Confirmation II Retreat (currently in the mood for filmmaking.)

Serious! I feel like making a short movie, it's like I'm craving this way of expressing myself. *Sigh. I would totally make a short film out of Sonia's French story x]. A French narration film. Sounds awesome, like Paris, Je T'aime. :)

Because you know, 

Anyways, so on Friday St. Lorenzo Confirmation II class left to go to Pali Mountain for a retreat. :) Because of the retreat, I couldn't go to the choir competition, in which our choir got 2nd place! :D Unfortunately I didn't actually contribute to such success, but the retreat was totally worth going to (sorry choir).

So recap!

CONFIRMATION II RETREAT at PALI MOUNTAIN

On the way to Pali Mountain, the road was dark and had many round turns. The back of the bus had some singing battle, which was better than watching Pirates x] Apparently it was really hot back there, for people started stripping down. Hahah.

When we got there, it wasn't as cold as I thought, but it made me shiver. I clung on to several people for warmth :) The hill down to the girls' cabins is crazy, you don't know how deep the next step will be; sometimes your foot gets stuck in snow up to your thigh. But I thought it was fun :) Snow is fun.

That Friday night we learned about calls from God, and how we are piecing things together in our life. I was in Neil's and Sarah's group, number two, color teal. :) We went back to the cabins after 12; I was in cabin 24, so it was a bit easier to get to than the other cabins. The snowy hill is hilarious. First night was quiet because we didn't know each other yet.

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Saturday morning got some good breakfast...meal was rather quiet because we didn't know each other yet.

Learned more about calls from God and piecing things together in our lives, with activities and such.

Within this day, we had a huge snowball fight, oh dear, it was funn. Very tiring however. x) I miss it already! haha. And then we made a snowman! I've never succeeded in a snowman before! :D TEAM WORK! hHaha. It was cute.

During break we played the pretzel game with our group, and it's an interesting game I haven't played before. So you get into a circle and grab different hands across from you, and as a team you try to untangle your knot that you made. It's possible! I plan to play that game again.

Before dinnertime, Neil wanted our group to do the peanut butter jelly dance. So we did. Then the blue group made a cheer, and our teal group danced to Spice Girls? Bahah, and so then people like Jason and Daniel and Crystal and Cynthia and more had like, this dance off. Neil did the Yes dance with Danny x] Hahah. Dancing. Yeeeah. 

Mark Kveton lead this activity in which we had to stand on one foot for five minutes, as an analogy for prayer. It keeps our balance and brings us back to the center.

Dinnertime, intense food mixing caused people gags and screwed faces x] People played the cup game, which Mark Kveton loved!, and we introduced mind games. 

When we got back we had the activity of crossing the line. There was tape on the ground and Neil named off plenty of things that if we did, we crossed the line. This showed how we were never alone.

After that was Adoration. Deeep. It was great to reflect, and pray, and talk to God, sometimes the intensity caused tears in my eyes. I was even more inspired by the people who I saw amazingly in touch with God, in incredibly deep prayer. I saw so many concentrated faces, it made me wonder if people ever smiled when praying so intensely. And I looked over to Sarah my group leader and saw that smile on her face. It inspired me. Her relationship with God seems so strong, I love it. Then I glanced to my right and saw the twins Andrew and Daniel locked by hands, and I started... bawling quietly. I told God how thankful I was to be in a world surrounded by love. I told Him I would be determined to spread it.

There was also confession. I was looking forward to this confession, but unfortunately I only got to say one sin. :( I was gonna list this long list.... I wasn't used to such a short confession. I want to confess my sins!!

Adoration lasted for a few hours, with music playing also. I wished the tent that we were in had a clear top, so that I could lay down and witness God's amazing creations, the vastness of the sky, the millions of stars that sparkle with light, and just thank Him so much and just reflect and learn.

After Adoration we went back to the Cabins where our cabin had a buncha fun playing all these mind games. Heeehee.

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Sunday morning we packed up.

Then we went back to the tent where we were reminded that this retreat, this Confirmation is not the end. It is merely the beginning. And yeah, well I'm scared that after confirmation I won't be as active in the church anymore, and that I'll lose contact with many friends. I'll be sure that won't happen. 

We also did prayer in this African dance thing and tai chi :)

We had brunch, and before that Cara told us about how the other little kids around the area had let all the girls go in line first in getting food, by choice. How sweet. :) 

Brunch was soo good. I ate so much. This time our group played charades for a bit, until Jay and Banks came and played the insane mind game of ABCD. I DON'T GET IT OMGSH! Bahha. I've never played that mind game before. I thought I got it, until somebody else said something different and then I lost it. Then they told me what it was after, but it stillll didn't work :\ unless someone doesn't know how to play it right x] I liked how Chris's "the top right pine cone of that one tree" got Neil all confused. haha, nice one.

After that, while groups were getting ready for mass, our group just chilled in the hallway playing more mind games...

Then mass, and it was done :(

After packing up our stuff, all the guys came down the hill to help the girls bring up our luggage; freaking fun! Bahha. The snow was unusually softer because of the rain, so it was even harder going up the hill, especially since we had luggage. They made an assembly line for a bit (smart) and after witnessing such an amazing sight haha, we played snowball fight and people slid down the hill (which I didn't get to do :(). After that we went home. :( Bye bye retreat, hello reality. 

On the way back home, Nemo was playing, and we were playing more mind games. MIND GAMES. way back home was real short. Sigh. REALITY :(

Retreat was great! I love Jesus yes I do, I love Jesus how 'bout you?