You're of Worth...Manila Stake Young Women's Camp June 2012: I was a cook!

About two weeks ago, an email went out to sisters in our ward, seeking volunteers to help cook at girls camp. I've always wanted to go to camp with my girls and I had just finished teaching. Two good reasons to volunteer. I asked Allie if it was ok and she said she would like me to be at camp, so I offered to go and was chosen. By the way, the reason I didn't ask Mel is because she didn't go to camp this year. She had a soccer camp at the high school the same week and chose the soccer camp. It's hard to choose between two good things. I was really excited. I knew it would be a ton of work. I also wondered how it would compare to being camp director. I concluded that I prefer being responsible for food; not girls. As an added bonus, we had some great experiences, strengthened old friendships and made new ones. I also got to see friends from the ward and our cute YW three times a day, as we fed their grateful little stomachs.

Many of the cooks went up on Monday. Because of our previously-scheduled reunion, I went up Tuesday, when the bulk of the stake arrived. I got there at 9:00 am, in time to dive in and get to work. Serious work! We prepped a pasta salad for girls who had gone on an overnight hike.

After lunch was served, we worked on dinner, prepping teriyaki chicken salad and 50 lbs of rice for 500 people. We also cut up chicken, fruits and veggies for Wednesday's chicken salad. Allie and some of her friends stopped by and helped cut chicken for a while. That was really helpful.

Sherri and Mona, preparing chicken salad

Toniann and Monica, making more chicken salad...and more chicken salad

After dinner, we continued to cut chicken, made the salad for Wednesday, and cracked tons of eggs and cut tons of fruit for Wednesday's breakfast. Jean Shoaee came and prepared our meat and sauce for spaghetti dinner on Wednesday. We finished around 11:30 at night, after serving everyone hot chocolate. The smoke alarm went off in the middle of the night (false alarm). Joy. We were able to sleep in the lodge, which was really nice. Oh, a cook also snored ALL night long. EVERY breath was a snore. I think I got about 2 hours of sleep total.

On Wednesday, we awoke at 5:30 to cook breakfast. Lots of hash browns and eggs. At one point, while serving breakfast, we realized we might run out of eggs, so we had to dish up smaller portions. It looked like we were feeding kids at a fat camp. We did end up with some left-over, so we were able to announce that those who got the "diet" plate could come get more. That was probably the most disasterous meal. It tasted good, we just had trouble determining portion size.

After breakfast, we started preparing everything for dinner. Lunch was pretty much ready, since it was the chicken salad we had made the day before. Julie Shoaee literally cooked spaghetti noodles from 9:00 am til 5:00 pm when we served dinner. What a trooper. We took a break from spaghetti prep to serve chicken salad, rolls and watermelon. Meanwhile, Jean and Nati were trimming pork for Thursday's dinner. The pork roasts were to slow cook all night.

After lunch on Wednesday, Allie and I snuck home (with permission, of course) to take a shower, get my ear plugs and some other necessities. It was a nice time to visit. Allie was really enjoying her time at camp and really shined as a leader. She served her girls and I reminded her that that's exactly what brings us fulfillment - helping and serving.

A rare sight...Julie and Jean Shoaee taking a break. Julie enjoyed her daily creamsicle; Jean, a bowl of fruit.

Jean at work...a trained chef. We couldn't have done it without him.

Noodles done, we served dinner. The spaghetti was delicious. After dinner, we got pork roasts ready and cut fruit. Jean prepared our taco meat for Thursday's lunch of taco salad. We made our plan for Thursday. Mona, our fearless leader, was going to be gone. I was nominated to be in charge since I have a masters and I'm bossy. That was the concensus of all the other cooks. I recruited Julie and Pam (a lunch lady) to help me run things. Once again, we got out hot chocolate. We weren't planning on it, but the stake leaders announced that there would be hot chocolate, so we had no choice. Oh well. 

sitting down and enjoying the fruits of our labors
(from bottom left, around: Monica, Sandra, Susan, Pam, Luone, Becca, Toniann, Mona, Jason and Jen)

I taught Jen McCombie and our YW president, Rosemary Bowden how to play 5 Crowns. We were joined by Toniann, another cook and some stake leaders, including Luone Ingram, our stake camp director. We stayed up and talked and played til after 1:00 am. That's what camp is for, right. Toniann told a very touching story that I think I will always remember. Another cook up with us was my friend, Monica Budge. Her husband died in a terrible car wreck right by the temple last year right as the school year was ending. I've known Monica for years, because her youngest and Allie are the same age. Well, Toniann came upon the accident just when the emergency personnel were draping the bodies. Toniann has led a rough life and, as a result, has a very compassionate heart. She has been sick with worry all year about the wife and children of the victims. She has prayed for them many times, not knowing who they were. Well, Toniann learned it was her fellow-cook Monica. Monica told Toniann she didn't have to worry about them anymore - that their family was doing ok. What great people I got to work with.

