History Submission:
I don't know what to write so I am going to brainstorm some of the spiritual experiences so we can find one that will be just right to submit. I was actually not asked to submit something, but my husband B and my son S were both asked, and have been procrastinating this job.
There were many spiritual experiences while we were on trek:
From the very beginning, the buses didn't show up to the stake center. They waited and waited, and learned that they were at the Bloomington Hills churches instead of the right one. Finally they showed up to pick up the kids.
When we arrived to camp, we had been to the orientation meeting, and Brad was driving a separate car so we could go another direction at the end. When the bus doors opened, the wind was blowing so hard! It was difficult to get the tents set up! What if we didn't have a tent! We put the tents up close to each other, and tied them together so we could help hold them upright the wind was blowing so strong!
Enactment of President and Sister Anderson enacting the Jen's and Elsie roles. Traveling with their own son, and a young girl whose family only had money for one to come, Jen's was a large Danish man, a viking, and Else a petite woman. Jen's had been weak for some days, and had been giving his rations to others to help them. He continued to get weaker and weaker. At the base of a hill just a bit before the monument marking the death of several in that valley, the missionary pulled the youth aside, and told them of this couple. He then instructed us to leave our carts, and walk back and observe as we would see this scene play out on the plains below us. Walking to the edge of the hillside, we looked over to see two persons, pulling a cart. He was tall and she a little petite person. He struggled, finally falling down by the side of the road, shaking his head that he could not go any further. She was not to have that. Encouraging him, begging him, emploring him, she finally managed to load him into their cart, and she tried to pull alone. In this vinette they did not have the young children with them, so she tried to pull alone. She literally pushed with all she had, but she could not seem to get that cart to move forward! She was moving it sideways, and back, but it was not moving up that hillside! Seeing her struggle with that cart with him loaded in. Giving it her all. She really couldn't move it. Determined to make it to Zion, and not willing to leave her beloved on the side of the trail, she demanded that he continue! She tried to pull him. With two little ones (her own son, and a young girl who had come with them so she could get to Zion) she forged ahead. As we sat on the hillside watching her struggling, I was near the back of the group so the youth could see. I felt her pain, and resisted the strong urge to help her. Finally one of the young men in our group jumped to his feet and ran down that hill. I later learned it was my own neighbor, Bryce Lundahl. He ran down that hill and as he did other young men joined the force so that quickly there were many running to her aid. Quickly with all that help, that cart flew up the hill. The expressions of relief and gratitude from all were abundant. Sister Anderson was weeping, there were not dry eyes! The angels of heaven had come to her aid in the form of those young men that day, but we all felt that angels from heaven actually did come to her aid that day in 1856? when she struggled to Zion!
A bit later we heard from both of their perspectives. Sister Anderson shared how difficult it was to move that cart, and that she whispered prayers for help. She had known this vinette was coming, and had been working out, in preparation for it, hoping to gather enough strength to at least give it a good pull. Not realizing how difficult and near impossible it would actually be! She shared that she litterally could not move her feet forward, that cart would not move! She prayed for help. Then she realized the young people were coming to her aid. She felt the heavens coming to help her. President shared how difficult it was for him, a servant of God to sit in that cart and not help. How desperately he did not want to be a dead weight on the back of his sweetheart. He wanted to pull his weight. He wanted to be a force for good in the camp and not a dead weight, adding to the burdens already upon others! It was a powerful lesson for all! Heaven is near. If we will ask for their help, they will come running to help us. It is important that we not give up. We need to pull our share, and do our VERY best in all that we do!
The first night in Rock Creek Hollow - a pair of peregrine falcons flying over our heads. Swooping down low - almost taking Brad's hat off! The spirit was strong that these watchful birds were protecting those who had given their all there. Others not aware of the beauty right over her head there testifying of the spirits of this place. Oblivious to the spiritual experience available there. Talking, and worries about details of the evening program were loud in her ears and she vocalized them, pulling the spirit from the beautiful moments in the sunsetting moments there. How often are we unaware of the Spirit and we rush off in our worries, missing those moments of testimony? This was a dear sister who had worked hard on the trek, she does MUCH in the kingdom, and was worried about important details, but we were partaking of a spiritual moment there as the sun set, and she was totally unaware of what was happening. I want to have eyes to see.
That night was the devotional in the cove. As we partook of that evening, we noticed a gentleman up on the bluff. When President Hickley dedicated that the people who had given their all there, could return. We witnessed a gentleman there on the hillside. He sat and watched us, listening to the music. It was not a figment of our imagination, it was not the missionaries we had assumed that it was. We felt strongly that it was one of those valiant pioneers there! The closing song was As Sisters in Zion. It was powerful.
