Pioneer Style Trekking...

I'm pretty sure that I still would have been every bit as attracted to my husband if we lived in the pioneer days...but I'm lucky we don't because I'm not sure he would've felt the same about me. Ha!
This last week Jeff and I had the great opportunity of being Ma and Pa Huntsman on a stake handcart pioneer trek. I hope everyone gets the opportunity to do the same at least once in their lifetime. It truly was a faith building and life changing event...I loved every second of it. It's one of those things that are strange because you become grateful for the difficult parts as well.
There is really no way to put into words how a pioneer trek goes down...the only way to convey it is to feel it yourself. It's not just an activity, it's a feeling, a truth, a legacy, an actual event that took place in history that becomes a part of you after walking for the pioneers. I am so grateful for the sacrifices they made, and am sorry it had to happen. There are a million thoughts that I had, and a million emotions but they all came from the Holy Ghost, and they all testified to me the truthfulness of this Gospel. It boggles my mind to understand a little more the faith these early saints had....they didn't HAVE to go at the time they did, but they did. They received the call to gather together and they did...they came from the far ends of our country, they came from across the seas, and they came with every ounce of faith they could muster. Possessions were left behind, some family members were left behind, trials upon trials were had just to get to the beginning of the trail, and then their faith grew...they were pushed to their limits and then they gave more...lives were lost...but in the end, all of our lives were saved. How amazing is it that almost 200 years later, the same legacy of a tight knit gospel family still lives in the valleys of Utah? THAT is what I call sacrifice...giving up something for something you love even more. They walked those plains for their children, for the religious freedom, for the fire of the covenants in their hearts, for us. And for that, I owe them a lot...many of them gave their lives, I wish I could do the same. I DO know that when the day comes that I get the chance to shake the hands of those that walked before us, I will have a heart full of gratitude and be able to do nothing but look into their eyes with sovereign respect.

Three and a half days worth of a strong and powerful simulation still did not even come close to the thousands of miles they trekked across the plains. And still, we had warm comfy homes to come back to...when they landed in the Salt Lake Valley, they had nothing but sagebrush and dirt. They had to not only 'push along' for three months to find their home, but they had to make it once they got there from little to nothing.

I'm a firm believer in learning from past experiences...if we didn't learn from theirs, the cause may be lost. So what did I learn? If I had to sum it up into simple words without tears or emotion, it would be this. Priesthood, it's real. Dedication and sacrifice are worth a whole lot more than we'll ever notice in our life times. God is in control. He has a plan for all. THIS IS THE TRUE GOSPEL. We are here to help each other get through our trials and become better through him. Christ truly is our Savior. There is no way the giant migration of the Pioneers could have been possible without him. We are so lucky to live in the country, state and valley that we do. Heavenly Father and his only son, Jesus Christ watch over us and they most definitely hear every word of our prayers. My forefathers have taught me so well over this last week and since I believe in the work of the Lord with all my heart, I do that in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.