Whitter Stake Pioneer Trek

Our family joined the Whittier Stake for a pioneer trek.  This is a reenactment of the journey the early Mormon pioneers had to go through when persecution forced them to leave their homes in the 1840s.  150 youth (ages 11-18) from our Stake participated in this memorable event.  Our family was privileged to join because of Warren's calling in the Stake Presidency.  The three days our Stake trekked through Yucaipa, California turned out to be an intense heat wave.  That coupled with a night of no sleep for our baby (and us) caused us to leave the trek at the end of day two, missing the final day of the trek.  It was emotionally hard not finishing the trek (when we told Joseph we were leaving early he said: "But we won't get to Zion!!!") but we are very grateful that we were able to participate in it to the extent that we did.  

As a family we did a lot to prepare for the trek, both physically and spiritually.  We took practice hikes, we talked a lot about what it meant for the early Saints and what it would mean for us and we gathered together all the clothes and gear necessary to have a successful experience.  I read stories of early pioneer women who had babies on the trail, who watched babies, children and husbands suffer and die and sacrificed much to get food for their children.  They suffered unimaginable physical, mental and emotional hardships.  During this reenactment we were blessed to get a small glimpse into what that might have felt like.  We mourned with those who mourned (deaths, funerals-the pretend baby one family carried with them during the trek), we rejoiced with those who rejoiced: a betrothal and Joseph's lost tooth (that earned a big cheer from the crowd!)

The best summary is Joseph who said last night: "I learned that sometimes things are hard, but you just have to keep going." 

But to add to those words of wisdom, I will share a brief summary of our adventure in 100 degree heat:

Day 1: hiking 7 miles (my children and I did half of it on foot and half in a horse drawn wagon)

Stops along the way to learn about the early pioneers.

Heat, lots of water, lots of spray bottles

 Joseph sitting down on the hilly trail all by himself because he was too tired to go on. 

Theo chatting up a storm with the owner and driver of the horses.

Dirt and dust galore.

Trumpets, ukuleles, singing and laughter.

The night: donkeys, coyotes, owls, a bright moon, lots of stars, little to no sleep for Warren, Dorothea and Celeste.

Day 2: a head count of the "deaths" that occurred during the night.  

Youth representing those deaths, stories told.

A betrothal announced!
A 3 mile hike. 

Skills learned: tomahawk throwing, muskets, cotillion, bow and arrows, the life of a mountain man, log splitting, sawing etc.

Reenacting the Sweetwater crossing during the winter. True stories shared. 

A forest fire, ash in the air, concern about possible evacuation. 

"Porter Rockwell" shares his life's story. 

A hoe-down to celebrate the "betrothal."
The Williams leave. 

Day 3: Reenactment of the Mormon battalion.  A strenuous 2 mile hike. 

Arrival in Zion!

Our hardest moments and our happiest moments: 

Warren: hard: staying up all night carrying Celeste, trying to keep her quiet and get her to sleep. 

happy: watching Joseph pull a handcart with the teenage youth

Dorothea: hard: my big toes getting smashed, not getting enough sleep, watching my hot and sweaty baby with dirt on her face, her eyes running, her nose running, wondering what was the right thing to do for our family

happy: watching everyone cheer for Joseph after they announced that he had just lost a tooth.

Rebecca: hard: trying to sleep

happy: playing in the muddy river

Joseph: hard: pulling the handcart

happy: the hoe-down (where he dance the ENTIRE time!)

Theo: hard: wanting to go home, play ipad and watch a movie

happy: playing in the dirt without anyone telling him to stop

Celeste: hard: trying to sleep in a tent with new sights and sounds all around

happy: seeing the animals, especially the horses and dogs

Captain Williams and his family ready to trek to Zion

The handcarts

Theo with his new friends on the wagon.

Taking a break from hiking.

After a sleepless night, a baby finally sleeps. 

Joseph watching the young men help get the wagon down a steep hill.

Rebecca LOVED the muddy river.

Even Celeste enjoyed getting in the dirty water.

Everyone cheers for Joseph's missing tooth.

Celeste, happy to be home.

And now for some thoughts.  We knew it would be hard, but it was still harder than expected.  People were kind to us along way, helping us with the kids, offering snacks, talking to Rebecca and Joseph, and laughing at Theo playing in the dirt.  Everyone kept telling us how good the kids were being, how brave we were and that we were their hero.  I felt welcomed by the group.  Being there with the Stake was a real blessing for me because it gave me the chance to bond with the Stake, which I’m grateful for, given Warren’s calling as counselor in the Stake Presidency.  

I was so happy to see how everyone on the trek seemed to be happy and getting along.  The youth (who weren’t allowed to have cell phones with them) were actually talking to each other, laughing and singing.  

I learned so many little things about what it must have been like to be a mother with young children on the trek.  I learned that it wasn’t always easy to keep track of your little children.  I fully understood how Mary and Joseph could have thought that Jesus was somewhere else in the caravan, when he was in fact still in Jerusalem.  A long caravan of wagons is hard to maneuver around and at one point Rebecca was with some friends and I just fully understood how easily a child could get lost or hurt.  

I couldn’t stop thinking about how hard it would have been to be pregnant on the trek, or to give birth or to have a nursing baby.  A nursing baby eats every two hours and I felt like we were getting behind just stopping for sips of water or to put on sunscreen.  I learned that when you have a handicap-in this case our children, it is easy to fall behind the group.  The trek was hard enough for everyone that the group just has to keep going and everyone is pretty much left to fend for themselves.  Yes, people helped when you called out for help, but when you have something that puts you at a disadvantage it is definitely hard to keep up with the big group.  

Warren has an ancestor who had a baby the same as Celeste on the real trek.  She brought a rocking chair with her.  Growing up he never understood why someone would bring a rocking chair across the plains.  After a sleepless night holding a baby with no where to sit, he fully understood the need for a rocking chair.  I wouldn't be surprised if they shared the rocking chair at camp when other people needed a break with their babies.  

Above all, my heart has been left with many feelings that are hard to put into words. Feelings of gratitude, feelings of belonging to something bigger than myself, feelings of standing on the shoulders of those who came before.  Feelings of knowing those who came before sacrificed so that I can enjoy the life I have now and the opportunity of living my faith in peace.  

My toes are in great pain.  I’m physically exhausted and emotionally worn out.  But that doesn’t even come close to the suffering that the pioneers went through.  One woman crawled on her hands and knees because her feet were no longer usable.  When her hands gave out she crawled in the snow and ice on her elbows and knees.  When she got to Utah it took months before she was able to walk again.  It made me cry to think of her as I was sitting at my table after only two days of trekking with my two sore toes.  

The pioneers took this journey because they had to leave if they wanted to follow the prophet and live their religion in peace.  We don’t have to take a physical journey, but we too, have to have courage to follow our prophet, to defend our beliefs in an unbelieving world and to go forward each day.  We may not have to fight the elements, hunger, death and other hardships  in quite the same way as our pioneer ancestors, but we too face physical and psychological trials and difficulties that take courage and perseverance.  

The pioneers went forward day by day, step by step toward their goal, with faith in every footstep.  They laid the foundation for what it means to be a Latter-day Saint.  No matter what came their way, they kept going forward.  And so will I.