Youth Conference

This year since I am in the Young Women's Presidency I was able to join in going to Youth Conference! Both of my boys were scheduled to come but Will was unable to come at the last minute due to a summer school class :( which I was very bummed about! However, the Young Men leaders found an amazing opportunity to go down south to Snow College who puts on programs specifically designed for youth. It's called "Snow Fun" and boy was it ever FUN! We left VERY early on a Tuesday morning so we could go down and do baptisms for the dead at the Manti Temple before going to check in at the college. It was a rare opportunity given that the pageant is going on! Anyway, we made it down for an early session and it was wonderful! I was able to go in and help and I was able to watch all of these youth come in one after another to participate. It was amazing! I have to admit I teared up and not just because my kid was one of them. I have truly grown to love each of our youth in our Ward! After that we had a good 2 hours before we were to check in at our dorms so we went for a bit of a guided tour by our own Sister Lara Ross! It was awesome! Her family is from Spring City which is right near there, so she gave us a tour of the cemetery where Orson Hyde is buried and then over to the actual "spring" that the city is named after. It was fun and the kids got a kick out of all of it. Then we were off to the campus to get checked in. We had some time to play games on campus before heading over to our rooms. The dorms we got to stay in here AMAZING! They were practically brand new and accommodated about 6 people per room. I got to stay in one dorm with my fellow YW Leaders.That first night we were able to go and see the Mormon Miracle Pageant. I had not seen it before but it was wonderful! It's very well done and the message is beautiful. Over the next few days we walked all over campus doing anything from water activities to devotionals and all of it was fun! One of the days we even went up the canyon to do a ropes course! I was so impressed with a lot of our girls and their strength! I have to say that my favorite parts were "where's Kelly" and the last night's testimony meeting. Where's Kelly became a bit of a motto for our group! It was a joke that Carter started down there- he would just randomly yell out "where's Kelly" when we were out and about! And in a very obnoxious voice to boot! Sometimes people even thought it was for real and would ask if we had lost someone! It was hilarious! And at our final testimony meeting it was amazing and the kids all bore sweet testimonies that will forever be in my heart. Our Bishop was the last to speak and in the middle of his words he slid over a white board and behind it it said "Don't tell Crismon but Kelli was here" he seriously brought the house down! We were all laughing and taking pictures of the white board. It was a time I will never forget! I'm so grateful I'm able to work with the people I do! I am sad to say though that our YW President is moving and will be released next week. That means I may no longer be in YW :( The thought makes me sad! I was hoping to be able to stay at least until Brianne came in this fall. Fingers crossed! I am teaching the combined lesson for the YW tomorrow and it's the last Sunday we'll be together as a Presidency. It was a difficult lesson to plan for. I said a lot of prayers asking for guidance and I feel I got it! I know whoever is called for the future we'll be great, but I will sorely miss my time here if I'm let go! What a blessing it's been to my life! I love the youth!! :)