Wyoming Pioneer Trek
Gabry: Estelle act your age.
Estelle: But, that’s my least favorite thing to do
"Kilts are superior hiking attire." -James
"Andrew is made of chapstick." -Julie Gray
"Let’s just say I’m more excited about the citadel than Trek." -James, the night before trek
"It's basically Disney World. Same heat. Same mileage. Same time on our feet. We can do this!" -Robin
"You know, a fun trip would be to walk over here from Loll with snake garters and shovels. And then pacify the Little Rascals." -James, upon arrival at Campground 66
My personal protection scripture: “For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.” -Jeremiah 31:25
“Even though the Mormon pioneers in the Martin and Willie handcart company might not be our direct ancestors. They are our spiritual ancestors and heroes. And we benefit today from their faith and sacrifice.”
-Karl Gray
“Whether you are among the posterity of the pioneers or whether you were baptized only yesterday, each is the beneficiary of their great undertaking.” -GBH
“All of us enjoy the blessings of their efforts, and all of us have the responsibilities which go with that heritage.” -Oaks
You Have Nothing to Fear from the Journey
-Ballard “Life isn’t always easy. At some point in our journey we may feel much as the pioneers did as they crossed Iowa—up to our knees in mud, forced to bury some of our dreams along the way. We all face rocky ridges, with the wind in our face and winter coming on too soon. Sometimes it seems as though there is no end to the dust that stings our eyes and clouds our vision. Sharp edges of despair and discouragement jut out of the terrain to slow our passage. Always, there is a Devil’s Gate, which will swing wide open to lure us in. Those who are wise and faithful will steer a course as far from such temptation as possible, while others—sometimes those who are nearest and dearest to us—succumb to the attraction of ease, comfort, convenience, and rest. Occasionally we reach the top of one summit in life, as the pioneers did, only to see more mountain peaks ahead, higher and more challenging than the one we have just traversed. Tapping unseen reservoirs of faith and endurance, we, as did our forebears, inch ever forward toward that day when our voices can join with those of all pioneers who have endured in faith, singing, “All is well! All is well!”
And how will we feel then, as we stand shoulder to shoulder with the great pioneers of Church history? How will they feel about us? Will they see faith in our footsteps? I believe they will, particularly as they view our lives and experiences from the expanded perspective of eternity. Although our journeys today are less demanding physically than the trek of our pioneers 150 years ago, they are no less challenging. Certainly it was hard to walk across a continent to establish a new home in a dry western desert. But who can say if that was any more difficult than is the task of living faithful, righteous lives in today’s confusingly sinful world, where the trail is constantly shifting and where divine markers of right and wrong are being replaced by political expediency and diminishing morality. The road we travel today is treacherous, and the scriptures tell us it will continue to be so until the very end. But our reward will be the same as that which awaits worthy pioneers of all ages who live faithfully the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ, make right choices, and give their all to build the kingdom of God on earth.
We are the inheritors of a tremendous heritage. Now it is our privilege and responsibility to be part of the Restoration’s continuing drama, and there are great and heroic stories of faith to be written in our day. It will require every bit of our strength, wisdom, and energy to overcome the obstacles that will confront us. But even that will not be enough. We will learn, as did our pioneer ancestors, that it is only in faith—real faith, whole-souled, tested and tried—that we will find safety and confidence as we walk our own perilous pathways through life.”
Nathan Leonhardt: “For every Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who are saved from the flames, an Abinadi is allowed to burn. For every wayward Alma the Younger that is brought to the light from a pleading, faithful parent, a Laman and Lemuel continue to stray. For every 2,000 stripling warriors who leave the battle with nothing more than wounds,1,005 are left to be slain by the sword. For every Ammon who brings thousands of souls to repentance, a Mormon and Moroni labor all the days of their life and never see the fruits of their labor. For every blind to see, deaf to hear, and lame to walk, the experience of unfathomable suffering awaits in Gethsemane.
However . . . For every Abinadi who is burned, sometimes an Alma takes the doctrine to heart and begins a lifetime in service to God. For every 1,005 who are left to be slain, sometimes we see 'the Lord worketh in man ways to the salvation of his people' as more souls are brought to repentance than the number who perished. For every 'thy will be done' in submission to the agony of Gethsemane, there is a prayer too beautiful to be recorded, the blessing of children one by one, angels descending from the opened heavens, and tears streaming down the face from One who can finally declare full joy.”
“Now after all these stories and activities, it is appropriate to ask ourselves, “Therefore, what?” Are these pioneer celebrations academic, merely increasing our fund of experiences and knowledge? Or will they have a profound impact on how we live our lives?” -Oaks
Their trials changed them. Good or bad, ease or hardship. Either way, God is good.
The Price was a Privilege to Pay
A man who crossed the plains in the Martin handcart company lived in Utah for many years. One day he was in a group of people who began sharply criticizing the Church leaders for ever allowing the Saints to cross the plains with no more supplies or protection than a handcart company provided. The old man listened until he could stand no more; then he arose and said with great emotion:
“I was in that company and my wife was in it. … We suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but did you ever hear a survivor of that company utter a word of criticism? … [We] came through with the absolute knowledge that God lives for we became acquainted with him in our extremities.
“I have pulled my handcart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I could hardly put one foot ahead of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and I have said, I can go only that far and there I must give up, for I cannot pull the load through it. … I have gone on to that sand and when I reached it, the cart began pushing me. I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart, but my eyes saw no one. I knew then that the angels of God were there.
“Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company.” -Our Heritage chapter 6, page 78.
Takeaway:
-See the miracles! Either way, God is good. Every obstacle was consecrated. That forged them to the Lord forever.
-Amazing people in our lives.
-we can have hope in the good, and faith as we cheerfully follow God’s will.
“A cove is a small, sheltered coastal inlet or a tiny bay with a narrow entrance. It also refers to a hollow in a mountain. A place of refuge.” -Karl Gray
*Next time:
1- Print a book with 1-2 pages per participant of: ancestor & personal protection scripture; above ^ stories & quotes. Include pages for journal.
2- Resources: Remember and Tell my story too, pdf
3- Campfire Discussion/share prompt: What has Pioneer Trek taught you?
4- Bring fridge/ freezer and microwave, lots of sugar-free electrolytes and salty foods.
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