Defined by Divinity

At the end of August, our stake held a retreat up at Heber Valley Camp for all Relief Society women. I was really hesitant to commit to going because I was concerned that since I had no real friends in our new ward, I might be extremely lonely and the whole event would just be awkward and disappointing. On the other hand, I thought it might be a good chance to get to know people. I debated back and forth for awhile and finally decided I should go. I hate to admit that the biggest factor in my decision was actually the fact that I needed a break from my kids. Going back to school was good in a lot of ways, but it also brought out the tantrums in Andrew again, and I was tired and my patience was wearing thin. I hoped that the retreat would rejuvenate me and help me to come back a better mom.

Whatever my reason may have been, I am so glad that I went. It ended up being exactly what I needed in so many ways. Probably the best decision I made was to ask on our ward Facebook page if anyone could give me a ride. I wanted to leave the car for Jonathon, so I was out of other options. Luckily, one of the few ladies that I know fairly well offered a spot in her van going up. There were four other people already going with her, and it really helped to have all those women there to keep me company and force me out of my shell a bit. They took me into their group and made sure that I was included in everything. Throughout the 2 days, I really felt like they were genuinely interested in me. That was a huge relief and made the whole weekend thoroughly enjoyable.

The Retreat was Friday and Saturday. The stake rented out several cabins, and I (along with most of the women) signed up to stay the night. We left around 1:30 on Friday. The drive through the canyon was beautiful, and the conversation in the car was lively. Women need other women! I am completely convinced of this fact. We were able to discuss so many topics from parenting to book clubs, to church callings, to dreams for the future. It was so validating to know that so many other women had trials and experiences that were similar to my own. I quickly began to feel a real kinship with them. When we arrived at the camp, we got all of our stuff unpacked, and then I helped some of the committee members continue to set up since we were some of the first people to arrive. The committee really went all out to make it a beautiful event. The decorations were darling and really contributed to the atmosphere and purpose of the retreat. I was so impressed by all of the work and effort that had been put into everything.

The theme of the retreat was "Defined by Divinity." The three areas of focus were the questions, "Who was I?, Who am I? Who can I become?" I absolutely loved the theme and messages that were given. I think it is so important for all of us to remember that this life is just a small part of our Heavenly Father's plan. When we know that we lived with Him before this life, that we were created in His image, and that when this life is over, we will return to Him, it changes how we act. It changes how we handle challenges. It changes our perspective. It was a timely message for me, and I felt the power in this knowledge that I have been blessed with. I truly am a daughter of God.

In the months leading up to the retreat, the Relief Society gave out little quotes that would help us to start thinking about the theme. I especially liked this one and think it really set the stage for the message of the retreat.

"Being a daughter of God means that if you seek it, you can find your true identity. You will know who you are. This will make you free-- not free from restraints, but free from doubts, anxieties, or peer pressure. A conviction that you are a daughter of God gives you a feeling of comfort in your self-worth. It means that you can find strength in the balm of Christ. It will help you meet the heartaches and challenges with faith and serenity." -James E. Faust (October 1999)

After we finished setting up, we had an amazing dinner... a baked potato bar, teriyaki chicken, vegetables, and tons of salad options. The desserts were incredible too. Each ward was given an assignment, and the desserts were amazing! Along with all the desserts brought by the ward members, they had a hot chocolate bar. It is one of my new favorite things! They had two huge thermoses of basic hot chocolate flavors, and then they had tons of different add-ins that you could put in the hot chocolate including: caramel, butterscotch, peanut butter, chocolate chips, peppermint candies, mini marshmallows, Torani syrups (hazelnut was delicious!), whipped cream, various flavors of coffee creamers, etc. I made a concoction that I'm sure I couldn't duplicate, but it was A*MAZING. I keep trying to think of reasons that I need to have a hot chocolate bar again because it was so fun.

14th Ward Women

After dinner, we headed down to the amphitheater to have our fireside. There were three speakers who each tackled one of the aforementioned questions from our theme. Our Stake Relief Society President had us think of songs that answered the question of "Who am I" and then we sang them together. It was powerful to join with so many other women in singing our testimonies. The mountain air was crisp, the moon was nearly full, and the Spirit was there. It was a great meeting. When all of the activities were done for the night, we headed back to our cabins. Our ward stayed up late into the night talking. It was so fun to get to know the great women and have them get to know me. At midnight, we sang Happy Birthday to one of the women, and it was so nice to see the friendships that exist within the ward. I have no doubt that I will love this ward and the women in it.