That first day, there was a lady who had doubted that she could come at all. She walked that entire day. That was 18 mile day over Rocky Ridge and she managed to do that whole day. That as a huge miracle!
The next morning, we were transported via bus to another location. We were on the second to last bus. As we neared the end of the dirt road, a rock popped up and put a whole in the gas tank. Experiences with the bus - hole in the gas tank. Entertaining kids on the side of the road for the entire afternoon. We will forever have memories of jump roping on the side of the road with Brinley and Sam. There were not many other youth that would participate in that activity, but our family had a fun time jumping together.
Buses refusing to take us into camp that night. Some youth leathers knowing that this debate was happening, praying on the bus for the drivers to decide to help us despite the instruction from their superiors in the company. Prayers answered! Bus drivers agreed to take us in. It was dark and cold. That would have been a long walk that night. Huge miracle!
Miracle of the money to bribe the drivers - cash in pocket. Negociators sent were not just any Priesthood leaders - professions of negociating tough bids! They were prepared with cash to pay those drivers so the 400 of us would not have to walk in!
On the way to camp, Bishop Heath was prompted to stop and get cash to have with him. He felt he was going to get to buy a gun. He stopped once, and then was prompted to stop again and get more cash. His wife questioned what he was doing, and he told her he didn't know. We will forever be grateful that he was prepared with cash to bargin with those drivers so they would drive us into camp. The leader of the buses said that we were not to admit that they ever drove us in. As far as he was concerned this never happened. He had been instructed by his superiors to not take the buses off the paved road again. It was truly a miracle that Bishop Heath (St. George Ford General Manager) was the negotiator prepared with cash in his pocket to pay them to do what was right.
Martin's Cove - young girl needing Priesthood blessing. Brad and I were there, and of course jumped in to help, leaving me alone with our trek family. We got separated. I ran ahead, searching, hoping to find them. They had skipped the lessons being taught in the little alcoves by missionaries there. Some were done, and didn't want the gospel messages that were being shared, they were all about getting this done, and finding food, water, shelter, ease. I was frustrated and disappointed that they were not appreciating the opportunities they were missing. I rushed forward, missing the lessons myself in their search. Finally I found them. Emploring them to stop, questioning them as to why they had not stopped, they scrambled for excuses, but I was disappointed and tried to share that, explaining that I had been racing to find them, and they had missed the Priesthood blessing and struggles of that girl because of their desires to get done. Upon sharing these desires and disappointments, I explained that Brad too was searching for them, and worried about them. I explained what had happened, and that I was sure he was racing to try to catch up to us. Just at the minute we looked off the bluff upon which we were standing to see him physically running up the trail trying to find them! The reality of what I had told them was intense as they saw him running up the hillside, on the path around the cove, quite a distance behind us. Brad felt the stress of the search parties in that cove as they raced, hoping to find those whose lives were in jeopardy so many years ago. Here we were, searching for the souls of the youth we were asked to chaperon, worried about their spiritual welfare more than their physical welfare. It was an eye opening experience for Brad and I as we had eyes to see, but these youth seemed blind to the depth of the experience! Miracles. Are we running, searching? Searching for the right thing/group/opportunity? Are our eyes open? Do we see the miracles and tender mercies occurring all around and for us? Do we recognize that others are running with all their might, hoping to find us in safe, spiritual places, partaking of the feast of the Spirit so readily available if we will but pause to participate?
This powerful video was the closing video after we had done Martin's Cove. Tears. I have made covenants and I want to keep the fire of my covenants burning strong!
Here are the lyrics:
Gentle voices were singing songs of praise. And there were prayers carried forth upon the wind. With nothing left, they still kept their faith in Him. Their hope was brighter than the fire of cruel and angry men. Their love was deeper than the snow and stronger than the wind. The Fire of the covenant they made burned in their hearts like a flame. Unwavering, unquenchable, undimmed by the night, the fire of the covenant burned bright. There was a shout heard above the bitter storm from faithful saints who had come to take them home, where they would build up a place of peace and love, and raise a temple to bind our souls as one. The storms will come and sin will rage, and enemies deride. Hold on thy way, be not afraid, for God is on thy side. The fire of the covenant they made burned in their hearts like a flame. Unwavering, unquenchable, undimmed by the night, the fire of the covenant burned bright. We are the youth of the great and final days, armed with truth and a legacy of faith. And we will rise up and shine the light He gives, and with the saints, we will testify-- He lives! He lives! The fire of the covenant we make burns in our hearts like a flame. Unwavering, unquenchable, undimmed by the night, the fire of the covenant burns bright, burns bright. We'll keep the fire burning bright.
