sisters in charity

I just returned home about a week ago from the most amazing week I've had all year: Young Women's Camp. I always just feel so strong and empowered when I come back from camp, and this year was the best yet.

We were divided into cabin groups, and each group represented a YW value, faith, divine nature, individual worth, knowledge, choice & accountability, good works, integrity or virtue. The group I was in was the only group that didn't get one of these values--we got the value of charity. Let me tell you, charity was definitely the theme for our family--I mean group. Did I say family? Well, we were a family. We all grew so close, and we loved and trusted each other so much. Each one of those girls I felt like was one of my sisters.

Mikayla and Mikayla with our Charity Flag. Yes, I know it's awesome.

Our theme for this year was "The Warrior Within" and the scripture that went with it was "I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me." (Philippians 4:13) This verse means so much to me now that YW's Camp has helped me truly apply it to my life. Jesus Christ is my brother. He died for me. Even if I was his only sister, he still would have died for me. He gives me strenth, and through him, I can do anything.


The campfire songs, the dancing, the laughing, the Bishop's Day activities...those are all fun. But the real reason why I will remember this YW's Camp year is because my testimony grew so much.

One of the pivotal moments ("aha moments" as we liked to call them) for me was during one of our YCL, Hannah's devotional late at night in our A-Frame cabin. We just started talking about everything, about where we came from, why we're here, where we're going. It was inredible. As we sat gathered around with our flashlights at 11 pm, everything, everything just made sense. You know that feeling? I love that feeling. Everything, for those couple of hours just came together, and for those couple hours, I could see past my worldly problems, I could suddenly see the whole picture.

Hannah then said something I will never forget: she began talking about our life before we came to earth, where we lived with our Father in Heaven. She said, "He held me, when I was a baby. Just like a dad holds his child in his arms, He held me." She had tears streaming down her face as she kept repeating, "He held me." Pretty soon, I was crying too. Because I knew it was true. My Heavenly Father loves me. He probably held me just like Hannah said, and told me that Earth life would be hard, but it I stayed faithful, that I would make it back to Him. I want that so badly. I want to return to Him and have Him smile at me and say, "You did it."


On Friday, testimony meeting day and Bishop's Day, we lit our testimony jars we had made earlier in the week. We each got to decorate a jar, and I put the word "SHINE" on the front of mine, to help me to always remember to hold up my metaphorical light. After testimony meeting, we split from our cabin groups into our Ward groups and had a mini-get-together with our Bishop from our Ward. Each of us went around the circle and said something we can testify of as we held our jars in our hands. The Spirit was so strong.


This year at YW's Camp was incredible. I made so many awesome girls that I feel like I can call my sisters, my testimony grew tremendously. I hope that I will have the courage and faith to stand up for what I know is right, even if I stand alone. Because I cannot have fear if I have faith.

Me and my "Sisters in Charity" in front of our A-Frame Cabin. You guys are incredible.