Rise Up!! Encampment 2013

J had the awesome opportunity to go to a Scout Encampment held in our area!!! 

It was attended by over 12,000 boys!! We rode out one night with my brother and I took some pictures...

They had so much to do ~ BMX riding, shotgun shooting, tomahawk throwing, rock wall, archery, zip lines, bounce houses, and talents shows and speakers...

Here come's my J!!! He really doesn't like me to take his picture!!! So what do I do? That's right....keep clicking away....

John, J, Mike, and B.....

You had the chance to earn the Thomas S. Monson Award, which J did!! 

"Rise Up! 2013 participants also saw the introduction of the new Thomas S. Monson Award, which the Church revealed for the first time at this encampment. Porter said that only scouts at Rise Up! 2013 could earn the award. According to the Thomas S. Monson Award pamphlet,  scouts interested in earning the award during their stay had to complete a number of requirements, such as read the talk on scouting, “Run, Boy, Run,” by President Monson, visit with full-time missionaries at one of the three LDS Visitor Center tents at the encampment and visit the Family History Center that was set up in the center of the encampment.Once the requirements were completed, scouts met with a stake presidency member at the LDS Visitor Center tent to receive their award."

I was proud of him for doing that!! 

But let me tell you....IT WAS HOTTER THAN HELL during those three days they were there!!! We went at 7:30 at night and the sun was just beating down and We were all sweating like crazy!!! It was seriously the hottest it's been all summer!! HOT AND DIRTY!! Every one was HOT and DIRTY!!! They had showers but it wasn't always easy to get into them!!! They had water but you couldn't get enough!!! It was very well organized and ran....JUST hot!!! So J was so glad to come home to a COOL shower and took about a 4 hour rest!!! It was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am glad he was able to go!!!