Amazing Youth

I work with the youth in our church, specifically the Young Women.  Last night my friend Theresa & I were in charge of putting on a combined Young Men/Young Women activity. We planned an Amazing Race theme which included: Hula Hoop race, pizza dough toss, ice stacking, eating disgusting food, finding safety pins in a huge bowl of rice while blindfolded, jigsaw puzzle, scripture fill-in and a fitness test.

There were 6 teams with about 7 youth per team.  They ran around the building looking for the next country and challenge. 

This challenge had some of the kids almost hurling.  If you ate the pig's feet you got to move on right away.  The sardines, wait 3 minutes, and the beets wait 5 minutes. I told Theresa I did not support the kids eating disgusting pig's feet, but she would have none of it, so pig's feet it was.

One of the boys reluctantly ate the sardines and then asked for more!

I am not sure why this challenge is under Mexico as we all know Mexican Food is the BEST!!!!!

 Here is Emry and one of her teammates Devin eating the pigs feet. I almost couldn't watch. I think they're breaking into a cold sweat right about the time I snapped this.

Here are about half the teams.  My camera really tried to keep up with them but those young'uns are fast!

It's really a privilege to be around all these kids.  They're fun, smart and are really trying to do what's right.  I am thankful to belong to a church that puts such an emphasis on teaching these youth correct principals and giving them lots of opportunities for growth & FUN!

These kids got it going on!

Good, Clean Fun

 Tuesday nights are designated youth nights in our church.  Every Tuesday we have a fun activity for the boys & girls ages 12-18.  I've been working in primary for years but I just got called to be the 1st counselor in the Young Women's and with Emry turning 12 last month it is a huge part of our life right now.

This past Tuesday we had a progressive dinner for the youth.  Appetizers at my home, caroling down the street to another ward member where we had dinner, then caroling back down the street to my neighbors house, also in our ward, for dessert.  Besides not a lot of people being home and one guy telling us to keep it down his kids were sleeping (!!??!!) the kids had fun.

 I am so thankful for the Young Women's Program.  While the boys work on getting their Eagle in Scouting, the girls work on their Personal Progress books.  In this book are requirements having to do with the values we are teaching them. 

Emry's working on a few things simultaneously right now.  Some are big others are small.   For instance 2 of her goals are saying a morning & nightly prayer, & saying something kind to her siblings every day.  The great thing about daily goals are they become habits. 

To complete the entire book will take a few years, so if she keeps going I can't even imagine the young lady she will become.

I walked into the kitchen a few days ago to see Emry studying her scriptures as part of one of her goals she is working on.  Even though I grew up in the church, seeing her sitting there, reading the Bible on her own accord almost broke my heart.  I do not take it for granted.  She also taught us a lesson Monday night (family night) on avoiding  temptations in life.  Who raised this girl?  Oh yeah, that would be ME!

O.K. let me come back to reality.  I get upset at my kids, they can be selfish and immature, lazy? uh yeah!  But they are good kids.  They love each other and they love our Savior Jesus Christ.  They're going to mess up but I know they know what it means to Choose The Right.  My job right now is just helping them be strong enough to make the choices they know they should.