April Trek Tip

During our kickoff fireside, all Trek participants were given 3 challenges:
1. Make an item of clothing you will be wearing on the Trek.
http://www.ehow.com/how_4530698_make-pioneer-costume.html

2. Take a 5-10 mile hike in the boots you will be wearing on the Trek.

3. Find a story about one of the early pioneers and come prepared to share it.

Come, Come Ye Saints

Trek Prep Devotional - Kristine Murray

Kristine Murray wrote:

Susannah Stone was a handcart pioneer.  She joined the church in England at the age of 17, saved her money, and made her way to America (age 25), despite her parents and friends trying to dissuade her.  The handcart journey was difficult, as 

Susannah wrote:

We waded through the cold streams many times, but we murmured not, for our faith in God and our testimony of His work were supreme.  Only once did my courage fail.  One cold, dreary afternoon, my feet having been frosted, I felt that I could go no further, and withdrew a little from the company, and sat down to await the end, being somewhat in a stupor.  After a time, I was aroused by a voice, which seemed as audible as anything could be, which spoke to my very soul of the promises and blessings I had received, and which should surely be fulfilled, and that I had a mission to perform in Zion.  I received strength, and was filled with the Spirit of the Lord, and arose and traveled on with a light heart.”

 She reached the Salt Lake Valley, married and had 14 children, always remaining a woman of great faith.  Years later she said:

 “I am thankful that I was counted worthy to be a pioneer and a handcart girl.  It prepared me to endure hard times in my future life.  I often think of the songs we sang to encourage us on our toilsome journey.  It was hard to endure, but the Lord gave us strength and courage.”

I hope the youth can catch a glimpse of this through trek.  I hope they learn to have faith, courage and to turn to the Lord in times of difficulty.

(taken from TELL MY STORY, TOO, which contains brief histories of the people in the Willie and Martin handcart companies)

Trek Prep Devotional - Tom Mumford

Tom Mumford wrote:

I was recently reading C.S. Lewis' book, "The Great Divorce".  There is a place where an angel explains the following: 

In the end, there are only two kinds of people: those who say to the Lord:  "Thy Will Be Done", and those to whom The Lord says: "thy will be done".  

I agree with C.S. Lewis,and believe that in the end each person will receive the sincere desire of their heart.  I hope that Trek will teach is to strive for and savor true spiritual treasures and help us "seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness".

Trek Prep Devotional - Brian Bingham

Brian Bingham wrote:

Jacob 4:4

For, for this intent have we written these things, that they may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us.

I was recently struck by this verse from Jacob. The lives of the pioneers, their decisions to leave everything but a handful of belongings stacked in a primitive handcart, and strike out across the barren wilderness are, in a sense, what they have "written" about their testimony of Christ.  I can imagine those pioneers repeating the above verse declaring that they did what they did so we would know they knew of Christ. As we prepare for Trek, and as we work with the youth, I hope we each develop a deeper appreciate for the Savior, and demonstrate through the small sacrifices we make in time and effort that we also know of Christ.

Trek Prep Devotional - Tiffany Smith

Tiffany Smith wrote:

Lately I have had the opportunity to reflect on the purpose of Relief Society and the sisterhood that accompanies that.   As we have discussed the women's pull that happens during trek I cannot help but think about how it relates to Relief Society.  The song, As Sisters in Zion, originates from a poem that was written by a young girl that was part of the Willie handcart company.  She and her sister were together during the hard trek.  They both felt the power that comes from women supporting and working towards a common goal.  We have a great responsibility to carry on that tradition as we work with the sisters in our wards in stake to accomplish hard tasks.  As the young women work together on trek I hope that they can feel the spirit that comes from helping and encouraging each other.   

As sisters in Zion, we'll all pull together, 

The blessings of God on our labors we'll seek,

We'll build up his Kingdom with earnest endeavor, 

We'll comfort the weary, and strengthen the week. 

- Emily Hill Woodmansee

Trek Prep Devotional - Melissa (& Guy) Knoblich

Melissa Knoblich (and Guy) wrote:

"While preparing a seminary lesson recently I was impressed by the dedication of the apostles of the ancient church. Having enjoyed the companionship of the Savior, and then being deprived of that blessing, the early apostles continued the work of building the church and sharing the good news of the gospel. It was not an easy task, often done at great risk to their lives, but they labored in faith and diligence because they had a testimony of the saving power of the Savior's atonement.

In the early days of the restored church the apostles again made tremendous sacrifice to bring the same message of the atonement forward. They were given the keys of the kingdom and charged with the task of preparing the way of the Lord. The early saints who heeded the call to join in the work did so in humility, often offering all that they had and willingly sacrificing earthly comforts to help in establishing the church in this dispensation.

