(Just as a warning, this is long but I wanted to document it for my journal.)
Nathaniel and I were called to be Ma and Pa for the Stake Youth Trek Jan. 2-5th. We were technically called, but I wanted to go really bad so it worked out well. It has been such an amazing experience I want to be sure to write down my feelings while they are still fresh. We were called at the beginning of August and have been preparing since then. We had a few Sat. trainings and an overnighter on site on Nov. 30-Dec.1. That training was really cool. I brought Kelsey since I was still nursing her. We bunked with Mom and Dad since they were going on the trek as well. My father-in-law is the 1st counselor in the stake presidency and my mother-in-law is a nurse so she was going as medical staff. They helped out a ton with Kelsey at that overnighter. We practiced our dutch oven cooking and trekked 4 miles. There was a hill they wanted us to try with our handcarts. The hill wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, but I had help from the men as we went up. They were like my angels when it got tough pulling. I''m glad we went and had a little practice run before we went out there with the kids. It helped me feel more ready for what was to come.
The trek started out on Wed. Jan. 2nd at 7 in the morning. Becca and Josh (Nathaniel's youngest sister and her husband) came over to take over the house and the kids for us while we were gone. Tanner was the only one up when we left. I kissed Eliza, Kate, and Nathan while they slept. I left Kelsey sleeping knowing that if I went in her room she would wake up and I would cry and be late or end up bringing her in my 5 gallon bucket. We left at 10 to 7 and ran to the church around the corner in our pioneer get-up. (My husband makes a very handsome pioneer by the way.) We loaded onto 4 different buses (or "ships") and drove off. I was very nervous driving away from my kids for 4 days. I had to remind myself that they were in good hands and that if anything happened they had Dad's cell # and he could get in touch with me at all times. Ma's and Pa's were not supposed to bring phones or cameras or other electronic devices. The stake presidency and a few others in charge had phones. Thank goodness for Dad.
We got to the starting spot about an hour and a half later and got our family assignments. I only knew one of the boys and I had only met him once. He is also GF like me. Nathaniel and I had Freddie Martinez, Adam Camerena, Andrew Ziegler, Ayanna Peterson, Caitie Osborn, Noelle Rogers (Caitie's friend from Mesa) and Sydney Lemmon. At camp on the 2nd day we adopted Keilani Lemmon.
We did a service project until lunch that consisted of clearing tumbleweeds and other weeds from a farmers ponds and trenches. We had lunch and then we started out as the 2nd cart in a line of 21. We stopped to redistribute the weight to make the cart easier to pull and quickly were at the end of the line. It wouldn't have been a big deal if we would have been able to keep up with the other carts. It quickly became apparent that there were only a few that were able to really pull their weight. Four of the 7 kids the first day had a hard time even keeping up with the cart. Adam was put on the sick wagon since he was so far behind. I couldn't stay back with him and help my family like I wanted to so my mother-in-law told me to go help my family while she walked with him. At the beginning of the trainings we were told that we as Ma's and Pa's were not to pull or push the handcart. This was supposed to be an experience for the youth. We had told our kids that the very first time we talked to them. About a mile, maybe a mile and a half into the trek Nathaniel and I took over for some of the kids. I remember one of the kids saying, "but you said you weren't supposed to touch the cart". I told them that if we didn't we weren't going to make it to camp...the ox was in the meyer. We ended up pulling and pushing most of that day. Poor Freddie and Ayanna were diehard pioneers and never complained. They would pull until we rotated and then they would move to the back and push. They were such good, hard workers. I will love them forever. Every time I asked them how they were doing they always replied, "I'm fine". We eventually made it into camp that night a little after everyone else and talked to Captain Nelson (and Lynn and Gary Smith who were in charge on the trek) about needing help with our cart. They gave us Ranger Rick. He is an army ranger and could likely pull the handcart himself. Between him and Freddie things were pretty well covered. From that point on we were able to keep our place in line. Several of our kids needed to ride in the sick wagon due to injury or not being able to keep up with the group.
The nights were cold, but not as bad as I had imagined they would be. We slept with beanies on and that helped immensely. We had firesides, singing, devotionals, and testimony meeting by the fire. I love campfires. There is something so calming and peaceful about them. We were fortunate enough to have our "kids" as well as their friends hang out by our fire. One of my favorite things was to sit around the fire and talk and laugh with our family and their friends. Nathaniel, Freddie, and his friend Josh would get telling stories and laughing and I had fun watching them. I love it when youth at mature enough to be able to talk to adults and enjoy the conversation.
One thing I had been worried about before we went was how we would get along as a family. Would the kids like us? Would they have fun (I already knew I would)? Would I be able to make every moment count? I wanted these youth to have the best experience EVER. I wanted them to have fun, but more importantly I wanted them to have their testimonies grow. I wanted them to feel the spirit and have their faith in the Savior increase. I think I worry too much and everything turned out great. We got along well and we have a really great time. We were able to feel the spirit and I saw a lot of growth in some of those kids. I especially noticed a change after the womens' pull. Some of those kids that hadn't been able to keep up with the cart were now helping to push and pull. I was happy to see their strength increase. It wasn't just their physical strength (although that did help), it was realizing that we needed their help and not shirking their duty. They rose the the occasion and I was happy to see that.
