Trek...Part 2

The irony of pioneer children riding in a minivan in order to push a handcart to "Zion". It just all seemed a little ironic!

It has been a crazy couple of weeks! A HUGE Carr family reunion that lasted a week. C.'s annual company conference, a textbook ordering project for J & M's school, article deadlines for the magazine, swim lessons every day, and the usual daily craziness. Sigh. When does all of this become summer "vacation"?

So here I am. And I have desperately wanted to finish recording our experience on trek. I will see what I can get done.

After all the prepartion, it was finally time to actually get out there and "trek". We were so excited to pack things up and drive to our rendevous spot at Deseret Land and Livestock. We arrived, parked the car, and started loading our bucket belongings into the handcart. We were sharing the handcart with 2 other families so it was interesting trying to get everything loaded, balanced, and attached! The handcarts were much smaller than I had imagined but with the sheer enthusiasm blowing around the place, I had no doubt we could get that thing pushed and pulled to where it needed to go.

It was breathtaking to stand out on this ranch. I am a fanatic about wild, open land. While I love the rugged, beautiful mountains, I find the prairie absolutely mesmerizing. I can't explain the feeling I get when I can stand and view the world as far as my eyes can see with any obstructions. I have always found driving across Nebraska and Wyoming to be exhilirating...it must be my deeply ingrained Midwest upbringing. I just stood in the parking lot of our trek site and tried to take it all in. It was beautiful.

Getting ready to go! The boys couldn't WAIT to start pulling and I loved seeing my little family out there on the plains.

Our whole family...ready to trek.

Although this was just a ward trek, I was touched at the many sacrifices people made to participate. Our friend's son had a sprained ankle, several women were pregnant, many families had small infants or children, a couple of children were recovering from illness, and one child was handicapped...I immediately felt such graditude for the sacrifices individuals and families made in order to participate. It was truly inspirational!

After packing the handcarts, we met for our first "devotional". Each day of trek had a special theme. The first day was "positive attitude". We sang our theme song "Come Take Your Place" and then had a couple of speakers. I have to admit that while the speeches were very well prepared and given, I was SO anxious to get going. Enough talk...more walk! Finally it was time to go. We got ourselves organized and set out over the first hill. What an amazing sight to watch each handcart pull out and head up the trail! It really brought tears to my eyes to watch these friends and neighbors start walking the dusty trail through the sage brush with the flags flying, the children running, families pushing and pulling, and the adrenaline of a new adventure rising in our hearts. I wanted to cheer!

We trekked about 4.6 miles that first day. We stopped frequently for little breaks but it truly was just us and the sagebrush out there! It was amazing...these rolling, green hills without any signs of "modern" civilization...not a telephone pole or road to be seen. We saw lots of leaping antelope and small critters which thrilled the kids. We sang, talked, told stories and jokes, passed around Swedish fish and other treats, and walked. H. rode in the handcart but the boys walked the entire way without a word of complaint. They walked behind the handcart and helped push for a majority of the day. I felt such pride in their determination and dedication. They really helped keep me motivated and truly enjoyed the experience along the way.

About a mile from base camp, we stopped and had a major break as well as another "mini" devotional. Numerous members of the ward had been assigned little "vignettes" that they shared at various points along the way. These were real life stories, experiences and testimonies from handcart pioneers that had crossed these plains and mountains. It was inspirational to hear these individuals share the various stories and feel the Spirit of the orignial pioneers. Two little girls shared an experience about crossing a field filled with rattlesnakes. They were terrified of the snakes but prayed that Heavenly Father would help them not be scared and be safe as they travelled. It described how these girls proceeded to "jump the snakes" and arrived safely with their handcart company. The children were told that as we trekked through the next field, they were to watch for "snakes" and see how many they could jump. For the next portion of the trail, there were wooden snakes hiding all over in the grass and the kids loved tromping, running and jumping through the grass to try and find the snakes! The women on our handcart also decided we wanted to try our hand at pulling instead of pushing and so for the last mile into base camp, we pulled the handcart! It was really hard! Much harder than it looked. It was really exhausting but I was determined not to quit and to make it through the next leg of the journey. But I started to understand why the pioneers left major items along the trail. Suddenly when you are pulling that handcart over miles of prairie with no trail, there isn't much that seems more valuable than a light cart!

