Pioneer Children Sang As They Walked

I have always wanted to to go on a trek and finally got to at Martin's Cove in Wyoming. It was awesome! We walked 6 miles with 2 hand carts, one was covered and Mason and Tanner rode in the back. We crossed the Sweet Water River where the rescuers from Utah carried so many over in the freezing cold water because the thought of crossing that ice cold river brought even the men to tears after all they had already suffered. It was neat to re-enact a small part of what they treked. After the river there was alot of sand and a couple of hills. It got pretty tough. I can't imagine doing it in the winter and we even had shoes on. As you can see A few of us got blisters. When the kids would complain we would remind them of all the pioneers went through and that their faith kept them going, it was a good teaching moment. Before we went on the trek they showed a video about Martin's Cove. It got us in the spirit of the trek. There was an Elder that said in a meeting some church members were discussing the awful situation that they endured and how they felt they were not taken care of well by the church. A man that was in the meeting spoke up and said that he had been a member of the Martin Handcart Company. He said the only way that we could be prepared to help start the church and build Zion in this new territory was to have been tested in that way.