For those of you who don't know what trek is, it is something that the LDS church does with its youth. It is a three day trip with youth 14-18 years old. They go to a remote location and they basically reenact the pioneer trek across the country. They pull handcarts and dress in cloths from the period. Trek is generally three days long. The youth are split up into trek families that have a ma and a pa for each family. Leona and I were a ma and pa this year. We had nine youth that were our "kids". We didn't know who our kids would be until we were there. For three days we got to experience what it was like to be a pioneer. Our trek was at Hardware Ranch this year.
On the first day we started out by building the city of Nauvoo. As soon as we were done, the mob came and chased us out and destroyed our city. We took off with our handcarts, and from a short distance up a hill, we watched while the mob destroyed the city we just built. We then trekked five miles pulling handcarts that had all our gear plus a bunch of additional stuff (first aid kit, LOTS of water, etc). It was mostly uphill. There were several places where the hill was quite steep. There were lots of rocks in the path that we had to go over as well. It was tough work pulling the handcarts through all that. But the kids were up to the task. They pushed and pulled those handcarts like they weighed nothing. It was very hot (around 95 degrees) and there was very little shade. I figured I would have to spend my time motivating my family to keep going, but I was wrong. I had to keep telling them to slow down because they kept trying to run the people in front of us over. That is how enthusiastic they were. Once we got to camp, we had to set up tents (if you want to call a couple tarps duct taped together and put over some poles a tent). Once again I was surprised at how willing everyone in my family was to help out. There wasn't a single one that tried to wander off or get out of work. It was great.
On the second day we were slated to trek for six miles. This day was different than a normal trek though. We started out by sending all the pa's and four of the kids off on a rescue mission. So I took 4 of my kids and we headed off up the mountain, leaving the other five kids behind with their ma. Once we got part way up the mountain, we had an activity where each of the kids were given a scenario that could happen in their lives right now and they had to answer how they would respond to the situation described in the scenario. Their answers were awesome. I couldn't have come up with better answers. While we were doing our activity the family members that were left behind had to pack up the handcart with supplies and bring them to us. We had to stand at the top of a very steep hill and watch half our family push the carts up. We weren't allowed to help them at all. As I watched families struggle up the hill with their carts, I thought to myself that my family wouldn't have any problems with the hill. And I was right. They flew right up. Once we were all back together as a family again, we had an even bigger challenge. We had to pull the handcarts up a very steep and rocky canyon. It was so steep and rocky that no motorized vehicles could go up it. But the kids had to pull a handcart full of heavy gear up it. Once again my kids were up to the challenge. With very little help from me, they were able to get up that canyon. It turns out we climbed about 1,000 feet in about a mile. It was hard work, but my family worked so well together that no obstacle could slow them down. It was amazing to watch. Then we had the downhills. They were steep and just as difficult as the uphills. I have decided it is easier to pull a handcart uphill than it is to go downhill. Trying to keep a handcart under control on a steep downhill is extremely difficult. And of course my kids (and me most of the time) were able to get down the hills without any problems.
On the third and last day we had to trek for five and a half miles to our pickup point. Again, there were some steep hills. But today the strain of the last couple days as well as the lack of sleep (sleeping on the ground with no real padding makes for a bad nights sleep) started to show. It was another really hot day and once again there was no shade. My kids tried to keep their quick pace going but once they hit their first big hill they ran out of energy. It took everything they had to get to the top of a very long uphill climb. Once they got to the top we stopped for a break and they all just kind of collapsed next to the cart in what little shade they could find. After a short break they got up and went at it again with the same vigor as before. I was surprised at how resilient they were. I figured the heat would have slowed them down some. After going up and down several more smaller hills, we came into the "Salt Lake Valley" where the Salt Lake Temple was built. And the journey was over.
It was a great feeling knowing we had made it. But at the same time, it was kind of sad. Our wonderful trek family was going to go home to their real families. When we were all standing there around the temple it hit me that we weren't going to be together as a family any more. You would think that after just three short days of being a family it would be no big deal to go on your way and not thing twice about it. But it was different for me. I had developed a strong bond with these kids. I felt like they were my own. And I didn't want to part from them. I wanted to keep them all as my own (even though it was hard keeping track of nine kids). I was surprised at the love I had developed for each and every one of those kids in such a short time. Once the thought of our trek family going to their own homes hit me, it brought tears to my eyes (which just doesn't happen to me ever). I suddenly didn't want trek to ever end. I had to remind myself that they will always be my trek family. I am sure that I will see them around at various activities. And I look forward to it.
