From Denmark with Love: Golden Days Draw to a Close

I have a headache....from crying.

It all started out with our Sacrament meeting this morning.

We got to the school around 9:30 this morning, and a lot of the YSAs were still eating breakfast, so we sat down and had some with them. The meals have been spectacular...with a different group assigned to each meal, but there were several who stepped in to help far above and beyond what they had been asked to do. Two sisters, both YSAs were both assigned to one meal, but were there working at every meal - both in preparation and clean up.

There is a team of young men who have a great deal of technical know-how...as well as cooking know-how, and they worked round the clock from the beginning of Golden Days to the last bit of cleaning up. I am not sure any of these great young people ever sat down to a meal or relaxed with friends.

I mentioned in a response to my dear friend Judy that perhaps they do so well taking on these giant responsibilities because they don't know they can't. Sometimes we are paralyzed by fears of failure and we shy away from big responsibilities that require time and energy. They are not afraid.

But I am certain that tonight they are all exhausted. Our two center co-chairs and the committee chairman for Golden Days have put their whole souls into this weekend and I watched them wondering when they would totally collapse. I hope they are resilient!

Back to Sacrament meeting. We had 210 participants who attended Golden Days, and I think most of them were at our sacrament meeting held in a giant indoor gymnasium. Young men had set up the room, wired for sound and put up a screen to project the hymns on.

The feeling in the room from the beginning was sweet.....almost sacred. Everyone came in their Sunday attire and there was an air of expectancy. A wonderful young man conducted the meeting, gave announcements and set the tone. We sang together without accompaniment....we were surrounded by rich young voices in harmony singing out. The sacrament was blessed and passed with the utmost reverence....a soothing quiet pervaded.

By this time, I (who hardly ever cry) had tears in my eyes. After the sacrament, a constant flow of YSAs approached the front of the room where they bore testimony of the Savior, the Atonement, the Restoration of the Gospel, the Savior's love for us, the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, and many other things. At the outset, they were asked to keep their remarks under two minutes, and there was complete compliance.

The faith they expressed was absolutely beautiful. Simply expressed, and powerfully felt, the spirit of the meeting was deeply moving. I didn't want it to end.

That was followed by Relief Society and Priesthood meeting which were also wonderful.

It was interesting to contemplate how these were the young people who were having a marvelous time at the dance last night, without drugs or alcohol, were the ones who were happily playing soccer and competing in a scavenger hunt in the afternoon, were the ones who sat in workshops and classes or attended the temple earlier yesterday.

It was a wonderful weekend.....and these guys are incredible.