Trek thoughts

Last weekend Hayden participated in the Stake trek. They walked from the San Tan mountains to the new Gilbert temple. All Day Thursday, Friday and Saturday, my thoughts were about Hayden. Where he was? What he was doing? How he was enduring? On Friday morning I got a call from Jodi Sawyer and she said that they were in need of more water buckets. She said that the trekkers had run out of water the day before and were 2 hours late getting to camp. She said Hayden was doing great and he came into camp with a huge smile on his face. Facebook was crazy with comments from Mom wondering the same things as I was. It was only then that I had an epiphany.

I thought of those Moms in Europe and England who sent their children to join the Saints in Utah. They had no clue when or if they would ever seem them again. Those Mom's didn't know who they would be traveling with or how they would get to their final destination. Those were true sacrifices, ones that I am not sure I could have made. I knew Hayden was in good hands with our sweet Bishop and his trek Ma and Pa. I knew that I would pick him up at 3:30 on Saturday at the Stake Center. I knew that if something happened, I would get a phone call. I knew that Hayden would be fed each day. I knew that he was safe.

Sacrament meeting was all about the trek. The youth speakers talked about their experiences and what they learned. They talked about the women's pull - where only the women were allowed to pull the handcart up the hill. They talked about the example in the Book of Mormon and how the Anti-Nephi Lehies buried their weapons of sin and rebellion. They talked about their families and how they were bonded together. I cried the entire meeting. The Spirit was so strong and my testimony grew be listening to their experiences. I was thrilled that Hayden was able to go. I was even sad that I could not participate in such an amazing event.

I am thankful for the men and women who had enough faith to cross the plains and settle in Utah where they could worship as they pleased. I am not sure I could have done it, and I am thankful to be born at this time. The sacrifices they made... to bury their children and spouses along the way, to give up all their possessions... those are true sacrifices!!