Monday, June 22, 2009

Girls Camp ... It's An Extravaganza!!!

Sister Burdette (that's me) is finally ready to share the awesome and marvelous adventure that is ... Girls Camp! Brace yourself, I now share many highlights with just a few lowlights! First off, I had such a great time. One of the best times ever. I am still suffering from what I would compare to jet lag -- It's kinda camp lag, if you will. But I loved it so much. I loved being there with my girls and listening to them and growing closer to them. I loved laughing my head off. I loved giggling in the leader's tent. I loved watching testimonies and friendships grow. I loved it!
What really amazed me is just how well the Lord knows what He is doing in relation to these girls. I had some very special moments bonding with some of His daughters who need His extra help and love. It was very sacred to me. I better leave it at that.
My girls are soooo hilarious. And so willing to laugh! Loved that. On day two they tortured us with a truly wretched and cruel five mile hike. Holy schenanigans! You will think I am exaggerating, but I. AM. NOT. It was straight up, and even straighter down. It's amazing I can walk today. But it was so awesome to see them help and support one another, and I loved visiting with them and sharing their friendship. One of my Mia Maids, Lauren, stuck with me to the old-lady end, and we took our time sauntering down the mountain (which is why I still have my butt today). We had a great time together. We were the last back to our camp, and we tried really hard for sympathy (can you believe it wasn't forthcoming?!?!), but we did get a cup of delicious fruit for our efforts. It is the best cup of fruit I have ever had. Seriously. My body saluted that fruit. Why does food taste so good in the wilderness? A modern day mystery.
Here's the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year girls
with Sister Roberts, Sista' Yates, and Sister Burdee.
(That's my trailmix. Never underestimate it).
This Glamour Shot is on the way down the trail with Lauren and Lynne.
They are so awesome.
And I am just so beautiful! I mean, how can I live with myself?
It's just self love all the time here!
P.S. The "Comet it tastes like listerine" is a great song for climbing down a mountain. I'm full of these kinds of useful tips.

The highlight of Day Two was totally the skits. Not only because ours was, shall I say "brilliant" (I think I shall), but because we were short, funny in a seriously funny way, and gospel oriented. We win the award! I mean seriously, if there would have been a Camp Tony, we would have won it hands down. I defy anyone who says otherwise! The best part is, my Mia Maids president, Erika, is emerging from her shy little cocoon and becoming a force to be reckoned with! The other girls are so supportive of her efforts. We needed a main girl to be the one taking a journey of sorts to realize how phenomenal she was, and Erika volunteered! It was total shock and awe. And boy, did she deliver! It was so awesome to behold. So Tabitha was the reporter and Erika was the featured guest on "this weeks episode of 'This is Your Life.'" She had to go through several groups of girls. The hippies ("Modern day girls stuck in their parents decade!") who taught her to love others and herself and gave her a CTR ring, the Athletes ("So focused on sports they might lose track of what really matters") who taught her to never give up and gave her a Personal Progress book to keep her focused, The Nerds ("Super smart, socially challenged") who gave her scriptures and taught her how fun seminary can be, and the Ballerinas ("Found in Dance, lost to the real world) who invited her to church and committed to being her friend no matter what. At the end Tabitha asked Erika what she had learned and Erika says (correction: Erika belts) "That all these people are phenomenal, and hey!, I can be phenomenal, too!" The closing line was "Tune in next week, folks, to see if Sister Burdee will ever really grow up!" Haha. They were so proud of that line. It was pretty funny. At least they didn't make me do the fart noise.
This is Sherine as a Nerd, making her late entrance "Uh, sorry guys, I had some important business to attend to!" with toilet paper hanging down her back. Classic.

