Ward Trek Memories

In June our church group took off on a three day adventure reliving some of the early pioneer's experiences of crossing the plains to settle the Salt Lake valley. We were granted a rare opportunity of pulling replica hand carts through the dry DLL in Wyoming. We were assigned "handcart families" that we pulled with and those were organized into "companies", just like the actual pioneers. Months of preparation went into organizing this event but luckily my involvement was relatively easy. Aside from the 48 sleepless hours I put into sewing our historical fashions, the organization of the remainder or our things went well. We were allowed one 5 gallon bucket per person, plus a treat bucket (a luxury the original pioneers were not granted). They held one change of clothes, extra shoes, eating utensils, scriptures, and toiletries, and became our seats when ever needed.

I have two outstanding memories from being out there, besides the simple pleasure of being so far from civilization. The first was the ability the children had to occupy themselves, fighting off city boredom. There were no electronics, no formal sporting events, and no limits to their imaginations. Groups of children from different families, some new friendships, some old, wondered off together looking at the desert landscape, or in search of harmless reptiles and bugs, or created games out of nothing. I've never had more peace and less worry.

The second memory was from an activity called the Children's Pull. These Trek experiences are something the youth of our church (ages 12 to 18) often participate in, this family experience being very rare as I said before. During these youth Trek activities they usually have a Young Women's Pull where the young women of the group are asked to pull the full wagons to the top of a difficult hill while the young men are taken aside to represent the Mormon Battalion soldiers of the past when they were asked to leave their migrating families to fight. It is a very moving event for each group as the women find the strength within and the men recognize the amazing abilities of the women that sometimes go unnoticed.
In our experience the parent (adults) were taken to the top of a very challenging hill where we discussed our role as parents and the tools we need to give our children to succeed in life. The children and youth remained at the bottom of the hill discussing their needs to follow parental council and making good choices. After our 45 min discussions the parents were asked to line the path at the top of the hill and watch quietly as our children struggled to pull our heavily loaded carts to the top. The only encouragement we were suggested to give was that of prayer to represent the quiet strength our Father in Heaven offers us as we struggle through the challenges of life. I cried with a full heart as I watched the wagons come up that hill, one by one, with the stronger youth racing back down to help the next until all the wagons and children were safely at their goal. Even as I write this now my heart is bursting with the pride and love I felt for my children and those they are so blessed to associate with. I hope to remember the lessons of that afternoon throughout my life.

We had an amazing time filled with fun, dirt, sweat, and a spirit of peace that could only have come from that experience. Of course one of the kids highlights came at the end when we crossed the paths of free roaming cattle and witnessed a bull fight not more than 50 yards in front of us! We don't get that kind of excitement in our everyday lives!

Pictures previously posted.