We Went On A Little Trek

Dustin and I just got back from 5 days of a Pioneer Trek with our Stake.  We were a Ma and Pa.  This was a great year to go, for a couple of reasons.  One is that we went to Martin's Cove in Wyoming, so we were at the true place!  The second reason was that our total miles walked was around 13, instead of around 36, like past treks.  Grandpa and Grandma watched our kids for us (thank you!!!) and we had a great time with our Trek family.

 Here is our family: Bruce, Brett, Dustin, Erik, Me, Judy, Lupe and Leane.  The photo bomber was not a member of our family.

 And here is another photo bomb.  We just crossed the Sweetwater River.  It was a little different than when the handcart pioneers did it, in that the weather wasn't -11 degrees and we had shoes to put back on after we crossed.  Oh, and we weren't starving to death.  

 Here I am giving some encouraging words.  Actually, what I'm probably saying is "Football or basketball? Homemade mac-n-cheese or Kraft?",  or some other game to entertain.  We were pretty lucky to have Goliath's great great grandson in our family.  This boy didn't need encouraging words.  He could have pulled the handcart by himself.

 Here we are pondering how anyone could actually live on 4 ounces of flour per day. 

 Another crossing of the Sweetwater, this time with our handcarts at the Willie Handcart site at Sixth Crossing.

 On the real live trail here.

 After a day of trekking, the kids found a deep spot in the Sweetwater and cooled off.  Just in time for a big storm to blow in and freeze everyone.  This is our 1st counselor in the Stake Presidency doing a roman soldier off the side of the river.

 Dustin got throwed in a stick pull.

 So did I.  At least Dustin's competitor was the same age as him.  Mine was a scrawny 14 year old.

 The boys just broke the tug of war rope, and they were very happy about it.

 Freezing at the Rock Creek site.  Once again, hard to feel sorry for me with my 10 layers of dry clothes on, when the pioneers were literally freezing and starving to death at this point.

Last night of Trek, smelly, exhausted and ready for home!

This was such a great experience for us (and hopefully for the youth, too).  It was amazing to be in the places where the pioneers experienced such hardships, and also so many miracles.  It was a miracle that they survived at all!  One thing that I felt was how much Heavenly Father loved them, and loves us, today.  And that trials are not evidence of His punishment or neglect or lack of love for us.  The women's pull and a reenactment of a pioneer story where a 5 foot tall wife pulled her freezing 6 foot husband up rocky ridge mountain by herself, were very powerful experiences and my favorites.  Dustin loved Martin's Cove the best.  What a great week!  And how nice to see our kids and take a shower when we got home!!