I am going to tell you about each of my family members (even though my descriptions won't do them justice). First off, I need to tell you that during the first day of the trek we decided to call our family drifters. We came up with that name because even when the handcart would turn itself a little sideways on a hill or because of a rut in the road, they just kept on pushing and it looked like the cart was drifting. It was quite a sight to see sometimes.
I will start with Ester. Ester was the oldest of the kids. She was also the glue that held everyone together. She was quick to take charge when needed and everyone listened to her. She was quick to encourage the others. She was compassionate and took all the family members under her wings. Thank you Ester for being part of my trek family and being such a great leader.
Then there was Chandler. He was the silent, dependable, determined type. And he never quit. On the second day of the trek he was one of the five family members that had to bring the carts up the hill. He sprained his ankle going up that hill. But he didn't tell anyone until he was almost to the top of the really big hill and someone noticed he was limping while pushing the cart. It took most of the family telling him to stop pushing before he would. He was just pushing through the pain because he didn't want to let his family down. Even with his injured ankle he finished the trek. Thank you Chandler for being part of my trek family and showing the family how to endure to the end.
Next we have Jaxson. Jaxson is one amazing person. He got the nickname of the ox because he could push a handcart up any hill single handedly. But his real strength was in his unwavering friendship. He quickly became good friends with everyone in the family. He was a true example of what a friend is. He was always there to help anyone inside the family or out. Not once did he not help someone in need. Even if they didn't ask for help. Thank you Jaxson for being in my trek family and showing us all how to be a true friend to all.
And then there is Natalie. She was the talkative one in the family. She was always happy no matter what happened to her. She was always cracking jokes and keeping everyone in a good mood, even when the going got tough. And when something bad would happen to her, she would laugh it off and continue on. She had massive blisters on her hands from pushing the cart. But they didn't bother her one bit. The last day her shoes accidentally got packed into the equipment trailer and she ended up wearing sandals for the last leg of the trek. She didn't mind one bit. She worked just as hard pushing that cart as she did the other two days. I think she would have done it barefoot if she had to. Thank you Natalie for being in my trek family and showing us all how to make lemons into lemonade.
Next we have Rachel. This was Rachel's second trek. On the last night she admitted that her first trek didn't go so well and she didn't want to go on this one. But she decided she would give it a try and hope for the best. And she was not disappointed. She was a core member of the family. Always there to help out when needed. And always keeping the mood light. Thank you Rachel for being in my trek family and showing us that giving something a second chance can be a rewarding experience.
On to Brynn. When I first saw Brynn I thought she would be one of the girls that would try to get out of pushing the handcart whenever she could. But I was wrong. She was one of the first to step up and pull. She was always willing to work hard. Rarely was there a time when she wasn't either pulling or pushing the cart. And she kept Isaac in check (they were usually pulling together). Thank you Brynn for being in my trek family and showing us the meaning of hard work.
Isaac is next. It is hard to say much about Isaac because he always seemed to be missing. But he never really was. He was always in the background doing things for his family members. And in typical sibling fashion, he was always bickering with Brynn (even though it was more like best friends pretending to bicker). Thank you Isaac for being in my trek family and showing us what it quiet service is.
Next up is Ammon. Ammon gave me a pretty good idea of what Skyler is going to be like in 3 years. Ammon was the one that was always disappearing from the family when we were supposed to be gathering. He was the one that was easily distracted by the simplest of things during devotionals. But he was also always there when needed. He always knew when his family was in need and he was more than willing to fill that need. Thank you Ammon for being in my trek family and showing us that you can do great things even if you do get distracted from time to time.
And last but not least there is Mia. Mia was the quiet one of the family. She had a herniated disk in her back so she couldn't push the handcart at all. But she walked with the family the entire 16 1/2 miles of trek. She was always there to encourage the others. And she always had a smile on her face, even when she was hurting. Thank you Mia for being in my trek family and for showing us that moral support can be just as valuable as physical labor.
So after three physically demanding days, my trek family got a taste of what the pioneers went through. I know I learned a lot and have gained more respect for what those saints did. Three days, 16 1/2 miles was nothing compared to what they went through. But it gave me a glimpse of it. I am grateful for the change I had to go and be a pa. I feel extremely blessed to have gotten the trek family that I did. It make the experience that much better. Although I didn't get to experience trek as a youth, I did get to experience it as an adult. The perspective is different, but the spirit is the same. And well worth it.
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