The Price THEY Paid

I have the opportunity to go on the Handcart Trek with the YM and YW in our stake. They are going to Martin’s Cove. Randy and I are going as a Ma and Pa couple. I have never been on a trek before and I have to admit I was not very eager to accept the calling. The site is 8 hours away, I don’t know any of the YM or YW in the stake, it will be in the middle of July, there are a
lot of Rattlesnakes in Wyoming….just to name a few.
Randy thought it would be a good idea to learn a little about the handcart pioneers and purchased a book about the Willie and Martin handcart company. His intention was to read the book while we were camping last week. During one of my bouts of boredom I hastily stole the book from Randy and have not been able to put it down since. I have heard small blips and stories from the handcart trek in the past….but I have never read the stories in sequence.

I have never in my life been so consumed in a story before. I am sure most of you are familiar with this story…but because of all my years of ignorance to the story I feel completely compelled to share some of my thoughts and my sheer inability to comprehend what they went through.

First of all, whenever I used to think of a pioneer… a strapping cowboy or cowgirl came to mind. Full of frontier knowledge and the ability to survive the direst circumstances. Boy was I wrong. The Willie and Martin Company were European Immigrants that lived in bustling cities. Some of them were wealthy ladies and gentlemen. They gave up everything to go to Zion. The ones that did have any extra money were asked to give it to the members who could not afford the boat ride to America. So essentially all immigrants came with NOTHING, except a pure faith and desire to follow the prophet. All of them were completely poor and out of their element. Not to mention the language barrier. Some of them spoke little English or none at all. They didn’t know how to camp or hunt or survive. Just because they were called pioneers didn't mean they knew how to be one.

Dysentery and all kinds of diseases ran wildly through the company as well. Some of them were ill and weak before they began their journey. I can’t imagine pulling a cart and hiking for miles a day when feeling ill. I won’t even go to the gym if I think I might have a headache or the sniffles.

People died daily. They were starving and cold. The winter storms were so bad… they were loosing limbs, sight, and life from the Bitter Wyoming winter. Can you imagine trying to get a good nights rest in the middle of nowhere laying on the snow with no bedding, no shelter or tent with children?? Can you imagine loosing a husband or child and not even having the ability to burry them because of the hard ground or not having time to mourn because of the dire urgency to move on?? Can you imagine pulling a handcart and falling over and dying out of pure exhaustion and exposure?? It makes my heart ache.

So what have I learned?

I have not suffered a day in my life. I don’t know the meaning of suffering or pain. I have never had a bad day. I have nothing to complain about. I am blessed beyond measure.

Have I had a change of heart?

Entirely!!! I cannot wait to step on that sacred hallowed ground. I cannot wait to hear more stories of their journey. I cannot wait to share my conviction with the youth so they won’t be ignorant to the pioneers sacrifice for us. I cannot wait to meet them beyond this life and fall at their feet and thank them for their faith and sacred fervor for the building of Zion.

I truly feel blessed to live in a time where I can freely live the gospel without having to build it or be persecuted for it. I am honored to have the opportunity to participate in such a great calling.