throw back thursday on a tuesday

Oh hey. More Young Women's talk.

But as I have been in Young Women's these past 5 months, I have loved thinking back at my own time growing up in the youth programs in my church.

I am so glad I grew up in the church I did and had the opportunities I did.

I had a freaking blast in Young Women's.

Most of the girls I grew up with and most of the boys who grew along side us in Young Men's are still dear, dear friends.

Young Women's taught me so much about who I was and the kind of woman I wanted to be.

I remember making Temple Cans as a young 14-year-old and hoping and praying for that day when I would meet the man of dreams and be sealed to him forever.

I love that that dream has been accomplished. And it's more amazing than I dreamed back then. 

I love that I got an education and fulfilled so many dreams and became a good human being.

So much of that is because of the guidance and lessons I learned as a young woman.

It's been wonderful to help contribute to my girls' future. 

The youth groups in my church do incredible things. 

As I've been so sentimental thinking about these day, I stalked so old pictures.

So here's my epic #tbt on a Tuesday.

I wish I had more really old pictures like this, but this was the only one I could find. It's fitting though, because it is literally my first picture in Young Women's. It was a combined activity and I had turned 12 just a few days before. There 3 ladies are still very good friends! Even though they are pushing me into the fire.

This was at Youth Conference. THE Youth Conference that made me decide I wanted to teach Special Ed. (Told you this program shaped my life). We worked at the Special Olympics and I knew instantly I wanted to work with these special kids for the rest of my life. This group of ladies is the Fab5. It's the girls from the picture above plus 1.We are all still great friends. I still go to them all the time. Jenna (right next to me) is still my bff.

Girls camp!!!! This is the earliest picture from girls camp I could find. But I love it because Jenna is wearing one of those dang visors again. We thought they were so cool. She had one that said NSYNC on it.

The fab5 plus 1 on the night we made our temple cans!

Scripture mastery!! Seminary is just another amazing part in our church's youth program. We knew the scriptures like masters. (Get it?? Scripture mastery?!) Ps. Looking through these pictures really makes me see how everyone in Southern California is seriously blond.

More Girls Camp!

Another Youth Conference! I think we went camping that year.. I can't remember.

Youth activity at Wild Rivers. Let's hear it for 1-pieces!!

Fab5 on my 17th birthday.

Senior year for me was especially fun! Jenna and I were the only girls our age left, but we were very close with the boys our age and with everyone else. It was fun to be the oldest and we did so many awesome things. My dad was also bishop, so here is a group of us at a fireside at my house!

We kicked butt at Young Women's basketball. Oh wait, sorry, I meant we SUCKED butt at Young Women's basketball. I remember it was always my goal to make just ONE basket. Usually, I did not meet that goal.

One of the highlights of my senior year was the trip all the seniors in our youth group took out to Utah for April General Conference. It was so much fun!!! It helped that my boyfriend at the time was in our youth group and on the trip with us, haha. But still. (My dad was there too, sooooo..) But it wasn't just my boyfriend and bff being on the trip, it was just a blast. We road tripped out there in a 15-passenger van and got to explore Utah (which was new to us all at that point. We have all lived out here since then. Most of are still out here, haha). It was also such a testimony builder. We also met John Bytheway and Elder Bednar! Both by chance! Gooood times.

Our stake does "mormon prom" too, which was awesome. I got to go to two proms my senior year! 

 Road Show is another fun thing the youth does. Every two years, every ward in the stake puts on a small, musical/play thing. It's always supposed to be funny and kind of a joke, but it's so much fun! My senior year I got to somehow play the wife of the lead! I don't say I am a lead though, because I had no singing parts and it was mostly Steve who was the star. Let's be honest, I am not an actress haha. But I got to act with my dear friend Steve and it was something really new and exciting for me. We played old people. That's why my bangs are so awesome.

I am all sentimental thinking back on these times. I am just so thankful for the youth programs in the church. So thankful for the things I have learned and the relationships I have made. Besides a couple of them mormons, I had a very different group of friends at school who were not members. But these people were my rock and more like a family. I am so glad I get to still be a part of these programs and am thankful that my children get to grow up in them as well!