A Little Better Each Time
I learn something new on every camp out.
This time, I learned that I need to have a rule that if you transport boys TO the camp out, you have to transport boys home FROM the camp out. One of the leaders (the 11-year-old scout leader) had to leave after breakfast on Saturday morning. I had asked one of my scout's parents to come up and pick boys up at 2:00 on Saturday afternoon.
The camp out was a lot of fun. We were drizzled on until about 10pm on Friday night. But we stayed dry all night and the next morning. The rain started up again at about 10am. It wasn't bad until 11:30 or so when there were 3 or 4 lightning strikes. Then it started raining hard and steady.
Fortunately, we had broken camp. The boys came back from the closing flag ceremony/awards ceremony soaked to the bone. I had stayed behind to get lunch ready.
After a quick lunch, we were ready to hit the road. The only problem - the parental unit that had volunteered his chauffering services was nowhere to be seen and the rain was coming down harder and harder.
I decided to drive down to the entrance of the camp to see if he might be waiting for us there. As I left our camp site, I slid down a now muddy road to another dirt road that was quickly becoming a soggy, soupy mess. Once I got out of the upper area, the roads were better maintained and I was able to easily make it to the camp entrance.
No parent.
I decided that this parent's van would NEVER make it through the muddy mess to get to our camp site, so I dropped the boys in my car off (under shelter, of course) and headed back for the others. I didn't even attempt the last climb to the camp site. I knew I would be sliding all over the place. I left the car, walked up to the camp, and told the boys to follow me. We all climbed into my subaru and headed back to the camp entrance with road conditions worsening by the minute.
We wouldn't have made it without all-wheel drive. It was a little bit harrowing, but we ended up making it out just fine. I spent the next half hour trading off which boys were in the car with the heater so that no one would freeze. Just as I was trying to call to find out where my help was, he showed up and we were able to get everyone home.
WHEW!!
I learn a litte bit more each time I have one of these outdoor activities. I figure that in another year or two, I might actually feel like I know what I'm doing!
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Giggles
But in another year or so they'll release you. And as you hand the next person the books and keys and whatnot, he'll ask you if there's anything he should know. And you'll think back on all of these experiences. And then you'll smile, shake your head, and tell him he'll figure it out, it won't be too bad.
Mr. Me
If they try to release me in another year or so, they'll get an ear full from me. Seriously.
My Stake Presidency believes that Young Men Leaders should be in their callings for at least 3 years. I'm hoping that's the case for me, because I don't want to learn all of these lessons and not have the chance to apply them.
If they release me earlier than I like, I'll audition for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Then they won't have me in ANY calling in the ward, since being in MoTab would be the only calling I can have at the time. (Assuming I get in, that is.)
You know... that's actually a pretty good idea. I should make that threat if I hear rumblings of change. "If you want me at all, you'd better leave me where I'm at, because I can take myself out of the group of people that actually DOES stuff in the ward."