Youth Conference 2011

On June 10 and 11th, our stake had our annual Youth Conference. It is a get together for the youth ages 14-17 where there are many activities, fun and games. Many times there is an overnight stay somewhere. This year, the activities were close to home so everyone could stay at their own homes.

Friday morning, everyone gathered at our Stake Center and had a hot breakfast. There were about 300 youth in attendance. The activity for the day was modeled after The Amazing Race. All the youth were separated into groups different colored tee shirts and then into smaller groups of four or five. There were 13 stations situated all over the north end of Utah Valley. At each station, the team was required to complete a task before they got the clue to the next location. (The drivers had received a 27 page packet beforehand with a list of the locations, maps, etc..) So let's see, let's just say that there were 320 kids, divided that by 4 and we have 80 cars driving around with people excited and hurrying to the next location and that sounds like scary times, right? Actually, we all were relatively unharmed.

I was assigned to be a driver of four girls I did not previously know. Cute, cute girls. It did make me feel pretty good that Rachel and Emma both wanted me to drive them. I would have thought that they would want me to be as far away from them as possible :)

Here are some of the activities:

Humanitarian project: making baby rattles to send overseas.



I was lucky enough to be at the same stations as Emma's group so I got to see her several times that day.

Another challenge that we did was that each one of the girls were given a laminated card with a number and "Pay It Forward" on the front. We were to perform a random act of kindness for each card and then head to a local restaurant where there were computer's set up to record the service that we did (Pay it Forward). With each act of service, we were to give the recipient the card and challenge them to perform an act of kindness themselves. It think this was my favorite activity.

The most difficult challenge was when we went to the local dinosaur museum and looked for clues hidden in a mural. We had to solve these clues and plug them into a crazy formula like: green clues + grey clues/ blue clues = the combination to open the lock that had the next clue. Good thing there were other teams there, we all helped each other out. Math never was my best subject.

We just pulled over when we saw someone working in her garden and offered to help.

Helping someone load their groceries in the car.

Our last activity before dinner. Yoga. Aaaaah.

After dinner the stake patriarch spoke and a couple of the youth about making good choices, and having integrity. Then we all went home and rested up for the next day.

Saturday morning, everyone went to the mouth of Grove Creek Canyon and went on a hike. Throughout the hike, they had to stop at 13 different stations to pass of The Articles of Faith. The final destination was the park by the Timpanogos Temple. I didn't attend this portion of the activity because I had to pack for a week long trip that we were leaving for the next morning.

After lunch (I think there were over 100 boxes of pizza!) Every grabbed a raked and cleaned up the park. When that was done, there were fun and games.

Rachel trying to master the four legged race.

Emma enjoying the company of her friends.

After the games, we had the treat of listening to Kris Belcher speak to us. She had tumors in her eyes when she was 7 months old and the radiation that cured the cancer disfigured her face. Seven years ago, she developed cancer in her eye from the radiation she had received when she was a baby. Not only did it completely blind her, but it left her without an eye. She is truly an inspiration.

After Sister Belcher spoke, we all headed home. At 8:00 the youth went back to the church for a dance. This is the activity that Rachel and Emma definitely did NOT want me to be present. Which was okay with me.

You may wonder why the number 13 was so prevalent throughout this activity (and no, it wasn't because the tee shirt company had a discount on the number 13). This year's theme for the Youth, is the 13th Article of Faith, which is:

"We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent and in doing good to all men. Indeed we may follow the admonition of Paul--We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, we hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."

The time, money and logistics involved in this event just proves to me how much The Church values its youth. I am glad to have spent two days in the company of such outstanding people.