November 5-6, 2010: The Bishop's Youth Retreat

About a month ago in BYC, one of the youth asked about doing another Bishop's Retreat. Mind you, it wasn't in the schedule--or budget--so I didn't expect anything to come of it. But similar to our impromptu boating, he thought it was a good idea and it was time to start planning. With just a month's notice, it fell upon Reed Price (the YM President) and I to plan it. The first thing was making sure we had a location. We enjoyed Heber Valley Camp the last time we did it, and were fortunate enough to secure it once again. We next quickly turned it over to the youth leaders. They were each in charge of an activity and the theme was "Get Committed" since there seems to be a lack of that right now.

I asked Hannah Miller, one of my young woman, to design a logo so we could make t-shirts (seen here modeled by Mags and Ellie) and Sharon Franz at Westmore screened them just two days before.

John, Cherise, and Jennifer Jacob were good enough to be our food committee. I thought it would be great for Cherise to get to know the young women before camp, and John was a good sport to support me in my time of need. So they took on three meals and a late night treat so we could take care of everything else. Dinner that night was Cafe Rio salads and they were SOOO good!

The Beehives had the first activity and did a scripture-based "minute to win it." Next was the Bishop who talked about being committed to the Lord and the gospel. The Priests then showed a silent movie while we enjoyed hot chocolate floats. Once again, the young women stayed in the room behind the pavilion so we enjoyed the heat. John slept in the dressing room portion of the shower area--in a room rigged with motion detectors that turned the light on every time he moved. Needless to say, he didn't get the best night's rest.

For breakfast, we had the the typical "big breakfast" of pancakes, eggs, bacon, etc. Then Reed and I did our part on commitment to self and family. When I was planning what to do, I was really stuck on using a straight jacket somehow; you know, being "committed." I couldn't get anything to flow with it and then, after reading several conference talks, it occurred to me: Red Rover! I needed a young man who was committed to making it through the line, someone who didn't give up when the challenges facing him were harder than he imagine. I chose Lance Elliott because he is the biggest and strongest of the priests. However, he was so worried about hurting someone that he DIDN'T make it through the line! I was sure that my object lesson had been lost, but as I was continuing to talk about being committed, it occurred to me that the point was even better made by having all the young men get back up and having Lance running until he DID make it through. And when he did, boy, it was brutal! No one got hurt but Lance himself. He scraped up his knee pretty bad and ripped his jeans, but fortunately we was able to protect his broken hand from further injury. I think it was an even better visualization then I had planned.

We were followed by the Laurels doing a blindfolded activity where you had to rely on another young man or woman; this led into being committed to friends. It was followed by chili for lunch. After some time to clean up, the Deacons did "Never have I ever..." It was enlightening for sure! I found out which of the young man have worn a dress and which young women have kissed someone. The day ended with the Teachers doing a compass course.

The Youth Retreat

What an event! We left from our church at about 4:15 on Friday to head up to the Heber Valley Girls Camp (and I must say I'm jealous of all those who get to use that camp yearly, although the spirit there doesn't compare to the feeling at Shalom). Arriving at a little after 5, we were fortunate to find out that the boys would be staying in the regular cabins, while the girls would be staying in the rooms connected to the kitchen in the pavilion. The advantage? Heat! I know it wasn't a hit with all the girls at first, but I think in the end, they were happy with the sleeping arrangements.

After setting up our beds, our "hosts" for the event--Chris Williams, Bailey Sigman, Sr. McAllister, and Sr. Hall--introduced us to the retreat theme of kindness. After being split into groups, our first activity was turning one of the group members into a knight using only tape, construction paper, and newspaper. When time was up, the judges announced the winning teams. To the surprise of the groups, they were not being judged on the final knight costume, but how they acted as a team, including people and treating each other kindly. Here are the winning teams with their knights:

A delicious dinner of chicken, potatoes, carrots and rolls followed where the youth were given the opportunity to get to know someone else (a name chosen randomly) for a later activity. I took advantage of the time to get to know each of the Beehives with a little questionnaire. I must say I really enjoyed it! We have a diverse group of young women and it was great to find out so much about each one.

At around 7:30 or so, we were gathered into one of the cabins so we could have a devotional taught by Bishop Gilbert on kindness and unity. This was when the youth would introduce the person they had been given and tell something about them for everyone else to know. Even though the "chain" was broken several times, everyone got a chance to share something about each of the youth (with only a few shockers during the night when 17-year-old Bridger announced his desire to take one of the beehives, Mckensie on a date were she a few years older and that Maggie Asplund was Maggie "Black," acknowledging their crushes on each other). He shared his experience with a cab driver in Washington DC when he asked this man from Yemen if he was judged as a terrorist by people. Bishop Gilbert said that the two of them engaged in a conversation about what people in his country looked for to train as a terrorist including people who were struggling with their parents and were looking to be included in a group. He displayed a Fuji apple and asked the youth how long it took to grow that apple from seed to fruit with the winner receiving an amazing looking caramel apple. Sr. Vieweg correctly guessed eight years and he used that to talk about how long it takes not just an apple but a person to come to fruition and that it takes light, nourishment, love and care, just as people need.

When we finished our devotional, we were dismissed to visit with one another and eat snacks of smores and nachos with a majority of the young women retreating to their room and the young men playing football in the pavilion.

Around 10:45, the girls gathered for a short family prayer and story given by Bailey and Sr. Van Dyke. I offered the closing prayer and we went to bed, while some stayed up to visit quietly long into the night.

The leaders and Mia Maids made breakfast of cinnamon rolls, an egg casserole, bacon, sausage and pancakes (no one should have ever been hungry!) After the teachers helped clean up, we once again gathered in the pavilion for a series of relays where we would switch teams for each event. The Knight of Kindness (Sr. Vieweg) would bring Bailey and Chris a decree for each race and they would introduce them with great quotes and scriptures. We did the following activities: the human chain, whistling after eating saltine crackers, blow up a balloon and pop it, spin on a bat and have to lead them to the other side, and the backwards alphabet. The last race was followed by a lesson on the still small voice where a few groups then ran from one end to the other since the rest of us were visiting and didn't hear the final instruction, winning the last race. Once this activity was finished, we parted ways to clean up the camp. After another meal (was anyone really hungry?) of navajo tacos prepared by the laurels and cleaned up by the priests, we headed back home.