Young Men's camp 2013

STAKE YOUNG MEN’S CAMP – 2013

Theme: The Next Step: Becoming a Man (of God)

Friday:

8:00 am – Arrive at POS chapel with gear and signed parental consent form

8:30 am – Depart POS chapel

10:15 am – Arrive at start of trail; unload and prepare for hike; have youth sign in and fill out a name tag with different colors on borders (colors will determine groups during hike)

10:30 am – Introduce theme: Right of Passage to Manhood

Activity #1: Cross arms; then cross arm different way

Discuss: Was it difficult to change? Why? (e.g., habit, used to it, feel comfortable)

Application: Even simple changes can be difficult; life is change; next change for you will be transition to being a man

 Activity #2: Stand in squares

Materials: Newspaper squares; number of squares = 2X number of youth

Instructions:

·       Everyone must stand with both feet in a square

·       Only one person per square

·       When blow whistle, everyone must change locations

Instructor blows whistle, everyone scrambles; instructor blows again, starts picking up squares; blows again, keeps picking up squares

When number of squares has declined significantly, but still more than one square per person, instructor asks: What’s going on? What am I doing? (Reducing number of squares) Blow whistle again, keep picking up squares until fewer squares than people

When individuals can’t find square, they will think they are out; instructor asks: What are we going to do? We don’t have enough paper squares for everyone to stand in a square, but those are the rules – everyone must stand with both feet in a square and only one person per square. Wait until someone suggests making another square or using a different square; prompt if necessary, as last resort.

Application: As life gets difficult and change occurs (fewer squares), we will not see opportunities that change provides, if we continue to think the same way. To become men, we have to think differently – like men; we have to act differently – like men; we have to make different choices – like men.

Scripture: “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I thought as a child, I understood as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”   – 1Corinthians 13:11; Ask: what childish things will I need to put away to become a man?

 Introduction: The next step in your life as a youth is to become a man. Consciously or subconsciously, you will choose what kind of a man you will become.

I am passing around notebooks and pencils for each of you. Please take one. (Allow time for each youth to receive both his notebook and pencil) First thing: Write your name on the front of your notebook. (Pause)

We are going on a long hike today. We will be walking through beautiful scenery, the handiwork of God, our Creator. As you walk, please ponder this question: What is a man? Write this question at the top of the page.

 Now divide your page in half by drawing a line down the middle of the page, from top to bottom. On the left side at the top, write: “World,” and on the right side at the top, write: “God.”

We will stop along the way so you can write down your thoughts about how the world defines a man and how God defines a man. You will have a chance to ask questions of leaders about their experience as men. At some point, you may be asked to share with the rest of us what you have written.

 In the next 5 to 10 years, you will make important decisions that will affect the rest of your life:

·       What kind and how much education will you get?

·       Will you serve a mission?

·       Who will you share your life with?

·       What will you do to make a living?

·       Will I be active in the Church of Jesus Christ and help build his kingdom?

 During the next two days, we are going to have a lot of fun together, but you are also going to have an opportunity to think deeply about the man you want to become. You can choose to use these two days to just have a good time, or you can also choose to use a portion of these two days to get clear about the next big step in your life: What kind of man are you going to be. I encourage you will take advantage of this special opportunity.

  11:00 – Begin hike

12:00 pm  – Find place to stop; pass out granola bars; gather in groups by color with an adult leader; allow youth to record thoughts about what is a man as defined by the world and by God (5 minutes). Invite the youth to ask questions of their adult leader (off-limits: personal past and the adult’s definition of a man) (10 minutes or until run out of questions)

 12:20 pm – Resume hike

1:00 pm – Find place to stop; pass out apples; gather in large group; allow youth to record thoughts and ask additional questions about what is a man

Ask: How would a young woman answer – what is a man?

Read Survey: What young women want in a man? What they want to know about men?

Ask: Do young women’s responses add to your list of what is a man? 

