Trek

Yesterday, for the second time in 3 days I made the 6 hour rountdtrip (trek if you will) out to Hume, Virginia to pick up my little pioneer girl.

It was so awesome to see them!

All the parents were lined up along a big fence waiting for our dirtie's. It was so exciting when we were finally able to see our trekkie's and their wagons!

The beautiful Marriott Ranch they trekked around.

We could here them singing "Come, Come ye Saint's" as they walked up.

I didn't know which handcart Lexi's "family" would be pushing so I took pictures of all of them.
She ended up in the very back of the very last handcart.

105 youth and leaders pulling these handcarts up and down these beautiful Virginia hills.
It was a pretty amazing sight.

They were all so hot and so tired!

There's Lex on the right in the black dress.

Alexis and Gabby humoring me with a picture.

They were able to greet their real "ma's and pa's," get some watermelon and gatorade and then they had to disassemble their wagons.

Today at church the high councilman called some Trekkers up to bear testimony of their experiences. They all bore testament that this was a life changing experience. Alexis was called up. She bore testimony about an experience she had during the womens pull. They separated the young men and young women and told both groups they were not to speak and the boys were not to help pull the handcarts as they went up a large hill. At one point the girls couldn't move their handcart. They chalked the cart so it wouldn't roll down the hill and knelt in prayer. When they got up they were able to get the cart moving again. Alexis bore testimony that she knows that Heavenly Father answers our prayers and knows our struggles.
It was very moving and special.

I read Lana's blog before I wrote this and it was like she took the words out of my mouth, so I took them from hers. :)

She said...

"I could see in my mind's eye the early pioneers crossing the plains and felt a great gratitude to them for their courage and the legacy of faith they built. Likewise it was wonderful to see our young people, these valiant youth who have struggles every bit as difficult in the world they live in today, courageously pushing along. They are our modern day pioneers and they venture out to carry on with the great work of building the Kingdom today."