We knew that day 3 of Trek was going to be a difficult one. The plan was to walk 10 miles on the hot and dusty plains this day. Dehydration was a real concern, but thankfully everyone in our large group did well and managed to finish the trek with nothing more serious than sore feet and blisters.
The much anticipated "women's pull" was also going to be a part of this day, and we spent much of the morning strategizing how we would pull our oh-so heavy handcart up what we knew would be a very steep and very long hill without the men to help us. When we stopped for lunch, we sat and ate in a valley surrounded by hills and knew that one of them was "the hill,"... the dreaded hill. Sure enough, after lunch, all the men were told that they had one minute to say goodbye to their families and leave as a group.
Brother Oswald asked me (before Trek) if I would be willing to talk to the women at this point about how we, as women of God (with each other and with His help), can do hard things . I was honored to have this opportunity.
And then, it was time. As women, we began to push and pull our handcarts up the long, steep hill. The women's pull only lasted one mile. It was humbling to think of those pioneer women who took this journey of SO many miles alone, with no husband at their side.
I trekked for Amy Loader. Her husband died fairly early in the journey and she walked these plains and pushed her handcart mile after mile without him.
Every day was a women's pull for Amy Loader.
When we finally reached the top and saw the men, hats off, waiting for us, I felt such gratitude for them and such honor for Amy Loader.
Amy didn't have a husband waiting for her at the top of the hill.
Amy walked countless miles (many more than our scheduled ten), day after agonizing day.
Amy didn't have lunch served to her along the trail and dinner waiting for her at camp each night.
It was an honor to carry Amy Loader's name on my satchel and in my heart.
Shortly after the women's pull (and unbeknownst to the rest of us), Rob and Tasha Murphy were asked to reenact a scene from Jens and Elsie Nielsen's lives. Elder M. Russell Ballard related their story in October, 1996 as follows:
"We find one of the most touching stories of sacrifice, faith, and loving charity in the life of Jens Neilson, who was a member of the Willie Handcart Company. Jens, a relatively prosperous Danish farmer, heeded the call to bring his family to Zion. In Iowa he wrote that he had let all of his money go to the Church except enough to buy a handcart and stock it with 15 pounds of belongings per person. Jens wrote, “Obedience is better than sacrifice.” The people for whom Jens was responsible were himself; his wife, Elsie; their six-year-old son, Neils; and a nine-year-old girl, Bodil Mortensen, whom Jens offered to take to Utah. In the early Wyoming blizzard, temperatures plummeted below zero. The Neilsons had consumed their last pound of flour days before, but somehow they made it over the treacherous Rocky Ridge, urged on by their indomitable courage and unconquerable faith. Tragically, 13 of the company died at Rock Creek and were buried in shallow, snow-covered graves—among them, Jens and Elsie’s son, Neils, and young Bodil Mortensen.
President Hinckley describes this portion of the trail as “a trail of tragedy, a trail of faith, a trail of devotion, a trail of consecration, even the consecration of life itself.”
Jens arrived at Rock Creek, 11 miles beyond Rocky Ridge, with both feet frozen. He was unable to walk another step and pleaded with Elsie, “Leave me by the trail in the snow to die, and you go ahead and try to keep up with the company and save your life.” Elsie, with her unfaltering pioneer courage, replied, “Ride, I can’t leave you, I can pull the cart.” Such was the strength and the faith of many pioneer women on the trail.
We sat up on the hill and listened to one of the missionaries tell this story, and then looked down the hill to see Tasha in the distance, struggling mightily to pull Rob up the hill.
It was so uncomfortable to watch her struggle to carry that burden alone. We all wanted to assist her and felt helpless to do so. When the missionary asked what could be done, the youth could not take it any longer. In that moment, they took off running to save her. I can still hear the sound of their feet pounding the ground as they raced to rescue her.
Rob and Tasha were Austin's Ma and Pa, so it was no surprise to see that he was one of the first to race down the hill.
There were obviously a lot of serious and spiritual moments on trek,
but we also laughed and had a whole lot of fun.
The Allen's and Richter's entertained us on the trail with their Trek version of Y.M.C.A.
The boys loved the water...
and so did the girls.
Ma and Pa Murphy and Family:
Chandler Roetker, Megan Bartholomew, Ainsleigh North, Spencer Huggins, Austin, Ma and Pa Murphy, Derek Butterfield
Ma and Pa Sabin and Family:
Sam Murphy, Hailey Harmon, Mark Butterfield, Landon Felsted, Ian Hullinger, Jason Nebeker, Wynne Hartelius, Ma and Pa Sabin.
A beautiful end to a beautiful day.
