Trek 2025, Bountiful Utah Stake

For over 175 years, Latter-day Saints have remembered and commemorated the story of pioneers gathering to Zion in the American West. That is part of what we are doing on Trek, as well. In pulling and pushing handcarts in the wilds lands of Utah, we remember and honor them. But we must not lose sight of why they sacrificed. They gathered to Zion because they were disciples of Jesus Christ and had made covenants to follow Him. They heeded the call of modern-day prophets to gather to a central place to build a heavenly community and create a godly people. That is why they risked their lives and the lives of loved ones to make that arduous trek. As the Latter-day Saint pioneers did a long time ago, so can we. We can be disciples of Jesus Christ, strive to live the covenants we've made with Him, and gather together as a people under the guidance and leadership of God's living prophets. May Trek be a memorable part of your covenant journey. "The crossing of the plains turned int...

On Trek, you will spend many waking hours pulling and pushing your handcart and your sleeping hours next to it. Only a small portion of Latter-day Saint pioneers came west with handcarts. Most traveled in wagon companies, though many of them also walked to Zion. For the time pioneers were on the trail, their wagons and handcarts were their homes. And, like if you were to move from one home to another, they also served as their "moving vans." Pioneers needed to take everything they needed for their new homes or make things from the natural resources there. During our few days of Trek, notice the many vehicles used to support this experience. Of course, there will be the handcarts, but also trucks to pull refrigerated trailers full of food, supplies, medical teams and supplies, and porta-potties, called in past Treks, "the Emerald City." Vehicles were an important part of westward migration and today's Treks. "The Saints used all kinds of wagons, buggies, and...

The Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo left in desperate circumstances. Buyers knew that the sellers were leaving and, in many cases, took advantage of that desperation. Those who followed Brigham Young were willing to sacrifice to follow their leaders west to new homes. They did the best they could to get supplies for their travels and new home, but ultimately did what was necessary in leaving their homes to build a new Zion. "Sarah Studevant Leavitt recalled, 'We soon found we had to leave the place if we meant to save our lives, and we got what little we could from our beautiful farm. We had forty thousand bricks that my husband and sons had made for us to build a house, and part of the rock to lay the foundation. For this we got an old bed quilt, and for the farm a yoke of wild steers, and for two high post bedsteads, we got some weaving done.' "Heber C. Kimball was among the lucky Saints who was able to trade his new brick two-story home for thirty-five yoke of oxen. Jo...

Many will never know the hours of preparation and planning that has gone into Trek. Something of this magnitude is not thrown together overnight. Brigham Young, other Church leaders, and pioneer families spent months preparing to leave Nauvoo for their new home in the west. Organization and planning was and is essential to ensure that everyone is safe, fed, and healthy. Packing lists ensure that everyone has what they need to be successful. Trek will be successful and meaningful because we have all spent the time to prepare for this singular event. Like the pioneers of old, we've planned and worked for this time.  "Four months earlier, the homes and yards of the Saints in Nauvoo presented an equally busy scene as preparations began for an orderly departure for a new Zion when the weather permitted their journey west in the spring. Grass, water, and game would be plentiful. A company of men was called to head out early, searching out a new home for the Saints. The others would ...

Many Latter-day Saints emigrated to Zion as part of a family. You will be part of a family on Trek. You'll have a "ma," "pa," and "siblings." You'll do a lot with your family - pull and push handcarts, eat together, sleep around your handcart, etc. Make great memories with your family; memories you'll enjoy the rest of your lives. "The family is among the few universal institutions of humankind; and migrating was a family affair among the [Latter-day Saints], differing in nature from the experiences of Oregonians and Californians. Most religiously inspired migrations are family affairs - for example, the Pilgrims, the Puritans, and the Dutch in South Africa. Since [Latter-day Saints] believe that the family unit remains intact in the next world, they have highlighted the importance of family and community among believers probably more than any other people. The Saints moved as villages on wheels - a whole faith, culture, and people. "...