Sherri, Toniann, Naty and Jen (with big pillow and meds - things we all needed)

I especially bonded with Jen. We kinda gravitated to each other when there was work to be done and worked and talked together. All the ladies were great.

I got up in the middle of the night to check our roasts, which were my charge now. The ear plugs worked wonders, too. We got to sleep in until about 6 on Thursday. We got up and assembled 500 fruit and yogurt parfaits and cut bagels for all. We put strawberry cream cheese on some. The girls seemed to really enjoy that meal. It was easy to prepare for us, too. I think it was my favorite. After breakfast, we prepped for lunch. Monica, who is Mexican by heritage, went home and made TWO 5-gallon buckets of salsa for our taco salads. We had a great set-up for lunch. The girls came to our counter to get a plate with chips and hot meat on it. Then, ladies put lettuce and tomatoes, as requested, then they went to the adjoining room to dress their salad with cheese, sour cream salsa, olives, ranch dressing, etc. It was super yummy.

Jen, Monica and me making necklaces

Pam, Vicky and Lisa Routh (one of our nurses)

After lunch, we shredded pork and more pork and more pork. We actually got to escape and make some crafts since we weren't prepping for Friday meals. After dinner, there was only one meal left - Friday morning Costco muffins, milk, juice and chocolate milk. We had a great time walking around camp and making cute necklaces. Girls and leaders would often ask us if we ever left the kitchen and the answer was "no." UNTIL Thursday afternoon. 

Thursday dinner went off without a hitch. BBQ pork sandwiches, chips, corn, fruit, followed by brownies and ice cream. We cleaned up, prepared hot chocolate and waited to join our wards for testimony meetings. I learned a lesson about inspired leadership that night. All us cooks were in our sleeping quarters, which overlooked a huge field, where all the girls were gathered in groups, rotating around and listening to bishops talke about each of the YW values. It took a long time. I was sure the girls were getting bored. Convinced that this was a bad idea. Anxious to hear what Allie had to say about it. An hour and a half later, when it was all over, the girls came in and said it was awesome - that it was one of the best parts of camp. Shame on me for questioning what the leaders had prayerfully planeed.

All the girls listening to inspired bishops

I got to then join my ward for testimony meeting. That made the whole week worth it. We heard from Brother Burnett, the only brother in the stake to be there the whole week. He is in our ward and teaches school. It was always fun to see him. Allie shared how her testimony was strengthened in Nauvoo, being in the temple and in the homes of the prophets. I was able to share my thoughts on the importance of service and the fulfillment in brings in our lives. It was the BEST way to end the week. 

The reason I came: my awesome Allie!

After testimony meeting, Jen, Rosemary and I had a rematch of 5 Crowns. Susan joined us, then others came. Once again, we were up til the wee hours, but had a great time. There was time to nap on Friday when we got home. It was a highlight of my summer. So glad I went. So glad Jen Watkins headed up a carpool to drive Melia to and from soccer camp so I could go. So glad Kamiko and Keenan took care of things so I could be gone.

Cleaned and ready to go. GOOD-BYE!

Can you believe dishes for 1500 meals a day were cleaned here (mostly thanks to Vicky)?

A few things that really touched me:

1. many of the cooks didn't even have daughters at camp; they just came to help when asked. In fact, Naty, our filipino friend, moved into her ward only 3 weeks ago and volunteered because no one else had. She had a dream earlier that she was in the mountains with a lot of people she didn't know. I think we know what that dream meant.

2. the YW and their leaders were very appreciative of our efforts. In fact, Lou Halls and other stake leaders came once and shooed us out of the kitchen and cleaned it for us.

3. the fact that we prepared 1500 meals each day was a miracle. We had experienced people, worked hard, but were blessed from above. Thank goodness Julie had put her own name in the temple. What a smart lady of faith. I think that helped all of us.