The womens' pull was a cool experience (as it should be). The men were told to walk beside us but they could not interact with us. As we waited our turn up a hill I watched another cart ahead of us as they started. It was soon apparent that they were struggling and I ran to help them. The hill wasn't really steep, but it was very rocky. I felt very grateful for the time I had spent exercising to prepare myself for that moment. I helped several carts up the hill and by the time it was my carts turn my legs were burning. I ran back and helped the last cart, hoping my legs wouldn't give out. After the womens' pull was over Bro. Clark came up to me and said he was in my debt for helping his wife up that hill. I hadn't thought it was a big deal, but I was so glad I could be of service to someone else because I had prepared myself. I was grateful that although it was tough, I could do it (again, and again, and again even). I love that feeling of accomplishment. I thought of the woman I was trekking for. Sarah Jakeman Stoney. She is my 3rd great grandmother. She carried her baby in her apron with the ends tied together and held in her teeth til they bled. Her husband's lungs were weak and she had to push the cart most of the way. She was a great source of strength. I want to be like her.
We prepared our own food while we were there and the Groggett's (food committee) did an amazing job. Most of the meals were GF and those that were not we just brought our own food. They did great making sure the kids were well fed and not hungry. They made cobbler for everyone after the dance and fireside. They made homemade donuts for everyone on the last morning before the final hill. I will miss dutch oven cooking and we may have to invest in one to have dutch oven cobbler once in a while. One of the funniest memories I had was of Freddie on night after dinner. We had made a chicken and rice casserole and since we had more kids that other families we didn't have as much food per person as others did. Freddie pulled the cart with the strength of 3 men so he was pretty hungry. The food was all gone and Freddie was still hungry so he took the foil out of both dutch ovens and was eating the food that was still stuck to it. He didn't even notice we were all watching and laughing at him for a minute. I offered to go find him more food but he said he was fine. He did eventually give in to the treats I had brought that I wasn't going to eat. When all of his friends were heading off to go to the fireside and our dinner wasn't quite cleaned up yet, he said he was going to stay to help his family clean up. I told him he could go but that I really appreciated him being willing to help. He is such a good kid. One that I want my boys to be like.
I loved the example Ayanna set as well. She had blisters like I have never seen before on her feet, yet she NEVER complained about them. I would ask her every morning if she needed moleskin or bandaids and we'd try to get her as comfortable as possible. By the end of day 2 her feet were in bad shape. I didn't know it by looking at her or listening to her because she never said a thing. I saw her putting bandaids on and then realized how bad she was. Still, whenever I asked for something to be done she was the first to get up to help. Whether it was dinner prep, fetching water, putting up the tent, etc. she was the first to respond. I had to tell her several times to sit down and let her feet rest. She never wanted to be a burden or leave the work for me to do. The last day she asked me how much more I thought there was. I had brought my pedometer both as a clock and also to see how far we had gone (and let's be honest...so I could brag a little to Nancy about how many steps I got it since she always has so many). I told her we had gone about 7 miles and likely had another 2 miles or so left. She said her feet could do that much, but probably not much more. I'm not sure how she had done that last 7 miles! She didn't even say it in a negative way, just curious. She will hold a place in my heart. I love that girl. She has been going to church for a couple of years but is not a member yet. She turned 18 on Sunday and will be baptized soon now that she is an adult. A common thing heard from the kids was "I can't do that" or "I don't know how to do that". I was quick to say, "that's okay, it's a good time to learn." I didn't want them to use that as an excuse to get out of cooking, putting up the tents, starting fires, etc. So one day when Keilani said, "but I don't know how to put up the tent" Ayanna was quick to say, "well it's a good time to learn!" I was so proud! I love that she was listening and learning and then teaching others (although she had not been one to say that in the first place). Love that girl!
The last day was my favorite. After we got up the big rocky hill we had a TNNL (then and now, now and later story). We talked about all that the pioneers gave up and what we will each give up to follow Christ. I want to have more self discipline. I want to be better about being more in tune with my spirit and not letting my physical body get in the way of my progression. Whether that be with food, exercise, laziness, scripture reading, or disciplining by kids in a calm and rational manner. I want to have control over my body and not the other way around. I also want to be more obedient. I feel I am a pretty obedient person, but this is something that I want to teach my kids by word and example. We don't always have to know the reason why we are asked to do something. If our righteous leaders ask us to do something, we should follow.
The rest of the day was easy trail and we had FUN! We played a game taught to us by Andrew. It is called categories. Someone thinks of a category (shoe brands, restaurants, birds, Disney movies, colors, etc) and then you go person to person each saying something new. If someone repeats or can't think of something they are out. It entertained us for hours! We also played 6 degrees and would try to tie 2 random actors together by placing them in movies with other actors and having them connected by the 6th movie. Then we sang the rest of the way to the end. I loved it. The kids were all wanting to be up front pulling so they could play the games and that was motivating. They all said how fast time was flying by because they were having fun. I was so glad to have those kids and enjoy that last day like that. I have always loved good, honest hard work. I have always believed that work can be fun and that is just one more example of it.
Since I am a nerd and like to keep track of numbers here goes: Mileage for day 1 was about 7. Day 2 was about the same, maybe 8 miles. Day 3 was 3 miles. Day 4 was about 9 miles. Since I wore my pedometer I kept track of the steps. Day 1 I had 24,661 steps (11.67 miles), Day 2 I had 24,569 steps (11.63 miles), Day 3 was 18, 455 (8.73 miles), Day 4 I had 25, 763 steps (12.19 miles, 21,116 of those steps were aerobic at 182 minutes). I think it is funny that I was within a hundred steps between day 1 and day 2 and we did different activities and ended up being almost exactly the same.
I want to do this again, especially when my kids are youth. I am happy to report that other than my face getting really dark and adding a few wrinkles, I came out okay. I didn't get blisters. My muscles aren't sore, and I wasn't exhausted. I was so excited to see my kids and had a bit more patience with them. I loved this experience and am so grateful for our pioneer heritage. Especially my direct heritage. I am richly blessed.
