September 21, 2013 What a great week we had last week. I can't wait to tell you about it. It was Zion's Camp for all the missionaries. Our local Church camp is in Belfair, on the Peninsula, about an hour a way up the Hood Canal. It's a beautiful spot on 84 acres with it's own private lake. The lodge, kitchen facilities and bathrooms are state of the art stainless steel. The mission was divided in half and one half went on Wednesday and the other on Thursday. We got to go both days as we were in charge of dinner. We shopped all Tuesday for baked potatoes and fixings. Buying the potatoes made me think of Craig Castagneto and the many many potatoes he has given for events free of charge. We bought 150 lbs of potatoes. We also had tossed salad, apples, root beer floats and cookies for dessert. Well we surely didn't calculate very well because the first day we used up all the food. Those missionaries are hungry people. We had to come back and shop Wednesday night again. We made sure we had enough on Thursday. All the seniors helped in the kitchen preparing and serving. It was a fun and spiritual day. The missionaries did a "rope course." This is a physical activity with underlying spiritual messages. I got to watch and even participate in a few. I'll describe the events and show you the pictures of the missionaries doing everything. One event was the free fall. You climbed on a log about 3 feet high and with your back to 10 missionaries lined up behind you, you said, "I'm Sister Jones and I'm ready to fall." The missionaries then said, "Fall on Sister Jones." Then you said, "Falling..." and with body locked, straight back you fell knowing they would catch you. Of course, you all know the message there. You need to trust and have confidence in your companions and you need to be the type of companion that can be trusted. After everyone did each event they discussed and learn many other insights. Another event was the swing. There were two platforms on the ground about 10 feet apart with a swing rope hanging in the middle. Each had to swing from one platform to the other. The object was to get everyone from one platform over to the other without touching the ground in between. If anyone did then the whole group had to start over again. The first and the last to go had the most problems without someone sending and then catching on the other side. It really took arm strength to do it. They had to figure out how to help those who couldn't do it. I thought this was the most spiritual of all the events. What it came down to, was that when one couldn't do it then to watch the others come up with the idea that one of the stronger could say, "Can I do it for her?" It was just what our Savior said and did for us. This was a very moving event. Another was the "Wires" where each companionship tried to walk on tight rope type wires facing each other, but the wires progressively got further and further apart. They could use a rope for balance, but they had to move together and cooperate. Again, they learned how they both had to do it or they both fell. Another one was the "tire." It was suspended between two trees, off the ground and they had to go through it without touching the tire. Again starting out and finishing were the hardest. The group had to lift, carrying through and out and down. It really related to missionary work. The missionaries find and teach, but they have to work with the members to get the convert through and embraced in the family of the Gospel. They really learned a lot here. The last one was the "Wall." You had to help each one up and over the wall. Again, the first and last were the hardest without support and reach. I watched one sister try and try and finally make it. It was like the idea of no one left behind. Everyone wanted her to be with them and it looked like she wasn't going to make it. She just wouldn't give up and finally did. I didn't think she could. It also worked well when they didn't make it because everyone felt so badly that they had lost one. I hope you can get a little feeling of everything from my pictures. It was an awesome day ending with a fireside and singing. Not sure next week can top that, but we will be preparing for transfers and the leaving of our office couple that has been here since we came and is the backbone of the office. Their replacements don't come until the middle of October, so we will really miss them and could be very lost. Will report again. The count down continues with 51 days left. Home is looking good and thanks again for those who are helping make our home ready for us. Everyone up here thinks we have the best family, friends and neighbors and of course we totally agree. Love, Carolyn and Jerry