Trek

We had a lot of fun on trek. We didn't get to go as the Ma and Pa due to my current condition, however, we still had an amazing experience. I didn't walk (bummer... I have been preparing all summer!) but I did get to do all the music and to help out with the food. All in all, I helped make 625 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, 625 hoagie sandwiches, and helped serve breakfast and dinner (lunch was the sandwiches, and they ate that on the trail.) It was fun to see all the preparation that went on behind the scenes and just how much sacrifice and service goes into making this a special experience for everyone. I learned the value of service and how it's needed everywhere.
We arrived at camp early Wednesday morning. That day, the youth pulled for 12 miles.
Our camp that night was full of cow pies. It was lovely. The next day, Thursday, they walked about 9 miles. We had the Women's Pull that day which was a neat experience. They women pulled the handcarts while the men watched. As they approached their destination, I was playing some hymns on the violin. It was so moving to see these women struggle. One ward had to pull a girl in a wheelchair, and the last ward only had 3 women pulling, one of the women was the trek master. As soon as the other wards were done, some of them ran to help the last struggling ward. I had tears streaming down my face the whole time because I can't imagine pulling a handcart day after day with your husband and children in it. But that's what the pioneer women had to do. In the Willie and Martin Handcart Company, the men were too sick or dead by the time they reached Rocky Ridge, so the women had to pull. So, moving on.... In order to get to our camp, we had to go through hundreds of cattle. They would just stand in the road and stare at you. It was so funny. That night, camp was really nice except it rained the whole night. Luckily, Nate has bought us a really nice tent and sleeping bags and we stayed dry. In fact, I slept outside the sleeping bag most of the night because I was so hot.
On Friday, they walked about 8 miles and when we got to camp, you could see the storm clouds brewing. That night, we were having a fireside on the Rescue of the Atonement, and as kind of an object lesson, everyone was blindfolded and led into this big open field by members of the Stake YW and YM. They were turned in all different directions and sat down by themselves. All they were told to do was to follow the music. I was in a truck a little ways off and was playing hymns... and they were supposed to make it to the truck, blindfolded. Then the winds started blowing. I wish I had a picture of the sky because it was so black and it was so cold, but Heavenly Father spared us from the rain. The people had a hard time hearing the music because of the wind, but eventually some started to come. They would stumble and fall, but once they reached the truck, they could choose to get a piece of candy or to go and rescue someone else. IT was just amazing and I wish you could have been there to experience just what went on that night. After everyone was "rescued" we started to have a testimony meeting, but it just started pouring and the wind was INCREDIBLE. It destroyed 3 tents and it rained and rained. Some of our YW came into our tent while Nate secured theirs. That night, it was really cold, and again, I thought of those pioneers who didn't have shelter or warm sleeping bags or porta potty's to go to. They had nothing, but yet they had their burning testimonies that kept them going.
Saturday was the final day, and they walked about 5 miles. Everyone had blisters and some were sunburned, but you could not deny the spirit that was felt. I was so lucky to be able to go and to serve in whatever way I could.