TREK

 We prepared, we went, we played and walked and cried.  We survived and we'd go again! It was awesome.  Mostly.  The port a potty, not so awesome, especially that last day.  Phew! The no running water, even less awesome but the rest was really great.

I'm sure I'll post many more pictures when we see them all but right now just a quick sampling.  Hannah and her family.  She said it was the best family ever.  She loved her ma and pa and got along well with all the other youth.  I am really glad.  The first day they arrived and assembled the handcarts then took off on the trail.  The weather was gorgeous.  72 and overcast.  It did rain on us a bit in the beginning of the walk but what a tremendous blessing that cool weather was.  There were some really really hard parts and the youth were amazing.  They walked until around 1-2am.  After that everyone collapsed into a tired heap and slept with the cows in the pasture.    Day one was also the woman's pull and the blind folded walk.

 Day 2 was more walking in the morning with great games and fun in the afternoon and a dance in the evening.

Day 3 we had a scavenger hunt, solo time, a testimony meeting, more trekking and we were done!!

TREK was such an amazing experience for the youth.  They accomplished really hard things and learned so much.  It was also amazing for the leaders.  I personally felt like I learned and grew a lot.  It was, and always is, such a joy to work along side the other leaders in the stake and to spend time with the youth.  I marvel and am in awe of how good they are, how hard they try, and all they accomplish. The thing about trek is that really all pretenses are stripped away.  You are put out there, in nature, with no running water and sometimes no toilets (only facili-trees) and there is lots of stuff to do to keep things going and to keep everyone alive and it's hard.  Yet the prevailing attitude was one of great cheer and gratitude.  There were things that didn't go as planned and times when folks were tired and considered getting cranky but we were all there with the same goal and were working together. Many times I was overwhelmed with gratitude to Heavenly Father.  The weather was so perfect.  At night the sky was breathtaking.  No one was seriously hurt, it was great.

Hannah and dad

A couple special moments: watching Hannah at the women's pull.  She was in the yoke and pulling so hard.  She never complained, never gave up.  That was again the prevailing theme.  I didn't hear any complaints from those girls  She said before they started she prayed so hard, and they prayed as a family many many times and they knew they had help.

Last day lunch time.  I was walking around camp and it was like stepping back in time.  Phenomenal. As I walked around visiting with the different families I was offered food many times.  "Would you like a french fry?" , "Do you want to try our scones?"  These kids had been walking and working hard for many days, living on pioneer rations and yet they wanted to share.  It was humbling to me.  At first I said no, I didn't want to take what little they had, but then I saw the disappointment and started saying yes and complimenting their cooking and enjoying with them the fruits of their efforts.  It was very special.

Watching our two girls with some special needs being so lovingly taken care of.  At one point Lydia, a sweet pretty girl with both CP and Autism didn't want to walk across a stream.  Without missing a beat her big brother Ben scooped her up "like a princess" and carried her across. These kids truly were taking care of each other, concerned about each other, loving each other.

our trekkers

For the most part the youth were so good and so obedient.  There was some trouble with one boy (and when I say some trouble I kind of mean a lot of trouble- he was pretty egregious in his conduct)  It came to the point where we thought we'd send him home but first we wanted to have him meet with his Bishop (who fortunately was there) and talk to his ma and pa.  Larry and I were late getting to the scene and we walked up upon his ma sitting quietly on a stump, surrounded by her husband and 3 other priesthood holders giving her a blessing.  We stopped and bowed our heads and joined our prayers and faith with theirs. Miracles happened at that moment and the power of the priesthood and the faith in our little grove was tangible.  Brother Merrill, sitting across the stream and hidden by some trees, not knowing what was happening said he felt something and looked over and saw with amazement the sight that caused that feeling to envelop him.  The ma and pa next to their camp also knelt and prayed at the same time and knew the Savior was there.  When they finished we quietly walked up and shared hugs and encouragement then found a quiet spot to decide.  After counciling together, and kneeling together in the tall grass and asking the Lord what He would have us do we all knew that he should stay.  We owed it to his ma and pa to end on a good note instead of one feeling discouraged and like they had failed. We wanted to give him another chance.  Papa said to me once that the place where we have the most opportunity to learn to be Christ-like is with our family.  Forgiving and giving them a chance to forgive. Growing and giving the chance for growth.  This is so true.  It's easy to think "whatever" when you are comfortable and busy with your own life but when it's right there and you can't escape and it's not comfortable then it's not easy.  Frankly I was squarely in the "come pick him up right now" camp, mainly because I was worried about the other 14 kids and the ma and pa and the other families and kids and people who had worked so hard and wanted to be there.  In this case the Savior was worried about "the one".  And "the one" was that boy.  Also "the one" was his ma who felt like a failure and had a chance to turn things around.  "The one" was the trail boss who said I am not that man who feels such anger I will not feel that and gave it up to Him.  "The one" was me who needs to learn to be more like Him, and who learns so slowly.  "The one" is each of us.
It did end well enough and I was glad.    Not long after that, before the testimony meeting I was sitting by myself in the shade and opened up my scriptures, not to a place I had been reading and read Moroni 6: 7 And they were strict to observe that there should be ^ano iniquityamong them; and whoso was found to commit iniquity, and ^bthreewitnesses of the church did condemn them before the ^celders, and if they repented not, and ^dconfessed not, their names were ^eblotted out, and they were not ^fnumbered among the people of Christ.

 8 But ^aas oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real^bintent, they were ^cforgiven.

 9 And their meetings were ^aconducted by the church after the manner of the workings of the Spirit, and by the ^bpower of the Holy Ghost; for as the power of the Holy Ghost led them whether to preach, or to exhort, or to pray, or to supplicate, or to sing, even so it was done.

we survived!

The Lord in his infinite goodness accepts us back as oft as we will come.  What a miraculous blessing!

We kept a tally.  At the start we wondered would there be 17 trek miracles (like the movie title?)  What would happen?  Well, there were 17 and more.  Hearts and lives were changed for the better. I don't know why the Lord blesses us so, except I do know, we are His children and He loves us! I am so grateful and happy.

And we saw a bear.  It's true.  Walking in the woods.  A black bear.  Apparently east of the Mississippi bears don't eat people (according to Mark) um hmm,  idk about that...we were, however largely ignored after the first curious glance and not eaten so that was good.