I got off the plane a little nervous and scared. Hopefully, I will make friends at camp, I thought to myself. While I had always been a little shy, my timidity would not last long. At the airport-baggage claim, I heard the voice of other teens excitedly talking. As I approached them with my two suitcases and suit bag, one of them came up to me.

“Hi!” he exclaimed. “What’s your name?”

Then a girl tapped me on the shoulder. “Hi!” she said. Her confidence startled me!

After striking up a conversation with the five teens there, we all quickly became good friends.

When we were ready to travel to camp, a big yellow bus took us there. On the way, we laughed about 90 percent of the time, and the rest of the trip we talked.

There were already at least 20 teens chatting, playing volleyball, tossing a blue rubber football, and playing soccer by the time we arrived at the wooded campsite. The sound of happy voices and laughter echoed throughout the area. It sounded like they were having pure fun!

That day, I immediately formed new friendships. By then, my shyness was gone. I experienced kinship unlike anything I have ever known. It was unbelievable how quickly and easily I made friends. We spent the rest of the first day setting up our cabins and chatting.

The next day, the rest of the campers arrived.

Throughout camp, we participated in many activities, all while still making new friends. The whole time we were always laughing at something. It was amazing how good it felt to be with friends I had only recently met.

In contrast, when I am out in the world, the people, atmosphere, attitudes and beliefs are often harsh, cruel and judgmental. It is difficult to make friends like the ones at Ambassador Youth Camp!

At AYC, the friends you make can be called true friends—ones who stick with you through everything. In contrast, in the world, your friends only stick with you if you believe similarly, or if you are considered “popular.” They judge you by what you have and what you wear. This is the world most teenagers grow up in.

I have always had trouble making friends in the world. My peers often treat me poorly because of my beliefs or act mean toward me for no apparent reason. This has been a continual source of hurt over the years.

After attending AYC and meeting new friends, I have newfound solace. I realized I can always count on my Church family. They uplifted me during the two weeks of camp when I was hurt, sad or needed comfort. In the world, teens who do this usually want something in return. But at AYC, other campers did this because it was the right thing to do.

For many of us, those who believe the same way at home are mainly our immediate family. But at camp, we were all like a big family! We were unified and formed deep friendships unheard of elsewhere. The camaraderie experienced there was astounding!

Can you imagine having such close friendships without anyone judging you, copping an attitude, or forming cliques that exclude you?

This may seem farfetched, but the place where this can happen is real. The kind of camaraderie formed at AYC is unlike anything else you will ever—and I mean ever—experience. It is a thing of beauty to see such closeness among friends, and even more amazing, to live it.