Canyon View Stake Pioneer Trek--June 2013

On sacred ground on my birthday, Rock Creek, June 22

You have to understand, I'm an all or nothing kind of gal.  I kind of wanted to go on Pioneer Trek and do all 27 miles just to prove to myself I did it ALL.  But I knew going into this Trek as an "aide" and support of my husband on the Medical Committee that my role was going to be a little bit different than a Trek participant or even a Ma or Pa.  But I really didn't care.  I was SO excited to have been invited to accompany my husband!  I would have gone as a trash picker upper just to go!

So I really didn't know "what" to expect or what my experience would be like.  I knew only that I wanted to be "needed."  I came equipped with tons of band-aids, Neosporin, etc., thinking that I would be taking care of blisters, etc., but as it turned out, I didn't even put on one band-aid the whole trip.

I woke up each morning and prayed to be needed that day.

I woke up each morning and prayed that I would be "needed" that day.  I slowly came to understand that MY role was to be a member of the "rescue party," not necessarily a member of the main company.  I was needed to "comfort" and minister to the "one."  And those sweet opportunities to comfort the weary and sick came "one by one," over and over and over.

It was a small role in comparison to some of the others there, but I realized that there was NO WAY the BIG events were even going to happen if it weren't for the little cogs in the wheel holding it all together.  And I certainly was a little cog in the big wheel.

Kay C taking care of badly blistered feet.

I was privileged to be a small cog in helping arrange a sweet blessing given by a young man just ordained an Elder not two weeks before to his little brother who was sick.  The Lord guided my steps to finding the older brother quickly and I was privileged to witness a blessing and a healing as the young sick boy trekked the next day.  I was blessed to be a small part of a bigger picture that night, but it was profound for me nevertheless.

Friday dawned sweet and clear, as beautiful as the day before, but it started off with one of the Ma's in the company experiencing severe pain.  She was given some IV fluids and some pain meds.  It was finally determined that she had most likely passed a Kidney Stone while there.  She wasn't able to Trek that day.  

A family prayer

This sweet Ma was embarrassed that she was the center of attention, but as I was able to spend the day with her, we talked about how her experience would be a faith-building spiritual experience for her family.  I told her I was sure her family had gathered together and said prayers for her health and well-being, as we often saw during the week.  Her family would see their prayers answered through her getting better.  

That day I realized I had only "trekked" two miles the entire day and that was only from the Willey Visitor's Center to the Sweetwater River Crossing to escort the two sisters who couldn't trek to the place where they could watch the events.  But I had a huge satisfaction that I had fulfilled a small purpose in a bigger picture.  The big wheel rolled on because I was one of the small cogs in it.

This was often my "view" of Trek.

But the medical vehicle in the distance is where the Lord needed me most.

Friday night we traveled out to the last place, Rock Creek, where it was my favorite part of the whole trip.  Some very special events in history happened there.  And some special events in my history happened there this week too, making it even more sacred ground to me personally.

The names of the Willie Company who died in Rock Creek

Monument in Rock Creek

During the last Devotional President Hiskey told a story that touched me to my core and gave me the final witness that my small efforts on this trip were definitely of consequence.  He told about a man named Harvey Harris Cluff.  Harvey was part of the rescue party trying to meet up with the Willey Handcart Company.  This good man wasn't in charge of the party, he wasn't the leader, but he was there waiting to help the starving company.  

Harvey records in his journal that due to a raging storm that increased in fury until it attained the capacity of a northern blizzard, their party had moved down the river to where the willows were dense enough to make a good protection against the raging storm from the north.  The express team had been dispatched ahead to reach and give encouragement to the faltering emigrants.  Harvey writes that he was "quietly resting" in the seclusion of the willow copse three miles from the road.  Harvey must have felt inspired of the Lord when he volunteered to take a signboard during the blizzard and place it at a conspicuous place at the main road so the express party would not miss them.  

Harvey Harris Cluff

In facing the northern blast up hill, Harvey found it quite difficult to keep from freezing.  He had only been back to camp a short time when two men rode up from the  Willie's Handcart Company.  The signboard had done the work of salvation.  Had Captain Willie and his fellow traveler from his company continued on the road they certainly would have perished as they would have missed them and gone on to the Sweetwater where the storm first struck.  

