We just spent the most incredible weekend at Youth Conference. We got to be "Ma and Pa" to a "family" of youth during a pioneer trek and we had the opportunity to experience life as the Mormon Handcart Pioneers did in the 1850's. We dressed as the pioneers did, cooked in dutch ovens, played games the pioneers would have played, slept in tents, and pushed and pulled our handcart over the mountains for three days. We prayed together, worked together, worshipped and served together, laughed together, sweat together, and had a great time!
We were lucky enough to have Bishop Wheeler join us on Thursday evening and become a part of our camp. He added a lot to our camp! We are so blessed to have him as our Bishop, neighbor and friend!
I was amazed at how quickly our family came together, especially since most of the youth had not known each other prior to this trip. It is amazing how quickly they bonded through working and serving each other. We had the most amazing group of youth and I was so impressed with their attitudes. They were willing to help in what ever ways was needed and were so positive with each other. I knew that we were going to have a great experience on this Trek....But I had no idea how much these kids would touch my heart! I have a tender spot for these young men who pushed, pulled , muscled our hand cart for three days!
I now understand why pioneers always look so serious in pictures taken during that era. I think it was the sun and the layer of dirt that covers everything and makes your face feel too tight to smile!
This is Cali and she was the oldest of the girls in our family. She was always organizing games and showed such wonderful leadership in our family. She is also an EMT which impressed the socks off of me! We were so glad to have her.
Here is the rest of our gaggle of giggling girls! They are such great young women and really impressed me by coming together and working to push our cart while our men joined the Mormon Battalion and marched to war. I didn't hear any complaining, they just all joined in without being asked and got the job done. They even said that they wished it had been a longer and harder stretch of the trail we had to pull on!
I loved every minute of this experience and hated to see it end. Saturday was a really emotional day for me knowing that I would have to say goodbye to this great group of youth. I just wanted to take each of the youth in our "family" home and adopt them. I am so grateful for the oppertunity I had to get to know them and be a part of their lives for three dasy.
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