While these passages describe the experiences of the first pioneer company that arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in July of 1847, all pioneers would have experienced the exhilaration of seeing the Salt Lake Valley for the first time and realizing that their journey was almost done. "Home" is such a powerful idea. Do you have places that feel like home? That you would consider your home? Have you ever moved from one home to another? While the pioneer experience was different in many ways from ours, they also shared many experiences and feelings that we have today.  "Whether the Saints had driven a wagon, pushed and pulled a handcart, herded the cattle, or walked the entire route on blistered feet, the promise of better days and freedom to worship in peace awaited in the Valley of the Great Salt Lake. The Saints, some of whom had wandered along the banks of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, and the flatlands of Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa for nearly fifteen years, found...

"On the trail itself, opportunities for trading were limited to within one's own company, except at Fort Laramie and Fort Bridger. Archer Walters, a member of the Willie Handcart Company in 1856, wrote: 'Camped 3 miles from Fort Laramie. Trucked away [traded] a dagger for a piece of bacon and salt and sold one for One dollar and one-fourth. Bought bacon and meal and Henry [his son] and me began to eat it raw we were so hungry.' John Jaques, who was traveling in the Martin Handcart Company the same year, recorded in his diary on October 8, at Fort Laramie: 'I took a cup of tea at Brother Haven's and another at Sister Dove's. Got a little salaratus from Brother Haven's and another at Sister Dove's. Got a little salaratus from Brother Haven an da little salt from another brother.' The next day, he and several men in the company went to Fort Laramie 'to buy provisions, etc. I went and sold my watch for thirteen dollars. I bought from the fort co...

On the Trail, everyone had work to do. Much of trail life was walking or riding; moving toward Zion. But in the mornings and evenings when the pioneers were settling in for the night or preparing for another day's travel, there was work to be done; and fun to be had. To have a memorable Trek experience, don't sit back and let others do the work and have the fun. Throw yourself into you family. Help your Trek "parents." Support your Trek "siblings." Be a doer, not an observer. And HAVE FUN. "Pioneers who left reminiscences of the trail dwelled far more frequently on the good times than the monotonous and typical aspects of travel. Daily domestic chores were performed as soon as the wagons stopped. Men (and some women) unhitched their teams and took them for water. Besides cooking, baking, and laundry, mothers crammed in other responsibilities: giving someone a hair cut, pulling a tooth, nursing a new baby, soothing a sick child. "Young girls did t...

Single Latter-day Saints were a significant proportion of pioneers. "Latter-day Saint camps included many single Mormon women immigrants in contrast to the Oregon trail where, according to Lillian Schlissel, they were rare. There were at least eight-four widows and single women in the ill-fated Martin Handcart Company of 1856, for example. Single men, widows, widowers, and orphans were fitted into Mormon traveling communities. Single men were hired as teamsters, drivers, cattle tenders, and handy men. Single women assisted with children, cooking, and elderly family members. Both sexes thus acquired a sort of temporary family on the trail." Selection from Stanley B. and Violet T. Kimball's 2011 book,  Villages on Wheels: A Social History of the Gathering to Zion.

President Julie Frost who is in charge of music for Trek shared with me the following videos. See the links below. Watch them to become familiar with some of the songs we'll be singing at Trek. You will have the lyrics printed and available to you. These videos will help you become familiar with the melodies.  I'm a Pioneer Too I Will Walk with Jesus Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing This Little Light of Mine Anytime, Anywhere True to the Faith Little Pioneer Children To Be a Pioneer I Will Be What I Believe The Handcart Song

Dust was a constant companion for pioneers travelers. I suspect that we'll have the opportunity of smelling, tasting, and feeling dust during Trek. Clean water will be refreshing not only to quench thirst, but also to wash the sweat and dirt off of your face at the close of a long day and to get the dirt out of your mouth. I don't know if we'll "consume a pint of dust," but we'll get a taste of what pioneers experienced. "Mary Elizabeth was one of the rare [Latter-day Saint] pioneers to mention the ‘pint of dust’ consumed that so many Oregonians complained about. On August 1, 1863, she wrote: ‘Among the hills and rocks most of the day, and dust an inch thick. … Had breakfast of bacon, fried cakes and coffee, traveled on a good road for miles, then stopped, cooked dinner, wind blowing a gale of sand all over us. I think we will get the proverbial peck of dust before we get through.’ She added: ‘I write by fire light. Danes at prayers, our folks the same wh...

