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.

Our Eighth Week

This will be a short post because this week seemed to fly by. 

     Monday morning the first group of Young Women and their leaders arrived.  They start arriving at 7:00 am.  As missionaries we go out to the welcome center to greet them with waves and cheers and receive a lot a waves in return.

     We greeted buses, vans, trucks pulling trailers, and cars.  There were at least 15 buses and more than 50 trailers bringing up all the needed supplies.  There was a total of over 3,100 campers.

     A lot of these YW groups came from Heber Valley and so came in cars.  This is not the normal transportation.  We expect to see 30 or more buses arrive in the coming week.

    The rest of the week was spent working on the Challenge Courses.  We were kept so busy, I had no time for picture taking.  

     Our P-day was Wednesday and we were able to meet Joe, as he drove home from Seattle, in Salt Lake City for lunch and a great visit. 

     Friday and Saturday we worked with Youth Conference Groups and Family reunions.  

     One family came with 48 members and 30 of them were children under the age of 12.  
One little two year old girl (SO CUTE) was so excited to put on a harness and swing.  Her Daddy and a missionary pushed her until she was swinging "High"  Probably 8 feet up both ways.  The grin on her precious face made my whole week!   Wish I had a picture, but I needed to concentrate on her.  


Lesson learned this week:
Families are the greatest blessing in our lives.  There is abundant joy in families sharing experiences. 

"No success in life can compensate for failure in the home."
Pres. David O McKay 

"If I were asked to name the world's greatest need, I should say unhesitatingly, wise mothers; and the second, exemplary fathers."    Pres. David O McKay


Turn off the TV, cell phone, and computer.  
Do something meaningful with your family.  It will have eternal rewards.

Our Seventh Week

     We are finished with the day to day training now.  From this week on until the end of August we will have a camp full of Young Women groups or family reunions or miscellaneous groups from different organizations.  In short, we have a FULL camp.  Probably 90% want to try the Challenge Courses.

Monday:  The Young Women arrive at 7:00 am.  They come in buses and I have been told it is an exciting time.  There are girls and leaders waving and shouting greetings to the missionaries as we meet them and the missionaries do their part in returning the welcome.  I can't wait to be a part of it tomorrow morning.  (I'll take pictures)

     At 12:30 - 1:30 we train the YW Leaders on the low courses.  

     The first group of 50 - 60 girls arrive on course at 1:45 pm and stay until 5:00 pm. 

Tuesday through Thursday:   We, on the Challenge Courses, start with a 9:00 - 12:15 session, then a 1:15 - 4:30 session.


The girl's leave Friday morning.  The missionaries send them off with cheers and waves.


THEN later on Friday we have a 3:30 - 5:30 session, (grab a granola bar) then a 6:00 - 8:00 pm session with families or Stakes.


Saturdays will be really fun.  We start with a 9:00 - 11:00 session, (grab a granola bar) then a 11:30 - 1:30 session, and finally a 5:30 - 7:30 session.  These sessions are with families.


I am told that almost every session is always full and we stay until every guest has their turn on the Challenge Course.  

Mike and I serve on Challenge Course 5 for the next two weeks.  That is the course with the high swing!!!!!


OK.  Here is a short re-cap of this week.

      Monday, at 6:00 am, all the missionaries met at the Welcome Center for a flag raising ceremony and singing of the National Anthem to remember those who gave their lives in defense of our country.  They also honored the missionaries who were veterans.

Mike is the 5th Veteran from the right.

The flag was raised to half staff for 1/2 a day and then raised to full staff.

     We have an Elder at camp who sang with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. He led us in the National Anthem, then we repeated the Pledge of Alligence.


We had family reunions in camp the rest of the week.

     Mike and I were still assigned to Challenge Course 1 and worked there with the families.
It was fun.  I thought I'd take some pictures from the Eagles Nest to show you my perpective of the week.  I am now certified to work in the Nest alone.

Family gathering.   Mike ready to belay.

Mike belaying a Young Woman across the cable to the Eagles Nest.

Looking down the zip-line from the Eagles Nest.  I came within one foot of the far tree.

     This evening, after district meeting, it was much, much to beautiful outdoors to even think of going back to our cabin.  We rode our 4-wheelers to Legacy Lake and walked around it.  This is a 30 minute hike on a path wide enough for one hiker and stays near the shore of Legacy Lake, except for a short hike into an Aspen grove. We stopped there and listened to the peaceful quiet. It wasn't silent because we could hear the breeze in the Aspen leaves and birds were singing.

Lesson I learned this week:  
                    We need more quiet in our lives.  

I prefer the quiet you find in nature because there is a back drop of gentle breeze, bird song or rippling brook.   
But, quiet time can be found in our homes.

So many of us live busy, demanding lives.  Even our children have little time to stop and listen to the quiet.  You feel such gratitude for the wonder of this world when you can simply stop and listen to the quiet around you.

Tomorrow - 7:00 am - THE GIRLS COME TO CAMP!!!!!