From Girl’s Camp to Camp Helaman

Girls Camp --  just the beginning of  a  VERY full summer.  Jim and I drove the two hours to Camp Hohobas on the final night of camp which they call  Bishop’s night, to be there for their closing ceremonies and the testimony meeting each ward has.  I used to go with Jim when he was Bishop, but since he was released a couple of years ago, it hasn’t been part of his job description, although, in his calling now, he is always welcome.   This year we decided to go together, and take advantage of a very friendly high councilor/former Bishop’s offer to spend the night at their lake house thirty minutes away, since it was usually near midnight when we got out of there.  Besides, in the morning we wanted to visit Nathan’s Camp Helaman which was on the other side of the lake, to be there for their testimony meeting.  So it turned out to be a nice evening away for the two of us.

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It’s always fun to see our girls at camp—they are very neat people.

 

 One dreaded aspect of Bishop’s night for any Bishop, is the Bishop’s Torture Sessions, well, they are actually called, “Bishop’s GAMES – but the competitions they put the Bishop’s through don’t really fall into the “fun” games kind of category, if you ask me.  The two purple fairies on the left are two of the Bishops in our stakes with their wives sitting with their wards.

Before the Pass Along Ceremony begins, the fire is lit with a trail of something like gunpowder, (I really have no idea what they use), but the effect is much like that in “National Treasure” where the flame runs up a ramp and around the fire pit then down inside to hopefully cause the whole fire to light.

 

 We have lift off!!

They were successful in a spectacular way.

  

 Jim never has to be invited twice to ride someone’s motorcycle or dirt bike.

The Camp Helaman testimony meeting was a great meeting.  The parents all sat at the back behind the boys in the outdoor ampitheatre.  I didn’t feel too good about taking pictures during the meeting, and waited till it was over and finally was able to get one shot where Nathan was visible.  He had an incredible experience there and the challenges he faced as a leader actually turned out to be blessings in unexpected ways, and sparked a desire in Nathan to grow spiritually.  I meant to write and ask the organizers of Camp Helaman what they had done with our son.  He sure wasn’t the same kid we sent over there—sort of like a new and improved model. Wow.