Doing challenging things with other fallible, imperfect human beings can be trying, to say the least. Poor weather can heighten already difficult times. Into this pressure cooker that could be trail life, distinct or even rough personalities could exacerbate hard feelings. A little perspective, patience, good-humor, forgiveness, and just trying to put yourself in others' shoes will go a long way to making your own Trek experience even better. "While many of the pioneers, especially the youngsters, found the travel pleasant, the reality included cold rain, blistering heat, strong winds, stampeding cattle, barking dogs, scared sheep, mooing cattle, and squealing pigs. Wolves howled in the distance, children cried, teenagers yelled back and forth, women wept for comforts left behind, men threatened each other, parents quarreled, and mosquitoes and other insects feasted on the hapless victims. (The real tragedies of the fourth and fifth handcart companies were unrepresentative of ...

Can you imagine how welcome news from loved ones on the trail would be? Connection is a core need for humans. In gathering to Zion, Latter-day Saints left loved ones. Through letter writing, a very common 19th-century occurrence, pioneers were able to keep in touch with those they left. Communication along the trail from one group to another was also important. Both written and verbal communications helped leaders organize travel and minimize disruptions. "Travelers had a normal desire to keep in touch with loved ones on and off the trail. On May 4, 1847, Charles Beaumont, a returning trapper on the Oregon Trail, crossed the Platte River to meet the pioneers. In exchange for a little bread and salt, he agreed to take some letters to Winter Quarters if they could be written within fifteen minutes. In six and a half minutes, fifty letters were ready. Thereafter letters went back and forth via Saints traveling in both directions. Regular mail service began in 1850 as the federal gove...

We will not be on the trail long enough to have to worry about doing laundry. And, we won't have any infants or toddlers and, thus, cloth diapers to clean. I suspect that by Saturday afternoon, you'll be very happy to take a bath or shower and change into some clean clothes.  “On April 19, 1852, Lucy Cooke, en route to Council Bluffs on a slow boat, wrote to her sister Marianne, ‘I have now got through having washed 12 diapers, sundry aprons, night gown & petticoat. I’ve not yet changed my own under clothes.’” Selection from Stanley B. and Violet T. Kimball's 2011 book,  Villages on Wheels: A Social History of the Gathering to Zion.

Pioneer travel on the trail was often dirty. The wagons and feet of pioneers and animals kicked up a lot of dust. 19th-century overland travelers often followed rivers and streams so that the pioneers and their animals had water to drink. It is not by accident that the Mormon Trail followed the Platte, North Platte, and Sweetwater Rivers. Once the pioneers crossed the continental divide, they used water sources that eventually ended up in the the Colorado River, the Gulf of California and Pacific Ocean or the Great Salt Lake. Those rivers and streams provided water for the pioneers to bath and refresh tired bodies as well. Where we are headed for Trek, there is not a lot of water. If there was, we wouldn't want to drink it without filtering it. We will be hauling fresh, clean water for Trek. If past Treks are followed, there will be an opportunity to use that water to clean up and refresh, be it a hair wash or washing hands and splashing water on your face. You will have plenty of ...

We read earlier of young children in a handcart company who were old enough to walk and so were herded in front of the company. But what about the families with infants who were too young to walk, or walk great distances? I had assumed that they rode in the wagons or handcarts, and perhaps many did, but I had never thought of adults carrying toddlers on the trail to Zion. Some people like to ruck for their health and strength. Moms and sisters rucked with infants, apparently. “Child care was greatly complicated by traveling, but pioneer women were quick to find substitutes for cradles and beds. Diapering infants was a constant problem, especially when water was scarce. Although references were scarce, it was probably common to dry, scrape, wash if possible, air, and reuse the cloth diapers. Many women probably learned from Indian women how to use grass, moss, and even pulverized buffalo dung, which was absorbent. Most camps allowed the babies to sleep in the wagons as long as possible....

