I Need You to jump

My experience with camp started long before most! My mom, Gabi, worked at Brighton along with my aunt, Stretch, long before I was even in existence! So I was raised singing the camp songs and hearing the stories long before I was old enough to go. When the time came, my cousin, Speedy, and I were able to go as campers. We were not with a ward, we got to go under special circumstances because our moms worked there! We loved it, we became the best of friends because of camp and had such amazing memories because of it! We were truly loved by so many beautiful and inspiring ladies who truly took us under their wings and loved us so perfectly! Our councilors were Kicks, Harmony (2 years in a row), and Rally. They were truly inspirational, and we were loved by many of the other staff members as well! I really needed that love because I had been really badly bullied and pranked by ward members and at ward girls camp. It was so bad that I told my mom I never wanted to go to camp again! And I didn’t go with my ward, but Brighton was there for me in my truest moments of need! I even celebrated my birthday there each year because I loved it so much!

​My last mountaineer year was truly Life changing for me! I was able to attempt perch for the second time, and as someone who is terrified of heights (like even climbing the ladder to zip line made me want to cry) it was a huge challenge for me. Perch is a huge tall tree stump that you climb in a full body harness and you climb on to the top of it and jump for a 10ish-inch ring that is hung farther off of it. Well my first attempt, I almost had to be pulled off the top, well I jumped and I missed the ring and was devastated. But I wasn’t ready for it yet, I needed it the next year. So the next year came and I tried again. I wanted to succeed so much, as I was standing at the top shaking in fear, I promised Heavenly Father that if I succeeded, I would jump in life when he needed me too. I got the ring!!!

Brighton held such a special place in Speedy and my hearts, that as campers we promised we would come back, we even spit and shook on it! And we did go back! We went back as counselors together in 2013! I was also engaged that summer and as I became more immersed in the spirit, I started questioning the engagement. And in the quietest moment as I was praying, the thought came, “I need you to jump now”. I called the engagement off, one of the hardest things I had done, but I’m now so grateful I did. My life now is better then I ever could have imagined for myself, but I owe it all to the tender mercies and blessings that Heavenly Father has shown and provided! I have heard that same phrase many different times in my life since, but always in the biggest most important decisions.

Brighton taught me that I am a daughter of God, who deserves a lot of blessings and miracles that I never would have imagined! Brighton taught me that with my faith, I can do a lot including change the weather in my life. That I deserve to be loved and confident even if people of the world don’t think so, who needs them anyway! Brighton taught me hard work, fun, and not to be afraid of a little dirt or bugs. Brighton taught that dreams are achievable even if they seem impossible. But most importantly, Brighton taught me that I known so perfectly and completely by the most perfect Heavenly Father who is so aware of me, from all the smallest aspects of life to the biggest ones to! My testimony started because of my experiences at camp... in the weeks I was there as a camper, the summer as a counselor, and the time it took to prepare and dream about it every moment in between!

JACK JACK
Taylorsville, Utah
2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013

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​Thank you to those who have already shared your Brighton experiences with us - look for your story posts coming soon. If you haven't shared your experience yet - please use the form on the right to submit. We can't wait to hear from you!

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who have had the blessing to be a part of Brighton Girls Camp!