{A few YCLs leading out at Morning Flag Ceremony}
Strange that I only took ONE picture today. So much has happened, which is probably why the camera stayed on the bunk. So, I will journal a little bit... About 6 years ago, when our family was happily living in Alabama and before we ever had thoughts of moving to Utah, my sister Annie called me on the phone one day. She said she had found this website to a new church-owned Girl's Camp in Utah. She said it was called Heber Valley and excitedly described how each campsite was named after a faithful woman in the scriptures. She told me that it was a project of President and Sister Hinckley's, who wanted Young Women to have a beautiful place in the mountains to come for Girl's Camp and feel their Heavenly Father's love. Annie and I marveled at the beauty of the place and the idea and talked about how blessed the Young Women were who would be able to attend that camp.
A year or so later, when we found ourselves living in Utah, I was thrilled to discover that our Stake was one of the lucky ones who send their Young Women to Heber Valley every year(so far). And, imagine my excitement last year when I was called to be one of the leaders who gets to accompany the girls there! I love this place! It has been called "the Temple without a roof" and I can't imagine a more fitting description. The Spirit at Heber Valley is absolutely comparable to the Spirit that is felt in the Temple.
This summer, as Annie and her girls made plans to visit during the month of June and I realized that they would be here during Girl's Camp, I wanted so badly for my sister to be able to come to Heber Valley. I wanted her to be able to experience first-hand this wonderful place that we had marveled at so long ago. I talked to our Stake Leaders about it and they enthusiastically said that she could come up on Thursday with our Ward leaders who weren't attending Camp all week. So, today just before lunch Annie arrived with our friend Laurie Harrell and we have had seriously one of the best days ever...like being in the Temple all day with your sister. Our Stake YW President, Merilee, even cried when she saw Annie because her own sister was at camp and she knew how special it was for me to have Annie there. We visited with the 6th Ward girls (Riley was very excited to see Annie), worked hard in the kitchen, taught a personal progress class, drove down to the Lake, served dinner to over almost 400 people(it's Bishopric night), and heard the sweet testimonies of our Young Women given around the campfire.
So, Annie, thank you so much for coming to Heber Valley. I will remember that day forever!
Here is a picture that I stole from Elena T.'s blog...
Thanks, Elena!
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