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Okay, I know I am a HUGE SLACKER!  Yes, I’ve been gone a LOT and I’ve been really busy trying to catch up when I haven’t been gone … but, you are right, I COULD have posted.  Let me tell you why I haven’t done it until tonight.  The experiences I’ve had in the past month have been spiritual and personal.  How do I share them with you?  Do I keep them "sterile" for those of you who many not want to be "preached" to … or do I share the experiences I had and the feelings I felt (at least a little bit) with you so that you may feel a little of what I have felt.  I was on Christy Tomlinson’s blog yesterday (Christy was a HUGE inspiration to me when I first started scrapbooking) and she shared her Trek experience.  I decided after reading hers that I needed to share my feelings and the experiences I had through my eyes.  You are welcome to visit Bryan’s blog to read what he has to say.

I am LDS (Mormon).  In July, 1856 two companies of Mormon (handcart) Pioneers left Iowa City, walking and pulling carts to Salt Lake City.  They left much to late to safely complete the trek in time to avoid the winter storms.  Winter came early that year and brought about great hardships.  The Willie Company arrived in Salt Lake on Nov. 9, 1856 and the Martin Company arrived Nov. 30, 1856.  We were lucky to Trek/visit some of the same places that they walked.

We were asked to be a "Ma & Pa" in January of this year.  We started preparing physicaly and spritually then.  I asked President Allred if he would promise me that I would not be going to Girl’s Camp and Trek as they were only a week apart.  He promised me that they would not ask that of our family.  In May I was called to be the 1st Counselor in the Young Women’s Presidency (girls ages 12-18).  That meant Girls’ Camp.  After I said I would serve in YW, I asked the Bishop if I needed to attend camp as we were going to Trek.  He said I didn’t.  But, as soon as I asked I had the feeling come over me that I needed to go to camp, that if I did as the Lord asked me, our family would be blessed and the boys would survive that much seperation.  They are doing better at adjusting to having me home.  They don’t think they need to go to bed and they think we should go to Burger King at least once a day.  It is getting better … we may be back to "normal" by the time Neal goes back to school at the end of August.  But we have been blessed.

I have to tell you, that I cried for three days straight.  I cried while we were at the Martin’s Cove Visitor’s Center , the river crossing , in the Cove , during the Women’s pull , at Sage Creek (6th Crossing) , Rocky Ridge , when we arrived at Rock Creek Hollow after Trekking for 15 miles , and in the Rock Creek Hollow Monument .

Our Trek "Family":  When we were leaving the Visitors Center, one of our boys was crying … and that’s when it happened ~ I began to love the members of our "family".  They said it would happen, that we would be bonded because of the experiences we would share together.  And they were right.  One of my most favorite experiences that we had was after we arrived at Rock Creek Hollow.  We had just treked for 15 miles and had gone over Rocky Ridge (aka the Trail of Blood because it took 20 hours in snow & freezing cold for the Willie Company to pass) the highest point and one of the hardest terrains on the trail to the Salt Lake Valley.  We went into the Rock Creek Hollow Monument which President Hinckley dedicated in 1992.  15 people are buried there.  President Hinckley said that we should treat this area as we would a temple.  The spirit is there in the land, you can feel the reverence.

We pulled out a handkerchief filled with 4 oz. of flour.  That is how much the pioneers rations were reduced to prior to being rescued.  For a visual reference, 4 oz. of flour is about enough to make one biscuit.  That was an entire days food.  We asked the kids to imagine walking what we just walked and instead of the large meal that was waiting for us, that was all you had.  And, unlike us, you would need to get up the next day and travel that far again. 

Bryan’s mom and I were talking about why so many of the men died.  That is why.  After walking and pulling carts all day, they gave their ration of flour to their wives and children.  They would then they would stand guard all night and do it all the next day.

We asked the kids in our family to remember the way they felt while we were trekking and take the example of the pioneer’s strength into their own lives.

I will share more tomorrow so it’s not so much at once (and add pics) … *A*