Working With The Youth

5 days after Park City I spent a Saturday with our Young Women at Youth Conference.  (My husband is so supportive and has done splendidly well in my frequent absence while I fulfil my calling, summers are the busiest and we've made it through this year's busy season with the youth.   I just had to mention his hard work before I continue with this little post.)  I got to have some neat experiences with my girls there and just want to document a few things about my role in this calling right now.  I probably feel this way because my good friend and our second counselor got "called up" to Stake YW presidency today at Stake conference, so sad.  I may have teared up when I had to sustain her.  Who knows how long I'll get to have this calling and I'd like to remember my role in the church during this time of my life.  So a brief list of highlight moments for me:

• Teaching out of the YW manuel, so uplifting. 
• Working with 3 truly remarkable women and now dear friends.  We've served together for a year and a half; were a stellar team. 
• The changing of ward boundaries and our group more then doubling. 
• Girls camp this year will always be a good memory for me.  I will always remember scripture study with our laurels it was like having the spirit of the temple in a tent.  The cookie dash was life changing as well.
• I have a good relationship with the girls and love to nurture them when I can, but I've kind of got a reputation as the leader who deals with discipline moments and tough messages.  I'm the tough love leader and I'm totally fine with that.  The girls love me still, it may take a day or two for them to come around but they do.  It also makes for some very enjoyable awkward moments and some good teaching moments as well.  
• Doing something scary and repelling off a 200 foot free fall.  Getting permission to go a second time and repelling fast enough to hear one of my girls loudly brag, "that's my leader!" 
• Getting to go to YW class during church is great. 
• Watching these girls change, grow and learn is really the best part of the whole experience.  It is such an important time in their lives and I'm glad I'm a part of it.  

I'm setting a goal on here so I'm accountable.  I want to earn my YW medallion again as a leader.  I've waisted a year and a half, time to get to work!  I'm excited.  Thanks for letting me share.