2012 Family Trek - Martin's Cove

Things I learned on trek.....

1.  I love my family!  

I have wanted to take my kids up to Martin's Cove for a while now, and I had decided that this year was it!  Even ever before they announced the ward trek.  So, you can imagine my excitement.  Darren had been on two previous trek's, one as a youth, and one as an adult child.  McKennah also has been, when the stake went in 2010.  As I worried, and stressed a bit to get ready for this trek, Darren was as calm as ever.  He HAS done this before.  Hearing about trek about a year in advance, being asked to be a "Trek Captain"  Darren was in the planning meetings well in advance........he thought we were READY to go! 

Driving the 5 1/2 hrs with the ward was a blast!  So fun seeing familiar faces on the road dressed in their pioneer get ups.  Our kids watched "17 miracles" on the way up to get into the spirit, snacking on treats along the way --awaiting lunch at Independence Rock!  Once we arrived our bellies grumbling....we pulled up to see families unloading cars and setting up their picnics.  THEIR OWN picnics.  Somewhere along the way, we missed that pretty important note....  That we were to pack our OWN families lunch.  Seeing everyone eating and their own bellies aching......my kids didn't complain once.  They didn't even ask us for food.  When we told them Mom and Dad dropped the ball, they told us it was "ok," and they would be "just fine."

Thoughts took us back to graduate school.  Living out of state, away from family.....pennies to our name.  Opening up the pantry and finding a jar of peanut butter, and the "heel" of a loaf of bread.  That might be the first time I had seen my husband cry, and here at trek, minutes after we arrived, an overwhelming appreciation for what we have, already.  We were about to experience a true trek.  Being in on all the planning stages, he also knew he would be trekking (without having eaten) 5 miles to get to camp.  Grateful to say as awful as we felt, our kids did not go without......of course many sweet tender mercies found within our ward family would come about.  Subway sandwiches, cherries, brownies, carrots, granola bars.....they ate better than they would have been, fed by us. 

2.  The church is true!

Driving past Martin's Cove to Independence Rock overlooking the valley.....you couldn't
help but feel you were on sacred land.  It was beautiful!  Climbing Independence Rock and
seeing names carved into the rock from the 1800's to today.  Just cannot be put into words.  That converts to a newly restored church would sacrifice their homes, their jobs, their families and their lives to come to Zion, because they had a testimony of the TRUE church.

We had climbed the rock, snapping pictures, stopping to catch our breath, looking at all
those around us from the ward....that sacrificed three days of comfort in their homes, time off from work, and came with their families....remains the same....because they too, have a testimony of the TRUE church.

3.  Trek is hard.  Trek is hard with babies.....trek is hard with teenagers!

Thinking about trek and all the families that made a choice to come, I was quite impressed with how many families with little babies made the sacrifice to come.  I worried for them, and was grateful for my little family full of teenagers, and big boys to help push my cart.  I thought how strong their testimonies must be for them to tackle something that they knew would not be easy.  And how were they EVER going to push that cart??  ......I found out how before we ever even stepped foot on the trail.  Jaret, volunteering to help with the Mills Family, Ayden begging to help the Willard's....so, we....Darren, Logan, McKennah and I began the trek on our own.  Everyone seemed to do "ok" the first mile, then as our company took up the tail, we realized we were about to fall behind.  Darren took off to help with the Harris's and McKennah helped with walking little Lucy and Kate Willard.  Our family cart that started out 6 man strong, was down to me and little Logan.  We struggled up the hills, we kept a good distance on the declines so we could get a running start up the next one.  We talked very little, and listened to each other panting, trying to take some very deep breaths. 

How sweet it was, and how real it had felt hearing a sweet baby cry, and a seeing a mother/father console them.  Worrying about them constantly, did they have enough water, were they in the shade, could they make it up the hill.  I loved, loved having babies on our trek.   But I loved even more, having MY BABIES on trek.  To watch them "do hard things", and have fun while doing it..... to willingly serve others, to love their neighbors, and to see the light of Christ growing within them.  ....yet again....it is true...I love my family!

4.   Martin's Cove is truly a temple on the Mountain!

Clarity, answers, peace, love, is felt in temples, and I felt every and all those feelings there. The spirit is there, and the spirit is strong! I felt the spirit the minute we drove in the gates, I felt the spirit as we read the names of the families on the wall, I felt it when I heard a baby cry, I felt it in the welcomed breeze as we pulled, I felt the spirit as a Lisa and Char sang, I felt the spirit as we took a 2 mile walk without our carts around the cove, I felt it as we crossed the Sweetwater River, I felt the spirit during the women's pull, and felt it again while watching families embrace, I felt the spirit around the campfires, I felt it while we gazed at the stars, I felt the spirit during the testimony meeting/ program, and around Sister Dalton. 

I am grateful for the spirit that was present on the mountain.  I am grateful for my testimony and having it strengthened.

5.  I would do it again!

I have always wanted to go on trek.  I knew it would be awesome, and I knew it would be hard.  I didn't realize it would be quite THIS awesome, or THIS hard.  In the end, I would do it again!  Trek is something my family will never forget, and for that I am grateful.......I hope they never forget.  I hope they will always remember they can do hard things, I hope they will remember the spirit they felt, and I hope they-- each and every one of them know, how important they are in our family unit.