I was asked again to do “sharing time” for Young Women Girls Camp this year. At the end of the first three days the youth camp leaders (YCL), who are 16-17 years of age, go to every group of girls to discuss what they learned that day and what their favorite parts of the day were. My job is to have a lesson/discussion outlined complete with a handout for the YCLs to do for the daily sharing time. Each one is to be centered around the camp’s theme for the day.

The camp theme this year combines this year’s Mutual them of “Arise and Shine Forth” and the Olympics. Each ward was assigned a country and sport to represent {somehow we got Spain and soccer☺}.

The daily themes are:
On Your Mark – Stand in Holy Places {Monday}
Get Set – Preparing for the Hurdles of Life {Tuesday}
Go! – Arise and Shine Forth {Wednesday}
Dig Deep! – Finding Strength in the Savior {Thursday}
Your Eternal Reward- More Precious than fine gold {Friday}

I don’t need to prepare a lesson for the last two days as the Bishops come and talk to the girls on Thursday and Friday is a half day.

Here is what I came up with for day #1 which just includes the YCLs and 4th year girls.

My girls helped me make lip balm with avocado butter, mango butter and aloe butter. We used the Vanilla Twist Lip Gloss recipe listed on my homemade chapstick post.

I designed these lip balm labels to match the two flavors, orange and lime. I intentionally made them a little smaller than the length of the chapstick tube because we like the white edges. You can download the labels below. Cut just inside the black borders.

Arise & Shine Lip Balm Label {Orange}
Arise & Shine Lip Balm Label {Green}

On Your Mark!

What does that mean?

Usually when we hear that phrase we think of runners getting ready to run a race. They place the tips of their toes on a starting line. There is another use of the phrase “on your mark.” A mark could be a target or goal you want to reach. For instance in archery if an archer’s arrow hits right “on his mark” he has succeeded in his aim. If he “misses the mark,” his aim was off.

How does “On Your Mark” apply to your life? Where should your ‘mark’ be?

Our focus should constantly be on Jesus Christ, the Light of World. His way leads to happiness in this life and eternal life in the world to come. When you follow Christ you reflect His light. Sis. Elaine Dalton, General Young Women President calls this ‘getting your “shiney” on.’

She shares this story: “When our daughter, Emi, was a little girl, she liked to watch my every move as I got ready for church. After observing my routine, she would comb her hair and put on her dress, and then she would always ask me to put on some “shiney.” The “shiney” she referred to was thick, gooey cream that I used to prevent wrinkles. As requested, I would put it on Emi’s cheeks and lips, and she would then smile and say, “Now we are ready to go!” What Emi didn’t realize is that she already had her “shiney” on. Her face glowed because she was so pure and innocent and good. She had the Spirit with her, and it showed.

I wish every young woman assembled here tonight would know and understand that your beauty—your “shine”—does not lie in makeup, gooey cream, or the latest clothing or hairstyles. It lies in your personal purity. When you live the standards and qualify for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, you can have a powerful impact in the world. Your example, even the light in your eyes, will influence others who see your “shine,” and they will want to be like you. Where do you get this light? The Lord is the light, “and the Spirit enlighteneth every man through the world, that hearkeneth to the voice of the Spirit.”8 A divine light comes into your eyes and countenances when you draw close to your Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. That’s how we get the “shiney”!” (Elaine Dalton, Now is the Time to Arise and Shine, March 2012)

Pass out chapstick to each girl.

Just as Sis. Dalton explained your “shine” does not lie in makeup. Obviously putting on this chapstick won’t make you shine but it will help you to remember as you apply it that your smile, your happiness radiates your true shine to others around you. You show you are focused on your mark.

“For each of us, the temple is our goal. Young women, stay focused. Don’t lose sight of your goals. Don’t let the thick fog of moral pollution and the detracting voices of the world keep you from reaching your goals, living the standards, enjoying the companionship of the Holy Ghost, and being worthy to enter holy temples. Retain the vision of the temple—the Savior’s holy house—ever in your hearts and minds.

Several weeks ago I stood in the celestial room of the Reno Nevada Temple. The light streaming into that room was brilliant and was made even more so by the crystal chandelier, which reflected the light on its many carved facets into rainbows of illumination everywhere. It took my breath away as I realized that the Savior is “the light and the life of the world,”16 that it is His light we must hold up and reflect. We are the tiny crystals that reflect His light, and in order to do that, we must be clean and free from the dust of the world. . . . Be worthy to enter the temple now. Put on your “shiney”! (Elaine Dalton, Now is the Time to Arise and Shine, March 2012)

Download the lesson by clicking here: On Your Mark!