In a Cave Underground...

On May 15th Don gave a talk for the Young Women in a couple of wards. But not just in a regular place, they were in having a Bishop's campout cor the Young Women in the forest way out off of Hwy 180. And the place we went for his talk was an underground cave! The entrance was through a rocky hole in the ground. The area being about 20 feet across. Before going down in, we waited outside for about 30 minutes sitting a little lower than the ground level on big rocks just talking and me getting a little nervous about going in the cave because I had not been there before. We expected to hear the girls laughing and tromping over and that would signal us when to go down into the cave. But suddenly I saw a glow of lanterns coming close and heard soft tromping in the dirt but no talking or laughing. Evidently the walk over from the camp area and into the cave was a no-talking time. "Don! They're coming! Hurry!" I whispered wildly. And we had to quickly scramble down in so we wouldn't be seen! I didn't really have any more time to feel scared about the cave, just the big hurry we needed to do and to try doing it quietly helping each other down in with his walking stick and me carrying the antique lantern he had bought that day. The climb down in was about 15 feet, then we were in a tunnel that became wider as we went and the ceiling would be lower and higher in other areas. After walking quickly for about 5 minutes, we came to an area that was quite large with a sandy floor which is where all the girls would be sitting. Then we continued around the bend to sit and wait in the dark. We saw the lights of the girls and leaderson the opposite wall of the tunnel and heard them quietly sit down. When all was quiet and the lights turned off Don picked up his walking stick and the lantern with his headlamp dropped in it. He was wearing a very -prospectory-looking $12 Eddie Bauer used hat and wore a mustache and goatee also. He stepped slowly picking his way around the bend to the girls so they could only see him in the lantern glow . I followed a short distance untill I could see them and then sat to listen. when got near to them he started talking in an old prospector voice, asking who they were and saying he was looking for gold. Then he pulled a couple of rubber snakes out of his pocket to toss while looking for his map. But the girls weren't sacred or fooled a bit of course. Then he said a real Hello and took off his beard and mustache and gave a wonderful talk about 'Unity' in their Young Women group. Of course it was very good with excellent examples and I'm sure it will help them all want to befriend and support their sisters in the gospel. After it was over he got some nice thank yous as everyone turned lights and lanterns back on and climbed out and headed back to the camp spot. They would be sleeping in the open air because the leaders wanted them together and had no 30 girl tents. I hope they had plenty of blankets!