Bellingham Stake Trek 2017 at Ensign Ranch

Reflections on Trek - A Reunion Event

October 19th , 6 – 9 PM at the Bellingham Stake Center (2550 Thornton Road, Ferndale, WA 98248). All youth, Ma’s, Pa’s, Company Commanders and Trek staff are encouraged to attend. Dress is nice, Strength-of-Youth casual. There will be a unique Trek program and a good opportunity to rekindle the spirit of Trek.

If anyone would like photos from Trek we have several in a Dropbox folder. Contact me at russ.dzialo@gmail.com for access. There are more photos than we could fit in the Dropbox so we will also have a a table with equipment to transfer photos to a thumb drive. Please bring an empty thumb drive to the event if you would like photos. The entire collection is over 40GB so be prepared.

Hopefully all of you are planning on attending the upcoming Trek Reunion activity this Saturday. We are looking forward to connecting with you all and reflecting on our shared experiences. As part of that event stake leaders are preparing a photo slide show that we would like to juxtapose with brief testimonies and reflections from Trek. I would like to invite each of you to take a moment to reflect on your trek experience:

How specifically did an experience from Trek strengthen your testimony of Christ?

What was one time your felt particularly close to the spirit or to your family on Trek?

What is one poignant lesson you learned from the spirit on Trek?

How would you summarize the value and purpose of Trek?

In going through this exercise with youth and adults they have often responded with "I know what I want to share".  If you are up for the challenge I would like to invite each of you to record your reflection/testimony into a audio file on a computer or handheld device, this should be a 30-45 second clip! Be concise!  The easiest way to do this that I know of is to use the voice memo function on the i-phone, I am sure other devices have a similar app, once you are happy with your recording, you can share the audio file via an email attachment. Send a single polished reflection to: 

abramdickerson@gmail.com

I cannot guarantee that all files will be included in our final product, but we will endeavor to include all of the testimonies and reflections from those who take the time and effort to share their experiences.  Our hope is that this compilation of testimonies along with images from Trek will be a great reminder and of the spirit we felt at Trek. We look forward to sharing it with you this Saturday at our reunion activity!   

Post Trek Thoughts & Testimonies - Tobler

So many wonderful memories. Going through all the pictures I took from Trek just puts a smile on my face. I am going to miss my "kids" -- Francys Tobler

Trek. By far the best thing I've ever done! By far the most physically demanding thing I've ever done! By far the most spiritual thing I've ever done! I love my trek family so much. I will never forget them and the influence they had in my life! Ladies, you gave me so much hope and strength to endure the pulling. Gentlemen, y'all gave me the feelings of brotherhood I've been looking for, for a while with the LDS young men. Ma and Pa, the love, sacrifice, and devotion you gave to this family will always be a great example for the way I wish to raise my children. This family was so inspired, and I feel it every single hour of my day! Y'all are the best!
"Remember, Slow and Steady Wins the Race. Zion or Bust!!" -- Ryan Luke Cross

Trek was wonderful and I had so much fun! My family was loving and always had high spirits, even when we were struggling. But we can do hard things, especially while we are singing the whole time  I will always remember this experience and you guys will always be my family! Thanks you so much. -- Pearl Petaia

Trek. Was. Amazing!! If I could describe the whole experience with one word, that word would be "Remember". I made so many memories with my trek family and company. Thanks Robert Tobler and Francys Delgado Tobler for being the BEST Ma and Pa's ever! Ryan, Rhiannon, Pearl, Kayden, Heidi, Whitney, Jared. YOU GUYS ROCK!! -- Mason McInnis

I believe that we are all children of a living God who loves us beyond conception. I believe with all my heart that the Grace of Jesus Christ is sufficient to save all mankind, and more importantly, I believe that His Grace is sufficient to transform Gods children into the people they are meant to be. I believe that the trials we face in these latter days are unique to our time and that we've been given the tools we need to spiritually thrive. I believe that Joseph Smith did see God the Father, and His Son. He was called to translate The Book of Mormon and to restore the Gospel of Jesus Christ in it's fullness on the Earth today. I believe that God succored the saints who obeyed His call for a gathering in the west. I believe that God loves everybody individually and wants to see us become like Him. Just like in Bing Canyon, He has already planted us, his seeds, and he will water us continually through all eternity if we so choose! I believe that a testimony isn't always found on the knees praying for one, but that it can be found on your feet living the principles of righteousness and serving others. My testimony I leave with you, in the name of my Savior, and my Friend, Jesus Christ. Amen -- Ryan Luke Cross

"You . . . can indeed be pioneers in courage, in faith, in

charity, in determination. You can strengthen one another;

 you have the capacity to notice the unnoticed. When you 

have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to feel, you can 

reach out and rescue others." 

—Thomas S. Monson, "Pioneers All"

Some pictures of our journey

Trek Prep Devotional - Jeannie Henderson

"I'd like to make this..... promise to you. If you are faithful, the day will come when those deserving pioneers whom you rightly praise for having overcome the adversities in their wilderness trek will instead praise you for having made your way successfully through a desert of despair, for having passed through a cultural wilderness and having kept the faith." Neal A Maxwell: Faith in Every Footstep Instructor's Guide(CES Manual,1996)