Sunday, August 4, 2013

Being Creative While Finding Charity

Nine days ago I got back from my stake's girls camp.  I was hot, sweaty, and very tired, but I had spent the week with some pretty amazing girls.  In spite of the 90+ temperatures and 80% humidity the week of girls camp was not only fun and enjoyable but a wonderful spiritual experience.  The theme for our girls camp this year was "Finding Charity."  I camped with the level one girls.  Our little camp was called the North Pole where we celebrated Christmas all year round. 
There's a tradition in girls camp to come up with a little skit that's performed for the other girls.  My girls had some pretty fun ideas, the only problem was each girl had a different idea for what the skit should be.  We had some pretty amazing Youth Leaders working with the girls and with their help they managed to be super creative and pull almost all the ideas into one cohesive skit.  I was amazed at their imaginations and creativity.  The basic storyline of their skit was about a mean girl named Scroogette, who forgot the meaning of charity.  Through the skit she was visited by three different members of the Elf B. I. (because our girls are from the "North Pole") who took her to the past, present, and future, showing her how her uncharitable acts were effecting those around her.  They even managed to come across some pioneer girls showing charity (since it was Pioneer Day).  Not only did they use little elements from each of the girls' ideas but they pulled in some of the fun songs learned at girls camp.  It was really exciting for me to watch their creative process and see their minds working together to write their skit.  While we watched all the different levels perform their skits the other leaders and I sat back and expressed our excitement and love for these girls.  Not only had they written a skit based on our camp theme of charity, but unknowingly they had lived the theme and showed us perfect examples of Christ's love as they worked together, listening and caring for each of the other girls, making sure no one felt left out. 
I had been very hesitant about going to camp as a leader.  I am NOT a camper.  I don't do bugs AT ALL, and I knew it was going to be very hot and muggy.  I just knew I was going to be miserable.  To my surprise, though, in spite of all the unpleasant factors I was able to have an extraordinary experience.  I witnessed countless acts of service and love, I saw girls that hadn't know each other before hand come together and work as a team helping out whenever they saw a need.  It's something that lifted my spirit and brought me hope and joy.  I am so grateful I was able to be a part of such an amazing camp.  I'm actually looking forward to next year's camp if I'm still the camp director. 

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