We survived! I wasn't sure if I would a couple of times. Trek is one of those experiences that tie the physical with the spiritual to be able to grow more abundantly. Similar to fasting. We had such an amazing experience.
On Wednesday we had to be there at 7:00am. My mom spent the night so that she would be here with the kids in the morning when we left. At the church we watched a video and then got on the school buses. When we got there we got assigned our families and we got our handcarts. We loaded up and went. We had 9 kids in our family. 5 boys and 4 girls. Who would ever guess that you put all of these strangers together with two adults that they don't know would get along so well together! The gospel is amazing it just brings us all together like true brothers and sisters.
We pulled for a while as a family and then it was time for the women's pull. The men went ahead and the women were left to pull the handcarts alone. This was to show us what it might have been like for the women when the husbands died from starvation and over exertion. It was a very solemn thing. The men were all standing watching with their hats off as a sign of respect. The men said that it was one of the hardest things to watch. Just like the pioneers felt angels pushing them along, I felt the same thing on our own and then also when the men were able to come and help us!
When we got to camp after pulling for 18 miles (we were not expecting it to be that long) I was exhausted and had a migrane with an upset stomach. I could not eat or help set up the tent at all. Thank goodness for the men that did all of that for us.
Thursday we pulled "only" 8 miles and then set up camp. They told us that the hill this day would be the hardest. It was straight up hill for about 1 1/2 miles. It was really hard to keep pushing and pulling for that long. At one point we were getting really exhausted so we started singing hymns. Our whole family commented on how this was probably what helped us get through the hard part of pulling. It took our minds off of the hard temporary stuff and helped our minds focus on the end or the spiritual. It's kind of like our earth life. We have many hard challenges but we know that at the end will be our reward of eternal life if we are faithful and endure to the end.
Once at camp, we set up the tent again. It was very windy. The kids found the baby wipes and decided that they were really dirty and started to clean their bodies off with baby wipes. It was so funny to see all of the dirt that kept coming off. They had a fun time with each other.
Friday we rested. Played games as families, had devotionals, and a very special solo time. A time for inner reflection. A time to think obout our testimonies, our relationships with our families, and our relationship with Heavenly Father. We went up into the mountains and separated ourselves from each other. This was a very spiritual part of the whole Trek. Afterwards we went back to our tents and had a testimony meeting. We had told the kids that we would like everyone to share something and they all did. Their testimonies helped to strenghen my own at this time. We had an awesome dinner of steak and potatoes and then a hoe down. We went to bed late that night because we were trying to find all of our kids.
Saturday we pulled another 6 miles and then back on the bus to come home. As we all made it into the final place, those who got there before were cheering us on. The last to come in were Brother McKay and his wife (the couple in charge of the whole thing). All of the trek participants were lined up on both sides of the trail and we sang "The Spirit of God". This was a very emotional experience because the Spirit was so strong. Many of us could not even sing. We were just so grateful for having had this faith growing experience. I know a lot of work went into putting this together so that the youth could learn and grow. If the youth learned and felt as much as I did I am sure that their testimonies were strenghened. This is an experience that will stay with us and give us courage for the rest of our lives.
There are so many other experiences that I will have to share in my journal. But needless to say the spiritual growth out weighed the physical exhaustion by far.
K and C were both is different families. We did not see them too much as we were with our own trek family. I know they both enjoyed it and learned many things also. These are a couple of pictures of them. C with her family as they were packing to leave. K with her family pulling the cart up one of the steep hills on the last day.
9 Years Old!
