Saturday evening I joined with three young men (we were hoping for more young men but some had good excuses for not coming while others did not) and four other adult Young Men leaders for the third annual Spring Creek 18th ward sweat lodge. This was my second time. For a report from last year please go to http://beitemmett.blogspot.com/2011/11/volcanic-utah.html which tells of gathering volcanic rock for the sweat lodge and then to http://beitemmett.blogspot.com/2011/11/sweating-in-sweat-lodge.html which tells about my first sweat lodge experience. It rained on and off all day so we did consider postponing it, but in the end we decided to do it. It rained for the first hour while some put up the lodge--tarps tied over PVC pipes--in the mud, others stoked a fire to heat of the basalt rocks and others cooked two pizzas in dutch ovens.
After dinner we hauled a tub full of hot rocks down to the river side lodge.
Everyone but me (I opted to photograph the affair and tend the fire and reheat rocks) piled into the lodge. They sat on buckets and squirted water from water bottles on to the hot rocks which then filled the tent with hot thick steam.
Once everyone was sufficiently hot and sweaty, they all piled out of the tent and into the cold Diamond Fork stream to cool off. Some waded, some laid down.. Mike Black (center) (I replaced him as bishop and now we both work with the Teachers Quorum) enjoys (?) the moment with his two sons.
The water is cold!
Back to the fire for more hot rocks and then do it all over again and then again.
End the evening warming and drying around the fire while talking about what the new age for missionary service means for the boys in terms of getting ready to serve at age 18.
