I just spent the past weekend up in Payson with both YW and YM for our 09' youth confernce- "Be thou an example". We had a blast! Hiking, eating, laughing and learning. I am always so impressed with the awesome spirits that are entrusted to me and my fabulous leaders. Really, I have the BEST to work with, which only means they make me and the program look the BEST.
A side note that I have been thinking about lately, is really how much more dramatic the world has become for the youth now from when I grew up just a few years back. They have so much on their plates and if it isnt excellence keeping the girls so crazy busy then it the worlds crap being thrown at them all the time. The youth are strong, really, I thought I was top notch in what was expected and the way I lived. Really, these youth already come hardwired for excellence and as leaders all we have to do is remind them and then point them in the right direction. My Laurel Amber, a few weeks ago calls me rather frantic and really wants to know what to do in her life. She was trying to figure out how to be in Cheer her senior year, attend cosmetology school, take weighted classes at Mesa High, and also how to fit in her few classes at MCC that is preparing her to get her associates. I just sat dumbfounded and I felt rather lame as I tried to give her advice on what to do and how she was going to fit in family as well as mutual Wednesday night. She wouldnt be able to attend mutual with all that would be going on next year for school. Honestly, how pathetic do I feel! She has made a right decision to keep attending mutual and has for the moment postponed a huge privilege to help her succeed in her future life. Wow, what a huge example to me! I have a few girls like this, that could be the ENSIGN poster girl. My life even with a crappy job and stupid math class some how has HUGE meaning because Heavenly Father has allowed me to be in the presence of wonderful girls.
We had such a great time this past week for our Girls camp certification night. The girls had to set a fire with out using matches and also had to learn something about nature, get to know the other girls and also two different ways to cook with fire and finally how to extinguish a fire. We got to do all of it and also enjoy some awesome tortellini soup and apple cobbler over the fire in a dutch oven. 
We had such a great time this Wednesday at the Willis home. Lauren and George were both fantastic hosts and Scottish informants for our YW's Scottish cooking class. George served his mission in this beautiful country and was so gracious in sharing some missionary experiences and also Scottish traditions. We made mince pie and enjoyed a perfect triffle that had peaches, cherries, pound cake and also strawberry jam topped with whip cream. Thank you again for all that we were able to learn and we hope some day we all can make a trip over to that beautiful place. 
