Hello this is Ryan and I'm here to tell about my experience on the trek. The first day when I got to the drop off I signed in and was assigned to a flag or family. I was part of the Averett family and we had Merideth from my ward, Shane a recent convert, Amelia, Sister Averett, President Averett, Aunt Melissa, and me. After I was assigned to the family I met them and we put our cart together, which we were sharing with the Zuezette family. We had lunch and decorated our flag, which was signed by each of us, then packed the cart and lined up to head out. Before we started out everyone sang a him and the trail boss talked to us acting out that we had to head to Navuoo. A mile after we had started we came to another hand cart with some people play acting that they we're having babies and couldn't take care of them. They gave our two families a baby doll named Shinia and we continued on. We took several breaks along the way and when I tried pulling the cart up the hill in the front I felt so weak I dropped out and had to cool off. At the top of the hill we had a family processing time where we were given journals with old pioneers names on them, which meant we were representing those pioneers on the trek. Then we did some pages in the journal and continued on down the hill singing hymns. Partway down the hill we stopped and took another break and a guy dressed up and pretending to be someone who had been one of Joseph Smith's body guards told us we were close to Navuoo and gave us letters from our stake leaders. Then we had a family processing time and continued on down the trail singing hymns again till we made it into camp. When we got into camp the trail boss, who was President Hendricks, pretended and said we had made it to Navuoo and that the parents and older brothers and sisters were going to have a meeting to decide what we'd do. They decided we would set up camp which we did by putting the wagons in a circle and the girls slept inside the circle while the boys slept outside it on plastic. We had dinner which was chicken broth and bread and then family processing time. Last part of the day we had a family prayer and went to bed. I didn't sleep well night because I was restless, my nose kept plugging up, and we had acorns falling on our heads. I can tell you that wasn't pleasant.
The next morning after I woke up I got dressed and went back to my sleeping bag till others got up. Then I went to the cooking fire and talked for a while and asked everyone around what animal they would be if they couldn't be human. I got varied answers and I got a few cat answers which made me happy. The parents and older brother and sisters had a meeting again because apparently the prophet Joseph Smith had died and we had to decide what we'd do. They came back saying the boys we're being enlisted in the Mormon Battalion and that I had to eat fast. Breakfast was oatmeal with crummy raisins in it which was horrible. After breakfast we went and got food for the families and then went off on the Mormon Battalion leaving the girls, Mas, and Pas behind. We were instructed by a Sargent from the artillery and a cadet from the infantry. They taught was different military maneuvers and has us march in cadence. We stopped several times for water breaks and for an Obstacle course. Which the team I was on won. We then headed back and met the girls pulling the handcarts up. We had to stand there and wait for them to pass us before we could go and help them. It was very painful for me and afterwords I walked to them and used the rope to get the cart up the hill and at the top of the hill we had a family processing time and read some middle stories of our characters. Then we went down the mountain and got to the campsite in no time. We then set up camp by making fire pits, making places for the boys and girls to sleep, and pits to put the turkey in to cook. After that some others and I went and heard Patriarch Larwson talk about his love for animals and how he became a veterinarian. Then we saw him dehead some turkeys quick and painless. I got to say turkeys can be funny even when they're dead. Me and the others went and did some workshops which were wood shop, candle making and fire starting with out matches, horses and bulls, and cows. I had something unfortunate happen to me when I was trying to make butter in a jar. The jar cracked open in the bottom and the buttermilk spilled all over me. When we got back we had dinner and then the leaders gave out prizes from the workshop. I got a little plastic cow as a prize for the unfortunate accident I had. Then my family had a family processing time and went to bed after it. I fell asleep quickly and didn't wake up in the night.
The next day was our "Sabbath Day" to see what it was like for the pioneers on a sabbath day. I woke up got dressed and my family had breakfast. Then we had a family devotional and the men and young men went to priesthood. We had a lesson on self-worth and respect from Brother Rudasil. After priesthood we had Sunday school which was a lesson on honoring our fathers and mothers by Sister Hendricks. We had solo time after Sunday school to write in our trek journals and think about the pioneers. It was three hours long and I wrote the first hour on the pioneers and writing letters to my "Ma and Pa" and my real parents. When I read my parents letters I cried because I felt the spirit so strongly. Then I got bored and the wait was unbearable. President Averett came and got me and I told him he'd have to put me in an insane asylum to make me go through that again. Then we had dinner and after that sacrament meeting. I got to help prepare and pass the sacrament. Then the rest of sacrament meeting was us giving our testimonies. I gave a longer one then I had before on my solo time. We had a family home evening after sacrament meeting which was fun because we played murderer. Then we had and old fashioned popcorn popping and there were two games going on which were stick pull and big booty. It was great when the other boys started singing different songs and the girls responded with their own. I went to bed during it and fell asleep.
The next morning was the final morning and everyone was eager to be off. We cleaned up the camp and had another family processing time. Then we headed up to the top of the hill and got there pretty quick. We stopped and had a talk from Sister Hellstrom and sang a song. We had our last family processing time and I got a gift from President Averett and sister Averett which was a spoon with my spiritual gifts on it. We also read the endings to our pioneer people and my person was George W. Padley. He was one of the three young men who helped the pioneers get across the icy river and died less the a month later unfortunately. President Brigham Young said his spirit was received into the celestial kingdom. We then had a talk from President Averett and had a last hymn and prayer. We went down the mountain till we got to the pick up area. We we're glad to be there at last and we had a treat. Then we took apart the carts and packed up and headed home. That was my experience on the trek and I loved it.
This is me with my pioneer family.
Meredith, Shane, Ma and Pa, me, Auntie Melissa, Amelia.
Entering 'the Salt Lake Valley' and being greeted by Brigham Young
One last talk by Brigham Young.
Cleaning up and taking apart the handcarts.