So here is the part where Sister Burdette almost had to pull out the can of W.A.
Day Three kicked off with the stake challenge thingy, where there were all sorts of activities. Our ward was paired with another ward (I shall protect the names of the guilty) who kept losing the tug of war to my super-strong and awesome girls. So on the last try, the other ward thought it would be hilarious to start the tug of war and when my girls were pulling their hardest, count to three and let go. In a strange act of fate, I was standing right in front of my girls to take pictures and when they went flying (literally, their little bodies just flew) I physically responded and apparently took a picture. This gives you some idea of the momentum they had as they went slamming into the ground. I immediately turned to the other ward, who was laughing their evil little heads off and snapped "That was NOT funny." However; they persisted to think it was. Several of my girls were hurt, from bruised tailbones to sprained wrists to gravel in their cuts. I. was. IRATE. And that is putting it mildly. When I was sure all my girls were going to live, I honestly had to leave the situation before I gave that ward my best impression of the W.W.F. The little poop stains were still laughing, and then their leaders had the nerve to lie about their intentions!!! Sheesh. I think you probably have the idea now that I was not happy about it. It felt like my own children were deliberately hurt, and I did not appreciate it. In fact, I'm still mad! The one redeeming moment was when my little teeny Beehive Georgie said "See, Sister Burdee? I told you I was going to fly like a sack of potatoes!!"
When we got talking about it yesterday at B.Y.C. and I had a little anger moment and Sister Sorge said so sweetly "Didn't you listen to the lesson, Sister Burdette?" (Did the Lord plot that forgiveness lesson?) Point taken, Sister Sorge. Well said. Well said, indeed.
Don't mess with my girls, home fries!!!
When we finally got back for lunch, we found out about a terrible tragedy. One of the leaders from the 8th ward had gone down to a cabin for a shower and for unknown reasons, died. They gathered the stake together and made the announcement. Understandably, it was very traumatic for the girls in the stake, and for many leaders. The stake leaders and five other wards decided to leave the camp and go home. Our ward did not feel like that was the right path for us to go down. We felt like it was important for our girls to see the gospel in action, that we can be comforted and that the Spirit can help us accomplish what we need to accomplish. I am so glad we stayed. Sister Brown, the camp director, made some wonderful comments as we all gathered in the girls big tent, and then we spent a relaxing afternoon beading and making friendship bracelets. Sister Richins and the Bishopric and their wives came up that night to cook us dinner, and we showed them our skit and had a hilarious impromptu talent show that included but was not limited to: a rousing choreographed performance of "The Candy Man" from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the Sprinkler and other glorious dance moves, Sister Wolselger, myself and a few other leaders rockin' to "Honey, Honey," a full on performance of "I Aint Got No Belly Button" from Veggie Tales and the Bishop singing the theme song to Titanic with some seriously dramatic arm movements. It was great.
Testimony meeting that night was one of the highlights of my whole life. Hearing the leaders and my precious girls share their thoughts and feelings was amazing. Of course, I cried like a baby, but at least they know how I feel (let's say my blabbering was intelligible, for my sake). The Spirit was so strong and we were all edified. I'm so thankful for those sacred moments in life. I just love a good spiritual feast.
All in all, it was an amazing experience. I loved, loved, loved it. I love my girls with all my heart.
Tuesday we will be having our Camp Swan Song activity and hand out awards, and then it's on to next year! Now if only I can survive Youth Conference this weekend ...
Finally, in closing, I will say something I never, ever, not in a million years thought I would say: I LOVE GIRLS CAMP!!! I can't wait for next year!

5 comments:

The Baker Babes said...

That's awesome. I needed to hear that cuz my girls camp is coming up and I really don't want to go. I'm glad you all had fun you are an amazingly cool leader!

Tink said...

Well sister I am glad to see you have a healthy dose of competitive anger. I think we all have a litttle Mama bear in us when faced with jerks. I am proud of you. You do a great job. Love ya this is jon by the way

Emily said...

wow!! What a week!! Glad you had a great time!

Kamille said...

The camp director for the ward who had the lady pass away (at a YOUNG age, may I add) is the daughter in-law of someone I work with. We were discussing how awful that tragedy was at work. I'm glad to know a little more about it from you. I'm glad that you enjoyed camp. I always loved it. Maybe someday, I'll graduate from Primary and be in YW. I probably won't, but maybe someday. When my own girls are there??? Then I'll be committed to YW eternally? Naw, I'm a Primary girl...so full of cheek.

Ducksoup said...

do i dare say out loud attending girls camp is one of my most dreaded callings. knock on wood. if i do ever find myself in that position, would you be wililng to fill in? you sound like the most amazing, happy girls camper ever. the five mile hike sounded rough but looks like you did a great job making it through. loved the photo of you. i never look that good let alone at girls camp. love yah reeser.