"I NEVER" forget to PLAN!!!

 January is the start of a new year!  Time to get planning!!!  Our girls are super fabulous and creative with their ideas for actives!  They were in charge of planning and organizing the WHOLE year!  They got in groups and each group was in charge of a month to make sure they had all the stake activities, firesides, byc, girls camp, combined activities, and then plan out our own Wednesday night activities. 

We have several new girls that we wanted to get to know better.  We played the game "I NEVER" after the work was done!  It is a super fun game- you will have to ask one of our girls how to play! You will definitely get your workout!  LOL!  Root beer floats finished up our fantastic night!  We are looking forward to an AWESOME year!!!

Our VIP

So this is a YOUNG WOMAN'S blog, but this post is going to be more about a BROTHERHOOD.  They say blood is thicker than water, and family is what is most important... In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints we believe FAMILY is important!!!  We are sent here to help one another, love, and serve.  We ultimately improve ourselves by serving others; "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of our God."-Mosiah 2:17  We are ALL children of GOD!  Making us all brothers and sisters! 

Bullard High School is know for their amazing basketball team which has several LDS players on the team.  These boys spend their summers working out training, off seasons training, and sacrifice sleep after late night away games to still get up the next morning and attend early morning seminary.  They have formed a BROTHERHOOD!  They have their inside jokes, scout camp stories, first dances together, they are efy roomies, seminary carpool, teammates, and have helped each one of their troop members on everyone of their Eagle Scout Projects!  The team took 3rd place over all in a BIG tournament over the holidays.  (Great job boys!)  The team went on to play a regular season game in Van.  Acy, one of our crew, went up for a block and came down and landed wrong- very wrong! There was instant pain!  Acy had a compound fracture in his tibia and fibula breaking through the skin.  Something you see on ESPN.     

Acy's dad was quick to his sons side where he immediately gave him a blessing.  There was a doctor in the crowd from Bullard (his son plays on the varsity team) who came to assist with Acy's leg setting the bone for the travel to the hospital.  Acy had surgery placing a rod in his leg to help set the bone.  They called the game after Acy left, but no one forgot about him.  Players from BOTH teams called to check on Acy.  The player who Acy was blocking came to the hospital to apologize.  Acy quickly told him it was a freak accident and not to worry.  Another player drove all the way from Van to share with Acy that the same thing had happened to him the year before.  He comforted Acy letting him know he would recover!  Acy's BROTHERHOOD and team mates have all pulled together.  I think it is sweet to hear my little boys pray for Acy's leg to heal and to hear our Young Women to pray for their friend as well. 

We love you ACY!!! 

 Cant wait to see you back on the court soon!!!

Winter Wonderland Stake Dance

 

 The youth had a GREAT time in Longview where we met up with the Longview Stake and the Gilmer Stake for one BIG youth stake dance!  They made it Sunday dress/semi formal.  It was fun to see everyone dressed up looking so beautiful! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Afterwards our group all met up at Burger King for a late night snack/dinner before heading home! This is a fun part of the night where you really get to talk and hang out!!! 

 I LOVE our YOUTH!

 

 

 

 

 

 Riley's creation!! 

 How many fries can fit in the dipper???

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL!!!????

 Sheri came up with the great idea to have a SUPER BIBLE BOWL for our personal progress night!  We had refs, scorekeepers, crowds, and two tough super smart teams!  Sheri would as a series of questions to one team.  They would have to get them right to continue to move the ball forward.  IF they missed it would be considered an interception and the ball would go to the opposing team and could then be moved back in the opposite direction.

We take the game VERY SERIOUS! Time for a huddle!

 No line? No problem!  Abbie to the rescue!!

 We LOVE LEXIE and her sweet friend Addie too!!!

 GOOOOOOO Miss Kiya and Haley!!!

 

 

 TOUCHDOWN!!!

 

 Strikin' a pose!

 

 #GOTEAM!

 Even our fans were going crazy wild!!!  (game was so intense this onlooker decided to stack some hymn books to take his mind off the game!  lol!  what a cutie!)

 Our AWESOME score keeper!!!!  We kept her busy!!! 

 

 TACKLE!!!

Goin' to the Temple....

There is no better way to spend your Saturday then with the Young Women in the temple!  It started with the drive up there.  Daphne and Kiya read Alma 5 and Elise took notes and then lead the discussion and took the lead in asking the questions that Alma asked.  Have you received His image in your countenance? (and LOTS more)  It was amazing to hear the sweet testimonies of these young women! 

 

 Today was Alyssa's and Kiya's first time to go to the temple!  They both had a great time!  Alyssa had her mom, dad, and brother all by her side for the day!  Her dad even got to baptized her!  They had been saving girl family names for Alyssa to do the work.  It was an awesome emotional day!  I too had a great experience!  My husband baptized me for his grandmother!

 

 One of the youths favorite place to eat after is Fuddruckers! 

 They have the coolest drink machine!  If you can think it, it can make it!  Elise showed the newbies the ropes!

 Peach Sprite coming up!!!

 MMMM!!!!

 It was Brandon's birthday!!!  We all sang to him!!

 He loved every bite of his birthday treat (even when bishop tried to steal a bite!)