OYA!!!!

First things first, I’d just like to say I’m sorry but I don’t have any pictures to post about OYA, yet. But maybe I will by my next post. But I can still tell you about it. Sorry again.

So yesterday Katelyn and her friend Kelsey went boating and biffed it like 70 times she said and wanted me to mention it.

Okay, so I just got back from OYA about a week ago and it was so much fun! OYA is a program put on by BYU and it stands for: Outdoor Youth Adventure. OYA was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. It really strengthened me spiritually, physically, and emotionally and it also strengthened my testimony. So, I’d like to share some of my experiences I had there.

So, I have to admit, before I came to OYA, I was nervous! I was worried that no one would like me, or that people would think I was weird, or that I would really humiliate myself, etc. But, once I actually got there it was exactly the opposite. My group was so accepting of me, and liked me for me and they really cared about me. They were amazing! You know, it’s kinda funny how these things work. I mean, just two weeks ago, I was boarding a shuttle not knowing anyone (well, except my best friend Sierra), and wondering what it would be like, if I would make new friends, if I would have a good time, just wondering what the week would bring. Then, five days later, boarding that same shuttle again, crying because I’d miss all my new friends, wishing that we could spend just a few more days together, wondering if I’d ever see them again, and wondering what the next week would bring being back at home. I came to OYA with one friend, and I left with ten more. And when I came to OYA, I was a very different person than when I left.

Okay, so when we first arrived we got put into groups, group A, B, C, and D. I was in group A, aka the Alpha-Gators!!! Which consisted of: Me and Sierra and our new friends: Lindsay, Macy, Teneal, Natalie, Jace, Tanner, Paul, John, Bryer, and Connor. And of course our counselors Tom and Risa. And everyone was so awesome! So then once we were in our groups, we did some activities, came up with a cheer, and then headed down to our camp.

So when we arrived at our camp, there were no tents, no cabins, no trailers, but teepees! That’s right we stayed in teepees. They were actually pretty cool, and they had lots of space as well. So then once we were all settled, we had to work on our group cheer (cuz at dinner there was a competition for who had the best one). Then we went to dinner, and sadly we lost the competition.

After dinner we watched skits and played capture the flag. Then we got to have a really cool experience. And I’d like to share mine.

So we split up into pairs and one person had to be blindfolded, then the other had to pick a tree and guide the blindfolded person to it. Then the blinded one got to get to know their tree by feeling it, smelling it, or whatever. Then, they would be guided back to where they started. From there, they would take off the blindfold and go find their tree. So when I took off my blindfold and began looking I thought I’d never find my tree, but it turns out that the first tree I came to was my tree, but I had second thoughts and continued looking, but none of the other trees seemed quite right and I wound up at the same tree again, and this time I knew it was my tree. I think we can kind of relate this to the gospel and choosing the right path. I believe that if you get to know your father in heaven by praying, attending church, paying tithing, studying the scriptures, etc that you will be able to find your way back to him, and the better you know him, the easier it will be to make it back.

So then, the next day we went river rafting on the snake river and that was really fun and after that, we came back and showered! Hallelujah! I was so happy that they had showers! Then, we had dinner and after dinner we had another cool experience I’d like to share.

So we all got into a circle and held hands, and again we were blindfolded. Then, they broke the circle and we became a line and there was a leader and we all just held hands and followed. I have to admit, I was kind of nervous while we were walking cuz I had no idea where we were going and I was worried I would trip and fall on something (I happen to be very good at that haha). Luckily though, I didn’t trip and fall. So after about 7 minutes of walking or so, we stopped then they had us all drop each other’s hands and they separated us and told us to listen for a sound, and to follow it once we heard it. While I was standing there and waiting for the sound I had a weird feeling, I was kind of lonely, and scared and then after a few minutes I began to worry that I’d follow the wrong sound, or that I hadn’t heard it and they’d all left, and there were so many thoughts running through my head then finally I heard the sound. It sounded like a bucket of rocks being shaken and was not at all the sound I had expected to hear, but I followed it anyway and I could hear others around me following it as well so I thought I was doing the right thing. Then once I had reached the sound, I heard it coming from somewhere else, so I ran off in the new direction, and this became a pattern, when ever you’d reach the sound it would move. Then, a few minutes later I began to hear another sound, it was much quieter and it sounded like a chime, I felt like I should follow it, but I didn’t want others to hear me going the other way and think I was weird, so I continued following the bucket sound, but each time I heard the bucket sound, it seemed like less and less people were following it with me, so finally I decided to follow the chiming sound. It was very quiet and hard to hear so I had to listen really hard, but I began to get closer and closer to it, and it got louder and louder, so I knew that it wasn’t being moved like the bucket was and I kept following it, but unlike the bucket I followed it slowly and carefully, until I finally reached it and once I did a peacefully feeling came over me. Then someone grabbed my hand and wrapped my fingers around a rope and then I heard a whisper: “Follow the rope” it said. So I held onto the rope and began walking and while I was walking there were lots of things in the way, like trees, rocks, and logs that I had to find my way around and step over and occasionally I bumped into them, but I continued on and soon I heard singing, it sounded far away and it was very faint, but as I kept walking it grew louder and louder and finally I reached the end of the rope, and someone grabbed my hand and lead me forward and told me to sit down and join the singing. I noticed as I sat down that there were people all around me singing hymns and primary songs and as I began to sing I could feel the spirit come over me, and it was such a peaceful and spiritual moment to be there with all these wonderful people singing these wonderful songs. Then about 5 minutes later as we finished singing “I am a Child of God”, the counselors invited us to share our experiences, and I learned a lot from listening to everyone’s individual reaction to the spiritual experience we had just had. Then, after everyone that wanted to share had shared, we were invited to take off our blindfolds and as we did, our counselor Tom said: “Welcome home.” It was a really powerful moment, and we all knew what he meant. I can’t really even explain how I felt at that moment, the spirit was so strong, and I could feel the great love we all had for each other, and it was just an amazing feeling. I think that we can relate this experience to the gospel as well. I think that the bucket of rocks represented Satan and his tricks, and the chime represented all that was good and wholesome. Like when we were following the rocks, it didn’t get us anywhere we just had to keep chasing it without ever reaching it, but with the chime you would follow it and it wouldn’t move it would just remain in the same place and you were able to reach it. It is just like how Satan tries to trick us, by using our peers and the media telling us that doing things like drugs, or pornography, or using bad language, and a bunch of other things, and he tries to make us think that it will bring us happiness, and so people chase after those things but never really getting what they want out of it, so they do more and more bad things, trying to get that true happiness, but they never do. Then there are things like praying, reading scriptures, attending church and youth activities, and spending time with family, which truly will bring us happiness and as we continue to do those things, we get nearer and nearer to true happiness and eternal life.

