Our family went on a handcart trek this weekend. Remember how I mentioned that I was busy last week? That is because I put all the preparations off until the last minute. I had so many great ideas in my head about how we would prepare for it, but most of them were put off and then suddenly I had to be ready. I was busy sewing aprons, bonnets, altering suspenders, finding long skirts and long-sleeved shirts, cooking meals so that I could freeze them and quickly warm them up after treking, packing, buying camping essentials, etc. It was a bit of a crazy week. Thankfully, I got everything done (if not all cleaned up) and we made it to Wyoming with all our needed supplies (or at least most).
It was quite an experience, and I'll share some of the lessons here, but for this post (which needs to be a short one as I don't have much time), I'll share just one.
Ten people were assigned one handcart. Everything we needed for the 3 day experience needed to fit in the handcart. So sleeping bags, tents, clothes, and food pretty much took up all of it. It was hard trying to figure out how to fit it all in. I pondered how the early pioneers had to fit everything they needed in there for a 4 month excursion. I was amazed.
Something Penny (the woman in charge) mentioned at the orientation meeting when we arrived was that she hoped the experience would help us ponder how much stuff we have in our handcarts in life. How many things weigh us down? For the trek, whatever we put in our handcarts, we had to pull through rough terrain and hills to get to our destination.
I got to thinking how, similarly, this life is a journey. Our destination is purity, joy, peace, family, God. We must pull some stuff with us in this journey. However, how much extra baggage do we pile in our handcart? How much stuff are we trying to pull along? How many stops do we have to make to rearrange our stuff so it will fit? Do we keep piling it higher and higher so that our progress is slow and we have to dig through it to get what we need? We'll never make it at that rate.
The pioneers were trying to get to Zion. They showed us the sacrifices that needed to be made in order to establish such a place.
We don't have to physically go anywhere to reach our destination. Our destination is within us. As we purify ourselves and learn to keep our focus on our Savior - we will find it. It is within our grasp.
"Therefore, verily, thus saith the Lord, let Zion rejoice, for this is Zion—THE PURE IN HEART; therefore, let Zion rejoice..." -D&C 97:21
Purity, joy, peace, family, God - the destination. Our Savior died and placed it all within our grasp. We just have to reach out and take it, but sometimes we are too busy re-arranging our monstrous "handcarts" to be able to notice.
How much of my stuff is weighing me down? This handcart trek gave me more motivation to do those things that truly matter (scripture study, prayer) and to give our house and our lives another run through and rid ourselves of more weight. My friend, Lara, shared
this picture on her blog of a Florida couple with all of their belongings in their front yard. I think I might print it out and put it on my wall to look at as I clear away more weight. One of her readers linked an excellent little
article as well that I enjoyed reading.
I promised, when I got baptized, to remember my Savior always. This means taking the time to do those things which keep Him in my mind. It also means getting rid of the stuff that blocks Him from my view. How easy I am enticed with things of no value! How easy it is weigh myself down.
Wow! What a cool experience. Such a tangible way to see how much we are tied down to our stuff. I look forward to reading whatever else you post about your weekend.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this. Great thoughts. I've been reading your blog along with Lara's and am so inspired by what you are doing. I'm trying to travel a similar path but my family is draggin their feet alot. I'll keep working at it. Our family did a trek 3 years ago. Only one day in regular clothing and it was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I used to think I would have made it as a pioneer, after that day I had so much more reverence for the pioneers and I'm sure I'd have been a lousy pioneer. Good experience!
ReplyDeleteI agree, great thoughts. I like the correlation between the trek and stuff. Since we simplified our lives it has made so much difference. I have infinitely more self control. It is interesting that there was so much in headgates that we didn't feel was right for our family and yet it made such a great impact on our lives. We were able to use it to give ourselves permission to purge most of the stuff from our lives. I really enjoy your blog!
ReplyDeleteThat is so neat that you all got to do this. What an experience! I hear that the kids did well. I am always amazed at what the pioneers went through, when I am reminded again of it all through reading of things as this, and lessons that include their hardships. Great pictures. Glad you had the chance to do this.
ReplyDeleteLove you all, GW
This post was so beautifully written! It made me cry! I have come to such a deep appreciation of the early saints of the Church. They endured so much and had so little and they were so faithful and true! How I want to be like them! I went on a one day pioneer trek for youth conference when I was in high school. We were each given a "hardship" or "trial" to experience on the trek. My "trial" was death. I was laid on the ground in a shallow hole and a garbage bag was placed over me, and then they began to shovel dirt on top of me. It was terrible. It was emotional. I could not imagine having to bury loved ones, until that day. What strength and conviction they had. I honor those brave pioneers who knew what was most important and valuable in life! Thank you for sharing this post with us! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is a great way to look at things. I think I still have things physical/mental/emotional that are weighing me down and keeping me from treking.
ReplyDeleteDid you go with your whole family? My husband and I went with the youth in our stake to Martin's Cove (I'm assuming that's where you went) three years ago. Great experience. We have since said we wanted to do with our kids. Are there programs that you can sign up for for family trips?
Thank you great post. Do you have more pictures of this trip?
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of figuring out what kinds of things are weighing us down in our life trek. I definitely need to get rid of some extra baggage.
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