THE TREK

Two years ago, our stake had a pioneer trek for the Young Men and Young Women. Since I was Young Women president at the time, it was understood I would attend. This is the ultimate in out door camping and you all know how I feel about camping. Not only that, but we had to wear ridiculous pioneer clothing. The youth were put in families with a "ma" and "pa." Since there was no "pa" for me, I went along with my brother (who happened to be the young men's president) and his wife. The kids in our family called me "Auntie." Here's a picture of me and some of my young women before the trek began. Notice we're still smiling and how white everything is. That changed very quickly.

We started pulling a handcart filled with belongings that 9 people need for 3 days up a very steep, rocky hill and it wasn't until 11:00 that night that we pulled in to camp. We were exhausted and starving. Our food was nothing more than broth and a hard roll but it tasted delicious.

I won't go in to the daily details but suffice it to say we butchered and gutted a chicken and cooked/ate it for dinner, trekked through the rain, ate very little, and slept under the stars. It was miserable but one of the most awesome experiences I've ever had with the youth. It really put into perspective what the early Saints went through to get to the Utah valley and establish the church.

I can't ever think of that experience without also thinking about the experience I had on the way home. Some of you have heard this because Katie thinks it's hilarious. So I was driving home with six girls in the car and we were talking a mile a minute about experiences we'd all had. All of a sudden, I saw the dreaded red lights in my rear view mirror and the siren going. I looked down and was going 26 miles an hour over the speed limit. YIKES! As I pulled over, one of my Laurels said, "he's cute, maybe he'll ask you out." ( yeah right...do you notice that I haven't showered for three days and I'm dressed like a pioneer woman!? Seriously!) When I stepped out of the car, he took one look at me and said in a very sarcastic voice, "Where have you been?" I tried to explain the trek while at the same time, every car in the stake was driving past, honking, waving, and laughing. Anyway, he wasn't amused and told me that the speed I was going was considered wreckless endangerment and he could arrest me on the spot. When he realized that there was no one else in the car to drive the girls home, he let me go but gave me a ticket with a VERY hefty fine.

Such great memories! And the "good thing" is that they live on because my insurance rates are still reflecting that experience.