Keep calm and trek on (summer week 6)

Friday night dinner and dance with the trekkers!

Last October Rustin started working on plans and preparations to take 175 youth up to the South Hills where they could re-enact some of the experiences of their ancestors as pioneers.  At the time I thought it would surely not take anywhere near that amount of time to get things together--but I was wrong.  I can't believe the amount of time and effort and resources it took to pull off three amazing days!  Rustin and I both have grandparents who walked across the plains with their meager belongings packed into a handcart to go to a land they had never seen.  Rustin's grandmother was with the Martin handcart company.  We both feel like many of the blessings we currently enjoy are because of the prayers and faith of our ancestors.  We don't ever want to forget them and we want to give the same blessings to our own children.  

So back to the trek.  

This undertaking is the perfect example of how to get things done.  Once the wagon masters were called (love you Kelly and Cory Piling!) they sat down and made a list of what needed to happen and then they assigned people to be in charge of each specific area.  Here's the amazing thing--every single person did their part to the very best of their ability.  It was amazing!  They had activities on the trail (some people got snake bites, or mission calls where they went and taught other families, or typhoid fever so they had to ride in the cart...), they had dances with an awesome live bluegrass band, they had their carts raided and had some of their lunches stolen so they had to share with the other families in their company, they passed the great and spacious rock where the young single adults were having a 'party' and tried to entice some youth to join them for a soda. 

 They had the best food ever!! (seriously...)

They had quiet moments to sit and ponder and times to laugh and socialize.  They walked almost 20 miles total.  And there were virtually no complications.  The kids were happy and the ma's and pa's loved their children and the logistics all worked just as planned.  Every night the families split up and the kids met with their wards and bishops to talk about what they had learned for the day and how it could be applied to their current lives before they went to bed. 

It really was amazing.  

I'm so happy that I never complained when Rustin was gone to yet another meeting to make sure things were on track! I am so very grateful for other adults who sacrifice for my children.  I truly love youth leaders! 

  

Thirteenth ward trekkers!