As I waited in the dining hall for the first Ambassador Youth Camp lecture to start, I wondered what would be said. I thought about last year’s topics, in which we heard about becoming a social all-star, enjoying healthy friendships, and the importance of keeping in touch with God’s youth throughout the year. I thought back to how I had applied them to try to become a better person since my first year of camp in 2011. I had to admit that, while I did an acceptable job in some areas, I had ignored other parts of those lessons.

Now that I had returned to hear more at AYC 2012, I was determined to change my approach.

Unlike most sermons at Sabbath services every week, 45-minute-long camp lectures are geared specifically toward teenagers and address topics relevant to them. In addition, at AYC, messages are live. Since I live in India where there are few brethren and a minister is not able to visit our congregation often, actually seeing one talking in front of a lectern was an enjoyable experience.

Therefore, after each morning message, I decided to immediately implement life principles taught.

The first lesson I learned and began to apply was that I should enjoy camp to its fullest, as expounded on in a lecture given by Mr. Gabriel Lischak. While he said that it is normal to feel a little apprehensive at the beginning of camp, he encouraged all of us to step out of our comfort zones and set our minds to take advantage of all the fun that awaited us as campers.

Last year, it was hard to introduce myself to new people I had never met. This year, however, I felt more outgoing. In a lecture by Mr. Kenneth Orel, he said that we should take the opportunity to get to know everyone. Therefore, I summoned my courage and made an effort to introduce myself to all new campers. This allowed me to have a better time because I got to know everyone right from the start.

Another lesson I learned this year came from a lecture on right competition by Mr. Gregory Kaidannek. I learned that it is essential to have the right attitude when playing competitive sports. There is no room in AYC sports for acting in a childish manner or throwing tantrums if your team loses. It was explained that healthy competition means not only giving your all, but also cheering on another team—even if they win. We played to enjoy the game with friends, not just to be the best.

During the volleyball tournament, my team was undefeated. I was elated. Yet, in the first game of the qualifying round, even though we gave it everything we had, we lost. I felt flabbergasted. Still, my team and I made a point to congratulate the victors. And we were truly happy for them!

Another minister, Mr. William Behrer, talked about gaining wisdom and learning from the mistakes of others. He made it clear that not applying wisdom and not learning from others can sometimes have negative consequences.

I was able to apply this principle in many situations during camp. For instance, on the day we played softball, I was with a group of campers who were practicing catching fly balls. Some of the campers were not paying attention and not following directions. As a result, staffers made our group run laps around the field. When we were done, everyone made sure to pay rapt attention. While this happened at softball, the lessons taught by Mr. Behrer can be applied in many other situations.

One of the last lectures, given by Mr. Dale Schurter, was on the seven laws of success. We learned that we can achieve our goals through hard work. He gave each camper a copy of The Laws to Success. I determined to read it as soon as I could.

While there were many activities that I enjoyed during camp, the daily lectures were among the most important. They served as constant reminders that we should grow to have more well-rounded personalities, make good decisions, and do our best in everything.

After returning home, I plan on stopping more often to think about my actions and focusing on the needs of others. I want to ignore petty issues and always have a smile on my face. I want to remember to play competitively but with a good attitude. And I am going to strive to apply what I have learned from the seven laws of success and practice God’s commandments to live an abundant life.

I look forward to coming back to AYC next year to hear new lectures that are designed for teenagers like me.