aftie goes to EFY!

Especially for Youth is a fun church program for kids aged 14-18.

Since Aftie turned 14 this year, she got to go!

We decided to send her to the special EFY in Palmyra, NY.

It's only 1 1/2 hours away

and we hadn't really planned a trip out west this summer, for EFY in Utah.

She was NOT happy about going to Palmyra.

I promised her she would love it.

She was very doubtful. 

 We signed her up with her dear friend, Ashlan.

We signed the girls up in February, and they had to wait until August to attend.

Lots of months of anticipation!

 Here they are checking in and getting their swag.

 Ashlan's mom, Stacie, and I drove them to Palmyra.

We made them pose for 1,000 pictures.

We begged to stay with them.

It was a lot more difficult to leave them there than we thought it would be!

Gratefully, there is a lovely mall nearby and

we were able to drown our sorrows

with hours of shopping.

 The girls stayed in a hotel and shared a suite with two girls from Utah.

Aftie & Ashlan were the two locals.

All of the other kids traveled cross country to attend this special EFY.

 They did activites,

had dances,

studied scriptures

in the Sacred Grove

and on top of the Hill Cumorah.

They sang

laughed

made new friends

even went to the Palmyra temple.

 They loved their counselor, Bekah!

 We picked them up early Saturday morning, after a long week.

Guess what?

They're still besties and had a great time together!

They're already making plans to be roommates at college!

Turns out, Aftie LOVED EFY at Palmyra!!!

I told her she would.