Little Girl with Great Big Plans: Powerful Lessons from Powerful Youth

This past summer, I have had the amazing opportunity to meet some incredible youth and be an EFY (a week long camp for youth from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) counselor. This has been an extremely tiring, humbling, unique and truly a life changing experience for me. I started the summer thinking that I would have the opportunity to build and help strengthen the youth- when in reality... they did that for me. Here are a few of the important lessons I learned from them...

First of all- I was reminded of the importance of continuing in faith and enduring to the end. As I would remind these youth to turn to the scriptures for answers, pray to God to help guide them, or see Christ as their best friend, I would occasionally have to ask myself "Am I doing those same things?", "Am I faithful in my reading the scriptures and communicating my feelings to a loving Heavenly Father?", "Am I living in a hypocritical way by teaching these youth one thing and then doing something different once I get home?". The fundamentals of the gospel have ALWAYS been the same and ALWAYS will be and yet the key ingredient that many of us forget is to Endure to the End.

Seems pretty simple right? And yet everyday presents new challenges and new situations to us in which we loose sight of that and forget this important message. Yet, when I would hear these youth tell their stories of early morning seminary, families that were falling apart back home, dealing with temptations of every kind- and yet they continued to press forward with faith and keep doing what they were supposed-- it became my motivation. It became my strength. (Dear Participants- I still think of you and you encourage me to stand strong to my goals and be better everyday. Thank you!)

Second- I was reminded of how well the Lord truly knows who we are and exactly what we need. Every Sunday night before the efy week would start, we were given a list of the names of the girls we would have for that week. For some reason, I felt such a strong connection to these girls before they had even arrived and before I even had a chance to meet them. I knew that both the girls and the guys placed in my group were supposed to be there and that I was their counselor for a reason. These youth proved to show me that not only were they supposed to be in my group, but that God had placed them in my life on purpose and that each of them had something unique to teach me.

I continued to learn that not only was the group of youth supposed to teach me things, but that there were specific things Heavenly Father needed them to hear. The structure/rules/ times goes the exact same way every week at efy and yet every week was so unique and so personalized based on the youth that were in my group. I would go into a "group discussion" planning on doing something similar to what I had done the week before but I would quickly discover that Heavenly Father had something entirely different in mind. I WAS AMAZED! Some weeks I would feel the need to share a personal story, a "Mormon message" or video directed to a particular need, or had a strong need for them to do a particular activity or discussion, and yet some weeks I would not.

And yet, by the end of the week, many of my participants would come to me telling me that I had done something that had helped them find an answer to prayer, or had helped them gain a testimony, or had help them see how God saw them.

I wish I could take the credit- but it wasn't me. It was a loving Heavenly Father who knew them so personally and knew their desires/ wants/ needs/ struggles/ feelings/ fears/ dreams/ hopes that he would allow me to be a "servant" in his hands and share a particular story with them. Not only did he help guide me to be that tool in his hands, but these participants would share things with me that I needed to hear. In their desire to know if their loving Heavenly Father knew them personally, I found that He knew me.

Third- I learned how absolutely incredible and powerful these youth truly are. Every week when we would sing the "EFY" medley (Sisters in Zion and We'll Bring the World His truth) I would think..

"I am surrounded by The ARMY OF HELAMON."

I knew then and I know now that these youth are strong. These youth have testimonies. These youth are someday going to be amazing leaders of the church. I know that they have the capacity to overcome anything that comes in their way.

They just needed to be reminded.

Whether you were my participant or not, whether you never went to efy or you did, whether you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or not...these fundamental principles are the same.

But now to "my youth"- please know you have changed someone's life for the better- MINE. I wake up everyday wanting to be a better person for each and everyone of you. I know I can get through my trials because I have seen that you have been strong through yours. I have seen your dedication to do your best and be strong and it has made my desire even stronger. You have helped me find Christ. You have helped me remember who I really am. You have given me a reason to keep fighting against the adversary for what is right.

Thank you. I will never forget this amazing summer, and you.