As Jeremy and I pondered what kind of devotional to write, I kept thinking about my many pioneer ancestors. I called my maternal grandfather and asked him to tell me about family that crossed the plains. He told me about his great grandfather (my great great great grandfather) Benjamin Bennett.
His family is from Conis Key Wales. His wife's father John Jones had had a vision of men that came from a foreign country. They would preach on the streets and when John and his family heard them, he would know it was the true gospel of Jesus Christ being taught. He told is daughter Catherine and her husband Benjamin about his dream/vision.
One day, Benjamin was walking home and saw two men preaching in the street. They talked about something called the Book of Mormon. Benjamin came home and told his father in law. John and Benjamin went back to hear the men teach. John knew these were the men he had seen in his vision.
The men were Brigham Young and Heber C Kimball. My great grandfather, his wife and her father were all baptized. As soon as they could scrape up enough money, Benjamin and Catherine and their youngest daughter Elizabeth, got on a ship in Liverpool and moved to New York. By this time, John had passed away and the main body of the saints had already left for Utah.
They followed along the pioneer trail. My great great great grandmother, Catherine, died along the way in Wyoming. She was buried there. Benjamin and his daughter Elizabeth continued on and settled down in Utah with the main body of the saints.
I love this story. So many people were being prepared by the spirit to receive the restoration of the gospel at that time. My own ancestor John Jones was among one of those who was in tune enough to be open to the promptings of the spirit and happy to accept the truth. I'm always impressed by those who were willing to give up all to do God's will. We have this opportunity as a Ma and Pa couple to share spiritual experiences and hopefully inspire our "children". It is my hope that this TREK will be remembered as a milestone in the lives of not only the youth, but to everyone involved.
-Heidi and Jeremy Buker
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