Beginning the Pioneer Trek

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

We had a wonderful Pioneer Trek! Those who attended from our Branch included David Harris, Janika Jensen, President Jensen, and Wendy Jensen.  So are so fortunate that we were able to participate in this awesome experience put on by our Stake!

Most of the group met at the Stake Center to load up the busses on Monday evening.  President Jensen and I drove a few of the leaders to Wyoming in our 15 passenger van and arrived at Martin's Cove around 6:45 a.m. beating the busses by about 45 minutes.

After the rest of the group arrived, everyone ate breakfast (although everyone's dishes were packed and so we were trying to drink our yogurt.) We listened to some talks at the Visitor's Center and watched an excellent video which I found very touching -- I couldn't help shedding tears throughout it. As we were getting ready for our first trek we were greeted by the dog, Oscar. We had read about Oscar in the July Friend: 

Oscar: Trail Leader
The kids were so excited to see him!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the orientation, each family picked up their handcart and got prepared for our first hike into Martin's Cove.

We stopped for a Cove Talk by the Historic Site Missionary and then continued on our hike. We were able to see statues of the young rescuers who carried pioneers back and forth across the Sweetwater river
in the bitter cold so long ago.

Here is their story (from James E. Faust's article: "A Priceless Heritage," Ensign, Nov 1992, 84:

"It was an emotional experience to see the Sweetwater River crossing where most of the five hundred members of the company were carried across the icy river by three brave young men. Later, all three of the boys died from the effects of the terrible strain and great exposure of that crossing. When President Brigham Young heard of this heroic act, he wept like a child and later declared publicly: “That act alone will ensure C. Allen Huntington, George W. Grant and David P. Kimball an everlasting salvation in the Celestial Kingdom of God, worlds without end.” (Solomon F. Kimball, “Belated Emigrants of 1856,” Improvement Era, Feb. 1914, p. 288.)

Pioneer Dancing

We loaded up and traveled to Sweetwater campground to set up camp. There was NOTHING there. They did have outhouses and a water pump but that is about it.

We set up camp and so the barren land was soon bustling with kids and tents. Tonight Bishop and Sister Reid set up their guitar and microphones and we started the pioneer dances. It was a lot of fun! We did the "Hokey Pokey," "Virginia Reel," "Johnny Oh," and so forth. We were laughing and dancing and for some reason I even got a little emotional thinking about the pioneers and how they had fun times too along their journey!

We had a late dinner (in the dark) and then went to bed. I think everyone slept well tonight! I know that I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow and I didn't wake up until the bugle call rudely interrupted my reverie about 6:30 a.m. the next day!

Women's Pull

Wed. July 15, 2009

This was an awesome day. We hiked on the Sweetwater Trail for six miles. It was the exact trail that the Willie Company went on. We stopped for another lesson by the Historic Site Missionaries who told the "Willie Company Story."

Later on we stopped again. A man dressed in uniform announced that all of the men were being called away to join the Mormon Batallion. (The Mormon Batallion actually took place ten years before the time of the Willie Handcart Crossing, but they used this today in conjunction with the women's pull.) We all bid farewell to our men and the men went up a hill to be taught by President Barney while we stayed behind to be taught by Sister Barney. She gave a wonderful talk about the importance of the Priesthood and the powerful influence that these young women can have on those who hold the Priesthood. She also talked about how many of the Pioneer women had lost their husbands and sons due to the extreme conditions of their travels. Many of the men had given everything they had for their families until they couldn't give anymore. Then the women and children were left to push the handcarts by themselves.

We got just a tiny taste of what they must have been like when we were left to push the handcarts up the next big hill by ourselves. We couldn't see the men for awhile but then near the top of the hill, there they were, making two lines, one on each side of the trail. They had removed their hats and held them silently over their hearts. It was an inspiring sight. Many of the young women said that this was the most touching part of the trek for them.

After the women's pull, one of the girls in our company had a severe asthma attack. A hush fell over the entire company as she was given a blessing. She was carried the rest of the way back to camp on one of the handcarts and then Rick and I and some of the other leaders drove her into the nearest town to go to the hospital, which was about 45 minutes away. It was pretty scary because she was hyperventilating and she actually stopped breathing several times for about ten seconds and then she would gasp for air again.

It was good to see her happy and smiling again on the way back!

Oh...and I just had to take a picture of the bathrooms -- always a line! But I have to admit -- for outhouses they weren't too bad. I don't know what they put in there, but they actually did not stink. Wow!

Program and Campfire Fun

This is Granny Packer. Since we are new to this Stake we never knew her late husband who was the beloved Patriarch of the Stake. Sister Packer was amazing! Here she was, 81 years old, always smiling, and out there hiking with the rest of us! She gave a wonderful talk by the river and also put together the Thursday Night program (which was wonderful). Several of the youth mentioned her in their testimonies and said how much they loved her and that they loved her hugs!

Thursday night we listened to the site missionaries act out pioneer stories. This is a picture of one of the missionaries telling the story of Ephraim Hanks. Later he became a member of the Pony Express and passed out letters from home to all of the youth. After the kids had a chance to read their letters from home and write in their journals, we met again for a wonderful evening program.. The program consisted of members of our group reading and acting out pioneer stories (and they did a fabulous job!) and six singers who sang various musical numbers (they were great too)! The program ended with Brother Hart singing the theme song he wrote especially for this trek called "On Hallowed Ground." The words and music are beautiful and a fitting tribute to the pioneers we became acquainted with this week. We all joined in after the first verse. The program had a nice mix of humor and seriousness and I laughed and cried throughout.
















