A few days ago, I was asked to write my testimony of the California
YSA conference and its theme, Lift Where You Stand. While I've had sufficient
time to assemble thoughts on the conference, and it was not a complicated
assignment, I have had a very difficult time assembling my thoughts and writing
them down. Those who were around me in the months leading up to the conference can attest that I had very strong feelings about the whole thing. And not the warm fuzzy kind.
I was called to be a co-chair for the Los Angeles area 25-35 year-olds. If you were to ask me how the conference went, I wouldn't really be able to tell you. I can say there was plenty of food and only one plumbing issue. However, I have no firsthand experience to tell you how the conference was received or if anyone had fun. My experience with the conference was limited to setting up, taking down, and transcribing. Perhaps I should explain.
In between the chaos of the weeks leading up to the conference, I was notified that Mark would like to attend, and as he is deaf, he would need an ASL translator. Unable to find anyone available even after weeks of looking, I was asked if at least the closing fireside would be subtitled. My co-chair and I both felt this was really the least we could do since we had totally failed to get an ASL translator. On Friday night, after setting up for our first activity of the conference, I grabbed my laptop, and the closing DVD and began transcribing.
Thankfully I had a very capable co-chair who was able to keep all the balls in the air while I typed away. I also had a few breaks, as was necessary. The overflowing bathroom was certainly an exciting event. However, it was difficult and a little frustrating. I would have like to participate in the activities and workshops that I had worked so hard to plan. Instead, I spent most of the conference behind my laptop listening to Elder Ballard’s talk 4 seconds at a time.
It could have been a disheartening and an extremely unpleasant experience; however Saturday morning I was blessed to meet Mark. It was only for a few minutes as we loaded food into the kitchen and communication was limited (although I did learn the sign for “sour”), but it put a face to a name. Just that simple connection gave me the push I needed to keep transcribing.
I was called to be a co-chair for the Los Angeles area 25-35 year-olds. If you were to ask me how the conference went, I wouldn't really be able to tell you. I can say there was plenty of food and only one plumbing issue. However, I have no firsthand experience to tell you how the conference was received or if anyone had fun. My experience with the conference was limited to setting up, taking down, and transcribing. Perhaps I should explain.
In between the chaos of the weeks leading up to the conference, I was notified that Mark would like to attend, and as he is deaf, he would need an ASL translator. Unable to find anyone available even after weeks of looking, I was asked if at least the closing fireside would be subtitled. My co-chair and I both felt this was really the least we could do since we had totally failed to get an ASL translator. On Friday night, after setting up for our first activity of the conference, I grabbed my laptop, and the closing DVD and began transcribing.
Thankfully I had a very capable co-chair who was able to keep all the balls in the air while I typed away. I also had a few breaks, as was necessary. The overflowing bathroom was certainly an exciting event. However, it was difficult and a little frustrating. I would have like to participate in the activities and workshops that I had worked so hard to plan. Instead, I spent most of the conference behind my laptop listening to Elder Ballard’s talk 4 seconds at a time.
It could have been a disheartening and an extremely unpleasant experience; however Saturday morning I was blessed to meet Mark. It was only for a few minutes as we loaded food into the kitchen and communication was limited (although I did learn the sign for “sour”), but it put a face to a name. Just that simple connection gave me the push I needed to keep transcribing.
After two very long days and late nights, and with less than
5 minutes to spare, I finished a DVD with subtitles. It definitely wasn’t
perfect, the timing was way off, but it was enough.
The California YSA conference ended up being a surprise for
me. In a very unanticipated way, I learned what “lift where you stand” can
mean. It wasn’t about dances or workshops (or in my case, lack thereof). It was about helping someone. Doing
what I can with what I am given. I'm an extremely imperfect person who can only do so
much. However, when I lift with the Lord, it is enough.
