Heat Wave and driving YW leaders buggy

A heat wave has hit Fairbanks. Yesterday it hit 90 degrees in Fairbanks. And we have had a week over 80. Let me tell you it is hot. Now for those of you saying 90 - that's not big deal - let's remember that it was -40 for over a week here last winter. So 130 degree change is a big deal and 90 is too hot. It was the hottest day in 15 years. The last time it hit 90 in Fairbanks was Aug. 5, 1994.

Last night was mutual night and from the title of the blog I am sure you have figured out that I have a doosey of a story. We only have 5 active YW. We were scheduled to do personal progress (PP) and only one girl showed up (she's almost 15). At the end of opening exercises the YM president asked us what we were doing and we said PP. He said if you'd like to join the YW (only two YM were there) we are going shooting. The YW eyes popped open and looked at me and the YW president pleading to go with them. We both said we did not care and if she wanted to go shoot with the YW that was fine with us.

So the YM leaders tell us were the shooting range is and that they have to go and pick up their guns and ammo. I called a few of the YW and left messages on their cell phones to call me if they were running late because we were leaving the church to go shooting with the boys. On the way out we stop by the bishop's office to let the counselor know we are leaving the church to go shooting with the boys and if any of the YW come to have them call me for directions. All of this is in front of the sole YW there.

We hop in the car and discuss how shooting is probably more fun than the PP goal of the plan of salvation (reading a bunch of scriptures and drawing a picture of the plan). Then the YW president says that maybe we could find a goal around shooting and work on it (i.e. gun safety and shooting). The YW agrees. As we are pulling out of the parking lot we see one a YM arriving late so he hops in the car with us as all the other YM have left. He proceeds to tell the YW that last time they went shooting he got 15 clay pigeons and that he was working on a rifling merit badge.

We get to the shooting range. The guns and ammo come out. The YM leaders tell everyone the rules and review safety. They give everyone earplugs. The targets are set out for practice before the clay pigeons are to be used. All the while the YW is as happy as can be. Then we all back up and the first YM shoots the gun. Next thing I know I look around and do not see the YW.

Then I see her about 40 feet behind me. Hands covering her ears and shaking. I go ask her what is wrong while the YM proceeds to shoot at the targets. She is scared. We talk about how that is okay. Then she proceeds to tell me that she did not think we were really going shooting. What?!!!?!!! How many times had we said we were going shooting and the YM asking her if she wanted to come along?

Oh my. So I proceed to ask her what she thought we would be doing with the YM. She said "I didn't really think they were going shooting. I thought they were going bowling or something." Bowling? What. I don't know how it could have been more clear that we were going shooting.

Then all the YM had taken their turns and it was the YW turn. She said no and the boys all took another turn. She told me that her dad wouldn't let her shoot if he was not around and that she had never shot a gun before. Oh my, why did she say she wanted to go with the boys? That was just it - she heard do you want to go with the boys! Boy crazy YW. That is what I get to deal with. Boy crazy girls. So I get to deal with a scared YW for the rest of the night.

So the YM asked me if I wanted to shoot. I've never shot a gun. So I take my turn and learn that I am a good shot. I take two test fires and completely miss before I figure out how to line it up. After that I hit all my targets on the first shot. I became the cool leader really fast because 1) I am a girl, 2) I would try to shoot a gun and 3) I could actually hit the targets better than the YM.

The irony of the story is that the YW president and I were just discussing that we should plan an activity to go shooting about 15 minutes before mutual started.

I am still baffled by the fact that the YW did not believe that we were really going shooting. Oh my. What will she come up with next.