Musings on YC

This weekend I went to Youth Conference in Hickory for the Hickory, Winston, and Asheville Stakes. There were a lot of similarites from YC's in years past that I have attended, and a lot of differences. I think the previous ones that I went to were so much better than this one was. Each stake started Thursday morning in their own area and did a service project, then everyone got to the old stake center in Hickory around 5:00. Winston's project was writing letters to missionaries, writing testimonies in BoM's and highlighting the scriptures for the missionaries to give out. Then we had lunch, then we had a talent show. Then we left about 3:00 to go to Hickory. We got there first and some of us played basketball (knockout) waiting on the rest. Then everyone got there. We all met and separated into four groups to "practice our cheer". Then we ate pizza. Then, and the highlight of the day, we heard from Curtis Jacobs, who is a great speaker. He spoke from 8-9:30. Then we left for the night. Winston and Asheville went to the Park Inn (roach motel), while I think Hickory stayed at host families'. So the next day we ate our continental breakfast at the hotel and packed up. At 9:00 a.m. we walked down the hall to the convention center and had four seminars, which were okay. Then lunch. Then Brother Jacobs spoke again and was again really good. Then testimoney meeting, then supper, then a dance, then home.

Now, the thing is, most of the time was just sitting around waiting for the next thing to do. There was nowhere to go, like on a college campus. And it was always an hour or two between these activities, if you can call them that. It was so tiring. And the kids didn't really have a chance to meet each other. No name tags, no "mixer activities", and no address booklets were given out. The dance, however, was really good. Keith Ball from N. Wilkesboro did a great job DJing. Most all the kids got involved in that. I even danced the Electric Slide. And they did the limbo.

But, all in all, I missed the old youth conferences from years back. I know that these kids didn't realize what they were missing and probably for the most part enjoyed this one. I wasn't raised in the church and never went except as a chaperone. So I was remembering some things that happened at other YC's:

One year someone put shampoo in the fountain at Catawba College, and the next morning there were suds all in it.

A young lady, who shall be nameless, flashed the boys one night from her third floor window (one of my girls - we had to talk to the stake president about that one the next day).

One night after a rain several guys were running, diving, and then sliding through a huge mud puddle. Everyone was watching from our windows and cheering them on.

I remember Josh playing a song he wrote on the piano and Shelby Wall singing it. It was beautiful.

Anyway, I know this is really long, and if you are still reading, maybe you could comment on some of your YC experiences, if you have gone.