON LEARNED THIS WEEK:                   With God, all things are possible.

     We will not get through this life without challenges and fear.  We can allow the fear to stop us.  We can sit there and watch the world go by and not participate because we doubt our ability to survive, let alone succeed.  OR  We can face our fears develop faith in ourselves, family, friends and Heavenly Father and accomplish what seems the impossible.

• Mark 10:27

      And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.