A Very Special Weekend

It has been our pleasure this past Saturday night and Sunday to have almost all of our family join us on the mountain...at the same time! Missing were Nick and Lorin, who had to work, and, of course, Elder Bryton Bryner now of the Chili Santiago East Mission. We are hearing great things about how he is adjusting to missionary life.

Sunday, the 28th, was Bryton's birthday, and so we all got together and made the above picture to send to him. It was a lot of fun to do and we just hope it doesn't go too far into making him long for home. He is writing some wonderful notes to his parents about his experiences.

Saturday at 5:00 we met at the challenge course 4, and all who wanted did the high course. Even Grandpa this time! And then I was the belayer for the rest of the family. It was a real thrill to be with them for this challenging activity.

During the activity, a deer came quite close in to the course and it impressed me that it was a little like the Garden of Eden, where there is no fear among all creatures, being that enmity had not yet occurred. I brought a great spirit to our little gathering.

Following the challenge course we adjourned to Legacy Lake and we had dinner and those who wanted to were able to get on the lake in paddle boats and canoes.
Returning to our "camp", Greg finally got a fire started (wet wood) and had S'Mores.
Sunday we had breakfast of boil-in-bag breakfast burritos. (We may try it next year at the reunion). They are really quite good. We will not say too much at this point about how they are made, but the name might be self explaining! We like the easy clean up.
After attending Sacrament Meeting, we came back to camp and had our own Primay-YM/YW-Priesthood-Relief Society meeting!
Amy did a story for the primary age children and then while they colored the pictures about the story, Lois gave her talk about Sariah, after whom the camp we are in this year is named. It is the same talk she gives, when asked, to the Young Women. She uses a bouquet of different flowers, the colors of which, are the same as the colors for the YW Values. (Eight, now that they have added the value of Virtue and the color gold). Then she tells how each of the values were evident in the Life of Sariah, the wonderful spouse and companion to the Prophet Lehi.
I gave a short talk about how Heber Valley Camp came to be and how, after its dedication by Merrill Bateman in 2006, all things at the camp belong now to the Lord and therefore are as sacred as would be a chapel, stake center, or even a Temple, as they are now his. We therefore must respect them in the same way. We missionaries call it the temple without a roof.
We then had a short testimony meeting as a family and there was a great spirit there and we all realized, after sharing both verbal and spiritual feelings, just how blessed we are as a family to have the love and support of one another.
It was truly a special and very joyful weekend for Lois and I, and we hope for our family as well.