1:30 pm – Finish hike

2:00/2:30 pm – Arrive in camp; eat lunch; set up camp; play on beach

6:00 pm – Devotional

 Readiness: Stripling Warriors (see attached)

Involvement: Call on 5 youth to share what they have written; discuss difference between man of the world vs. man of God

Application: Bear testimony; invite others to do the same

7:00 pm – Dinner & clean up; free time

Saturday:

7:00 am – Breakfast & clean-up

8:00 am – Devotional: How do you become a man? – Right of Passage

Readiness: Describe rite of passage in Man From Snowy River or other movie

What is a rite of passage: 3 phases – separation, intense learning & passing test, recognition/reunion; in this case, into the fraternity of manhood

Involvement: Examples of rites of passage (Solicit input by asking questions)

Amerindians:

·       Separation – at certain age, taken out of community & family

·       Intense learning & test – taught ways of elders, required to pass test of courage (e.g., kill bear, collect eagles feathers, survive in wilderness)

·       Recognition/reunion – brought back into tribe with ceremony, recognized as a man/warrior

Military:

·       Separation – inductee taken away from family, hair shaved, given uniform

·       Intense learning & test – boot camp as plebe

·       Recognition/reunion – family attends graduation ceremony to soldier/warrior

 Gangs:

·       Separation – pull away from former friends & family; pledge allegiance

·       Intense learning & test – given assignments, high risk initiation: steal, kill

·       Recognition/reunion – formal rituals, wear gang colors

 Secular world:

·       No formal rite of passage; creates confusion for young men

·       Positive substitutes: graduation high school/college, first paying job

·       Neutral substitutes: driver’s license, first car

·       Negative substitutes: drinking, smoking, drugs, violence, extreme risk-taking, sexual activity

 Mission:

·       Separation – leave family & friends for 2 years

·       Intense learning & test – taught in ways of Jesus Christ (do what Jesus did during earthly ministry); serve others for 2 years, manage finances, assume leadership, train and teach others, survive in harsh conditions of world

·       Recognition/reunion – return with honor; Returned Missionary/man of God

Application:

·       No other experience will teach you how to be a man of God.

·       No other rite of passage will prepare you to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ; that is why the theme of this camp is: Right of Passage

·       Look at list of what is a man of God vs. man of the World; decide today that you are going to become a man of God – decide you will serve a mission

·       To become a man of God, you will need to prepare yourself to be an effective missionary

·       In notebook, write what you will start doing now to prepare yourself to be an effective missionary

9:00 am – Prepare to hike to waterfall; hike and have fun at waterfall

12:00 pm – Depart waterfall; arrive back at camp

12:30 pm – Eat lunch; clean up camp

2:00 pm – Begin hike back

3:00 pm – Find place to stop; hand out treat; gather in one large group for “What Will You Do?” exercise

Introduction: If you are going to be a man of God, you have to determine in advance what you will do when certain situations arise.

Readiness:

Situation 1: What will you do if one of your friends that you deeply admire offers you drugs? (Allow youth to write responses in their notebooks)

Situation 2: What will you do if a young woman you really like invites you to come to her house while her parents are away and wants to have sex?

Situation 3: What will you do if you are in a position to steal money from an acquaintance, and you don’t think he/she will find out it was you?

Situation 4: What will you do if a young man you like and want to be his friend shows you pornography?

Involvement: Ask several youth to read their answers to situation 1; discuss

Repeat for situation 2, 3 & 4

Application: Emphasize importance of deciding in advance what you will do when faced with temptation. Like Joseph in Egypt, he fled when tempted by Potipher’s wife. He had determined in advance the right course of action.

3:30 pm – resume hike

4:15 pm – find place to stop; hand out treat; break into small groups with adult leaders;

Involvement: Ask youth: “What is the most important thing you will remember from this camp?”

Application: Encourage youth to read/re-read their thoughts as recorded in their notebooks and to add new insights as they reflect on what it means to be a man of God and what they are going to do to prepare to serve a mission

4:35 pm – resume hike

5:15 pm – arrive at location of waiting maxis and depart for home