13 June - 19 June 2022
Wow, so, FSY is crazy! Sorry I'm a couple days late posting. I was wiped from a full day of traveling on Saturday and then caught up on sleep on Sunday. I thought I might have time on Monday, but no. So so so so so busy! But, for now, let me just share some of the highlights from my week as a counselor in Colorado. I had eight amazing girls. They were all from the same stake back in Wyoming and got along great. There were ten boys in our company, and I loved them all so much. I learned a lot this past week about what motherhood is like. It is sacrificing your own comforts and desires to give your all to the kids so they can grow spiritually. It's walking an extra mile (or five) to help those in need. It's serving and loving and encouraging youth who all have unique problems and experiences and personalities by praying hard for them and relying on Jesus Christ to bless you with enough love and spirit to reach them. I put my all into loving them, learning their names and all about them, and serving them was not a burden at all. And then my proud momma heart filled with so much joy when I saw them go up and bear their testimonies Thursday night. My heart ached for the girl who got up and started crying, so she chickened out and ran back to her seat. I was filled with so much love and empathy as I went to sit down by her and put an arm around her and told her that Heavenly Father was so proud of her and loved her. I felt the Spirit witness of my words and felt her calm down as I rubbed her shoulder and she leaned into me. I felt the Spirit of Jesus Christ as I walked around the group as they were studying during personal study time, and I sat next to youth and asked them gently what they'd been learning and one boy who is a jokester and a bit rambunctious told me he found a scripture he really liked about a great and last sacrifice, and that because Jesus Christ sacrificed everything for him, he could make sacrifices to be closer to Christ. I felt the Spirit as I chatted with a young boy who was reading a book for fun instead of the scriptures, and I related to him about how engaging and exciting a really good book is such a fun and thrilling feeling, but that it doesn't last. But the peace, joy, happiness, and fulfillment that comes from reading the scriptures lasts throughout the day and will make everything else he does that day so much richer. And then again as I saw him later on writing down notes in his journal. So proud and happy. I felt the Spirit as a girl who started FSY by saying, "Yeah, I don't really do rules" said that at first, she didn't understand how FSY could change people. But after half of a week, she felt the spirit and had a desire to actually pay attention to the speakers at church and get things out of their talk instead of being distracted on her phone or with other things.
I absolutely loved the time I got to spend with the youth, testifying of Jesus Christ and bringing the Spirit. Those kids will always have a place in my heart. I was surprised that it wasn't hard to say goodbye to them, though. Rather, I felt so much excitement and hope for them to go back home and share their light and examples, making the world a better place. I felt like the future of our church is in good hands. I also learned that you can get shin splints from walking too much! It's not too bad, but it's definitely there with every step I take, just a small pinch in my shins. Anyways, the exhaustion is so worth it, and I think motherhood will be better because you get to create your own schedule instead of being subject to someone else's crazy busy schedule!!! Other highlights of the week: the food was so good! Amazing quality, and they had fantastic food allergy accommodations. I didn't get sick with anything I ate. Also, there were a couple of cute counselors that I got to be around, which was fun ;) (even though that is not my focus. I just had the thought: they'd be fun to get to know better). Anyways, now I have a lot of rest to catch up on every weekend and break I get, but I'll try my best to stay on top of my blog! Also, Lucy went to FSY this past week and saw a cute, tall counselor and tried to set us up. She told me she found my future husband. She gave him my number, but, alas, he has not called or texted. It was a funny story though! Apparently, after he read it, he said something similar happened to his friend, and that he married the girl. I visited the 9th ward on Sunday and got to see the Osborns, Witts, and some other people I knew from last year!
Final shout out to my padre for Father's day! And now I'm going to dump a bunch of photos below and then take a small nap. :)
Much love,
Emily Burnham
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