JM and our oldest 3 got to spend several days in the mountains with the youth in our ward. We had a great time as instructors. We are so blessed to be in the Hastings Farms 2nd Ward. We dominated in unity and we showed up in a big way.
I had a weird spiritual experience while at camp. I offered to help lead a group up a mountain on a hike (more pictures of this hike will be in the next post). The view at the end of the hike was amazing. It led to an overlook of a canyon and the sun was just rising over the trees. The smoke from a nearby wildfire created a fog-like affect. But, my spiritual experience came before the hike.
It was decided that the hike would take place at 5 am. That meant that the leaders had to wake up sleepy campers at 4:30 am to get them to the starting point. Many were very tired and not very eager to go. But, they ended up being good sports. We walked to the starting point and waited. Other wards were already there and they were ready to get started with the hike. But, our young men and young men leaders weren't there yet. Everyone else was getting a little antsy and kept suggesting that they weren't coming and we needed to leave them behind. I said, "no! They will be here, let's give them a few more minutes to show up." This went back and forth for a minute or two, and then we looked up and coming around the bend was a large group of young men and young men leaders that I love and trust walking tiredly towards us. I got a little teary eyed at the sight of these modern day stripling warriors. I turned to the naysayers and declared that I had known that they'd show up. In reflecting on this interesting spiritual experience, I wondered why the spirit hit me so strongly at that moment as I saw them walking near. It's because they showed up and I knew that they would. The church raises good men. The men of God are so starkly different than men of the world. Men of God show up when it matters and they show up in a big way. They love and respect women and freedom. There is a spirit of strength and chivalry about them. They are gentle and kind, brave and courageous. They will stand for what is right and they proved valiant in the premortal realm. The Lord sent them to earth to continue the fight for righteousness and they show up again and again and again, and I love them for it. I am so thankful for this gospel.
HF2 armed with power, we light the world hour by hour!
