Pioneer Trek 2010
Pioneer Treks are a semi-recent tradition in the LDS Community. Each year (typically in the summer), LDS youth in different parts of the world have the opportunity to pull handcarts, dress like pioneers and do a lot of the same things the Mormon Pioneers did in the mid to late 1800s. Our Stake offers this opportunity to our youth once every 4 years (this was the first year).
One of the goals of ”The Trek” is to help the youth appreciate what the pioneers did for us…all that they sacrificed and went through in order to find a place ”out in the West” where they could practice our religion without fear and persecution. Other things that are accomplished by the Trek are: 1) the Youth learn to appreciate the modern conveniences and luxuries that we enjoy but take for granted, 2) unity is developed amongst the youth of the Stake, and 3) they learn to work together as a group for a common goal.
Frank participated in a Trek several years ago and had an amazing experience. This is the first Trek that our kids have been involved in. Liz, Megan and Mikayla all got to participate. According to their report, all of the above goals were achieved.
I’ve posted one of these links before…but for more info on the Mormon Pioneers, click on these:
Mormon Pioneers: The Pioneer Story
**Here is a quote from one of the above links:
”All along the Mormon trail, and during the years that the pioneers traversed this great trek west, hundreds of Saints of all ages, especially the young and elderly, died from hunger, cold, sickness, disease, and exhaustion.1 Countless stories have been told and recorded of the trials and tribulations of the Mormon pioneers. Nevertheless the Saints remained faithful and continued forward with “faith in every footstep.”2
On July 24, 1847, the first pioneers finally reached the end of the Mormon trail. Led by Brigham Young they came out of the mountains and looked down upon the Salt Lake Valley. Upon seeing the valley President Young declared, “This is the right place.”3 The Saints had been led to a place where they could live in safety and worship God according to their beliefs without the overwhelming persecution they’d faced in the east.
From 1847 to 1868 about 60,000-70,000 pioneers traveled from Europe and the Eastern US to join the Saints in the Great Salt Lake Valley, which later became part of the state of Utah.”
I took the first four pictures when I dropped them off...before they got dirty :-). For the rest of the pictures I was at the mercy of other people, so I didn't get a lot of good ones of my kids...but I was very happy to get the ones I did. Jackie Ober (Stake YW 2nd Counselor), Melissa, Mikayla, Megan, Nancy Goodyear (Stake YW Pres), Liz, Ma? #1, Ma? #2.
Jackie Ober (Stake YW 2nd Counselor), Melissa, Mikayla, Megan, Nancy Goodyear (Stake YW Pres), Liz, Ma? #1, Ma? #2.
Here are a bunch of the handcarts that the "families" pulled during the Trek. This was the first year that our stake did a Trek and the Stake leaders and Priests and Laurels actually made all of the carts in the Spring.
Mikayla, Melissa, Megan & Liz (who was not too happy to be there).
Can you see Liz? She is in the center/front, right above the wheel of the handcart (braided hair).
Another gathering of the youth...
This is Mikayla's "Family." She is on the Right in the pink shirt.
This is the Buck's Family (they were a "Ma and Pa" for the Trek)...Melissa G. is in the center.
The Bucks again...both on the Right.
I don't know the rest of these kids, but you can see Katie P. from our ward at the back of the wagon.
That's Melissa G. in the middle.
There's Liz behind the wagon...
Katie P. again (front Left)...
Melissa and the Bucks again...
That's Megan sitting with her back to the camera...I wasn't able to get a lot of good photos of her.
Hmmm...looks like a real pioneer camp...
Vikki P. (Center, facing forward)
That's Megan on the far Left (looking down) and you can also see Vikki P. from our ward (center, looking down).
Liz...making pancakes the hard way...
That's Liz on the Left...looking at all of the fired-up dutch ovens. Mmmmmm.....
Liz helping make pancakes...
I don't know who the guy is...but that's Megan in the background.
Mikayla enduring the heat and humidity of the great Georgia outdoors...the Trek took place during an unusually hot June...temps were in the 90's...PLUS humidity...I was proud of them for enduring it so well.
...entertainment...like the Pioneers had...
Sariah B. (far Left) at the dance.
Ferree B. (2nd from Left) at the dance.
Mikayla's first "Church Dance." :-) She turned 14 a month before the Trek.
"Stick Pulling" was an activity the pioneer men entertained themselves with. That's Bro. Heaton from our ward on the Right.
A stick-pulling win...you can see Mikayla in the pink shirt off to the Right.
Brother Heaton and his cute baby! The baby was only there for part of the Trek.
Yuck!! We were really worried about the girls getting ticks...but it didn't happen. They really didn't even have many bug bites.
Online Videos about the Mormon Pioneers: