That One Time I Was Scared Out Of My Mind

So last weekend on Saturday, I drove over 3 hours to Buena Vista, Virginia where I was going to have training for EFY. After driving the 3+ hours, I unpacked and moved into my dorm room, and then headed to training. It was LONG. That's for sure. Training started at 2 and by the time we finished training, dinner, and dance instruction it was at least 8ish. I was exhausted by the end.

Sunday night I met my co counselors and got the list of girls I would be over. I just felt an overwhelming love for these girls I hadn't even met yet. It was amazing. Unfortunately, I was also scared to death. I was making myself sick I was so scared. I was more nervous than excited, and that should never be the case. I talked to my BC (Building Counselor- the counselor over a group of counselors) and told her my concerns. She did a decent job of calming me down, but I was still nervous. That was until I met my girls. The second I met them all fear left me and we got along right away.

After getting to know my girls, we met up with another group of girls who's counselor was MaKenna, who were also in our company (group of kids- boys and girls- who are together for the week as a makeshift family). We then went to our meeting place and met our boys (who's counselor was Sean)! The girls were nervous, and so was I. They made comments about how they didn't want lame boys, and I told them that whatever they were thinking about the boys, the boys were probably thinking about the girls. Turns out the girls and guys got along great! They just meshed well.

Somehow this obsession thing started... Let me try to explain. My girls (and some of my guys) developed this love for the Health Counselor Karl. Every time they saw him they'd whisper things like "I need mouth to mouth resuscitation" or "I'm hurt, I need Karl" or "I have a broken heart, Karl, come fix it" OR they'd do things like eat a lot of pizza then jump up and down on their bed or at one point they even built a human pyramid and collapsed on each other so Karl could come rescue him. They said he looked like a ken doll...  One day, during the variety show, every time Karl got up to help move things the EFY girls (and some guys) would scream "KARL!" in their high pitched voices. Their love turned to obsession. But it wasn't really creepy... It was more like HILARIOUS.

Our company name was from Isaiah 29:13-14 and we were called "Fear Towards Me". Games night was when our company bonded really well. Through all the games, my company worked together and would strive to win. But, they wanted to have fun more than win, so even when they lost, they just laughed and tried harder the next time. Games night really unified our company.

After games night was Pizza night! My girls really wanted to join with MaKenna's girls. So we asked our BC Kristen if it would be okay, and she said yes! So, all the girls gathered together and we had a blast! Ate lots of pizza, talked lots about boys and COWs (crush of the week), and acted like a bunch of crazy people.

Thursday was the "spiritual day" where we started off with gospel study, then had a young women's activity, then had a morningside (a morning fireside (supplementary, evening meeting)) followed by a variety show and then a musical program/fireside. To end the day, we had a testimony meeting where the youth had the opportunity to bear testimony of what they believe.

Overall, it was a fantastic week. These youth were amazing and ever so inspiring. They taught me so much and I owe them for the lessons they shared with me and taught me. I was so lucky to have the group I had, and be in the company I was in. Being with Sean and MaKenna was a true blessing. They are two of the most amazing people I've ever known.

Me, MaKenna, Sean

 They liked to make fun (in a nice way) of my "nervous face". They said I was super easy to read because I'd always make certain faces to describe exactly what I was feeling. This face was the classic face I made- so we got a picture of the three of us making "the face".

Me, MaKenna, Sean

I just don't know if my second week can top this AMAZING first week. So, ladies and gentleman from "Fear Towards Me", if you're reading this, thank you for being so incredible and inspiring. It meant the world to me.
Anyways, that's all for now. More confessions to come.

- J