Gone Camping

This weekend I escaped the monotony of everyday life to go on a young single adult campout at Navajo Lake. My sister and I headed up the canyon right after work, and the drive alone was enough to make me sing of happiness! The green forest landscape against the vivid red cliffs was absolutely breathtaking. As I took in the sight, I felt the weight from my stressful week begin to lift off my shoulders.


We were half-way to the lake when it began to rain. Hard. Assuming that our ward members had ditched the lake and headed for cover, we passed Navajo Lake in search of the cabin we would be lodging in that night. We had a map and instructions to follow the signs with orange tape. Well, the map was nothing but a line scribbled on a half-sheet of paper and there were NO signs with orange tape to be found. The dirt road quickly became a mud slide streaming with water. After about a half-hour of searching in frustration, we decided to give up and get a pizza in town instead. But just as we were passing Navajo Lake, we saw a figure standing on the side of the road. As we got closer, I peered through my window and realized it was the YSA bishop from the 12th ward! He flagged us down and said that everyone was down by the lake having dinner. Hallelujah!



Navajo Lake

The sun started to break through the clouds as we ate our hamburgers grilled on the camp stove, and the rain let up just enough so we could go walk around the edge of the lake. The water reflecting the sky was stunning, and I couldn't get enough of that fresh mountain air in my lungs! After exploring for a bit, we had our stake president Brother Esplin speak to us for a fireside. He spoke about Satan's biggest tool - discouragement. He said discouragement is dangerous because it allows for us to look back at things that happened in the past and lose hope for our future. We discussed different ways we can continue to live life with hope and remember our worth, such as relying on the Savior's atonement, looking to positive role models in our lives for guidance, staying true to our values, etc. I felt truly inspired by the topic, and the discussion combined with the beautiful mountain backdrop made me feel revitalized.









Members of YSA 2nd Stake
 

After the fireside, we played volleyball on the lake's edge until it was too dark to see. Then we loaded into our vehicles to head to the cabin. By sheer miracle, by Dodge Stratus made it down the winding, muddy path to the cabin hidden in the forest. The place was quaint, complete with a vintage cook stove and a massive stone fireplace in the center of the living room. We played the card game Scum for awhile and then the girls went to bed upstairs while the men set up a tent outside. Although the mattress was lumpy and I had seen way too many large insects crawling around for comfort, I fell asleep immediately and woke up bright and early the next morning for breakfast. The bishop from the 12th ward cooked us pancakes, eggs, and sausage on the camp stove, and it was delicious! It had rained all night so the world seemed shiny and new. We took a group picture and headed for home. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to breathe in some fresh air this weekend and clear my head. Sometimes life gets so crazy busy, and it takes going somewhere new to disconnect from all that & find yourself again. I feel more alive among the trees.