Pioneer Trek

I had the opportunity to go on our Stake Youth Pioneer Trek. They have been planning this youth conference for awhile. When I first heard about it I was serving in Relief Society and was glad that I wouldn't have to go on the trek knowing how hard it was going to be. Well as things always turn out I was put in young women's a few months ago and they were short on leaders so I told them I would go. It ended up being an amazing experience and I am so glad that I went. My mom took the kids while Rich was at work so I could attend. We went for three days July 29- July 31, but it seemed like we were gone a week. Here is everyone that went from our ward.

The trek started out with Governor Boges and his mob kicking us out and ordering the extermination order for all Mormons.

Here is everyone leaving. I was assigned to help with the cooking and not assigned to a family. So the first night I was moving all the leaders cars to the ending point. This is the only part of the trek I didn't do.

After a sleepless first night of listening to coyotes, and owls hunting and eating their prey we woke up to do some activities. The boys were called away to join the militia.

The girls stayed and did some crafts. Here I am with some of the girls from my ward. Nicole, Brianna, Vanian, Rachel, Samantha, Me, and Lindsey.

Since the boys were gone away at war The girls had to pull the handcarts by themselves. I was sent to help these girls out.

The hardest part of the trek was at the end of the girls only pull when we had to push the handcarts up this steep hill (this is the begining of the hill it was steeper at the end). The boys were their waiting, but they were not allowed to help out they could only cheer us on. It was so hard!!! When we finally got to the top I was so exhausted, but I had to go back down and help two more handcarts up. After we finished this hill we ate lunch and the boys rejoined us for the rest of the trek which was all hills.

Everyone back pushing and pulling the handcarts.

When we got to our camping spot for that night, they had several pioneer games for the kids. Bryson and Zack from my ward are playing pull stick.

The second night we had a hoe-down dance. It was a blast! All the kids and leaders had so much fun. The youth were asking for one as a stake dance.

It was a beautiful place where we had the trek. We slept outside under the stars and could see millions of stars (very unusual for Southern California), It was so cool to see so my shooting stars. This is the mountain that we climbed the brown paths are where we pushed our handcarts.

At one part of the trek we had to unload every hard cart and then lower the handcart down the ditch then pull it back up to the other side.

At the end of the trek all dirty and smelly. Everyone that went had a great time, testimonies of pioneers were strengthen and it is something I will never forget.