Stake RS fireside

By about 12:30, we called it a night. The bunk beds were actually quite cozy, and thanks to a mattress from Mom H, I slept pretty well. I was actually one of the last ones to wake up the next morning, even though it was only 7:30 AM. Haha! That was sleeping in for me, and it sure felt good.

The next morning, we ate breakfast at the pavilion. Meal time was actually really fun because it allowed me to get to know so many people. It was nice to have time to eat and chat without being rushed. After another delicious meal, we had a second fireside. One of the wives of a member of the Stake Presidency spoke. She did a very nice job of tying everything together. Then, we headed out to do some fun activities at the camp. I signed up to do some canoeing and the zipline.

Canoeing was really fun. The lake is in the middle of the mountains and was absolutely gorgeous. After paddling around the lake for awhile, we drifted into the middle and just sat there enjoying the scenery. It was very serene. The entire camp was lovely, and I couldn't get enough of the scenic views. Here are some pictures from canoeing and around the camp:

*Scenic pictures courtesy of Amy Schofield :)

After that, I had signed up to go to the zipline. I had no idea what that entailed, but I figured it would be fun and not too strenuous. When I got to the zipline, I was completely stunned. It wasn't what I expected at all. To get to the zipline, you had to get harnessed, climb a tall pole, walk across a high cable, and then zipline down from the top. When I saw it, I pretty much decided I was NOT going to do it. Not only am I slightly afraid of heights, I didn't think there was any way I would be able to climb the pole.

On our way to the ropes course

Luckily, our group got divided, and we didn't have to do the zipline first. We went to a lower ropes course where we did some team building activities. All of the activities at the camp were run by couple missionaries, so they were all very sweet and tied everything back to the gospel. The scenario for our ropes course was that we were all a family and our building was on fire. We had to find a way to save all of our family members by walking across the ropes to a safe place on the other side. We had to work together to accomplish this. We tried several things before we finally figured out how to get all of us to the other side safely. It required a lot of work and cooperation, and it also required us using the balancing point in the middle of the course. The missionaries told us that our firm foundation, our balancing point, was Jesus Christ. As we learned to rely on Him, followed by our families and ward families, we would have the strength and ability to accomplish difficult things in our lives. It was a neat experience to share with the sisters in my ward.

When we were done with that, it was our turn for the zipline. The other women were encouraging me to take a chance and try it. They were so kind and encouraging, that I finally got the nerve to at least try. They suggested that I go first so that I didn't back out. We got all of our gear on, and then I went over to the sister missionary that was waiting to hook up my harness and belay rope. I was nervous, but I went for it.

Before (trying not to look too scared)

Climbing the pole actually wasn't too bad. My arms got sore by the time I reached the top, but it was the tightrope cord that was really scary. I knew that even if I fell off, my rope and the two men belaying me would catch me, but it was nerve-wracking being up so high on such a small rope. By the middle of the rope, my left leg was shaking pretty badly. The sweet sister missionary on the other side told me just to take my time and that I was doing great. I kept going. Finally I made it to the small platform. My legs were shaking pretty good by that point, and she joked that I might topple the tower. It helped lighten the mood. She said that if I was scared, I could jump off the tower and zipline backward. I had already made it this far, so I was determined to go off forward. I wanted to experience it with my eyes wide open.

After: Hail the Conquering Hero!

 It took a few minutes of reassurance, but I finally jumped off the tower. The initial step off the platform was scary, but the harness soon caught me and carried me along the rope. The zipline was so exhilarating. I loved flying through the air and feeling completely free. I'm so glad I made it past the difficult part so that I could experience the thrill at the end (So many life lessons!). I'm so grateful to all of my ward sisters who lovingly encouraged me and then loudly cheered when I accomplished it. What a great reminder about the purpose of Relief Society.  I now know that these sisters, who I barely knew before, will be there for me in a time of need. Whether it be a zipline or in real life, they will have my back, and I will have theirs. That doesn't just apply to these specific women, but to so many other faithful Relief Socitey sisters throughout the world. We all need each other to make it through this crazy life. I was the most vocal about being scared that day, but there were many others that were quietly terrified as well.

By the end, everyone had overcome their fears and accomplished the task. I'll admit, it was nice to be able to encourage the rest of them from the safety of the ground :) One of the women took a video of my climb to prove to Jonathon that I did it!

We cleaned up our campground after that and headed home. I left the mountains feeling so much closer to these amazing women. I left feeling closer to my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I was reminded of the divinity within me and my purpose on Earth. I returned home to my family determined to be a better mom, wife, and friend. Truly, we as Spirit Children of our Heavenly Father, are Defined by Divinity. Understanding that can make all the difference.