The Trek Experience of a lifetime...

     My thoughts are overflowing as I think of our Trek experience over the last few days.  First off, a big huge, gigantic, thank you to my sisters for watching my children.  The task was bigger than any of us could ever have imagined.  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!  I am so thankful to know they were in good hands so that I could have this experience. 

     Thursday morning we met at the church at 5am, dressed in our pioneer attire and ready to conquer.  We drove two + hours to get to our destination in the Kiabab forest.  Four hundred people on this trek, thirty six handcart families, I was convinced it had to be one of the biggest modern day treks ever.  We received the members in our family once we got there and that was when the work began!  I immediately started praying for the boys in our family (Quincy was not in our family).  I could tell right away that the physical part of this would be a cinch, the task would be in helping these youth strengthen their testimonies and feel the spirit.  Getting them to work together would also be a task, not one of them knew each other prior to this. We walked for eleven miles on Thursday pulling our four hundred pound handcart.  The logistics behind this whole trek was completely overwhelming to me, food, activities, water, porta potties, etc.  It was truly amazing.  My heart broke as we watched some two hundred men walk away in their white shirt to go fight for our country, one of them being my husband and another my son.  The amazing thing was that my girls and I found the strength within us to carry on without them.  Thankfully it wasn't for long, I don't want to have to carry on without  Broc, EVER!  Then we listened to our awesome Stake President talk about the promptings of the spirit as the rain poured down, and I thought, we live in the best stake in the world!   

I was extra proud of Quincy, every time I saw him he was on the front of the handcart pulling like a champ.
  
     One of the boys in our family was one I had gotten after last summer because he about hit one of my children as he sped past on his motorcycle.  He is not active in the church at all and has many troubles in his life.  Another boy in our family recently had his parents go through a divorce and they have lost their house.  One of our girls was not physically prepared for the trek so we struggled a little there.  I don't know all the reasons Heavenly Father wanted these children with us but I do know there was a reason.  I thought it was ironic that at 3am on Friday I was laying on the rocks that were digging into my hips looking at the stars with tears streaming down my face praying for these kids that I didn't even know.  I hadn't even had two seconds to think of my own children but my heart ached for these boys and for two days I truly loved them like my own.  They drove me completely crazy, just like my own, they talked back, just like my own and they needed a bunch of love, just like my own.  I prayed every second of this trek that they would feel the comfort and love of their Father in Heaven and that the spirit would touch their hearts in some way.  I pray that each one of them felt our love for them and our testimony of the truthfulness of this gospel.  I pray they felt the love of their Savior, Jesus Christ and hope that at some point in their lives (it might be a long time down the road) they will seek to feel the same spirit they felt on that pioneer trek so long ago.
     I went on this trek because I have a testimony and I wanted to share it with these wonderful youth.  I came away with my faith in the priesthood strengthened, a deeper love for my sweet companion and a closeness with my Heavenly Father that I have never felt before.  I thank him for the opportunity to experience life, it's absolutely wonderful!!