TREK

This was our big event for the summer. The kids stayed with Grandma and Grandpa (thanks Gary and Doris!) and Gregg and I went on Trek with the youth of the stake. Trek was the theme of Youth Conference this summer. It's basically a short re-enactment of the Pioneer Handcart Trek of the 18oo's. Gregg and I were asked to be parents - they separate the youth into groups with a Ma and Pa so the groups feel a little like family as they push and pull over the trails.

We had a parents' training meeting a couple of days before the real thing. They taught us how to put the handcarts together and we pulled one for a short part of the trail. Ma and Pa Sharp were the first ones in the yoke to pull. We all got turns pushing and pulling at some point on the short hike we did that day.

This is the easy part of the trail. Gregg is helping to push. Up there in the trees, we had a pretty steep hill and some skinny trails - but nothing compared to what our youth family did.Ma and Pa Elwood taught us all the "For some must push and some must pull . . . " Handcart song before the stake youth leaders separated us into family groups. We got 9 amazing youth in our family - 3 boys and 6 girls. Then we were lucky enough to get another boy who came late.

After we got our youth we headed down to the handcarts to put them together and to do our 'shake downs.' We had a paking list that was pretty strict as to what to bring and what not to bring - as Ma and Pa we were supposed to make sure that no one brought any extra stuff like electronics, toothpaste, deodorant, anything else to make life easier :) Our group was great! There were a few who did bring some contriband, but they all gave it up or promised not to use it - and didn't as far as I know. They all suffered through the baking soda instead of toothpaste, stinky clothes . . . hard work - it was amazing! This is the second morning. We started off around 9:30 the day before and these amazing youth pushed and pulled our very heavy handcart through trails that were only wide enough to walk single file on. They rolled over trees, rocks, through rivers, up and down hills -
And then got to sleep on these tarps in a field with weeds up to our waists that we had to stomp down before we could put the tarps down.

They ate breakfast at home, but didn't get any more food until late at night. And then it was only broth and one bread roll. They were so tired and hungry - but when we served them dinner, they were so grateful and said things like "I never knew broth tasted so good! I'm going to have Mom make this at home for me!"
Breakfast was a pan of cornbread for our whole family.
After breakfast, we pulled the handcart for another couple of hours before we got to base camp. There we set up our camps (tarps over the hand carts), gathered firewood, and built a fire before they got a sack lunch and were able to go to some fun workshops. The workshops had chickens being butchered with a spiritual lesson about how we should respect life and be grateful for what we eat because even though we get it in plastic at stores, something has to die so we can live. There was a hair-washing station, feet washing, basket weaving, rifle shooting, and toher fun stuff. When all that was done, there was time for a hoe-down (square dancing) with real fiddles and banjos and harmonicas, and we made yummy rolls and beef stew for dinner, and then a fireside with funny skits and songs.

As Ma's and Pa's we sang an arrangement of the Black-eyed peas' song "Tonight's gonna be a good night." (ala Ma and Pa Steele)

Some of the words were;

"I've got a feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night, that the rains may fall and the bugs will crawl and we may not sleep warm, but we'll weather the storm then the sun will come out and we'll all start to shout! It's a feeling whoo hoo that tonight's gonna be a good night (etc)

The time is now, now! to make the choice, Make the choice! We'll fight the fight - Yes! We will Choose the Right! While we are trekking, throughout our life - Put your shoulder to the wheel let's get get Get up and push!

We know we're having a ball, If I get down and go out and give it my all. When I feel so tired and I wanna let go - I remember my strength and I don't lose control. chu chu chu

Fill up my cup, Cup! with chicken broth - chicken broth! One pair of clothes (ooo!) Can't change them off! Brushing my teeth Yuk! with soda paste. Putting dirt on my food to give it! More! Taste! . . .

Let's do it and do it and do it and do it (etc.) We're trekking!

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, Friday Saturday, Saturday to Sunday Get get get get getting up walking walking all day long Trekking every day t-t-t-trekking all the way. .. I got a feeling . . . (etc)

This is our family canvas that went over our cart - they nick-named themselves the Tautkus Tanks cause they were so tough, never gave up, and had the heaviest cart to pull. They all signed our canvas and wrote quotes on it and drew pictures . . . We had such a good time. It was so inspiring to see these amazing young men and young women do everything that was asked of them. They took turns pushing and pulling without complaint, they asked for food but didn't get upset when it still didn't come, they helped with dishes and cooking and setting up our tarps when we got to base camp - they did so much more than I expected.

I am so impressed with them.


The next day was the Sabbath. It was really Friday, but we called it the Sabbath and treated it as such. Unfortunately, the young man that joined our group late was sick and we had to say goodbye to him this morning - so our group was back to 9 kids all pictured above.


We started the day with a scavenger hunt for fruit. The kids were blind-folded and told to find 4 pieces of fruit in a field. After awhile, the parents started singing "Come Follow Me" and the youth started making their way to the (hopefully) familiar voices of their parents. We had a discussion about following the Savior afterwards. Then the young men went to a priesthood meeting and the young women to Relief Society. In RS we had a lesson that included lots of stories of the real pioneers with points of how they relate to our lives. Then we had a joint meeting and sent the kids off on 'solo' where they had 4 hours of silence. Everyone spread out over the fields on blankets with scriptures and journals and pens. It was beautiful. There were a lot of grateful comments in the testimony meeting later that night about time to sleep and think and read and write without distractions.

It was a great four days - even without showers. I'll try to find more photos on line to post here.