For anyone unfamiliar with Mormon culture. It was a reenactment of the trek made from Iowa City to Salt Lake City by some of the early members of the church. Many Latter Day Saints were poor and from other countries. In order for them to make it they literally pulled their own handcart (like a small covered wagon) for hundreds of days and over a thousand miles.
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| you'll see who had the camera most of the trek! |
Each “family” would be assigned to pull their hand cart for a 4 day trip as a tribute to those who made that sacrifice. Brant and I were asked to go on the pioneer trek as adult children, which meant we weren’t in the same family. Brant was excited, I was nervous. As the time got closer I got excited and Brant got nervous! I knew my role was to let the kids have their own experience. Brant thought he was just there to pull the handcart I don’t think I ever saw him NOT in yoke pulling. He was like a kid a big though and a fun kid too.
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| Brant's Family |
We showed up sporting our pioneer fashions, found our families and met our brothers and sisters and Ma’s and Pa’s! We were anxious and excited to head out and as we got going we realized some disadvantages to being the last cart. We ate a lot of DUST. Every time someone ahead of us stopped we stopped. Brant’s family was the handcart in front of ours. We got to a rough hill but having watched how the other carts did it, and what worked best we handled it with precision. I thought this is what it is all about; learning from the people who had gone before, who have figured out the rough terrain of life. But there was more trail up ahead still.
The next tribute happened when the battalion came in and took the men to war and created the “women’s pull” experience which was done in silence and the boys watched as we “women only” pulled our families cart up a steep hill. I was overwhelmed at the true spirit of sisterhood, women dropped their carts and began helping others only to run back down and get another cart until all the carts had reached the top. My legs were burning, it was a tough pull, but as I saw Brant I was determined to have my head high, I didn’t want him to see me struggle I wanted to be strong because I knew it was difficult for him to not be able to jump in and help. I made it to the top turned around and with shaky legs ran back down and pulled with other women another cart up that steep hill. After we found our families again we sat in silence, I was sick so I had some water and a few nuts and that really helped but our boys didn’t want the girls to get in a pull any more after that.
Brant’s experience with the women’s pull is different from mine…this is Brant typing now. Watching the women pull was the hardest thing we had to do during the trek. I just wanted to help them and felt helpless. It was awesome to see how strong all these women are though and especially how strong Jana was. They are so strong and they need to be respected for their strength. It was also neat to see how the sisters were angels to one another in the service that they provided to help each other up that hill. The sisters do that all the time not just for each other. They are always helping one another, they are so much better about that than we men. Some of the leaders had also taken the opportunity to talk with the boys and men about young women and how it is our responsibility to protect and respect them and protect their virtue. I thought that was a very important message for all the boys on the trek, but I also found that this experience increased my own level of respect for womanhood.
I hope I learned to keep my head up, there are some hard things I’ve been asked to do but I can do it, and I never have to do it alone. We had more trail ahead!
We walked into the night and pushed and pulled through the tiredness. I know it was only 16 miles and it only seemed like 45 minutes (an inside joke for trekies)! But we were pushed to the point that you started to ask, “Why am I here? Is getting there even worth it?” My naturally negative thoughts came creeping in then something happened I noticed the exhaustion did different things to different people. Some wanted to push through harder and faster (we passed a lot of carts with our determined drive). Then only a few of our girls started to get sick, others started to be a little whiney. Something in me snapped and I thought, “You knew you were coming for the pioneer experience, you seemed so happy and capable, is this what you want to be known for? Your influence will be someone’s memory about trek, and you can choose to arrive miserable or happy.” I can’t choose the camping spot but I can decide to have “joy in the journey”. Suddenly the sky was beautiful with the trees and the stars and I was able to get in and pull: I was determined. Our boys were strong, one even got out and puked several times only to get back in without complaint. I was impressed to think that those are the people I want pulling with me. Our girls were good too. When we are pushed our true colors do come out. We made camp for the night, but there was still more trail ahead…
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| most of my brother's and sisters are behind me. |
Along the way they had remembering moments, When they told the story of the brother’s 11 and 5 and the 11 year old carried the five year old on his back and died of exhaustion. I know Rianne would have done that for Heath. We also talked about momentum how you need to be in motion when you get to that hill and keep pushing up, life is the same way we have to keep our movement with the everyday scriptures, prayers etc. so that when the trail gets rough we can make it through it. We traveled not as far to our next camp, and had our Saturday, I shot a gun I even hit a card! Got my hair washed, and did some “dancing” with Brant. I really enjoyed watching him in this setting, he really got in and loved his family he was so relaxed. It made us wish for more simplicity in life. After about the 5th bag of jerky one of our girls asked if the pioneers even had jerky, that was pretty funny. My family was a lot of fun with Baby Brady keeping us laughing and Ethan keeping us guessing! and the beautiful claire even ate a deep fried beatle, yum.
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| my future sister-in-law Trek style |
The next day was Sunday on the trail (which was also my birthday) I didn’t want a lot of fan fair because I felt like this experience was for the kids, We went to our “Sunday school” Brant made me feel very special. During the quiet time of the day he wrote me a sweet letter, without me knowing he asked my pa for my hand (now that I’m of age). Then his family came over sang happy birthday to me and he got down on one knee and asked if I would be his wife. So maybe in four years we’ll have a family of our own ;) I fell in love with him again (I keep doing that:). We had sacrament meeting in the evening it was very spiritual. Then my brothers and sisters shared their stories of who they were walking in remembrance of, I kept thinking of Ester Brown, who was rescued by her husband Gurnsey Brown. I thought about how many time Brant has been my rescuer. That night I also went to visit Brant for a minute, well when I was coming back I couldn’t find my family my flashlight was getting dim and the lantern at our camp was not on. I was getting worried, luckily I had some other rescuers who got me back to camp. It was a wonderful birthday, but I don’t think cornmeal mush will be a request for breakfast anytime soon!
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| with my Ma & Pa Palmer |
The next day we packed up for our Journey to Zion. We were determined to be close to the front we didn’t get their first, although we got blamed for this (Brant’s family actually did it) it was funny.
Isn't that always the way you are doing your best and people try to hold you back!
I know this experience was for the kids involved but it turned out to be very personal self-discovery experience for me. I learned that handcart companies made up only 10% of the pioneers who traveled to the valley. I found that interesting 10% something to think about huh? We experience miracles when we are giving our best, although our experience was a simulation we experienced miracles too, the wind calmed, received increased strength and more.
People from the past can teach us, keep your head up you are stronger than you think, have joy in the journey. You may not choose your family, we are here to enhance the experience. Surround yourself with people who will help push or pull you to your goal, Live so your memories bring you happiness, the blisters and bruises will heal. It is but a small moment but if thou endure it well. We have a heavenly father who knows and loves us. This life is a journey is one of self-discovery and there is more trail ahead.
