Pioneer Trek(warning this is long!!!)

OK, so I have been gone for 3 days without a shower, flushing toilets(except for the visitors center), a place to wash hands (thank goodness for hand sanitizer), and protection from wind and the sun. So you guessed it, I have just returned from Pioneer trek at Martin's Cove in Wyoming. It was a blast!!!

We left on Tuesday morning 5 AM! We drove on charter buses (with a crazy woman driver, who didn't know how to drive) and arrived at Martin's Cove 6 hours later. After checking in and getting our handcarts we headed out walking along, sandy trails to our campsite (4 miles away). Our handcart was fully loaded down (we had the largest family), with all of our buckets(filled with our clothes and personal supplies), coolers, water coolers, totes with food, and sleeping gear. The first day everyone in our family helped to push on the handcart, it was fun to watch them work as a team. Then when we arrived in camp, we set up our tents, ate dinner, played and had devotionals with a campfire. That night the wind picked up, tents were blowing down, ripping, and feeling like they were just going to be carried away. That night I finally got to sleep after 11:30, because I was helping with the girls tent, and lets just say I didn't get much sleep because of the crazy wind, I thought our tent was going to pop at the seams or blow away. It was crazy...the wind was so bad our tents were basically folding up in half during the night.

The next morning I awoke at 5 AM, mainly because I had to pee, but also because the sun was shining in my eyes. It was the most beautiful time to be awake, no one else stirring, the sun hiding behind the ridges, and it was so peaceful. It was a wonderful time to reflect on our pioneer heritage, and remember what they had gone through...but at the same time reflect on how blessed I was to be at this place and see all that God has blessed me with. After reading my scriptures, getting the family up, eating breakfast we headed out for the day to see Martin's cove. We pulled our handcarts to the handcart parking and ate lunch, had water fights, and took lots of pictures (let's just say we almost took 200 pictures, and only posted a few, to keep from boring you). Before we headed into the cove, we stopped at Dan Jones Cove and heard from both stake presidents(we went with another stake). It set the right tone to enter the cove. What a beautiful, spiritual place...they call it the Wyoming temple, and I can understand why. The same peace and reverence you feel in the temple, you also feel at Martin's Cove. As we left the cove we went to see the Rescuers statues (these are the 4 Valley boys, who carried the handcart company(over 500 people) over the sweetwater through icy waters, because they could not walk across it). Then we went to the sweetwater crossing. It was fun to have Steve carry me over, and then to walk back across on my own, the water came up to my upper thigh, but felt good on such a hot day. Then after getting our handcarts, we went to the Women's Pull. This is where the men are taken away and the girl's must pull the handcart up a rocky, sandy, steep hill. It represents all the women, who were widowed and had to pull the handcarts by themselves. It was the most challenging spiritually and physically part of the whole experience. As I watched others really struggle to get up the hill, all I could think was I wish we could all run up and help everyone. But as my turn came, I looked at the women pulling with me. A 14 yr old who weighs maybe 100 lbs, an older lady, another girl who is 16 and lucky to be 100 lbs, and then me, a person who is not the strongest in the world, and definitely out of shape. So as we started to pull, the 16 yr old beside me started hyperventilating and giving up. All I wanted to do was grab her and throw her into the cart so I could pull her up. But I couldn't because then the cart would have fallen on me or the women behind me. So I just kept telling her that she was doing good, and that she could do it, and to keep going. But it was really encouraging me to keep going, and all I could think, was that if I could go through labor with 4 kids, I could climb this hill. As she gave up completely, the weight was on me to pull the handcart, my legs started shaking, my arms started shaking...and when I felt as though I was going to have to give up, along came AriAnn (a 17 yr old, who is very strong). She was our angel, who helped us make it to the top. I will forever be grateful to Ari, for helping me make it to the end, and she is my hero. She helped almost every single handcart make it to the top(all 15 of them). She is amazing, just like all the other women and young women who pulled. Watching how reverent and emotional the young men, and men were was overwhelming...it is an experience I will never forget. At that moment I had never felt so grateful to be a woman, and a member of this true church. I have never felt so much gratitude for all the pioneer women, who made it on their own, especially the Martin & Willie Handcart companies.

As we headed back to camp, none of the young men, allowed the women or young women to pull. They took the handcarts and pushed them the final 2 miles through sand and hills. It was wonderful to see how much love and admiration the young men and men had for the young women and women. So many tears shed and hugs given, it was truly a little piece of heaven.

Then that night we heard from President Lorimar(from the Second rescue from Riverton Wyoming stake, they did all the temple work for the Martin and Willie handcart pioneers who died on the trail). He was awesome, and it was great to meet him, after hearing so many stories about him, and his experiences. He is one of the main reasons, Steve and I don't drink caffeine.

Then that night, we had an amazing testimony meeting with our youth, and even had a boy from an Ogden stake join us from another camp. What wonderful youth we had in our family...they are amazing.

The next morning we got up, packed up, and headed back to the buses. The boys again wouldn't let us push, but after watching them struggle, we insisted that we help. We reached the buses, loaded up and headed back for the long journey. We again had the crazy woman driver, that was brake happy, loved to talk way too much (she would swerve all over the road because of it), and who would not go even the speed limit. Then at the church my kids welcomed us home. I didn't want to let go of them...I walked around holding Tyson and Benny in my arms, and having Byron and Emily follow us everywhere. I love my kids, and love being able to see them again. It makes me more grateful, when I have a little time away, that I have such beautiful, wonderful kids who love me. They are the best, cutest kids in the world. I am also grateful to have such a wonderful husband, who was able to go with me, and I was able to grow closer to him because of our experiences together. He is amazing, and I love him so much.

Overall the pioneer trek was an awesome experience. I hope that Steve and I will be able to go many more times. It not only was fun, but a strength to my testimony. I am grateful for the experience, and grateful to the pioneers for what they went through, so that I can learn from them and grow from their testimonies.