A pregnant woman, a marathon runner, a chubby pioneer and 2 darling boys pulling the handcart into base camp.

We finally arrived at base camp! There were many thoughts that crossed my mind that first day as we pulled those handcarts...I think the prominent thought was how this experience was the great equalizer and really revealed a person's true character. As we were each pushing and pulling handcarts, carrying tired infants and toddlers, and just trying to stay inspired to keep going even when we were tired and hungry, I started to think about what character traits were really most important in life. It didn't matter how charasmatic or well-dressed you were in "real" life...no one cared how big or small your house was...the things that were left behind or what your "position" was at work wasn't going to push that handcart. All that mattered was your dedication, determination, and sheer will-power in reaching that singular goal. I think in life we spend lots of time stressing about and worrying over details that really don't matter. We lose sight of our priorities and purpose and start listening to the wrong voices telling us how to feel about ourselves and tainting our perspective on the world around us. The minute those pioneers set their faces and hearts to Zion, it was only their testimonies, their commitment to the Lord, their determination and sacrifice and their love for each other that was going to get them through the trials and heartache and deliver them safely to Zion. No one was travelling with their riches and material possessions...so many quickly abandoned those "material" goods by the side of the trail. I imagine their wasn't much boasting or bragging about their lives "before" since that wasn't going to feed their families or pull their handcarts. I suddenly felt a little silly and shallow. I suddenly realized that I wasn't focusing enough time or energy on the things that really mattered in my life and somewhere on that 4.6 mile journey I vowed to myself and the Lord that I would change that. I wanted to be more committed...not to temporal things but to spiritual things. I wanted to consume less of the world's material goods and consume more things of a spiritual nature. I wanted to focus less time and energy thinking about myself and start focusing outward...I wanted to develop the type of character that without thinking, I could leave everything behind and pull my family to Zion. In these latter days, that is the real challenge. We aren't on a physical journey the way these handcart pioneers were, but we are on a very real and hazardous journey to bring ourselves and our families back to the Lord. And it takes a vastly different set of character traits and personal development to do that than to succeed in any other "worldly" way. I really started to look at myself in a whole new way and while I was disappointed in some of what I saw, I also rediscovered part of my potential and rejoiced in the faith and confidence the Lord has in me. It was hard, but I did push that handcart into base camp...I am capable of so much more than I realize. I knew my first lesson was unfolding before me...

Once we reached base camp, each family started setting up their tents and getting settled in. We ate dinner (delicious!), hiked the hill beside camp, and had another devotional. I am amazed at the time and preparation that had gone in to each of these devotionals. All 3 days were filled with musical numbers, stories, testimonies, talks, and all manner of uplifting stuff! So many people were involved in preparing and presenting of these devotionals. We had an entire "musical band" of youth that provided all the music with their banjos, guitars, flutes, violins, drums, and harmonicas! It was amazing!

At that first devotional, each company presented their company "song", chant, and skit. We were the black pirate pioneers...I think the primary children in our company had something to do with that. The boys got to be "sea animals" in our company skit. Brother Griffiths dressed up and told some great stories from the real accounts of a wilderness pioneer but I was chasing after the kids during most of it so I really only got to appreciate his fabulous costume! The program was followed by each company gathered around their own bonfire eating s'mores. Perfect ending to an amazing day!

Gathered for evening devotional...I loved the multi function of our buckets. They were our suitcases and chairs for the entire trek. It felt so compact and efficient!
The pirate pioneers!
The kids swimming around as "sea life" during our skit.
Brother Griffiths doing what he does best...
Ah...family and s'mores around a bonfire!

Thus ended our first day. We were exhausted but really excited and happy. The kids did fantastic. We didn't have a single melt-down or tantrum or moment of unpleasantness. They were loving every minute and C. and I felt so enriched by all we had learned and experienced that day. We were ready for some sleep but eagerly looking forward to tomorrow's adventures!

For more pictures, music, and experiences from our trek, visit Orchard Hills Ward Trek