Then, the next day we got to go horseback riding (or muleback riding in some cases :) ) and it was a blast! We had so much fun doing that, then after that we did a ropes course where we climbed up a rock wall, then at the top, you’d harness yourself onto a zip line! I didn’t actually get to do that one, but they all said it was awesome! Then, after that it was free rotation and our group chose to do canoe battleship! And omigosh it was so much fun!!! So everyone would be in a canoe and we’d all try to sink or capsize each other and it was totally awesome! But, while everyone else was in canoes, Sierra, Paul, and I got permission to be pirates! So we got to swim around in the water and take other teams’ weapons and tip them over! And I have to admit, we were pretty awesome pirates!

Then, that evening I had another great experience, which I learned so much from. So we all went down to this big wooden wall, and we all had to somehow climb over it using only the resources we had, which were: branches and each other. So what we did was have two guys standing at the bottom and two other people waiting at the top. So the two guys at the bottom would hoist us up one at a time and then the two people at the top would help lift the person up and over the wall, everyone was doing well and we were a little more than halfway through with everyone when it was my turn. And let me tell you, I did not do so well. So on the first try I lifted my feet up the wrong way, so I climbed back down. Then the second time, I lost my grip and fell, but luckily they caught me. Then on my third try I finally made it over, but they had to give my friend Jace “special permission” to help me up cuz he was the first one to make it over so he wasn’t allowed to help us on the ground, but he was the best at getting people over. So after that, I finally made it over. Oh, it was so embarrassing cuz everyone else got over in one try! So then once I was up there, tears began to fill my eyes. I don’t even really know why , I think I was probably embarrassed and overwhelmed. So I climbed down the other side, trying to hide my quickly filling eyes,  and right as I reached the bottom I burst out into tears, then everyone kept asking if I was okay and stuff, then Sierra ran up to me and just gave me a huge hug and she wound up crying too, and we just stood there for like two minutes just hugging each other and crying. Then Lindsay joined us and then Risa and it was just a really emotional moment. Then after everyone had made it over the wall, we got a chance to write in our journals. And during that time, Sierra decided to write me a note, and I’d really like to thank her for that note. So Sierra if you are reading this, thank you! I don’t know if she realizes this or not, but I think she was prompted by the spirit to write that note, because in it she wrote the exact words I needed to hear at that exact time and I am keeping that note forever.

So then the next day, we did some more ropes courses, which consisted of, the power pole. So with the power pole I wasn’t really nervous at first, I thought I would just climb up and jump down and that would be it, but I was wrong. I was just fine climbing up, but when I was one step away from the top I froze. I was so scared I wanted to climb back down right then. But everyone started to encourage me, and they were all cheering me on, and I really wanted to do it but I was so afraid. And as I was standing up there debating what I should do, something hit me. I realized that there are no trials you are faced with that you can’t overcome, and God would never put you in a situation where you would have to do something that you couldn’t do. So I thought about it and I knew I had to do it and I’d be safe and I also realized that if for some reason something happened to me while doing it, that it was meant to be. And after thinking about that, I said a quick little prayer in my heart and then I did it and I jumped. And I was just fine, and I was more than fine, I was proud. I felt so good that I had actually done it and jumped off that pole.

Then after that we did a rope jungle gym, but I didn’t really want to do that part so I just helped belay the harnesses. Then, we did the giant swing. And omigosh it was sooooo  awesome! It kinda felt like you were flying in a way cuz you had nothing to sit on or hold onto, besides your harness. It was way cool!

Then, we got to shower, and then there was a dance! Well, actually they called it a hoedown but it was really just a dance and it was so much fun! In fact, it was probably my favorite part of OYA! I wish it was longer though, it didn’t last very long, but it was still way fun!

Then, the next morning we got to have solo time. During that time, we got to go find a spot where we could be all alone and just think, read our scriptures, pray, ponder, write in our journals, or just enjoy being alone. I really enjoyed it.

Then, after that we had a testimony meeting which was really spiritual.

Then, we ate lunch, packed up, and left. It was really sad leaving everyone, its crazy how close we all were especially after only five days but we were way close. We would sometimes joke around that we were like a family, but in a way it was true. We were like a family and I will never forget any of them.

So, this one’s for you Alpha-Gators! I love you all!

ps feel free to comment I love to read the comments and hear feedback