After summer of 1974, there
were a total of twelve first year Beehives starting our first year of Mutual
(or MIA which meant Mutual Improvement Association). Lessons and activities were
held on either Tuesday or Wednesday nights.
There were the occasional overnighters or getting up early to do
baptisms for the dead. That
usually took place a couple of hours before school started I think on a Friday.
Joyce was the president for the girl’s
classes. She had two counselors. I think there was a teacher for each class –
though I don’t know if we actually had six classes. We may have only had four. Unfortunately I can only remember three of
the leaders.
My first year Beehive instructor was
Renee Barber. I had always been taught
to call my leaders by Sister or Brother Last Name. I felt like the only Beehive who referred to
her as Sister Barber. Most of the girls
called her Renee. I don’t recall Joyce
being addressed as sister. She was
always Joyce.
I remember activities more than I
can remember lessons – although I do remember smidgens of different lessons
given. For example, one of the leaders
had given a small paper sack to one of the class members to pass around so each
of us could guess what might be in there besides air – or was our faith wavered
because it was too light to contain anything.
Most believed the bag was empty.
It wasn’t until the end of the lesson that the leader revealed the cotton
ball inside.
I also remember having a lesson in
which papers were handed out to each of us and we were told to write a trait or
attribute we admired about each class member.
Most of the girls commented on my inner strength and self-esteem – which
actually surprised me. I didn’t think
they had even noticed me for the most part.
I don’t know how often we did
combined activities with the boys. The
only combined activities I remember doing was the summer escape and one during
the winter season when the leaders would take us Tracey Wigwam (a boy scout
camp) located at Millcreek Canyon in Salt Lake City, Utah.
We would ride tubes and toboggans
down a snowy ice-formed trail and drink hot chocolate and cider at one of the
recreation buildings. Though I did enjoy
this activity (I must have – I think I went every year) it was always cold, and
the drinks were always scalding and I always burned my tongue and would have
sandpaper tongue for a few days.
The summer group activities varied
from year to year. I recall one time we
went to BYU and slept overnight in the dorms and followed a day to day activity
that probably last for three or four days.
One time we had gone to the Sports
Mall here – I think right after it opened. We
stayed up late playing with the equipment.
I think we spent the night there.
The girls ages 14 and up went to
rough camp. Beehives went to Oakcrest here. Oakcrest
offered cabins and bunk beds and thousands of girls. Rough camp was pitching tents – but actually
not all that “rough” from the boys’ point of view. Rough camp was done at a stake level and just
felt more interment than did Oakcrest.
Each ward had it’s own campground. There were activities to do on a stake level,
and time to do things as a ward. There wasn’t the enforced rule of keeping
leaders in a tent separate from the girls.
I can only remember going to rough camp one year. Our theme had to do with holidays and the
holiday that we either chose or was assigned was Valentine’s Day.
There were two tents set up. One was overly decorated in hearts and a path marked lover's lane. The tent was full of four boy-crazy girls. The tent I was in was decorated, but certainly not over done. We had fun discussing any other subject that wasn't boy related. Joyce stayed in our tent with
us. I don’t recall any other leaders from our ward. Just Joyce and seven girls.
Joyce had brought a parachute to
stretch among the trees to be used as an awning. I think it was on our last day it caught on
fire along with our breakfast.
I
don’t know if it was before or after the three-hour block in which we had a
lesson on temple marriage and how we should “wait” for that “perfect” someone.
The example used was Annie Osborne.
I
don’t recall the exact way it was taught, but the point was she had
waited. She didn’t get married right
away. It sounded as though she would
have liked to, but “God had other plans”.
She hadn’t married until later in life (by LDS terms at an age where
most righteous girls woman her age were sending their eldest sons into
the mission field) but by waiting and "enduring" in her righteous act
she had been blessed with marrying a general authority. As the lesson was given, I remember thinking
to myself, “Dare to dream”
And
yet I broke her record. According to
this article, she married when she was 38.
I was 39. I did not marry a
general authority. I didn't even marry
in the temple until Jenna was nine months old.
My view of temple marriage is so much different than what it used to
be. (See here and here)
I
remember having been given a white hanky to have to use in the temple when the
time came. We each received a white
hanger on which we could hang our wedding or temple dresses. I still have both.
 |
I believe I had the thought card until 2012
I don't know if the card was scanned or not
I put the hanky in my temple bag |
