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:
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.)