At this time the Handcart company was then 25 miles out from the camp and as they had traveled that distance without food for themselves or horse and no bedding, they must have perished.  Harvey said in his journal, "I have always regarded this act of mine as the means of their salvation.  And why not.  An act of that importance is worthy of Record and hince I give place here."  

(Cluff, Harvey Harris, Autobiography and journals, 1868-1912, vol. 1, 18-25.  

Trail excerpt, Church Archives, Salt Lake City, Utah)

After I heard Harvey Cluff's story, I realized that each and every one of us do the work of Salvation, no matter how "small" and "insignificant" we feel our roles or callings may be.  So many of us look at the main leaders and "see" the work that they are doing because they are always up front and visible.  But we don't always see the work of Salvation done by the quietly serving, unseen, unsung heroes.  

Let me introduce you to a few of those unsung quiet unseen heroes on Trek this year.  I especially noticed two brethren and one sister, although there were many others, but these  individuals often crossed my path "off" the main trail during the week.

Cindi Sainsbury and brother, Kay C Whittaker

First, Sister Cindi Sainsbury.  Cindi was invited to go on Trek as a support to her husband, Sterling.  Cindi suffers from some hip dysplasia and is in constant pain.  Prior to the trip Cindi had her doubts about how much she was going to be able to do.

In spite of this, Cindi was DETERMINED to trek the entire 27 miles of Trek.  She stayed at the back the entire time and was always the LAST trekker on the trail.  Her steps were often slow and labored, but her goal was to walk every single step of the way, and she did ALL 27 miles, sometimes finishing a good mile behind the main group.  I felt privileged to walk part of the way with her.  She reminded me of the great faith of her pioneer ancestors who were part of the actual Martin Handcart Company.  

Cal Hjorth, Communications Committee

Next let me introduce you to Cal Hjorth.  Brother Hjorth was a member of the Communications Committee.  

Brother Hjorth's sole job was to make sure that there were microphones and speakers set up at each place needed so the Stake Leaders and Youth Committee could be heard in such a large group of people.

Brother Hjorth quietly went about his business, not saying much, but after talking with him, you understood that he loved being there to feel of the whole spirit of the event.  He enjoyed immensely the sunrises and sunsets, the summer solstice and the nearly full moon.  He was quick to make a funny quip, as his grandson asked how he slept and he replied, "I slept like a baby, I cried every two hours."  What I noticed most was Brother Hjorth  was always contentedly working quietly without needing to be noticed.  

Dave Orton, Communications Committee

Dave Orton is one of the most perceptive individuals I met on Trek this week.  I hadn't known him before, although he told me he knew my family.  I watched Brother Orton quietly assess individual needs all week and would help them quietly in any way he could. 

What impressed me is most is that Brother Orton never did it with any fanfare, but he was constantly at the hub of taking care of individual needs.  If he saw that the medical committee was wrapping up feet, he would seek out and bring over another individual with medical issues to get help.  When the Ma with kidney stones recovered, he saw that a couple of the worried children had the need to talk to her, so he quietly brought them over to talk with her so they could be reassured.  His unseen efforts were definitely a part of a bigger picture.

Elder Bednar said, "Brothers and sisters, we should find great comfort in the fact that ordinary people who faithfully, diligently, and consistently do simple things that are right before God will bring forth extraordinary results."

And so what I took from Trek was most likely very different than another person's journey, but it was what God wanted ME to know and learn and notice and feel this week, and I am so full of gratitude for these lessons learned.

Would I do it again?  In a heartbeat.  To actually walk the paths of my pioneer ancestors who have no amazing journal accounts and no worldly acclaim and no great rescues where their names are engraved on marble statues makes me feel even closer to them.  They were ordinary people who were a small part of a bigger picture.  A small cog in the wheel of the Lord.  

And I'm more content than I have ever been with where I'm at as a small cog.

Quincy, Kay C, Heidi, and Chandler Whittaker

Symbolically walking barefoot on the pioneer trail

Going forward with new faith and testimony!