7-Up Lifting Ways To Enjoy Girls Camp

Our 2014 Girls Camp theme, "Look Up" 

was based on this talk by Elder Carl B Cook

Thank you to Colette at My Computer Is My Canvas for creating 

these adorable tags that were perfect for our theme:

 At check in and registration, this was the 

"Welcome to Camp" gift.

This was the first of many surprises the girls would receive

during the week. The tags on each goody were laminated and the the

girls were encouraged to keep them in their journals or scriptures

as bookmarks.

 I joke that, as a young woman, 

I attended camp and learned how to tie knots just so I could 

tie ribbons and beautiful bows as an adult ( it is actually not a joke)

My ribbon stash came in handy as I prepared camp goodies for 130 girls and their leaders.

Butterfly Launch- Young Women Camp

Our theme for 2014 Young Women Camp was  "Look UP" based on talk by Elder Carl B Cook. "It Is Better To Look Up"   quoting President Monson.

On the last day, we had Suzanne Tilton, the Butterfly Lady, visit camp for a butterfly launch. She brought a live painted lady butterfly for each person to release at the end of her presentation. She taught us that we are like the painted lady butterflies who need look up to the light to fly and flourish.
To flourish and grow, we must look up to the light of our Father in Heaven and His son, Jesus Christ.

Suzanne spoke to us at closing flag ceremony right before we went inside for the Testimony meeting. It was a beautiful end to a wonderful week at Young Women Camp.

Girls Camp and Youth Idea

Kiss Them Good-Bye....

(And I don't mean your parents)

Yes, that is what I told the Young Women today at our Parent/Daughter Pre-Camp Meeting regarding their Cell Phones, ipods, or any other electronic device....

Kiss Them Good-Bye...they are not coming to camp, not for the ride up or the ride home. No.....they are not attending camp, in fact, they are not invited.

As I discussed this "rule", I passed around a bowl of Hershey Kisses and told them to take one. As they ate the Kiss, I wanted it to remind them to leave their electronics home so they could "plug in" to The Spirit at Young Women Camp and be prepared for a SWEET EXPERIENCE.

I told the Girls that if they can't fall asleep without headphones and music in their ears, that NOW is a good time to start practicing how to go to sleep without them.

If you are competing with Cell Phones and other electronics at your Weekly Youth Activities or during your Sunday Lessons, TAKE CHARGE. Have a Basket for checking in Cell Phones at arrival time. Don't allow your Youth to be plugged in elsewhere and not tuned in to the Activity/Lesson.

They sit in the same room and Text Message each other over and over and over...DON'T ALLOW IT. REAL Communication is quickly disappearing. We have generation of Text Message, Face Book, Cell Phone, ipod addicts on our hands. It is out of control everywhere I turn.

Tell them to KISS their phones and electronics goodbye during formal Activities and Lessons. When you present this "rule", take the edge off with a few Hershey Kisses and a large dose of your love. My girls know that I totally love them like my own. Asking them to Kiss their electronics Good-Bye was not a problem (yes, there was some grumbles, but no challenging the issue)

How do you deal with Cell Phone and ipod use during

Youth Activities and/or Sunday Lessons?

Is this a problem in your area?

Are the Parents just as bad?