Suitland Stake Youth Conference
Power From on High
Kirtland, Ohio

Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Keola, Lillie, and I just finished packing our bags for our exciting road trip tomorrow. Although Lillie has NO IDEA where we're going, she's excited to have packed her DVD player, 4 movies, some pots, pans, and dishes, markers, coloring book, and of course, her bathing suit!!

Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Keola left this morning at 6:15 a.m. to meet the youth in our stake at the stake center. As you can see, they were busily getting their bags and themselves situated.

With most of the youth there, some of the "parent couples" (which this year, were the bishops and their wives) organized some of the bags and made sure they had their "family" of youth gathered together.

With youth counted and bags gathered, all "families" met to make a banner and get to know each other better.
Around 8:30 a.m. the time finally came. "Families" were rounded up and loaded onto one of three buses. A total of 115 youth and about 42 adults did a final count and all were excited to begin their youth conference in Kirtland, Ohio.

Keola, Lillie, and I loaded our bags into our car and drove up to Kirtland as a family. Technically, no kids were allowed on this trip, since it was a youth activity, so the "joke" was that Lillie was CONTRABAND! Lillie and I spent most of the time at the hotel, which we didn't mind, and got to see Keola every night...BONUS!!

After a slightly rough drive - heavy rains and LOTS of construction - we finally pulled into Ohio around 3:30 p.m. Lillie and I got settled into the hotel, while Keola went to the beach park where the kids were stopping. Unfortunately, the rains made it impossible for the kids to take a swim, so they just had dinner in a pavilion and listened to a high counselor explain the significance of the harbor. Soon after, the kids headed to John Carroll University, where they would be sleeping the next three nights. The youth enjoyed a very SHORT dance at the Kirtland Stake Center.

Thursday, July 24, 2008
Today was filled with lots of tours and church history information. Keola's bus took the Historic Kirtland tour.

Here's the Newel K. Whitney Store





This is a water wheel that supplied the power source to run the sawmill that cut the wood for the Kirtland Temple.
Here is one of the "families" posing for a picture. Each family consisted of a bishop and his wife, and about 8-10 kids from different wards within the stake.
Here's another "family"
Lillie and I spent the morning at the hotel at the pool. Keola had the camera, so unfortunately, I don't have pictures. We tried, for the first time the floater swim suit Nana bought Lillie. I'll just say this, picture a little string bean like Lillie puffed up like a body builder on top. I couldn't stop laughing it was quite a sight. Anyway, we headed to the hotel's pool and once inside, I tried to show Lillie what the floaters in her suit could do. After one try, she was NOT convinced or happy about the whole thing. I tried taking her into the deep end holding onto her, but she was not cooperating. After about 30 min. trying to play with Lillie in the pool, she got out, sat on one of the pool chairs and said, "I'll just wait here for you until you're done, Mommy" Well, that was the sign it was time to go. We headed back to our room to change, not realizing that would be the last trip to the pool (Lillie's choice).

That afternoon, I was able to go on one of the tours with the kids. Keola and I decided the best one would be the Kirtland Temple. It was such an interesting tour and the temple itself it so unique.
Friday, July 25, 2008
The day began with finishing up some tours and playing some games. The day ended with an amazing meeting in the Kirtland Temple. Unfortunately, I didn't go (the contraband thing - we didn't want to distract the youth at such a special meeting), but Keola described the whole thing to me. The stake presidency sat behind the three podiums and the youth filed in, including a choir of 70 youth. The meeting proceeded with the stake presidency preparing and blessing the sacrament and the bishops passing the sacrament to the youth. Then the youth participated in a testimony meeting with a musical number by the youth choir singing the Spirit of God. Keola said that the spirit was very strong and the youth were sobbing by the end. So much so that when the stake president, President Page, got up as the closing speaker, he asked the youth to take a deep breath. I can only imagine what an amazing experience that was.

Here is the stake presidency from L to R: President Denzel Frost - First Counselor, President Ken Page - Stake President, and of course Keola - Second Counselor.

They are standing in front of the front door of the temple. Apparently, the two doors that form the entrance to the temple weigh 200 lbs. EACH!


Saturday, July 26, 2008
What a great trip! After waving the kids goodbye, we got into our car and started the 6 hour trip back to D.C. We had a fantastic time in Ohio and enjoyed learning so much about the Saints during the time of Joseph Smith.

Last week was a "busy" week for Lillie and I. We had a fun pool party at a ward member's home. Since the last pool party last year, our ward has increased in kids by about 6 or 7 babies. So much fun!

Later that week, Lillie FINALLY had her FIRST ride on the metro rail!! Although she was a bit apprehensive about the actual ride, she really enjoyed herself.

We headed to the National Building Museum for some fun. Lillie loves this water fountain in the middle of the museum's main floor.

The real treat was meeting Daddy for lunch!!!

Of course we had a bunch of fun in the "Building Zone". Lillie helped build this little "house" for her to hang out in.

Fun Week!!!

Happy 3rd of July!!
Ok, so I realize it's supposed to be Happy 4th - it's not a typo. However, we went to Chesapeake Beach to celebrate the 4th, on the 3rd. Are you confused yet??!?! Well, some friends from the stake invited us to watch the fireworks on the 3rd because their town gives families the 4th to celebrate on their own.

Here are all the kids before we started our trek to the beach before the fireworks got started.
L to R: Kate Slade, Lillie, Sydney Williams, Michael Williams, Abby Williams and Jared Williams

Daddy had to roll up his pants to fashion the classic - clam diggers!!

Lillie found the sticks and walking in the water the best part

Common Hawaii problem...Who's shoes should I take?!!?

Apparently, the favorite past time of Chesapeake beach is to look for shark's teeth - little black teeth, about the size of a kernal of corn. Even though Lillie and Keola were not into finding teeth, our friends found at 30 that day.

Lillie didn't find that too fascinating, but she did enjoy the water and walking around with her daddy

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!

Here's a video of our time at Chesapeake Beach, celebrating the 4th of July with some friends. When you get to the fireworks section, you'll see them being lit close to the bottom of the frame. There were two barges in the water firing off the fireworks. We were pretty close to it and had a great time watching the fireworks display.

I hope you all had a great 4th of July!