Quest 2013 Stand Firm in Christ

This past week Wayne and I had the wonderful opportunity to go with the youth of our stake and be Tribal Leaders for our Youth Conference.  This year it was called Quest, Stand Firm in Christ.  The Book of Mormon was brought to life through reenactments which the youth of our stake did and it was amazing.  They have been practicing it for months and the costumes, props and recordings were spectacular. This was a life changing event, not just for the youth, but for everyone.  Including myself.  We have had monthly meetings to prepare us for this and we were asked at the first of the year to read the Book of Mormon to get ready.  The last couple of weeks I have been listening to the audio version of the reenactments that would be happening so I would be spiritually ready as well.  As I started to listen and get the wristbands, journals, and headbands prepared I started to get a little anxious that maybe we weren't what these kids needed and I prayed earnestly that we would be ready for what was to take place. I had asked how many to prepare for and with the uncommitted kids they kept getting ones who were going then not and such they kept telling us to prepare for 8-10.  So, I made 12 of everything.  Which would be enough for 8-10 kids and give Wayne and I each one, too.

When we arrived at Camp Zarahemla we were given our list of 10 kids and then they had a couple of kids that could we possibly add to our list...and yes we would be happy to.  Coincidence that I had prepared 12, I would say no, meant to be.  We lovingly called our tribe, "the Breakfast Club" as we had such a unique group.  And as we soon learned, there is not a one of them we could not have been without.  Our tribe name was theBoM.com.  For the Book of Mormon.  We loved our tribe from the minute we met them.

We watched as Lehi led his family from their home into the wilderness and how Nephi's brothers mocked and taunted him and how he loved the Lord and never doubted.  How the Nephites laid down their weapons and promised to not fight and how the Lamanites were off to battle them, I at that time was a Lamanite and how touched I was to have to fight them, and I couldn't.  As tears filled my eyes,  it was so sad.  It mad it seem so much more real and brought so much more meaning of how much their commitment and religion and love of God meant to them and the Stripling Warriors as they had a choir sing to the army as they did not doubt as their mother's knew.  So touching.  And off they marched as Helaman told them to go off to battle we went and off to the battle field and they all survived.  But, the most touching was the faith walk as we blindfolded each tribe member and took them all around the camp stopping to read scriptures of the destruction before the coming of the Savior and then putting at the base of a hill and having them remove the blindfold.  The song, "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" being sung as the Savior appears.  Then the words been read of his coming and His Father from above being heard of this is my beloved Son.  Then He came into the crowd to touch and let the kids feel Him.  It was the most amazing and so real thing,  Our group was on the back row, which was unfortunate, but it made us all realize that is not were we want to be when he comes again.  We want to be closer to Him.  And that even though he had to go.  He never leaves us.  He lives and is with us. Always if we choose.  It was such a special event.  Our tribe all gave us such wonderful hugs after it was over and then went off to their individual wards to have testimony meetings.  Oh, if only we could have been there to witness what they felt.  But, I know that we did not need to be there to see what was felt.  We all felt it.  This is an experience I will cherish forever and am so grateful to be apart of.  Thank you, Luis, Courtney, Cameron, Chloe, Austin, Kayla, Mykena, Nicole, Adam, Josh, Julia, Kyra, you are now a part of our family.  We love you as our own!

I hope that we might have been a little beneficial in changing or bettering your life in someway, but I sure hope that they know that they for sure changed mine!

theBoM.com

Guiding the ship with Lehi and his family

Likenings 

Burning of Abinidi who would not deny his testimony of Christ

Waters of Mormon

Stripling Warriors

Army of Helaman

Playing in the River

 Mykena

 Courtney

 Josh

 Adam

Luis, Austin, Adam

Kayla

Nicole

Julia

Cameron

Last gathering - our tribe front row and a couple behind us

This is how we all felt when we got home, but it was such a wonderful feeling.  I am hopeful he is dreaming of Nephi, Helaman, Ammon, Moroni and of our Savior.  It was an amazing and awesome experience.