ACMNP Alumni

Marissa,

Sorry for the late response, cell phone service/internet are hard for me to come by in my new home. My
ACMNP experience in Yosemite was vastly different than what you should expect in that I am Park Ranger
and Federal Government employee, but I will try to answer as best I can to be relevant to you. Maybe reach
out to ACMNP and have them put you in contact with one of the concessionaire employees because those
are the people who had a similar experience to what you should expect.

1. As mentioned I worked as a Park Ranger. I collected money at the entrance stations. So definitely not
what you will be doing (but it was still a fun job).

2. This is actually my lifetime career and not a summer job for me, so the question isnt really relevant to
me, BUT most ACMNPers save between 2,000-5,000 (depending on spending habits, length of season, and
job).

3. I had a two bedroom house to myself, but you will likely be living in a dorm or tent cabin. I dont really
know much about the living situation so I can't answer much more.

4. Most of the ACMNPers lived within walking distance of each other and saw each other on a daily basis.
Catching up happens frequently, but is usually during lunch or dinner and not always at the end of the day.
Again, my experience was very different than yours will be, but I lived about an hour away from everyone.
I still saw the team 3-4 times a week though.

5. I have a vehicle (because as mentionned this is my lifetime career and I live an hour away) but, if you
dont want a car you dont need one. You can pretty much walk everywhere, and free shuttles will take you
the few places you cant walk. Having a bike is super nice though. I think there could possibly be a few
bikes hanging around for the ACMNP team to use, but I could be wrong.

6. I cook all my own food and make a trip to stock up on groceries in town where its cheaper every other
week to save money (town is about an hour away), you will have the option to do this as well. However
storage for you will be limited and your cooking space shared, so most concessionaire employees opt to use
their 50% discount on food and eat out often (this makes meals between 2-5 each).

7. My number one tip is to say yes to everything when first getting to park. Your time is limited and so
make the most of it! I am introvert and was often tempted to stay home and rest instead of going out on yet
another hike or adventure with friends and teammates, but at the end of the summers I am always happy I
experienced as much as I did. Getting to know the park and adventuring and making new friends will make
the whole experience both easier and much more fun!

8. Its been 5 years since I actually served on an ACMNP worship team (Grand Teton 2012), so I dont have
much to add there as my memory is foggy but I do remember thinking it was the best thing ever. My job
prevents me from participating in the worship services (once again very different from the job you will
have), so I do every thing else with the teams but that!

For questions 9 and 10, at first it was awkward because I am not used to that scene at all, but eventually I
learned to see past the drinking and just love the people. Its not awkward anymore at all (it also has been 5
years), but I really make sure to love my coworkers and not judge. We can't hold people to Christian
standards when they are not Christian. I have a whole blog series I wrote my first summer with ACMNP
called "An ACMNP summer in the Tetons" up on Blogspot. Try and find it. It has my whole thought
process on this very exact thing over the summer and also all the lessons I learned etc... I think it will be
very helpful to you. It also has transcripts of a couple of the messages I prepared. Pastor Brent in Yosemite
is wonderful and feel free to come to him with any requests. He is very accommodating!

Hopefully all that helps, once again, sorry for the late response! I will be on vacation until Tuesday so I
should be in service at least most of time, so let me know if you have anymore questions!

-Christina

Sent from my iPhone

(The following is from Jennifer Gwen)

What was your job in the park (retail/food/etc)?

I was a hostess in the Majestic Yosemite Hotel Dining Room.

- If you are comfortable with me asking, how much money did you save at the end of the summer? This is a
factor for me because I am a college student with financial strains.

My assignment in Yosemite was a bit different since we were the first winter ACMNP team. I was only
there for a little over a month before I had to return home because of a degenerative disc in my back. I
was working minimum wage and basically spent all my money on treatment and travel expenses back to
Montgomery, AL. However, my seasons in Acadia National Park and Death Valley (DV) I was able to
save a nice chunk by the end of the season. Each park is different but I saved the most in Death Valley -
about $2500.00.

- What housing did this job provide/how did you keep your items secure/bathroom arrangement?

In Yosemite I was in temporary housing to begin with which was a dorm room with three bunk beds.
Thankfully I was there by myself and had a bit of time to adjust before having a roommate. I was moved
into permanent housing after about two weeks. I was in the Tecoya dorms. The room was simple with a
single bed, dresser, and closet. It was clean though. The women's bathroom was right down the
hall. They clean it every day but I still wore shower shoes. I have a small shower caddy that I carry to
and from the bathroom. I left my shampoo in the shower by accident one day and it was gone after
that. Anything left is considered free game. So always keep track of your belongings.

