This little light....

What a blessing it was being a counselor at YD this last month! I learned so much, and was blessed over and over! I thought you might like to see some of the pictures I got while I was there. I didn't get many, and they aren't the best quality, but at least you get a little taste! =)

Although I didn't get any pictures of it, I was privileged to assist in the canvassing class the second week of camp! It was lots of fun, but a little scary as well! I worked on the ferry that crosses Lake Roosevelt, for three days, 3 hours a day, with younger kids with me who were canvassing for the first time, who were scared to death! It was amazing how many books we got out together though, in just a short amount of time! God is so good! 

           This was my unit the first week of camp. Jeanelle and I had the "Morning Stars" unit both weeks, which was fun!

I'm pretty sure this picture was of lunch! The food was always awesome!

    Harmony, writing campograms during quiet time. (do you notice the pretty green duck tape in the background? Mrs.Evert called the girls in my tent, "The duck tape queens"lol! YD is raising money for new tents, that the whole unit can fit in for next year!)

Gabby and Jenna during quiet time.

A butterfly came to visit my corner of the tent during quiet time. The girls thought it was funny that I never ended up taking a nap like I said I would every quite time! lol

I pressed this little bouquet of flowers that one of the girls picked for me, and put on my pillow. Such a sweetie! =)

The "Morning Stars" unit the second week of camp.

It was so much fun to get campograms in my mailbox! But it was really fun to write them too! =)

It was so hard to say goodbye! Everyone seemed to have their own way of creating "Take home" memories from camp.

A goodbye hug from Mackenzie in a picture! Such sweet girl!

Julianna and I. She is such a sweet girl too! 

Jeanelle and I, laying in the grass, waiting for our girls to show up! She was such a great Co-counselor!

For the  Counselor rally/retreat after camp, Kezzia put together a very interesting progressive walk, that eventually led us down to the lake, where there was a zip line that was wrapped around a tree at one end, and the other was tied to the dug out canoe, which was anchored to the bottom of the lake! It was a contraption that looked rather scary to me, but after a few had gone, I got up my courage, and swung out, clinging to the rope for dear life, over the cliff, into the water below. It was actually quite fun! =) Ted  only let a few of us do it, as our time was limited, and it had taken longer than they thought it would to set it all up. I ended up being the last one they let take the jump, so I was glad I actually got up the courage when I did! Once we were in the water, we were supposed to swim out by the dug out canoe, and untie an oar from a tangled mess of oars! It was so fun! I ended up getting one for my co-counselor too! Once everyone had fetched their oars, most of us jumped in canoes or kayaks, and oared our way across the lake. Some swam, which took a little while! I believe it is around a mile across! By the time we had all made it to the other side, the sun was beginning to set, making a beautiful scene for us to enjoy as we roasted Hot dogs around a campfire, and topped that off with our hearts content of the best Ice cream I think I've ever had! =P 

Mr. Evert drove a car to the other side, and picked some of us up to go back home. But some of us had to take the canoes and Kayaks back across the lake. I decided to take one of the canoes back, and Heidi jumped aboard with me. It was just awesome going back across the lake!!! The sunset was so pretty! There was a little storm brewing though. We could see a sheet of rain coming our direction, and the waves were pretty good size, which made it kinda hard to row. But the scene was just awesome! It was getting darker, and as we went, we noticed a little light on the Evert's Hill, somewhere on the other side of the lake. We pointed the canoe in that direction, but the the light suddenly disappeared behind a tree, and we couldn't see it anymore! The light was little, but it had been a comforting guide to us anyways. As we continued to battle the waves, as it was getting darker out on the lake, I thought about my own little spiritual light, and how many times it may have been an encouragement to someone out somewhere, on a storm tossed wave, who was guided and comforted by my little light, and  I didn't even realize I was being a guide to them. And  I thought of how many times I might have been careless to let it go out, or grow dim...   They were very solemn thoughts to me.    

I was reminded of a study I had done on light that past week, and one of the passages especially came to mind: 

"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising."  Isaiah 60: 1-3

How exciting it is that I have the privilege of being a light in this dark world, that even the princes, and kings of the earth will come to the brightness which the Lord has put within my heart! I vowed out there in that canoe, upon the stormy waves, that I would never let my little light grow dim, or go out... because though I may know it not, there are many out in the stormy world, who are guided and comforted by my little light!

Will you also let your light shine, wherever you may be?