Weekend with the Ward in the Woods

This weekend was the WARD RETREAT! I'd been looking forward to this weekend for months. It was Friday night to Sunday noon at a campground in Maryland. We were greeted by this ridiculous-looking totem pole (I grew up in the land of totem poles)...

Being at camp brought back good memories of going as a 6th grader and being a camp counselor later on. I was also excited to have ample amounts of unrushed time to get to know more people in my ward, especially all the new people.

***Sad news, I lost my camera, along with the video of my medley and half of the pics from the Ward Retreat. Thank goodness for the camera on my phone.

Friday night - we had an "Open Mic Night" (aka talent show) out by the campfire. I looked forward to having the opportunity to perform (D&C 60:2) but was still super nervous. I sang a medley of 1940s love songs and accompanied myself on the piano (in this case, a keyboard): "Sunday Kind of Love", "Put Your Dreams Away", "Time After Time".

It really felt like I was "roughin' it"! I sat on a low log bench, a friend fashioned a music stand out of a hanger (intended for roasting s'mores) and I had to wear a head lamp to see the music haha...but I got through it and was able to enjoy the rest of the weekend without butterflies in my stomach :)

Afterwards, there was a dance party by the campfire til past 2:00am. Karen and I headed back around 1:30am. Our log cabins were super muggy the first night and pretty chilly the second night. I slept on the edge of my bed cuz who knows what kind of bugs live in those walls! I slept in my jeans both nights and didn't shower all weekend ha! My hair felt nasty but I just braided it. It was refreshing to not wear face makeup all weekend.

Morning stretches feel extra good in the refreshing forest air.

Saturday - we started with field games (lost all pics but here's the field!)

I'm on the Activities Committee so I helped with the water balloon toss (which I love). Then there was a torrential downpour, lunch, and people split up for various activities. I ended up going to Frederick, Maryland, a historic Civil War town that is filled with lots of charming little shops, like this old record store

Ray bought and shared this huge turkey leg (bargain $6!) and obviously thoroughly enjoyed it - a very manly "snack" haha

There was a scenic walkway along the canal...

...with a beautiful little fountain, which meant I had to take a dance picture (pilates, to be exact). I have no idea why, but running water makes me want to take dance pictures...if you haven't noticed the theme throughout my blog haha

And then Russell wanted to try :D

Bryce couldn't resist either

Then, of course, Ray and Lauren had to jump in haha

On the way back, we ran into some other people from the ward retreat, who told us about this cute Soda Shop with unique flavors and floats. Ray just had to go back try it out. He got the blueberry soda with vanilla ice cream, and I got black raspberry ice cream. Mmm Mm!

Went back to camp for dinner

After dinner, we gathered for a rousing game of "Battle of the Sexes". It was kind of like Jeopardy, where random guys and girls got called on to compete in different levels in the categories of Music, Fashion, Food, Sports, and Miscellaneous.

For example, guys and girls had to demonstrate their fashion "design" skills by dressing a model with toilet paper and tinfoil. The bishop was the judge and asked each group to explain their outfits and then have the models strut the catwalk. Girls won this round, as well as the whole game haha. Good effort, boys :)

Afterwards, people split up again for various activities. I stayed and watched The Hunger Games because I had never seen it (or read the books) and was too exhausted to do anything else.

The content was obviously extremely disturbing, but my friends said the author meant it to be that way to criticize violence and communism. I really liked one quote - "Hope, it is the only thing stronger than fear" - and how the protagonists proved that love is even stronger than hope. This principle is totally congruent with The Book of Mormon (Moroni 7:40-47). We must have faith and hope, but without charity (the pure love of Christ), we are nothing.

I decided I like the movie after all.

Sunday - we had Sacrament Meeting in the same room. It was a beautiful sunny morning, although I felt weird going to church without showering and wearing a sweatshirt (the only jacket I brought).

Some funny moments:

- The speakers (who did a great job speaking about Jesus Christ) remarked on how awkward it was to give a talk without a podium
- The organist had to use the keyboard and accidentally pressed a button that played a bass boogie beat during the closing hymn and everyone busted out in laughter lol

After church, we all helped clean the camp, packed our lunches (there was SO MUCH extra food), and went home.

I left with a renewed appreciation for air conditioning (heating and cooling), my comfortable apartment, and my membership in the Church. It was fortifying to be surrounded only by those who share the same high standards of living and testimony of Jesus Christ. It was renewing to be away from the noise, profanity, cigarette smoke, blasphemy, immodesty, bickering, evils, and tragedies of the world. I noticed that it was remarkably harder to SIN at camp because the temptations and distractions of the world were significantly lessened. I had no reception on my phone so I was oblivious to Facebook updates, new emails, news and tabloids. Instead, we were surrounded by God's beautiful creations and reminded of the most important things in life. That and the riveting CES Fireside by Apostle Jeffrey R. Holland prepared me to go back to reality with peace and the proper perspective.