Fifth week of trekking, textbook trek

We started out on Monday the 4th of July with pulling a handcart and walking and throwing out candy in the Woodruff 4th of July parade. It was so much fun! The whole parade is about 3 blocks long and then we turn around and walk back the other direction. There were lots of horses with the royalty from all the near by towns, lots of old cars and trailers pulling some groups. There was one dance team that had music, and us with Elder Higginson, Elder and Sister Barton playing harmonicas. We won the best entry, so with that being said you know how small a parade it was. There was so much candy being thrown out the kids had buckets full.

Waiting to go with our handcart in the parade

Some of the missionaries ready for the parade

Part of the queens in the parade

One of the cars in the parade

Trying to be Mater

This is the float in front of us with some of the cowboy families.

Elder and Sister Call in the parade

Linda Shirley, Sister Call's former manager and her roommate Janice Foutz, and Darwin and Deanna Kocherhans, friends from Orem came for the weekend to visit. We drove in the 4 wheeler over some pretty dusty trails, and they attended church with us on Sunday. Darwin went fishing on Monday afternoon with Elder Ekins, and Elder Higginson. He was the only one to catch a fish. We went to Randolph to see President Wilford Woodruff's home, and had lunch at the park. There was a group singing and doing cowboy poetry, a fun small town 4th of July.

Deanna and Darwin Kocherhans at the Wilford Woodruff home in Randolph

Linda Shirley and Janice Foutz, a fun weekend with them.

Elder and Sister Call 

Evanston is the place to be for fireworks on the 4th of July. The whole sky is lit up by everyone lighting them off. We had a wonderful view for almost an hour long show. We enjoyed a fun night with the Bartons, Pearts, and Cowans.

A long day of cart repairs and port-a-john cleaning and planning for the stake coming on Tuesday. We finished up that night after 8:00 pm.

Wednesday we started out early in staging as Maple Mountain Stake from Spanish Fork came. There theme was "Fight for the Kingdom- Press Forward in Faith." This is the stake next to us in Spanish Fork, and we went to their pre-trek fireside. Elder Call's niece and husband were Ma and Pa's and two of their children came and two of his nieces children came from Abu Dhabi. Also our dentist was one of the captains and he is also a bishop in the stake. Wednesday theme: Walk Humbly

Elder and Sister Call, four great-nieces and great-nephews, Todd and Karie Powell.

We were on trail 6 with Elder and Sister Hutchings, This trail is beautiful when you get to the second night camp, it is by the aspen trees. It is a long first day of 10 miles, and the third day of 10 miles.We had over 450 on this trek with 40 carts.

Elder and Sister Hutchings, and Sister and Elder Call

They had everything so well planned out and we facilitated it to make to happen. We placed a broken handcart on the trail, and then took some leaders in the 4 wheeler to place them as Indians with a sign that said Indian Territory. Then there were people dead, and a mother kneeling by the handcart and a man trying to fix the handcart. They had to walk in silence for one mile while they were in Indian Territory.

Silent vignette of broken down handcart in Indian Territory.

Thursday theme: Faith and Trust, the day started early for us as we had to be at camp by 6:00. They woke up everyone with a mob scene and driving the youth out without breakfast. Over the speakers they had gun shots and yelling you Mormons get out of here, then shaking the tents and yelling to get out. There were over 150 tents so this took awhile. Then down the trail a mile was breakfast. They had two youth that came that were non members and called out were not Mormons. On the way out they discussed with each company the extermination order, and what it was all about driving out the Mormons.

Mobsters forcing trekkers out of camp.

Along the trail was violins playing, "Come, Come, Ye Saints," as they came down by a small lake. 

At camp on Thursday after everything was set up they divided into there 9 companies and had 9 different vignettes. They rotated the people performing around after about every 5 minutes. We were taught a great fun pioneer song, The youth committee did so much planning and involved in all of this. 

A company watching the 9 different vignettes in the afternoon at camp.

Then there was games. A slingshot throw at a 9 foot Goliath. Tug of war, mine field where someone is blind folded and has to lead the people to not step on cow pies. Gunny sack races, three legged races, kick ball, relay races. They had a wonderful time. Them a hoedown that night where they danced until 10:00 way after dark. We get to drive the hoedown caller out to the gate and there was a beautiful crescent moon that seemed right over the horizon as it kept appearing and disappearing over the hills. We arrived back to our trailer after 11:00. We rely on the blessing from Elder Durham that our bodies will be renewed and every morning they are. This is sacred ground and we are blessed everyday to serve here.

Elder Call and Goliath

Blind, minefield

4 way tug-of-war

Three legged race

Hoedown

Friday theme: Press forward with a steadfastness in Christ. Friday was an amazing Woman's Pull. They took our advise on things to do to make it spiritual and it was so touching. Music at the end on their sound system and the men lining the path with their hats over their hearts and the women not running back down to help the others. So moving, that really touched the young men. There were lots of tears from these young men. It was touching to walk through these young men.

Coming up the Woman's pull

Vignettes later that day that we helped getting them in place. A couple burying a baby, and the women with jerky in their aprons from the cave. There was a Cholera outbreak and each handcart had someone get sick and ride in the handcart. When they see a post with a white handkerchief on it they are healed, they talk about how Christ heals us. The trading post for the youth to buy candy and trinkets with beans. A beautiful fireside with the wards and then with their families.

We had one young man on the trek that was blind and used a walking stick. It is amazing the faith of many of these youth and what they do to come and participate.

Blind young man with his walking stick. So impressive.

Each night they had about a five minute video shown on the side of the trailer. Wednesday was "Joy in the Journey" Thursday was "Prayer of a walking child"

Saturday theme: Endure to the End: We had such a perfect trek, at staging waiting for the buses they thanked the missionaries and sang "As I have loved you." they gave everyone a T-shirt with the theme on it and it is to remind them as they go back into the world after this trek, they are on their own trek through life.

Waiting for the buses to come, enjoying one last devotional with a talk on "What is Zion"

Brother Larsen talked about Zion and what it is: family, harmony, love, unity, communion with God and his children. Bringing all his children together and Heaven was cheering.

Elder and Sister Hutchings, Mark and Maryann Larsen, Sister and Elder Call

The T-shirt with the Payson Temple, journal and thank you card, dog tag with the theme