I also like to invest in risers for my bed so I can store my luggage underneath. I keep valuables in my
luggage and keep my luggage locked. It can be a bit of a hassle at times but my professional camera was
stolen two years in Acadia National Park so its worth the extra time to secure my items. I've also learned
to be a minimalist. Only take essentials. The first season I had my laptop, kindle, iPhone, and
camera. Now I carry my laptop and phone and keep my laptop locked up when not in use.

In DV I roomed with my ACMNP teammates so we didn't worry about securing things at all. We all got
along great and kept an eye on each others belongings when we had other friends around or in our
dorm room.

- What was your roommate like/ experience with her?

My roommate in Yosemite was great. She wasn't a believer and I honestly didn't see her all that much
because our work schedules were opposite. But she had a fridge and microwave in the room that she
allowed me to use and it was super helpful with basic cooking. She kept to herself a lot and stayed in her
boyfriend's room a lot. But she was quick to share and kept her side of the room clean and she didn't
participate much in the huge party scene.

- How often did you see/hangout with the other ACMNP members outside of Sundays? Were you housed
in close proximity or all spread out over the park?

I saw Dave and Christina several times throughout the week. They were park rangers there in the
valley. However, we made an effort to see each other and keep in touch through facebook messenger.
Ansley, our other teammate, lived over in Half Dome Village and I actually only saw her once the whole
month and a half I was there. I think it depends on the personality of your team and who is willing to
initiate contact. I'm confident there is time to meet and fellowship as a team - it just has to be made a
priority. Our team in Death Valley met each Wednesday night after work. It was pretty late but it
became such a precious time of prayer and encouragement for our team. We also ate breakfast together
on Sundays before services and then after the services we would change and go exploring. That way we
were doing an activity together and strengthening our physical and emotional bonds besides just the
spiritual ones.

Could you rely on seeing everyone at the end of the day to catch up?

Each team/personality is different. The adventurers can be great in pulling the team together for
various activities. Sometimes you will get introverts and loners on the team and I think they need some
extra TLC. If someone is starting to pull away, then go after them. If you're beginning to pull away,
reach out to someone and be honest with where you are. This is critical. I think so many try to go it
alone and pretend everything is okay only to succumb to loneliness or the temptation of the party scene.

- Did you bring a vehicle/would you recommend bringing a vehicle?

I've yet to bring a vehicle to the parks. I would recommend bringing one if you have it. Yosemite will be
a challenge because of the hoards of people who flock there in the summer. But if you want to just get
away into the wilderness areas of Yosemite, you'll need a vehicle to do that. Also, it's always fun to grab
teammates, coworkers, and friends and just go on adventures. Our DV team went to LA, Joshua Tree,
Zion, Lone Pine, and Red Rock Canyon while there. Hold the adventure expense in balance with
savings though or you will blow through your money. Don't be afraid to ask people to chip in if you're
driving a group of people somewhere.

- How does food work down there?

If you work at the Majestic Yosemite Hotel, they have a pretty good deal during your work hours as long
as you're in uniform. You can get sandwich and salad for $3.75. There are other options as well that
range from $3 up to $15. That's only for MYH employees though.

There's also the Carabiner that opens in the evenings for employees to eat and hang out. They have
pool tables and will hold different events there. It's a fun place.

The cafeteria at the Yosemite Valley Lodge offers 50% off of the food prices. I didn't like their food as
much but when you're hungry it is a definite option. The Tecoya dorms had a kitchen that employees
shared. I wasn't there long enough to get a locker but I would definitely ask about getting one
immediately if you're there for several months. Be sure to label everything that belongs to you. Even
then, some things will be taken if not properly secured. I kept a bin of food in my room - peanut butter,
granola bars, popcorn, oatmeal packets, soup, etc. This may not be possible depending on where you
live.
Did you bring a lot of your own meals/snacks? How did you save money in this area?

My sister lived in Fresno so I would catch the YARTS bus and then the train down to Fresno to spend
time with them on days off. I always tried to pick up staple foods when I was there. I'm glad the Village
Store has food but I found it to be pretty pricey. I think it's better to drive to town and stock up rather
than buy at the Village Store.

- Any overall tips about getting acclimated?

Buy a map, ride the shuttle around the valley - get a feel for the place. People will ask tons of questions
once they find out you work there.

I'm an introvert by nature so I always have to push myself a little bit to get to know people. I try to be
super friendly and not be afraid to just walk up and say, "Hi, I'm new to Yosemite. I work at _______.
Do you work here? What your name?

Just jump right in and begin building relationships from the start will be a huge help.

- What was your position on worship team/any memorable experiences there?:))

I've always somehow ended up as team administrator. :-( It's really not a hard job as long as you keep
up with it weekly. The Yosemite winter team didn't hold services. We were mainly there to scout out the
possibility of future teams serving during the winter.

The DV team had a rotating preaching schedule so one person wasn't carrying that burden the whole
season. We were there for seven months so at different times we would allow a team member a Sunday
off just so they could recharge in a way that best fit their needs.

