I am grateful for Young Women leaders who go to girls camp and, without shampoo, showers, or mascara, turn smoky, campfire testimony meetings into some of the most riveting spiritual experiences those girls—or those leaders—will experience in their lifetime.
That has been my experience with girls camp. Through the smoke, sweat, crafts and cold, friendships are forged and testimonies are strengthened. Not everyone can go to girls camp (especially as adults), but everyone can find ways to reconnect with God in our everyday lives. In fact, a loving Heavenly Father has given us many of them.
Let's be honest; it's rather easy to be busy. We all can think up a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. … They flood the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little sense of meaning in their lives.
It's easier to do this when we take ourselves to the great outdoors. But it's still possible even at home.
The Sabbath has several purposes. It is a holy day specified in the scriptures as a day not only of rest but also of worship. The word sabbath is derived from the Hebrew shabbath, meaning "to break off" or "to desist," and in this can be seen the idea of rest.
But in the best sense, rest does not mean idleness; it signifies rather a change of emphasis. In plain terms, "keeping the Sabbath day holy" means to cease or to rest from the secular labors of the week and to use the specified day in worshipping God and doing good to our fellow beings. It is a day for spiritual works and refreshment as compared to the secular accomplishments of other days.
[Observing the Sabbath day] helps us remain unspotted from the world, provides us with physical rest, and gives each of us the spiritual refreshment of worshipping the Father and the Son every Sunday. When we delight in the Sabbath day, it is a sign of our love for Them.
The doctrine of resting applies in our everyday lives the rest of the week as well. While we only set aside Sunday as a full day of rest, we need to set aside time during the other days to rest and rejuvenate ourselves physically and spiritually.
When we partake of the sacrament worthily, we remember the sacrifice of our Lord and Savior, that He gave up His life and took upon Himself the sins of the world that we may have the blessing of immortality. We take upon ourselves the name of our Savior and promise to always remember Him and to keep His commandments—that is, to "live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God" (Doctrine & Covenants 84:44).
During the administration of the sacrament, we set aside the world. It is a period of spiritual renewal as we recognize the deep spiritual significance of the ordinance offered to each of us personally.
As we take the sacrament, we reflect on the Atonement of the Savior and the sins for which we must repent as well as renewing our commitment to do better. And we do this nearly every Sunday, so that we always remember Him.
To feast means more than to taste. To feast means to savor. We savor the scriptures by studying them in a spirit of delightful discovery and faithful obedience. When we feast upon the words of Christ, they are embedded "in fleshy tables of the heart." They become an integral part of our nature.
If you have not heard His voice speaking to you lately, return with new eyes and new ears to the scriptures. They are our spiritual lifeline.
When we take time to feast upon the words of Christ, we will have the power of the Holy Ghost more abundantly in our lives, and our ability to properly prioritize our time and efforts will increase substantially.
Choose to converse with your Father in Heaven often. Make time every day to share your thoughts and feelings with Him. Tell Him everything that concerns you. He is interested in the most important as well as the most mundane facets of your life. Share with Him your full range of feelings and experiences.
The Lord has many ways of pouring knowledge into our minds to prompt us, to guide us, to teach us, to correct us, to warn us. The Lord said, "I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart" (Doctrine & Covenants 8:2).
God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other….
At girls camp this year, the young women picked up trash along the lake and campsites as a service project. Also this summer, the youth of our community—as well as anyone over the age of 12—will be invited to participate in a community wood project. In this project, area churches combine efforts to split, stack and deliver firewood to families in need who will use it for heat in the winter. It is another reminder for us to step outside of our lives and help others.
Regardless of your circumstances, you can center your home and your life on the Lord Jesus Christ, for He is the source of true peace in this life.
Be certain that every decision you make, whether temporal or spiritual, is conditioned on what the Savior would have you do. When He is the center of your home, there is peace and serenity. There is a spirit of assurance that pervades the home, and it is felt by all who dwell there.
As we disconnect from the world—even for a time—to focus on the things of the spirit, we can create a refuge in our own homes and in our own lives where the Spirit of God can dwell. And after all, it's this peace that is found in the woods at girls camp.