Youth Conference was the best!! We started out by going to the McOmber's house and having Hawaiian Haystacks and chilling, waiting for our bus.
Then everyone got there and we were all just hanging out, soooo excited for Youth Conference!! There were a few youth who had never been to a YC, so we were spending our time anticipating what would happen and just chilling.
Brother Woodruff, Thomas, Lizzie S., Asher S., Kjirsten M., Harrison T., Josie T., and Brother Taylor, from left to right.
Sister Orgill, the YW district president, couldn't make it because of COVID, so we held up a picture of her to show she was there in spirit.
HEAVEN ELEVEN!!! What are we *lean*, what are we *mean*, what are we *neon green*!
Heaven eleven!!
By far the best looking crowd, if you ask me. =D
Babuscas were the more timid group, but still pretty good.
Blue Raspberries were ok, not better than Heaven Elevens!
Food was great, a lot of bread which I couldn't eat, but there were fries, rice, and meet.
Here's everybody at the end of YC, taking one of our last pictures before we headed to the bus home to Beijing.
At the beginning, we all were together, not yet divided into our groups. We had a few games, including get to know you icebreakers, Book of Mormon charades, and the intro to the YC theme, Peace in Christ.
First day of YC after a relaxing night, just before we went to the ropes course.
This was the first icebreaker game we did after being seperated into our groups. Then we came up with our name and got to know everyone. It was nearly 11 O'clock, you can see how tired we all are!
Got our swag on, just taking a selfie!
Breakfast first day, sitting around mixed groups. =)
This is me and President Tanner on the free falling tower. We had to climb to the top and help the other onto the small platform, then jump backwards and swing. I was so nervous, but President Tanner kept making jokes and soon we were back on the ground.
This is me and President Tanner on the free falling tower. We had to climb to the top and help the other onto the small platform, then jump backwards and swing. I was so nervous, but President Tanner kept making jokes and soon we were back on the ground.
This is me failing to get up the Ladder of Doom with Kate. Eventually, I came down and another went up in my place to help Kate get to the top.
After President Tanner and I got down from the free fall tower. You can't see it, but I am shaking so much!
Cookies and gatorade!!
We switched from the free fall tower to the rope's course half way through the day and it was so much fun!! I was frozen on the first rope for a few minutes, then I willed my feet to move and made it to the end, no problem.
Right before we went down to the rope's course, we were given journals and pens so we could keep a record of the experiences, if we wanted to, or just to take notes.
This picture is so bad! I had just gotten off of one of the activities and was making my way to my friends.
Before we went to the ropes, again, sitting and waiting for our spiritual thought and itinerary.
At the end of YC, we all got back on the bus and headed home. It was such a good experience, both socially, spiritually, and physically. I learned so much about me as a person and about the youth from different parts of china, and gained some new friends as well as became closer to the ones I already knew. I can't wait for next year!
This is me and President Tanner on the free falling tower. We had to climb to the top and help the other onto the small platform, then jump backwards and swing. I was so nervous, but President Tanner kept making jokes and soon we were back on the ground.
Brother Sevy had by far the best costume ever!! He even shaved his beard to make it look like he was from Germany. And, Brother Woodrif had the best Welsh accent!
Me, writing in my YC journal after crying my eyes out because of the awesome letters I was given.
Brynlee and Kate, chilling with me after we finished the ropes.
Ashlyn and Mayah just getting off the freefall! You can see Ashlyn holding her probably shaking fingers. ;)
My two besties, Lizzie and Josie looking impeccable as always.
Mom speaking now - I didn't get to go because Rhea wasn't old enough to, so we stayed home. But we loved looking at the pictures as they came in on the youth conference wechat group. Lots of smiles and wonderful comments. Something that Thomas, Savvy, and dad talked about when returning, was how they loved the session when everyone broke into groups to answer "hard questions." Maybe they were about church history with polygamy, or about blacks not getting the priesthood until 1978, or why our LGBTQ friends can't get married, or why women don't have the priesthood. They all appreciated the time that the youth had to research the answers to these questions, and work through the answers together and with their leaders, and then share their findings with their peers. We have an amazing group of youth here in China, as well as wonderful leaders like Todd Woodruff that made this wonderful conference happen and all those that helped and chaperoned. We feel very blessed, and we're grateful that our youth were able to unite physically and spiritually together!
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