Book Of Mormon Quest

June 2025

A time in the woods.
Where we explored the Book of Mormon 
stories in an engaging way!

I could write a novel on this experience.

This was a giant.

Hours, beyond hours of blood, sweat and tears to prepare for this.

I can't even fathom, nor do I want to think about the
efforts it took to pull this off!

I feel guilty that we basically got a free ride to an
experience I will never forget!

We luckily convinced Lane to make this his LAST youth experience
before he has to adult for forever.

He didn't have to attend, but I was happy he chose to go!
It was at treat having both boys with us.

After some back and forth, the stake presidency decided the main role
he wanted the bishops to have was to support, and just be with the youth.
AND help serve dinner to the kids with their wives:)

We started in the wilderness after we left our vehicles in Jerusalem.

Quest was officially questing!

I don't know if a mass text went out, but I think about every boy had 

buzzed their heads right before this.

After needing to turn around and get the brass plates from Laban, 

(yep, lots of murmuring) , they got to search the plates

for clues as to what tribe they belonged to!

So fun to see grown men in character!

The Cotters nailed their "fits" every day.

I would have expected nothing less from Judy!

Entering the VILLAGE!

Where our homestead was.

This is crazy to me because we went camping in this spot last year and it was

totally transformed!

My mind was blown.

We combined with 3 other stakes.

We were the last stake to use the set-up.

King Benjamin's tower

Nephi's ship

The kitchen area

Marketplace to get treats

They had tribe rotations for a couple of hours.

Archery

Axe throwing

War dance- learning the Haka chant

Weapon making
Gaga ball
Some type of leather making with washers that went on the ship
Color chalk bomb making

Love my people!!

The food and set-up was divine!

Kitchen crew got WORKED!

My friend, Tatum, was on the food staff and they were walking zombies

by the end of it. 

I felt so guilty serving the kids without putting an ounce of effort into 

what they were eating!

I hope they didn't think I had anything to do with the cooking!

Lets talk about the vignettes.

I first had to google what they were, lol!

Each ward was assigned a different vignette - BOM story.

They were making them seem like a very big deal leading up to the quest.

Lots of practicing and specific scripts they needed to follow.

Silly me was expecting girls camp quality.

MIND BLOWN the first night!!

They had legit stage props and real costumes that were borrowed and bought 

from past and present church pageants. 

Everything that happened was a surprise to the kids.

I had a schedule, but not being involved with planning, I was on the edge of my seat

with what might happen next!

The Tree of Life!!

WOW!!!

After vignettes, they dismissed the tribes to their tents.

They thought it was bedtime.

They had a special angel visitor come get them and silently lead them by

lantern light to the beginning of the iron rod.

Us adults were already placed along the rod as encouragers 

to help them along the way!

Of course they ran into the Great and Spacious Building with some distracters!

Casey and were fortunate enough to have been right across from them.

They were hilarious to listen to!

They had donuts hanging on platters for them to enjoy once they made it!

This was our only full day of activities and boy was it crammed 

with some good stuff!!

King Benjamin gave his address in his tower with his son Mosiah.

They also sang a beautiful song.

The kids wrote on the tower ways they can serve God and others.

Lots of journaling and pondering moments.

Burying their weapons.

The adults were secretly putting on war paint as Lamanites and ambushed them!

Title of Liberty

More vignettes.

Bishop with his boys.

Our ward had Abinadi.

The  Stripling Warrior mothers sang a song.
Afterwards we went and dressed our sons preparing them for battle.

My already fragile emotional state was wrecked...this didn't help matters very much!

I had just graduated my oldest and was preparing him to leave me on a mission.

A safe mission, with a return date.

HOW did these mothers do it?!

Battalion Captains

Marching to war!

Each captain gave a speech to their group.

Casey's was really good, but it was hard to hear him which was a bummer.

Doing the Haka before the whistle blew.

The Mesa High kids have an edge on this as it is a big tradition over there.

Go time!

It was a legit game of capture the flag.

No mercy on anyone!

Lane said he got picked up and body slammed by a leader, ha!

I give kudos to the girls who stuck in there.

Team Windsor

I'm not sure the leaf blower did much!

It was a fun night of more tribe games and dessert.

The last morning was what brought the whole thing together, and tied it in 

a big bow.

They had a vignette of Moroni's promise, tied in with Joseph Smith getting the golden plates.

This is Sawyer, Lanes best friend.

I swear he couldn't have depicted Joseph Smith better.

I get chills looking at this picture.

The man who portrays Jesus in the Easter Pageant was kind enough to come portray Jesus who

 visited the Nephites in the ancient America... aka the forest. 

What a saint.

I hear he does this often.

It was so cool how he came in from behind towering over us.

He led us away from the amphitheater into the woods. 

 

He called his apostles.

He quoted passages from 3rd Nephi.

And then he did the most incredible thing.

 He hugged every. single .one . of. us.

For over an hour probably.

It was one of the most powerful things I have ever witnessed.

It was silent besides the sniffles of people being moved by 

this rare moment.

So much respect and reverence while you patiently waited your turn.

We knew it wasn't the real Jesus.

But somehow it felt pretty darn close.

A teensy taste as to how glorious the day will be when it's HIM.

I know I left out so many details, and I hate that!

I learned so much.

My testimony was strengthened.

I feel like I am getting a redo on my youth experiences that I didn't take 

seriously!

I am team quest all the way!