Tonight the members of the 8th Ward were shining their flashlights into the smoke making it look just like light-sabers. These two had a "light saber" fight and it looked really cool! Then they shined their flashlights through colored waterbottles to give the light sabers different colors. Pretty cool, huh?

Pioneer Trek: July 16

Thursday, July 16, 2009 

Crossing the Sweetwater River

On Thursday we went on our final trek (4 miles) and crossed the Sweetwater River three times. At first we just crossed a bunch of mud and thought that was the first crossing -- it wasn't. Poor Brother Boyd fell and was completely covered in mud!

At the last crossing everyone got to play in the water and have a big water fight. Many got thrown in but I stayed at a safe distance -- protecting my cameras!

We hiked a little further and stopped for lunch before finishing the hike.

Rock Creek Hollow

One of the things I was most worried about before going on the trek was the heat. But it really wasn't bad at all. The temperature was in the mid-80's and there was always a breeze and so for the most part the temperature was comfortable -- much to my relief!!

At Rock Creek Hollow we saw the monument for the 15 saints who died in one night, one of which was James Kirkwood.

The story of James Kirkwood is one of the stories that touched me the most while I was on the trek.  He carried his little four year old brother through the snow all those miles and then died from exposure and exhaustion.

"James was from Glasgow, Scotland. On the trip west, James was accompanied by his widowed mother and three brothers, one of whom, Thomas, was nineteen and crippled and had to ride in the handcart. James’s primary responsibility on the trek was to care for his little four-year-old brother, Joseph, while his mother and oldest brother, Robert, pulled the cart. As they climbed Rocky Ridge, it was snowing and there was a bitter cold wind blowing. It took the whole company twenty-seven hours to travel fifteen miles. When little Joseph became too weary to walk, James, the older brother, had no choice but to carry him. Left behind the main group, James and Joseph made their way slowly to camp. When the two finally arrived at the fireside, James “having so faithfully carried out his task, collapsed and died from exposure and over-exertion.” "(Private letter, Don H. Smith to Robert Lorimer, 20 Feb. 1990, quoting account of Don Chislett.) James E. Faust, “A Priceless Heritage,” Ensign, Nov 1992, 84

I can't imagine how that mother must have felt. As I listened to the stories from the saints I often pondered on what the mothers went through. The trek I went on as a youth was incredible and life changing. But this one was a little different since I now looked on the experiences of the pioneers from a mother's perspective. I can't imagine the pain it must have been for these mothers to watch their children suffer from hunger and cry themselves to sleep at night.

We finished out our trek at Rock Creek Hollow with a testimony meeting in the outdoor amphitheater area. There was a neat spirit there as the youth shared their testimonies. Rock Creek Hollow was a beautiful area. When we first arrived I thought, "This is much greener and prettier than Martin's Cove -- why didn't we camp here?" But as soon as the sun started to go down, the mosquitoes came out in full force. They had been bad at Martin's Cove, but this was much worse and most of us were out of bug spray by this time. We were racing to grab our final meal (while waving and swatting like crazy) before seeking shelter in our van! The mosquitoes were bad on this trip, but I was vigilant about applying bug spray (has it been five minutes yet? I had better put more on!) and I only came away with a couple of bug bites -- and I got those on the last evening. I was pretty proud of myself because I usually get eaten alive.

We had lots to think about during this trek. President Jensen and I asked ourselves why the pioneers had to suffer so much. Why didn't God temper the weather so that they didn't have to go through the horrible afflictions that they went through? After all, it was an early winter which really made things difficult for them. I still don't understand it completely, but I know that those who suffered were ensured glory and eternal salvation and they left behind a legacy for generations to come -- not only for their direct descendants, but for all of us.

I just read this quote from James E. Faust (James E. Faust, “A Priceless Heritage,” Ensign, Nov 1992, 84) and so I will include it here:

"I cannot help wondering why these intrepid pioneers had to pay for their faith with such a terrible price in agony and suffering. Why were not the elements tempered to spare them from their profound agony? I believe their lives were consecrated to a higher purpose through their suffering. Their love for the Savior was burned deep in their souls, and into the souls of their children, and their children’s children. The motivation for their lives came from a true conversion in the center of their souls. As President Gordon B. Hinckley has said, “When there throbs in the heart of an individual Latter-day Saint a great and vital testimony of the truth of this work, he will be found doing his duty in the Church.” (Ensign, May 1984, p. 99.)

Wow. Would I be willing to consecrate my life to a higher purpose if it involved great suffering? It is a sobering thought. I am so grateful for the pioneers and the sacrifices they made for all of us so that we can have the blessings of the gospel today!

Primary Party

We had a primary party at Shelyce Maxwell's house for all of the kids in the Deaf Branch. The weather cooperated (it had been threatening rain) and the kids had a great time.

I didn't dare get any close-up shots because the kids all had those big water-squirter things and I was afraid that me (and my camera) would get soaked.