Ka-ching! I spent $540 on the fee for AYC. That is 54,000 pennies or roughly $38 per day for two weeks of camp. A pack of gum costs roughly $1 and new shoes about $100. So $540 is a lot of money to me.

Upon entering the Church last year, all I heard from teens was how much fun they had at camp. They talked about “AYC this” and “AYC that.” These stories spurred me to carefully inspect campers’ articles from previous years that were published in Ambassador Youth. I liked what I read, so I asked for more information.

Everything I learned made me more excited. But when I heard about the cost, I realized I would have to save a lot of money. I am one of three children and I wanted all my siblings to be able to attend as well.

For the past two and a half years, I have worked as a lifeguard. So when I decided to attend camp, I started putting aside 20 percent of my wages. I worked long, hot hours, even giving up my free days to save for AYC. Most weeks, I put in 50 hours. I must admit that it was difficult.

Now, you might ask, was camp worth all that money? Definitely! Put simply, the $540 that I paid provided well-balanced meals, thrilling activities, and the opportunity to camp in the woods.

But that is not all.

At camp, I met teens from around the world and spent time with them. It was easy to make friends because there were no cliques like there are in the world. For example, athletes do not just spend time with other athletes and artists do not just spend time with other artists.

The activities also challenged us and helped us develop well-rounded personalities. These events included volleyball, football, softball and art class, among many others. We even learned how to dance.

In addition, we were inspired by daily morning lectures from ministers. Topics included dining etiquette, developing better communication skills, and learning how to act more like ladies and gentlemen.

Another benefit was being in an environment where everyone has the same beliefs as you. This meant that you did not have to be concerned with negative influences. At AYC, I made real friends. They became like brothers and sisters, and I could not put a price tag on that.

The atmosphere at camp was inspiring as well. Everyone tried to do their best. In the world, sports and activities are all about winning at all costs, getting first place, and being the Most Valuable Player. Instead, we focused on having a good time and building up each other.

One of the main reasons, however, that making it to camp was so worthwhile was that all the youth were able to see God’s government in action.

For two weeks, there were no electronics, no gossiping, and no negative peer pressure.

The hours of hard work needed to reach $540? A lot. The times I had to hold myself back from frivolous spending? Countless. The rich experience that is AYC and knowing I paid my own way? Priceless.