YM Encampment

All Accounted For - that was the theme of the Elliot Ward Young Men's Aaronic Priesthood Encampment. Early Monday morning, Dan and Bryce joined with the young men in our ward, dressed in their "Sons of Elliot" t-shirt provided by Brother Ryan Wallin. They headed out for Bear Canyon Lake for some high adventure, merit badge work, amazing food, spiritual training and an all around great time.

There was work on the canoeing merit badge to do, and then it was canoe water polo (or more to the point - swamp the other team's canoe!) Bryce is on the left of the canoe in the foreground.

There was rappelling too. Dan got his turn at going down the cliff.

And so did Bryce. Bryce said it was great fun.

Dan taught the classes on astronomy. He took his telescope and they had extraordinary views the first night as they did some star gazing and merit badge work.

Even though Bryce earned his wilderness survival merit badge last summer at Camp Geronimo, he was game to sleep in a shelter he made for one of the nights. Bryce reported it was the best night of sleep he had on the encampment.

Skip this part if you are squeamish! They also learned how to kill and prepare a chicken for eating. Here is Bryce having a turn at learning how to pluck the feathers. Check out the expression on his face.

There was also archery, horseback riding, fishing, environmental science work and swimming in the lake (brrrrr!). They came back tired, but full of stories of a great time.

Here are Dan and Bryce as they returned home from a week in the mountains. Bryce reported that he wore the same clothes the entire week! (And his white shirt looks like it too!)