Youth Conference

John and I had the opportunity to participate as a "Ma and Pa" this year at youth conference. It was such an amazing experience. The youth did a "pioneer trek." It consisted of a total of sixteen miles in two days. It was such an blessing to be able to work with such wonderful youth. So a quick recap. When we arrived at the church ranch, where the trek was taking place, it was raining. It was raining so hard that we could barely see to drive. When all the youth arrived the Stake President said a blessing before we started out and the rain dried up as soon as he finished his prayer. Then we started out on a soggy, muddy, wet trail. Most of us were already soaked in our pioneer getup, mainly the girls skirts and mine. All of the kids our group maintained a positive attitude despite the inclimant weather. At one point the men were rounded up to make the "Mormon Battalion." The boys had just helped all of us ladies pull our handcarts down like a super steep hill that was slick with sticky mud. After the boys had been "enlisted," they informed us ladies we had to turn around and pull the handcarts back up the crazy steep hill by ourselves!! It was so amazing to see these young women get excited and determined to conquer the task no matter how long it took us. They really rallied together and did awesome! We pulled all sixteen carts up by ourselves with no injuries. After arriving at "camp" we had to get dinner cooking and set up our tents. Our "kids" had it together so well that we were the first family eating and had everything set up and put away. The next day we had to "cross the river," which in actuallity was a small creek maybe about two cars wide. I was so proud of our little family!!! The second day was so much different than the first. It was super hot and the sun was out in full force with little cloud cover. This of course was the day we treked through the "plains." We sat through a little devotional that really attested to the struggles and trials the pioneers faced. I got teared up when they told a story about a nine year old boy that died because he carried his four year old brother on his back for twenty-nine hours because the brother couldn't walk anymore. The older brother died from exhaustion by the time they reached camp. It was just really touching and brought to surface how difficult it was to cross to Utah. By the end of the treak "our family" was a well oiled machine. The "kids"communicated so well from the people in the front pulling the carts to the people in the back pushing the carts. I am so grateful to have the opportunity and priviledge to participate in such a wonderful youth conference!!! It really strengthened my testimony of my faith in the gospel, and the definition of endurance. I would do it again in a heart beat. The only thing I would change would be to actually break in my boots a couple of weeks before the trek. My feet have been killing me because I didn't listen to my husband the eagle scout and break in my boots. The one time he's right ;) just kidding. All in all it was an experience I'll treasure it for the rest of my life!!!!