Today we, as latter-Day Saints, share in the work of building the Kingdom of God. As parents and leaders we enjoy the privilege of teaching our youth of the reality of the atonement, helping them to recognize the companionship of the Spirit and preparing these young men and women to take their rightful place as future leaders of the Lords church.

As we approach trek  may we prepare ourselves and our youth to embrace the experience with joy,  as the theme reminds us, “With Joy Wend Your Way”."

Trek Supplies

Now is a good time to start picking up Trek supplies. Each participant will be limited to the following items:
• 5-gallon bucket with lid
• 1 Ziploc XL bag ( 10 Gallon, 2 ft. x 1.7 ft.)for sleeping bag, and jacket (these can be found at Target or Walmart)
• 1 sleeping bag & modest sleeping attire
• 1 old jacket OR a sweatshirtOR a small blanket
• 1 pair of sturdy shoes for hiking (see below)
• 1 pair of tennis shoes (should not be new)
• 5 pairs of sturdy, non-cotton socks
• 4 sets of underclothing
• 1 32+ ounce plastic water bottle
• 1 metal pie plate, 1 large spoon, & 1 tin cup
• 1 small hand towel & 1 wash cloth
• 1 tooth brush & small tube of toothpaste
• 1 travel size deodorant or antiperspirant
• 1 small bottle of hand sanitizer &1 bar of soap
• 5 Band-Aids & any prescription medications
• Eye glasses or contacts (if necessary)
• 1 travel size bottle of insect repellant (recommendations below, higher DEET concentrations perform poorly)
Off Deep Woods Sportmen II [DEET 30%]
Cutter Backwoods Unscented [DEET 23%]
Off Family Care Smooth and Dry [DEET 15%]
3M Ultrathon [DEET 25%]
Repel - Lemon/Eucalyptus
Natrapel 8-hour with picaridin
• 1 travel size bottle of sunscreen (30+ SPF)
• Chapstick with sunscreen
• 1 pair of old sunglasses
• An old set of scriptures, notebook & pen
• Pocket knife (optional)
• Small camera (optional)

Physical Fitness

Treks are physically demanding, requiring both strength and stamina. Only trekkers fit enough to safely hike the distances involved should go on the trek. Participant should condition themselves physically for this experience, being able to walk/run 4 miles on level ground in 60 minutes or less without undue stress. Such physical conditioning could be part of a New Year plan. Pre-trek hikes could also be included in the ward/branch youth program. Please help your youth prepare now. The quality of their spiritual experience will be determined in part by their physical preparation (like a full-time mission).

Personal Gear Storage

Each Trek participant is going to need a single 5-gallon plastic bucket with a lid. This will be used to transport gear so it should be clean. The buckets themselves are not too expensive, but the lids can cost more than you expect. Parents and youth can start watching now for opportunities to pick up a bucket and stow it away for Trek. You can often pick these up free from painters, drywall finishers, restaurants, goodwill stores, etc. It might be a fun challenge for your youth to see if they can find a way to bucket-equip your entire class or quorum without having to spend any money.

Footwear

Youth participating in Trek will need sturdy footwear to successfully navigate the trail. Stout bushes, thorny plants, long grasses and sand can cause painful blisters and abrasions that will detract from an individual’s Trek experience if he/she does not have good shoes and hiking socks. Shoes or boots need to be broken in well before they hit the Trek trail. We strongly encourage all participants to have either hiking boots or high top tennis shoes to keep the sand out of their shoes. Shoes should have good insoles and should fit comfortably with TWO pair of socks. A snug fitting liner sock with flat seams in the toes and heels will help wick away moisture. Tube socks are not good socks for serious blister control. The top or outer sock should also have flat seams and good padding. Socks should be long enough to cover the lower part of the leg and help protect from the ground cover.

Great resources for boots!

http://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-nautica-mens-boots?utm_medium=afl&utm_campaign=3386509&utm_source=rvs

Trek Clothing

As part of the Trek experience, all participants dress in clothing appropriate for a handcart company. By planning now, the youth (and adult) participants can gather the appropriate clothing. Mutual activities could include a clothing exchange, a trip to Value Village/Goodwill or instruction on sewing a clothing item. Here is the list of required clothing

Men:
• 2 pairs of pants (canvas or hiking pants; no jeans or sweatpants)
• 3 long-sleeved, buttoned & collared shirts
• 1 wide-brimmed hat (not baseball cap)
• 1 old tie & suspenders or belt

Women:
• 2 long-sleeved dresses or long sleeve shirts with mid-calf length skirts
• 1-2 bonnets or 1 wide-brimmed hat
• 1 pair bloomers & 1 apron