Family Home Evening

The week after getting back from the cabin was girls camp. Since Ashlin has graduated, she wouldn't normally go to camp still... except that she was called to be a Senior YCL (over the Youth Camp Leaders). They were part of the stake staff and were given responsibilities like an adult would be. Ashlin spent hoooooours and hours getting ready for camp. So monday night there we were... the day before she left... her working like crazy all day... Bruce finding rope for 50 girls to practice tying knots... and I was helping cut and glue hand outs.

For Family Home Evening... Ashlin positioned herself in the room (above), so she could work on camp hand outs. And Lily begged to do the lesson. She chose Noah's Ark. As she read the scripture version of the story to us... Sophie was stealing the show behind her holding up her own pictures and telling her "own stories". Everyone was laughing.

... so I got a basket of animals, a clip board, and leaned the Noah picture on it. Then Sophie got to help the animals enter the "ark"... so we could actually listen to Lily.

It was so cute. She loved it.

And then her siblings joined her.

And I loved seeing Noah preach so earnestly in front of their ark. ha ha.

And all the while... Ashlin worked...

Then you can see in the background above that Dallin is showing us a short video from Lds.Org on his phone that he found, because he thought it went with the lesson. It is so sweet to see how he has matured recently and been trying to contribute to our lessons
in a more grown up way.

Emma played us a special musical number... 

Then we made S'mores over our gas stove.

(all ingredients brought to us by our 

wonderful home teacher the night before)

And Ashlin kept working... moving on to different hand outs. She had to make enough for 50 girls. So it was a lot.

Ashlin had to do 15 minute devotionals every day of camp to either all the 1st year girls, or all of the girls. She spent HOURS preparing her messages. She taught knot tying, star gazing, a patriotic flag ceremony devotional, and the hike reflection. She told me it was like preparing 4 talks for sacrament meeting, and that she was crying while preparing because she could feel the spirit so strong. Then she read all of her lessons to me to get my opinion, and she got choked up reading them. To hear my daughter sharing with me her knowledge and feelings that she was going to share with those young girls about being daughters of God... was everything I ever dreamed my daughter would grow up to know. I am so thankful for her testimony. She signed up for 2 institute (religion) classes this summer... and just got up at 6am to go to the temple this morning... and well... people might joke that she is a little bit of a "holy roller". ha ha.