Just found this talk on this same theme.
I don't know what to write so I am going to brainstorm some of the spiritual experiences so we can find one that will be just right to submit. I was actually not asked to submit something, but my husband B and my son S were both asked, and have been procrastinating this job.
There were many spiritual experiences while we were on trek:
From the very beginning, the buses didn't show up to the stake center. They waited and waited, and learned that they were at the Bloomington Hills churches instead of the right one. Finally they showed up to pick up the kids.
When we arrived to camp, we had been to the orientation meeting, and Brad was driving a separate car so we could go another direction at the end. When the bus doors opened, the wind was blowing so hard! It was difficult to get the tents set up! What if we didn't have a tent! We put the tents up close to each other, and tied them together so we could help hold them upright the wind was blowing so strong!
Enactment of President and Sister Anderson enacting the Jen's and Elsie roles. Traveling with their own son, and a young girl whose family only had money for one to come, Jen's was a large Danish man, a viking, and Else a petite woman. Jen's had been weak for some days, and had been giving his rations to others to help them. He continued to get weaker and weaker. At the base of a hill just a bit before the monument marking the death of several in that valley, the missionary pulled the youth aside, and told them of this couple. He then instructed us to leave our carts, and walk back and observe as we would see this scene play out on the plains below us. Walking to the edge of the hillside, we looked over to see two persons, pulling a cart. He was tall and she a little petite person. He struggled, finally falling down by the side of the road, shaking his head that he could not go any further. She was not to have that. Encouraging him, begging him, emploring him, she finally managed to load him into their cart, and she tried to pull alone. In this vinette they did not have the young children with them, so she tried to pull alone. She literally pushed with all she had, but she could not seem to get that cart to move forward! She was moving it sideways, and back, but it was not moving up that hillside! Seeing her struggle with that cart with him loaded in. Giving it her all. She really couldn't move it. Determined to make it to Zion, and not willing to leave her beloved on the side of the trail, she demanded that he continue! She tried to pull him. With two little ones (her own son, and a young girl who had come with them so she could get to Zion) she forged ahead. As we sat on the hillside watching her struggling, I was near the back of the group so the youth could see. I felt her pain, and resisted the strong urge to help her. Finally one of the young men in our group jumped to his feet and ran down that hill. I later learned it was my own neighbor, Bryce Lundahl. He ran down that hill and as he did other young men joined the force so that quickly there were many running to her aid. Quickly with all that help, that cart flew up the hill. The expressions of relief and gratitude from all were abundant. Sister Anderson was weeping, there were not dry eyes! The angels of heaven had come to her aid in the form of those young men that day, but we all felt that angels from heaven actually did come to her aid that day in 1856? when she struggled to Zion!
A bit later we heard from both of their perspectives. Sister Anderson shared how difficult it was to move that cart, and that she whispered prayers for help. She had known this vinette was coming, and had been working out, in preparation for it, hoping to gather enough strength to at least give it a good pull. Not realizing how difficult and near impossible it would actually be! She shared that she litterally could not move her feet forward, that cart would not move! She prayed for help. Then she realized the young people were coming to her aid. She felt the heavens coming to help her. President shared how difficult it was for him, a servant of God to sit in that cart and not help. How desperately he did not want to be a dead weight on the back of his sweetheart. He wanted to pull his weight. He wanted to be a force for good in the camp and not a dead weight, adding to the burdens already upon others! It was a powerful lesson for all! Heaven is near. If we will ask for their help, they will come running to help us. It is important that we not give up. We need to pull our share, and do our VERY best in all that we do!
That night was the devotional in the cove. As we partook of that evening, we noticed a gentleman up on the bluff. When President Hickley dedicated that the people who had given their all there, could return. We witnessed a gentleman there on the hillside. He sat and watched us, listening to the music. It was not a figment of our imagination, it was not the missionaries we had assumed that it was. We felt strongly that it was one of those valiant pioneers there! The closing song was As Sisters in Zion. It was powerful.
That first day, there was a lady who had doubted that she could come at all. She walked that entire day. That was 18 mile day over Rocky Ridge and she managed to do that whole day. That as a huge miracle!
