Third Week of EFY (Sandy 2 SAH)

It was a last minute sign on, but last week I grabbed a stay-at-home session in Sandy. Turns out, that was the session my brothers were going to as well... :) So my parents and I kept it a secret that they broke when they registered on Monday, it was pretty funny.

We met at the Sandy Institute building with about 250 kids. I knew I would love this place the moment I saw one of my all time favorite paintings hanging near the chapel. I remember seeing it for the first time on my mission in an Ensign/Liahona. I had just moved into a new city when I decided, I wanted to find that picture again so I could cut it out and save it. My companion and I looked through what felt like hundreds of church magazines before we found it again.

I also ran into my latin partner's cousin while I was there.

Okay, great story ready? There is this really awesome teacher at EFY, whom I have had the opportunity to hear twice, named Hank Smith. He tells this story about when he was a counselor and a participant asked him if he would help her find her retainer. To his disgust a cute counselor next to him said sure and made him tag along. The story is long and laborious but to make stories short (which I am so good at....) They search through bags of KFC in this room chalked full of them when the cute counselor says, "We should say a prayer." He grudgingly did so and in that next bag, he found the retainer. After giving it to the cute counselor she raised it high (Simba-like) and shouted, "It's a miracle." Well, we had the exact same thing happen to us. Only there were only 5 trash bags to go through (thank heavens) and we were super stoked to find it. I grabbed a group of boys and said who wants to go on an adventure little did they know what was in store for them :)

Found this sign. Made me giggle.

 

ME and My CO-CO Meagan

Our Team Cheer

Thursday was great as usual. It seemed like this session director focused more on respecting girls, living a chaste life, etc. So the boys did this each meal after that lesson. :) A-freaking-dorable

Me bein' all legit like with a megaphone.

My bro's at the Variety Show...precious :P

OH AND... one day I wake up and to my surprise we have a new puppy. His name is Jack as in Captain Jack Sparrow.

Our Company's service cheer

And the winner for company with the best counselors goes to ....

Me and my boys

The counselors after a very laborious week

Best session director so far. Actually...he paid me one of the nicest compliments ever. After I told him and his wife that I just loved them, how cute they were, their masterful skills with the scriptures...seriously sick! He mentioned that he had sat in on one of my lessons and asked if I had thought of being a seminary teacher. He proceeded to tell me that I had a talent for speaking with youth (which was exactly what my BC said to me this week as well). I told him that I had only just thought of being a seminary teacher after working EFY. His wife chimed in and said, what's it gonna hurt if you take REL 370, you need a religion credit anyways. :) that made the week so great.

ME and the Bros

One last comment for this week. I think each week I have a favorite kid. Or someone who really leaves an impression. This week it was a kid named Corbin. Oldest of five kids or so, the last of which was born during his stay at EFY (2 months premature). His attitude and maturity make me want to have a son first. I think there is just something solid about having the oldest be a boy :) but seriously. Corbin, like many of my other favorites, has got the looks and therefore the ladies, is athletic, likes to sing, and is super spiritual participates in lessons. Well, this last week I did something new. Since it was a stay at home session, I wanted to be able to really get to know the kids on a personal level. So I talked to the boys one at a time during their scripture study. It was great because they could ask me questions like, "How do I not mess up being a missionary". One of the boys was sharing with me just how much the Book of Mormon had changed his life when he just started balling. It. was. so. precious. So I'm talkin to the last kid, Corbin, and he's like, "I hope the Savior doesn't come before I go on my mission." I'm like "You really think he will?" Totally serious, he was like YA. His reason was so sincere too. First off you must know, he is only just turning 16 this week. He says to me, "I don't want to go out on my mission and have all the wicked burnt. I wanna try and convert them first." Okay so first off, it was just too funny; his logic for the whole thing. But it did make me think. Shoot. I need to change some habits of mine, get back to where I am fully prepared for the Second Coming no matter if it is tomorrow or years from now. 

I just want to let you know how AWESOME, sincerely AWESOME these youth are. It's no wonder raising them is getting harder with all the filth out there....they have GREAT potential that I only get to glimpse at while with them during EFY.