Rick and Janika

Crossing the Sweetwater River

On Thursday we went on our final trek (4 miles) and crossed the Sweetwater River three times. At first we just crossed a bunch of mud and thought that was the first crossing -- it wasn't. Poor Brother Boyd fell and was completely covered in mud!

At the last crossing everyone got to play in the water and have a big water fight. Many got thrown in but I stayed at a safe distance -- protecting my cameras!

We hiked a little further and stopped for lunch before finishing the hike.

Janika's Pioneer Family

Janika really isn't wearing a red mini-skirt on the trek. It is just that she tied her skirt up so that it wouldn't get wet. So now it looks like she is wearing a big red diaper over her brown leggings! Cute, Jani!

Women's Pull

This was an awesome day. We hiked on the Sweetwater Trail for six miles. It was the exact trail that the Willie Company went on. We stopped for another lesson by the Historic Site Missionaries who told the "Willie Company Story."

Later on we stopped again. A man dressed in uniform announced that all of the men were being called away to join the Mormon Batallion. (The Mormon Batallion actually took place ten years before the time of the Willie Handcart Crossing, but they used this today in conjunction with the women's pull.) We all bid farewell to our men and the men went up a hill to be taught by President Barney while we stayed behind to be taught by Sister Barney. She gave a wonderful talk about the importance of the Priesthood and the powerful influence that these young women can have on those who hold the Priesthood. She also talked about how many of the Pioneer women had lost their husbands and sons due to the extreme conditions of their travels. Many of the men had given everything they had for their families until they couldn't give anymore. Then the women and children were left to push the handcarts by themselves.

We got just a tiny taste of what they must have been like when we were left to push the handcarts up the next big hill by ourselves. We couldn't see the men for awhile but then near the top of the hill, there they were, making two lines, one on each side of the trail. They had removed their hats and held them silently over their hearts. It was an inspiring sight. Many of the young women said that this was the most touching part of the trek for them.

After the women's pull, one of the girls in our company had a severe asthma attack. A hush fell over the entire company as she was given a blessing. She was carried the rest of the way back to camp on one of the handcarts and then Rick and I and some of the other leaders drove her into the nearest town to go to the hospital, which was about 45 minutes away. It was pretty scary because she was hyperventilating and she actually stopped breathing several times for about ten seconds and then she would gasp for air again.

It was good to see her happy and smiling again on the way back!




Oh...and I just had to take a picture of the bathrooms -- always a line! But I have to admit -- for outhouses they weren't too bad. I don't know what they put in there, but they actually did not stink. Wow!