Thirteen young women from the Bloomington 7th Ward enjoyed four beautiful days at Bloomington Stake girls camp during the first week of July learning how to become “Strong Women of Courage.” Leaving on Wednesday, July 7, Emily Forsyth, Kendi Hansen, Elizabeth Larson, Aspen Erskine, Toshi Becker, Summer Simkins, Sarah Smith, Ashley Wilkes, Aleia Anderson, Wilson Wright, Kiera Wright, Jasmine Gerontes and Lisa Carson traveled together with Trudy Oviatt, YW President and Linda Felder, YW Camp Director, to Thunder Ridge Campground on Cedar Mountain. Once there, they were assigned to various tribes - two for each age group with a youth camp leader assigned - according to the number of years they have certified for girls camp.
To reinforce the theme of Strong Women of Courage, the girls attended a series of stong women clinics then enjoyed a walk in the woods where they met and talked with such scriptural strong women as Emma Smith (wife of Joseph); Sister Monson (wife of President Thomas S. Monson), Esther (who was “born for such a time as this” and saved the lives of her Jewish countrymen) and Nephi’s wife, a daughter of Ishmael.