The new year has begun (and I'm thrilled!):

Friday night I went to a dinner social for all the stake staff that will be at young women camp this coming July at the home of our new camp director. I will be attending camp as the YCL (Youth Camp Leader) Leader. It was great to be able to meet and mingle with these wonderful women and build friendships with them before camp begins. This calling is such a blessing in my life, I absolutely adore working with the young women.
It was a most wonderful evening. She made all of us a delicious dinner of soup, salad and dessert. It was not a working meeting, but of course, since we love what we do, we did talk some business before the evening was complete.
Planning for camp truly is a year-round activity. I'm excited for the activities that are coming up. I am so excited that the theme the YCL's have chosen: "Bloom Where You are Planted" was approved by the stake presidency. Each year level has chosen to be represented by a value color and flower. Some of the daily themes are: Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful, Getting to Know your Gardener (obtaining a personal relationship with Jesus Christ), Surviving the Storm (trials of teenage life) and Reach for the Light.


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This morning our ward youth and youth leaders all met for our annual youth planning meeting. We planned activities for the entire year ahead in a marathon four and a half hour meeting - whew! We discussed joint, combined, and class activities, camps, Sunday Evening Discussions, temple trips, conferences and more.

This coming year our ward young women will be focusing all our activities on getting to the temple! We have been approved to take the young women on a four temple trip (we have plans to go in October) and most all of our activities will focus on us making progress toward this goal! We will be focusing on:
1. Family history
2. Personal scripture study
3. Service
4. Personal worthiness
5. temple marriage
6. learning the history and significance of the temples we will be visiting

The four temples we hope to visit are Mesa, Snowflake, Las Vegas and St. George. It will be a lot of work but the blessings will be great.


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Tomorrow is our ward conference. I like the theme the stake presidency has chosen for the yearly theme: "Becoming Like Christ". I am looking forward to hearing their comments and counsel.
As families we have been asked to memorize the following song, If The Savior Stood Beside Me by Sally DeFord, as a family. I love the words.

If the Savior stood beside me, would I do the things I do? Would I think of His commandments and try harder to be true? Would I follow His example? Would I live more righteously if I could see the Savior standing nigh watching over me.

If the Savior stood beside me, would I say the things I say? Would my words be true and kind if He were never far away? Would I try to share the gospel? Would I speak more reverently if I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me.

He is always near me though I do not see Him there, And because He loves me dearly, I am in His watchful care. So I'll be the kind of person that I know I'd like to be if I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me.

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My hope is that I am living my life as if the Savior is beside me. There is always, always room for improvement for me, but my hope is that I will always try (and try again) to live more righteously.