Jan 25-26th, 2020
Winter Wonderland Weekend! Every year our community looks forward to the opportunity to go enjoy the snow together at the Boreal Mountain Ski Resort. We had a wonderful weekend with 47 people attending: 30 high schoolers, 11 young adults, and 6 parents! Most came to ski and snowboard, but also some came to just enjoy the snow and good company. It was great to celebrate True Heavenly Parent’s Day out in the beautiful creation. It brings God a lot of joy seeing his children having fun and appreciating nature!
We left early Saturday morning driving to the ski resort, so we could get our gear as soon as the place opened. Once the sun came out, the fog cleared giving us a clear sky for the rest of the day’s adventures. Everyone was eager to go out onto the slopes and start skiing and snowboarding as soon as they got their gear.
It was a beautiful day, not too cold. We were all over the mountain going on different lifts, paths, and jumps. It was amazing to see how our brothers and sisters challenged themselves to try more advanced tricks or new pathways on their skis and snowboards. The view was just astonishing on top of the mountain, with fluffy clouds, orange sky, the sun shining bright, and the snow covering the landscape. It was a beautiful sight to see.
On top of the mountain, some of the high school brothers worked together to build a snowman over 7ft tall! It was a great team effort. As it came time to leave the ski resort, many wanted to stay even longer on the slopes!
After dinner at the Truckee Veterans Hall Building, we played a game of dodgeball, which is a tradition to play every snow trip. Even after a long day out in the snow, the young people still had a lot of energy left. Everyone had a great time playing and giving their all to beat the other team. There were some great throws and memorable saves.
The next morning we woke up to a magical snowfall! Everyone was taking pictures and enjoying the fresh snow by building snowmen and throwing snowballs.
To conclude the trip, we had an inspiring message by Stephanie Moon about opening our eyes to what's around us. She shared a personal story of sitting in a park on her phone where she works. One day she looked around and noticed the beauty of the park. She saw many different types of plants and trees she hadn’t noticed before. She also noticed the gardeners at her work who invested in planting all those plants and trees. She found a new appreciation for all the different kinds of plants and trees, but also for the gardeners who worked hard to plant them. She shared that when she could recognize the beauty of what’s around her, she could find a new sense of gratitude and value in her own life. And that when we can recognize and enjoy the creation and the people around us, we can give value and joy back to God.
Looking from the top of the mountain, we could see a view made up of a variation of mountain peaks and trees. Stephanie encouraged everyone to open our eyes and take a closer look to the beautiful world that God created just for us.
It was a wonderful Snow Trip. Definitely come join us next year in 2021!
“This was my second time at the youth snow trip, but every year it seems to get better. The whole experience of taking new challenges, skiing and falling with friends was a lot of fun. I also really enjoyed going on the lift and before skiing down, looking beyond the mountains where I can see a lot of trees covered in snow and a sun rising and falling, it was extremely beautiful. Through this workshop, I also learned to pay more attention to and appreciate the nature around me that was created for us. Already excited for all the new experiences next year!!”
Asami Ishibashi
Report by Gabriela von Euw
More pictures : https://photos.app.goo.gl/tjV5eRKpzaysQFeL9