The next morning, we were transported via bus to another location. We were on the second to last bus. As we neared the end of the dirt road, a rock popped up and put a whole in the gas tank. Experiences with the bus - hole in the gas tank. Entertaining kids on the side of the road for the entire afternoon. We will forever have memories of jump roping on the side of the road with Brinley and Sam. There were not many other youth that would participate in that activity, but our family had a fun time jumping together.
Buses refusing to take us into camp that night. Some youth leathers knowing that this debate was happening, praying on the bus for the drivers to decide to help us despite the instruction from their superiors in the company. Prayers answered! Bus drivers agreed to take us in. It was dark and cold. That would have been a long walk that night. Huge miracle!
Miracle of the money to bribe the drivers - cash in pocket. Negociators sent were not just any Priesthood leaders - professions of negociating tough bids! They were prepared with cash to pay those drivers so the 400 of us would not have to walk in!
On the way to camp, Bishop Heath was prompted to stop and get cash to have with him. He felt he was going to get to buy a gun. He stopped once, and then was prompted to stop again and get more cash. His wife questioned what he was doing, and he told her he didn't know. We will forever be grateful that he was prepared with cash to bargin with those drivers so they would drive us into camp. The leader of the buses said that we were not to admit that they ever drove us in. As far as he was concerned this never happened. He had been instructed by his superiors to not take the buses off the paved road again. It was truly a miracle that Bishop Heath (St. George Ford General Manager) was the negotiator prepared with cash in his pocket to pay them to do what was right.
Martin's Cove - young girl needing Priesthood blessing. Brad and I were there, and of course jumped in to help, leaving me alone with our trek family. We got separated. I ran ahead, searching, hoping to find them. They had skipped the lessons being taught in the little alcoves by missionaries there. Some were done, and didn't want the gospel messages that were being shared, they were all about getting this done, and finding food, water, shelter, ease. I was frustrated and disappointed that they were not appreciating the opportunities they were missing. I rushed forward, missing the lessons myself in their search. Finally I found them. Emploring them to stop, questioning them as to why they had not stopped, they scrambled for excuses, but I was disappointed and tried to share that, explaining that I had been racing to find them, and they had missed the Priesthood blessing and struggles of that girl because of their desires to get done. Upon sharing these desires and disappointments, I explained that Brad too was searching for them, and worried about them. I explained what had happened, and that I was sure he was racing to try to catch up to us. Just at the minute we looked off the bluff upon which we were standing to see him physically running up the trail trying to find them! The reality of what I had told them was intense as they saw him running up the hillside, on the path around the cove, quite a distance behind us. Brad felt the stress of the search parties in that cove as they raced, hoping to find those whose lives were in jeopardy so many years ago. Here we were, searching for the souls of the youth we were asked to chaperon, worried about their spiritual welfare more than their physical welfare. It was an eye opening experience for Brad and I as we had eyes to see, but these youth seemed blind to the depth of the experience! Miracles. Are we running, searching? Searching for the right thing/group/opportunity? Are our eyes open? Do we see the miracles and tender mercies occurring all around and for us? Do we recognize that others are running with all their might, hoping to find us in safe, spiritual places, partaking of the feast of the Spirit so readily available if we will but pause to participate?
This powerful video was the closing video after we had done Martin's Cove. Tears. I have made covenants and I want to keep the fire of my covenants burning strong!
Here are the lyrics:
Gentle voices were singing songs of praise. And there were prayers carried forth upon the wind. With nothing left, they still kept their faith in Him. Their hope was brighter than the fire of cruel and angry men. Their love was deeper than the snow and stronger than the wind. The Fire of the covenant they made burned in their hearts like a flame. Unwavering, unquenchable, undimmed by the night, the fire of the covenant burned bright. There was a shout heard above the bitter storm from faithful saints who had come to take them home, where they would build up a place of peace and love, and raise a temple to bind our souls as one. The storms will come and sin will rage, and enemies deride. Hold on thy way, be not afraid, for God is on thy side. The fire of the covenant they made burned in their hearts like a flame. Unwavering, unquenchable, undimmed by the night, the fire of the covenant burned bright. We are the youth of the great and final days, armed with truth and a legacy of faith. And we will rise up and shine the light He gives, and with the saints, we will testify-- He lives! He lives! The fire of the covenant we make burns in our hearts like a flame. Unwavering, unquenchable, undimmed by the night, the fire of the covenant burns bright, burns bright. We'll keep the fire burning bright.
Just found this talk on this same theme.