Brent and I went on a Pioneer Trek in Wyoming over the areas where the Martin and Willie handcart companies went. We served as Ma and Pa to our beautiful family of youth from our ward and had a great time. Our kids were hard workers and we really enjoyed being with them.
A picture of the women's pull. During pioneer days, the men were some of the first to die leaving the women to pull the carts the rest of the way. They do a women's pull where the girls push the carts over the rockiest steepest part and the boys stand off to the side with their hats off to show respect. We had a smaller group, but our girls were tough!
There were about four different spots of water and mud that we had to cross with the carts. Brent ended up carrying about 10 carts through the water and mud on one day for the entire company.
This experience was amazing for me. I have never been able to connect with the pioneer experience...until now. The Martin and Willie handcart companies left too late in the year on their journey to Salt Lake. They had problems on the way that delayed them even further. The actual trail we went on (day2) was 14 miles long. We did it in about 7 hours. It took the original handcart companies 27 hours to do the same stretch. They did it in 18 inches of snow and pushed through the night to get to their next camp. When they arrived 13 people died and were buried in a common grave. The two men who dug the grave also died and were also buried there. This group suffered so much so that they could come to Salt Lake and be sealed together with their families in the temple. It was that important to them. I am grateful for their great sacrifices and to have participated in this experience.
A picture of the women's pull. During pioneer days, the men were some of the first to die leaving the women to pull the carts the rest of the way. They do a women's pull where the girls push the carts over the rockiest steepest part and the boys stand off to the side with their hats off to show respect. We had a smaller group, but our girls were tough!
There were about four different spots of water and mud that we had to cross with the carts. Brent ended up carrying about 10 carts through the water and mud on one day for the entire company.This experience was amazing for me. I have never been able to connect with the pioneer experience...until now. The Martin and Willie handcart companies left too late in the year on their journey to Salt Lake. They had problems on the way that delayed them even further. The actual trail we went on (day2) was 14 miles long. We did it in about 7 hours. It took the original handcart companies 27 hours to do the same stretch. They did it in 18 inches of snow and pushed through the night to get to their next camp. When they arrived 13 people died and were buried in a common grave. The two men who dug the grave also died and were also buried there. This group suffered so much so that they could come to Salt Lake and be sealed together with their families in the temple. It was that important to them. I am grateful for their great sacrifices and to have participated in this experience.
5 comments:
Julie and Brent,
I didn't know my afternoon of blog reading when end up being a cry fest. Thankyou so much for this post! I cannot even begin to comprehend what the pioneers went through. I am eternally grateful for my ancestors and for their sacrifices. Thankyou for taking your time to go with the youth of our ward to give them an experience I am sure they will never forget! Trek wasn't even an option when I was a youth but one day I hope to go and have the experience.
I am so glad that you posted these pictures. I was going to tell you last night that I wanted to see some. I am jealous that you got to have this wonderful experience. I almost cried too!
I see those tennis shoes! :-) I didn't know you were doing this. So happy for you. I am one of those unusual people that does think of the pioneers quite often. I think it is because my patience is such a far cry from theirs. I think of them a lot when I worry about stupid things and it usually helps me put things into perspective.
Okay you little pioneer! My parents did this years ago and absolutely loved it. They have wanted to take us ever since and I think it would be an amazing opportunity. I always say if I would have been born in pioneer days, I would've curled up on the plains and died. So I too, admire my ancestors for coming across and sacrificing so much.
That's just typical of the men to die early on and let the women pick up the slack, men will do ANYTHING to get out of work!!! What a great experience for you I'm sure all of our ancestors were cheering you on from the other side!
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