There's also a lot to be said for practicing through the worship songs and just presenting the worship
services in a genuine yet professional way. Our Acadia team really struggled with this for about the first
two months before we settled in. Take the service time seriously and yet laugh at mistakes and realize
God uses our flawed finite beings to glorify His limitlessness. Prepare and then go with the flow. We
were always having coyotes go through our worship area in DV. We were rained out multiple times in
Acadia. Choose a spirit of joyfulness and see how God takes these mishaps and turns them into precious
memories.

- What discipleship did you do with coworkers?

I think discipleship happens life-on-life - 1 Thess. 2:5-12. I go into the parks looking for conversation
openings to talk about God and begin to bring His Word into the lives of people around me - Romans
10:14-15. Sometimes conversation happens around a campfire at night, sometimes it happens in the
midst of great brokenness. Sometimes it is in the gentle word of encouragement to a coworker who has
had enough in the work place. In DV the drug addiction and sexual brokenness brought a level of
despair I'd never known. Yet the faithfulness of God was there in the midst of it all. My
roommate/teammate would join hands with me and pray each day for specific friends bound by chains of
sin. We took every opportunity to walk into the brokenness to reach the heart and show God's love. It
often looked like picking up the man who was passed out in the parking lot and carrying him to his
room. Or holding the head of the drunk girl who is vomiting in the toilet. Maybe it will mean riding in
the back of an ambulance holding the hand of a girl who is having complications from an abortion.
Sometimes it is listening for weeks before there is a chance to weave God into the midst of someone's
story.

I won't lie - walking life-on-life with those around you is hard. But it is also the most beautiful gift I've
ever been entrusted with in this life. You will see brokenness, but you will also experience God's power
and mercy in an outpouring wave of grace. And it will change your life for all eternity!

Was it awkward with the drinking scene?

Sometimes it is. I've definitely seen things I wish I could forget. However, it can also be fun as well and
a great way to get to know people in a relaxed atmosphere.

I'm not sure what your standards are in this area. I do drink alcoholic beverages but I found the best
way to engage with the drinking crowd is to set some pretty strict personal boundaries and have an
accountability partner.I limited my drinks and always made sure I had a large bottle of water with me.
My teammate was my accountability partner and we asked the hard questions to each other. I'd rather
have some discomfort in acknowledging areas of struggle than to be in a situation with great temptation
and be in a place of deep regret later. I also stay in a group and carry pepper spray with me. There were
several rape occurrences in DV. I've not heard of any in Yosemite but it can happen when in these types
of atmospheres.

I drew the line with drugs. It's illegal on federal property and I just can't condone the use of recreational
drugs. I do have a conviction against that. If I was in a place where they were engaging with drugs, I
just politely excused myself from the situation.

- Finally, good vs not so great experiences.

My friend and teammate told me to, "Love God and do what you will." People may react to that
statement but when you think about it, loving God with all you heart, soul, mind and strength is pretty
all-consuming. And when your walk with Him is faithful, He will bring fruit. His Spirit will guard your
heart and mind and wisdom will preserve your ways. So embrace this unique season and jump in
wholeheartedly! And love God and do what you will and allow God to redeem the not so great
experiences for His glory.

How was the support for you from the pastor?

Pastor Brent Moore has such a kind heart. His approach to ministry is different but he loves the
ACMNP teams and is super supportive. He will do his best to pray and encourage the team. He also
holds a weekly Bible Study at his home.

What did you learn?

Own the experience. After accepting the invitation to serve, go at it with your whole heart. Embrace
their vision/mission statement and make it your own. It makes a huge difference I think when a team
really embraces their calling. So I would just encourage you to steward this experience well. It
stretched me, specifically in having the courage to have hard conversations with people - teammates
included. It also revealed the presence of God in a very powerful way.

What would you change?

I've had four seasons now with ACMNP. Some have been painful. Some have been incredible. When I
look back, I'm not sure I would change anything only because the hard times have grown the fruits of
the Spirit in my life. The challenges have forced me to God's Word and the outcome has been wisdom
and understanding. The mistakes and failures have been painful but they've taught perseverance and
courage and determination. The victories have created a more grateful spirit for God's kindness that He
continually pours out on us.

However, the challenges are real. So choose to be for each other. A team that struggles with unity is a
true heartbreak. It will be hard but the reward for fighting for each other is far greater than the ease of
minimal relationships. Sometimes your team will be the only other Christians you have. So allow the
Lord to knit your hearts together and work to be honest and vulnerable with one another. It's so worth
it. And if major struggles arise, call the home office as soon as possible. In general, teams will try to
work through some problems and call as a last resort. When temptation hits, it can be devastating and
debilitating. You will need the counsel of the home office and other believers. This would be the one
thing I wish I could change - a counselor to walk with teams through hard times.