Oxen were some of the most important animals on the trail. It is not surprising that pioneers gave them names and treated them like they were part of the family. We'll have trucks to pull our equipment and food. Before steam, gas, and now electric powered vehicles, humans relied on animals to haul things and get places. That, and walking. “Birds, rabbits, prairie dogs, eagles, chickens, antelopes, and lambs were adopted en route. Horses, oxen, and sheep became pets. Some even tried to tame buffalo calves. Most families gave pet names to their oxen. The most popular were Buck, Berry, Tom, Jerry, Bright, and Bill, but Pink, Duke, Stoney, Susy, Dick, Darby, Leon, Smut, Boily, and Snarley also made their appearance. Any of them could be prefaced ‘Old.’ Cows were christened Lady Blackie, Lady Milky, and Lady Cherry. A particularly cantankerous one rejoiced in the soubriquet of Lady Lucifer.” Selection from Stanley B. and Violet T. Kimball's 2011 book,  Villages on Wheels: A Social H...

How do you picture the history of Latter-day Saints on the trail? Do trials and suffering come to mind? Do you ever think of romance and excitement? The teenage trail experience could be awesome in lots of ways.  “Weeks and months spent in close quarters permitted people to get well acquainted. For teenagers who were not cripplingly burdened by camp chores, driving teams, inclement weather, illness, and caring for young siblings, the novelty of the surroundings lent an air of romance. Kezia Carroll recalled: ‘The thrill of the pleasant hours spent together and … nice little conversations … helped to shorten the journey.’ Many wrote of laughing, joking, gathering flowers, picking berries, and other pleasant activities. A few deemed it novel and romantic to travel in wagons. Riding double on horseback, singing, dancing, and conversing by the moonlight were considered thrilling, especially with the addition of bouquets of sweet-scented wild flowers. Such pleasant activities lightened ...

Don't worry, we won't drive you along the trail with willows. It is difficult to comprehend what trail life was like in certain circumstances. Sometimes, obedience and discipline were a matter of life and death. In the meantime, I'm going to go learn more about the Daniel McArthur Handcart Company. I can't imagine this. But it is important that we understand history as it happened, not as we wish it had. “The Daniel McArthur Handcart Company, which left Florence, Nebraska, on July 13, escaped much of the suffering borne by the Willie and Martin companies, but Theo Didriksson describes the children’s treatment as harsh by today’s terms: ‘There were 30 children in the company and every morning they were sent ahead of the grownups, all in one bunch. Some of them had very little clothing, but they all wore hats. They were driven along with willows and had to keep walking as long as they could. No use to cry or complain but along during the day when it was hot they were allo...

There is beauty all around us if we have eyes to see it. Here is hoping that you have moments of transcendence where you are overwhelmed by the sublime. Perhaps it will be a sunset or sunrise, wide open spaces, or the feeling of being far away from everything. Open your eyes and soak it all in. Fill all of your senses, the smells, the touch, the sounds and tastes, in addition to sights, of Trek. “In 1851 Jean Rio Baker, passing west of Fort Bridger, wrote ‘The country for the last three days has been beyond description for wildness and beauty. We are, indeed, among the everlasting hills.’ Like many foreign immigrants, she was enchanted with her first experience with fireflies, ‘the most beautiful natural phenomenon I have ever beheld.’ Near the dramatic Scotts Bluffs, teenager Angelina Farley noted in 1850: ‘The scenery around us is singularly wild and grotesque, the bluffs representing ranges of ruined castles, places, and temples.’” Selection from Stanley B. and Violet T. Kimball...

When you have more than one person, you need some form of government or understanding about expectations of behavior. Obviously we fall under the jurisdiction of the United States. Beyond those laws, we can strive to act like Jesus - help each other out, cheer up the sad or befriend the lonely, appreciate everyone as a child of God, even when they get on your nerves. Of course we expect everyone to be law-abiding citizens. But that's the bare minimum. Let's have "values" and "norms of behavior" that makes Trek amazing. “From the beginning, Latter-day Saints were very particular about obedience, values, norms of behavior, rules, regulations, discipline, camp councils, and written constitutions.” Selection from Stanley B. and Violet T. Kimball's 2011 book,  Villages on Wheels: A Social History of the Gathering to Zion. AI-generated image. How would you change it?

