Trek

Trek. Words can not describe our outing as pioneers. I gained a great love and appreciate for those who endured the hardships and trials while reaching Zion. They answered a call to leave all they had and travel thousands of miles to a desert wasteland to build a new home. It is still unbelievable and even more unbelievable is the fact that they lived to tell the tale. I know why God sent me in the Era he did, because I could not have done it.
Each person on trek was given a name of someone who had passed through the trail in either the Willie/Martin/Hunt/Hodgett companies. Phil and I were given the names of Jens and Elsie Nielsen with the Willie company. We also were assigned a baby, Elizabeth Barton with the Martin company. We were given their biographies to read up on and find out their situations on the trail. We also got our "kids" about 2 weeks before leaving. We were so blessed with great "kids." I can't complain. Our kids and ourselves got together prior to leaving for a little party. It was a fun time and we got to know our kids fairly well.
It rained almost the entire time we were on the trail. We wore our rain ponchos A LOT. The first night it rained so much we had a number of tents flood and I swear when you have a fairly newborn child you hear EVERYTHING. I couldn't sleep. I could hear the kids getting up finding their sleeping bags, tents, pillow sopping wet. The crying, the chattering of teeth. We ended up moving around 30 kids to warmer and dryer areas through out the night. We put them where ever we could find a spot. Needless to say, Phil and I got 3-4 hours of sleep and some ma's and pa's never even knew that anything had happened throughout the night! We were so wet that we had to stay in the same camp area to dry out stuff in hopes that nobody had to sleep wet the next night too. It stayed dry long enough for tents to dry, but the rain started again. Luckily, we had the sleeping bags, pillow, clothes hanging on ropes under large canopies and they dried that way. The next day we couldn't trek to the next campsite, so we trek about 3 miles up and then went the 3 miles back. Because we didn't get to the second campsite the next day, it meant that on the 3rd day we had to make up the difference. We ended up hiking 12 miles, in the only good weather-very hot, and this included our women's pull. This is where trek really got to me. The woman I trek in behalf of, pulled her husband, by herself, over Rocky Ridge and then another week after that until they were rescued. I couldn't help but think of this as I pulled. My heart was full and so were my eyes. It was an incredible experience and one I will never forget. I also hope it is one I get to experience again in my life time. My "girls" wanted to help some other families who were struggling with the women's pull. It was a good experience for them and we actually ended up do the women's pull three times. This made trek. It made it a reality and real. I can't describe my feelings, but even as I type the tears well up and I can't help but shed them. On the last day, we were given the biography of the baby that our family had carried for the last three days. At this point, if your baby lived you would continue toward "Zion." If yours had passed away along the trail you were asked to place it under some sagebrush and walk away. This was also extremely difficult. I can't even imagine the sorrow of those who lost loved ones along the way.
Ahhh, it makes me want to do it all again.
We made it home in one piece and I would suggest it to anyone if they asked should they go. It is a very spiritual experience and one I'm so grateful to have done. I will tell you it is NOT easy. I don't care how many miles you walk in preparation for it, it is NOT enough. It is a completely different story once you start pulling a handcart. You work muscles you never knew existed. It was a great opportunity and it has strengthened my faith in the gospel even more. We liked it so much that we are planning a trip to Wyoming next year to do the actual trail with my family. I can't wait!