Well, I hope this information is helpful and not too discouraging. I know sometimes I can paint a
picture of doom and gloom. But I love this ministry and wholly supportive of ACMNP. Summers with
ACMNP are life-changing! So I hope you have the time of your life! I'm always willing to talk or text if
you have further questions.

Love God and do what you will. :-)

Hey Marissa!!!!

I am so absolutely stoked for you!!! Sorry it took a little for me to reply back about this all, but im excited
to be able to share some information with you!

So my job in the park was over at the Yosemite Lodge as a hotel porter! I was pretty much janitor for the
hotel lobby and it was a little rough, probably one of the worst jobs in the park next to dish washer. At the
same time though, I did enjoy the people I worked with and being able to work outside as much as i did
was a blessing! In the end, i came out with little over 3000 that i was able to save. Others came out with
more based on hours! I also spent a decent amount on new gear... (lol)
Aramark provides a variety of housing. I was placed in "temporary housing" at first since there were so
many employees coming in for the summer. This was in a room with a private bathroom, air conditioning,
and 3 other girls! It wasn't the worst, but not the typical Yosemite housing as it was meant for managers. If
you get placed in temp. housing, theres a typical turnover rate of like 2 weeks before you get placed in a
WOB (without bathroom) or in a tent cabin. Those are small housing with a bed, and dresser for 2-3
people. The rooms lock, so as long as you have a roommate you trust, your stuff should be safe. Rent is
only like 17 dollars a week? There are employee bathrooms and community kitchens (they have fridges
where you can keep food. Just make sure to label it otherwise it will get eaten!) I didn't have the best
experience with roommates as they were all international and seemed to not like me. I was sorta an outsider
in my own room. Luckily i had other friends and was very active so i was rarely back in my room except to
sleep.
I saw ACMNP employees everyday!! There were three others who worked in the lodge, so I would always
see them around/on break. Our group was very close, so if there was a day off, we often spent it together!!
It was a little difficult to see everyone by the end of the day, but not impossible at all. As for a vehicle, if
you bring one then you have a lot more cool opportunities! Yosemite is a LARGE park with lots of
awesome places to go! However if you don't bring a car, then its not the end of the world. MY biggest
recommendation for the valley, would be to bring a bike. Whatever you do, bring a bike. Traffic is a
nightmare in the valley, and there are plenty of trails to ride on! My morning commute from my room to
the lodge (opposite side of the park) was only 10 minutes max.
For food, Aramark did not provide any meal plans. They did give employees 50 % off at all local food
places, and employees are known to only charge for the cheapest item or give a double discount. I typically
paid less than 2 dollars for a meal. Not always, since employees will only hook you up if they know
you/the managers aren't looking over their shoulders. The biggest way to save money, would be to find
cheap snacks, get acquainted with cashiers, and be open to community dinners! People will all bring an
ingredient and come together to make a meal!
My biggest tip for getting acclimated would be to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Always be
down to go out and explore, chill, etc. It's an awesome environment and a different type of living.
My position on the worship team was support and occasionally speaking. I'm not a musician so i never was
the one to lead the singing portion! I will say that after giving a sermon revolving around the wildlife
(mainly mountain lions and bears and how i hadn't seen one yet), i saw my first bear!
With my coworkers, i was open about why i was in the park. For ACMNP. This opened doors as the area
seemed to be very agnostic. Lots of people are willing to talk, and pick each others brains. I wouldn't say
that i had many direct coworkers to discuss with (3 other people had my job and we all worked different
hours + separately) but other employees around were open! We put on a bible study open to anybody and
often got quite the mix of people attending!
For me, it wasn't awkward for the drinking scene. Honestly, I come from a chill background and im use to
going to parties etc. While i don't partake in the drinking, i still found it to be some of my best experiences
with these people to go along with them. It's a way to be among the people as Jesus was, and to be a light to
them. If anything, not drinking and being in that environment helped me even more in my conversations
about the ministry! Yosemite is such a chill and open place, no one's going to pressure you.

My best experiences were always with people. Like hiking with some ACMNP friends and running into
secret service on accident (when Obama visited!), climbing some awesome routes (fairview dome,
cathedral peak, serenity crack, etc.) and every sunday when i was able to spend a day with my teammates
and unwind. BBQ's and bonfires at pastor brents were awesome!!!

I did have bad experiences (mainly working my job, it was isolating, lonely, and harder to make friends)
but it was by far the best summer of my life. I made so many life long friends, and Yosemite just stole my
heart.

My biggest recommendation: CLIMB EVERYTHING!!!!!

I hope this helps a little! Feel free to ask more questions or for clarification! I would love to continue to be
a resource for you. I'll be praying as you prepare physically, mentally, and emotionally for this summer!

Katie Bock.