A View from the Kitchen......Stake Youth Conference July 14-18 2010

I just wanted to take a moment a jot down some of my memoirs from our most recent Stake Youth Conference. Brad and I were asked to help out on the food committee and we are always excited to help feed crowds and so we said "YES!" With enthusiasm.....somehow feeding 400 sounds much easier in the planning stages....and we are talking feeding 400 breakfast, lunch and dinner for three solid days! Whew! We had no idea what we were signing up for. However, I am so glad we did, it turned out to be such an amazing experience for me and I was only the kitchen help!

The first activity was a Jon Schmidt concert out at the American Fork Amphitheater. We were planning to just feed everyone a popsicle and at the last minute realized that the kids would be there from 5-9pm and probably be very hungry. So we ordered 500 soft tacos to go.......and that turned out to be the easiest things we did all week! The concert was so much fun, if you have ever seen Jon Schmidt in concert, he is fantastic. A funny thing happened in the middle of the concert. He asked for a volunteer to come down and ad lib with him on the piano but he wanted them to know a specific blues scale that he would be using. Mackay was the first one with his hand in the air, he loves to play by ear and jam on the piano, so I knew he could do it. But Jon wanted who ever came down to know that scale and tell him the specific notes. Well, Mackay didn't know it and so he kept asking for someone who did. Finally a kid raised his hand and said I know it but I did it with you 3 years ago at EFY and I think someone else should have the opportunity this time. He looked over at Mackay and said, I can tell you the scale. But Jon kept asking if anyone knew the scale! Finally Mackay just jumped up and yelled "I BELIEVE IN MYSELF!" And everyone started cheering and Jon said, "Okay, come on down!" So he ran down there and Jon showed him the scale and then they took off and totally jammed together. Mackay totally rocked the house and he had the moves and everything. It was soooo much fun! When they finished with their big ending, everyone went crazy and Mackay took his bows. Jon said, "Hey Mackay, you are the quickest learner I have every seen!" Then I couldn't resist and I yelled out "Finally all those piano lessons paid off!" Everyone laughed!  Afterward lots of people were coming up and commenting to Mackay on what a good job he had done and pretty soon this little group of ladies came over and one of them said.  "Mackay, the best part for me was when you stood up and said "I believe in MYSELF!  It brought tears to my eyes!  It is so amazing to believe in yourself!"  I have to say I agree!  And that was just day #1......more to come!