Our Stake President had a vision for our youth. He felt strongly that they needed to know how to do hard things. He told us he wanted them to go on a Trek. So we started planning in November. As we prayed, pondered, planned, prepared, and called people to committees
we felt the guiding hand of the Holy Ghost in all we did. A trail was picked in the San Juan National Forest and we were told it would be hard. (OH Brother!!! if we would have shown the youth the trails we wouldn't have had anyone come!) After months of preparing the day finally came!!
Jer helping to blaze the trail with our fearless Captain. Doesn't he look great in his pioneer hat. He loves that hat and I thought he might even wear it to bed!
A welcome BREAK along the trail. We rested before we got to the hard part. The kids called it DEVIL'S Hill. It was 4 miles of the most rugged terrain you have ever seen!!
Hills, Rocks, Ruts, Ravines, Logs... You name it and they trekked over it. These handcarts were packed with all their belongings and weighed about 400 pounds. I watched these young men and young women, ages 12-18, work together and encourage each other through the most difficult circumstances. After walking for 11 hours we arrived back at the base camp at 10:30 pm, exhausted and hungry. There were many who were so tired they couldn't even eat!
Friday we spent playing pioneer games in the Meadow. We had sooooo much fun doing Tug of War, Stick Pull, making candles and butter and many other things. Jer and I were in charge of the Hatchet Throw. OH YEA it was fun. I got the hang of it and got 2 sticks (that's Hatchet lingo when the hatchet sticks in the target). We had a leader that had never thrown a hatchet before and he got 15 sticks in a row. It was GREAT!!!
Our young women were Hatchet Pros!! We had more groups of young women than young men who got a stick on the first try at the same time!!! OH YEA BABY!! Take me to the wilderness with them!