Youth Conference

I am back from Youth Conference. I made it home safely with all of the youth in tack and still together. No injuries or problems. I have lost plenty of sleep, became fatter, but I have been spiritually fed and lifted from Youth Conference. I think that I take alot of things for granted and I finally realized that at Youth Conference during a scripture study session that I desperately needed. This year's Youth Conference theme was "Service" we started the day on Thursday. We headed to a trail here in Ogden to help widen the trail, and make it look a lot better. By the time we were done around 1:30pm the trail looked completely different. The trail master told us that we had done something in four hours that would have taken them two weeks to do. I felt a sense of accomplishment from that comment. I also failed to mention that this service project was done with the St. James Catholic Church. They had three youth show up. One boy, and two girls. The two girls both go to a private Catholic school and this service was the first time they had ever done anything with "Mormons". The boy goes to Ben Lomond and our amazing Youth swept him up and took them as their own. I watched in pure astonishment, they treated him with respect and love. I know I was proud of them, and if they only knew that their Heavenly Father was even more proud of them at that moment. The Reverend asked the 2nd Counselor in the Stake Presidency how we as "mormons" get that many youth out to do such a daunting task. He simply replied we love to serve. The Reverend then told him that there was no way he could ever get so many youth out to do what we had done that day. I was proud of our youth! It was hot, and definitely not an easy task but we got it done, and I felt good about what we accomplished. Friday we had two amazing speakers, team building games, and finished some quilts that will be donated to the NICU, some other group that I can't remember, and possibly the DI for christmas. They told us that the DI goes through quilts and baby blankets like crazy during christmas time. They were not huge acts of service but simple easy one's that didn't take much time with each family working on a blanket. I find that the more time I spend with the Youth the more I am taken back by each of them. They truly are the "chosen generation". I was grateful and honored to spend three days with them. Each individual youth has a presence about them and I strive to be more like them each day because they are so strong. Youth Conference was a neat experience and I am so grateful that I have a job that is willing to work around my schedule so that I can go have fun with the Youth. I am also thankful for Ben. He has to work twice as hard when I am gone at things like things, and he continually tells me to go and that he will take care of everything, and he does and I don't worry while I am gone. I am also grateful for my parents who took the time to teach me the gospel. I can't imagine how hard it is and one day I know Ben and I will be there. I am excited and scared all at the same time. I hope that Ben and I can be half of the examples that my parents, his parents and those parents that have youth in our church.