Senior High Camp 2016

Senior High Camp

Jul/Aug/Sep 2016

Senior High Camp was held during the week of June 25 through July 2, 2016, at the Blackgum Campground in Oklahoma. The weekly theme was “The Good News!” We had the joy of eighteen campers, eleven young men and seven young ladies, all of whom are Church members. We had two campers from the Southern Indiana Branch, four campers from Sperry Branch, two campers from Blackgum Branch, one camper from Carthage Branch, one camper from Blue Springs Branch, three campers from First Branch, and five from Center Branch.

We also had the joy of Julie Patrick as a young mascot since her mother, Dani Patrick of Center Branch, graciously agreed to be the camp nurse. Cynthia Tibbets of Sperry Branch did the cooking with support from Jan Houston of First Branch. Robbie and Danelle Woodruff of Southern Indiana Branch, Eli Woods of Center Branch, Rachael Mills of Blue Springs Branch, and Sara Reynolds of First Branch served as counselors. Robbie and Danelle provided craft time to the campers. Eli made sure that KP was completed properly. Sara and Rachael led our evening campfire singing in praise to our God. Apostle Terry Patience and Seventy Bruce Terry taught the two morning classes all week. I provided the evening class with the campers discussing what we, the Remnant Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, believe, and challenged them to discuss real life situations of putting those beliefs into the actions of their lives.

As is the tradition, on Sunday the camp worshipped with the Saints of Blackgum Branch, providing the branch with visiting ministry and the campers sharing in music with the branch. Each morning the priesthood gathered together to prepare for the day ahead with prayer. Seventy Terry taught on our commitment to Jesus Christ, asking the question, “Are you a true follower, or just a good-time fan?” Heused Kyle Idleman’s book, Not a Fan ,and the video series paired with it as the basis for his class. Apostle Patience taught on how we take our faith and convictions into this world that denies God. He used the book, I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist, by Norman L Geisler and Frank Turek as a basis for his class discussions.

We had the fun of plenty of sun and swimming this year, taking advantage of Greenleaf Lake and Tenkiller Lake to swim in. On Thursday, Apostle Roger Tracy brought kayaks for the recreation time on Tenkiller Lake. We had lots of fun together, playing games, hiking a trail at Tenkiller State Park, hanging out with one another, and learning how to put the “Good News”– the gospel of Jesus Christ – into action in our lives. It is my pleasure to testify of the beautiful Holy Spirit which met us in preparing for, and throughout, the camp experience. These, your children, came prepared to meet God, expecting Him to be there for them. Their preparation and anticipation was richly rewarded. Ask the youth of the Church to share their testimonies with you.