EFY Week 9 - Twin Falls

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9 weeks!?! This summer has been crazy awesome and this was a good way to end it. This week was another stay-at-home session so it was fun to be able to hang out with the other counselors at night. I was one of the counselors in charge of the musical program, so I was worried that I wouldn't see them much, but we bonded in a unique way this week. Basically all of my kiddos ganged up on me and tried to make me pass out as many times as possible. Even my co-counselor was in on the planning. I'm pretty much the human version of a fainting goat, so they thought scaring me was pretty funny. This was another one of those weeks where I would get talking to the kids and forget that they're not my age. Maybe it's because I'm still a 15-year-old at heart.

EFY Week 8 - Provo

I wasn't supposed to work this week, but I got called in just a couple of days before this session started. Provo usually isn't my favorite place to work just because there are so many people, but it was fun to see so many counselors again, as well as a few of my EFY kiddos from last year. My girls this week were a hoot and I'm glad I got to be with them. They would pray about the cutest things (like clouds during games night--which totally happened). It was a pretty chill week, compared to the rest of the summer. One of the craziest parts of a session in Provo are the classes because there are so many to choose from and they are in different buildings all over campus. This week was especially insane because Brad Wilcox and Hank Smith were both teachers and all of the kids wanted to go to their classes. Kids were sprinting to get to classes and a lot of people were frustrated that it got kind of out of control, but come on, how cool is it that these kids were running to a class to learn more about the gospel?!?! Definitely a "problem" I'm willing to deal with.

EFY Week 7 - Ogden

This was my first "stay-at-home" session, meaning the kids go home at 9pm every night at come back at 9am. My biggest fear was that I wouldn't get to know the kids as well because I feel like that hour before lights out is when I get to have the most one-on-one time with them. But I ended up bonding with these kids so much. From cinnamon roll hugs every night to learning how to catch whipped cream in our mouths, I couldn't love them more. We laughed and cried together so many times this week. I felt so strongly of the love that Heavenly Father has for each one of them. I don't know everything that these kids were struggling with, but He does, and I felt guided at every moment to know what to do or say. I know that God si aware of us personally and uses other people to answer our prayers. I know that He finds little ways every day to show us that He cares.

EFY Week 6 - Kansas

What a week! It was insane, but still one of my favorites. I went to the hospital 4 times and found out I have a blood clot in my foot. It's not a big deal, but those few days of not knowing were scary. Luckily I had the world's best co-counselor this week and knew that our kiddos were always in the best hands :) The dorms were sketchy and the heat was nearly unbearable, but there were so many good moments this week that made it all worth it. I loved our session director, who happened to be my seminary teacher my sophomore year. I made sure everyone asked him about his proposal story because it is easily the best I have ever heard.

One night, I got in the elevator to go down to dinner and a bunch of my boys were already inside. "Don't get in!" they yelled, but I didn't listen. I figured out that one of them was shirtless and the others were hiding them in the corner. Right after I figured this out, the elevator door opens and the first thing my co sees is me videoing the situation. Ir doesn't sound as funny when I write it, but trust me, it was dang funny.