One of the fun things about this entry is that it captures a moment when a diarist is self-consciously noting herself writing in her diary. Can't you picture her on a log "scribbling" in her diary? Each of you will be given a journal. Please fill its pages. Your 83-year-old self will thank you. “Emmeline B. Whitney (later Wells) was one of a few diarists who actually wrote about writing on Tuesday, March 3, 1846: ‘[I] took a walk in the woods … found stems of strawberry leaves green and fresh I intend to keep them as a memorial. … Ann [Elizabeth Ann Smith Whitney, Newel K. Whitney’s first wife] and I came up on the hill which was very long … seated ourselves on a prostrate log and here I am at the present time scribbling.’” Selection from Stanley B. and Violet T. Kimball's 2011 book,  Villages on Wheels: A Social History of the Gathering to Zion. These AI-generated images all have a look. I'll be interested to see what you can create.

Hunting was an important part of procuring food for overland travel. Thank goodness we'll have a refrigerated trailer to keep our food fresh and healthy, and plenty of it. If we had to rely on our hunting skills to survive, do you think we could? As you're hiking, keep an eye out for animals that could be hunted if needed to survive. On the ranch, a beef might be our easiest prey. But don't think about it. The cows are not ours to eat. “Hunting, fishing, and riding were high adventure, particularly to the young men. Hunting was not only fun but could also yield welcome meat for the pot. Almost anything that moved could be a target: deer, antelope, buffalo, bear, turkey, and ducks. Latter-day Saints were advised to kill only what they needed and not to waste the meat, a marked difference from some of the trigger-happy American trains.” Selection from Stanley B. and Violet T. Kimball's 2011 book,  Villages on Wheels: A Social History of the Gathering to Zion. Yep, this AI...

When you envision the pioneers traveling along the trail, what animals to you picture? Oxen? Horses? A Milk Cow? Latter-day Saints gathered to Zion to create a heaven on earth. For a lot of us, heaven wouldn't be heaven without our animal friends. During your four days of Trek, you'll be away from your pets. After an absence, they'll be so excited to see you. If you ever create a painting of Latter-day Saint pioneers on the trail, consider throwing in some beehives, or some chickens or cats. If you do, your painting will be historically accurate. “Sometimes, husbands and fathers tried to make westering easier for their families by letting them bring along favorite pets. When Heber C. Kimball took his second trip along the trail in 1848, the animals accompanying his train read like a small zoo: oxen, horses, mules, cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens, cats, dogs, goats, geese, doves, a squirrel and some beehives! The squirrel, cats, and dogs were obviously someone’s pets, although...

When you are on Trek, see if you can map out the organization of Trek. Trek families are foundational to the experience. You share a handcart with them, prepare and eat meals together, and give moral support to each other. The families are under the direction of the Stake Presidency who are the leaders of this adventure and who have called stake members to help with the activities, ensure there is safe, healthy food, move the porta potties, take care of injuries, ensure general health, and so forth. When a large group gets together, there needs to be order or things would devolve into chaos. Note below how individuals worked together, sometimes giving up their own desires, to serve the greater good. When the bugle sounded, you got ready to move, whether you wanted to or not. Discipline and cooperation was essential to moving thousands of people across the continent. Organization and cooperation are in the DNA of Latter-day Saints.  "The camp was organized into three divisions, and...

Trek is going to be fun. Yes, there will be chores and a lot of walking, but you can choose to celebrate the good and beautiful. See the good in the moments of Trek and make some amazing memories. “Although the fifteen-year-old Romania [Bunnell Pratt] did her share of chores in 1855, she recalled the journey as ‘a summer full of pleasure to me; the early evening walks gathering wild flowers, climbing the rugged and ofttimes forbidding hills – the pleasant evening by the bright camp fire, while sweet songs floated forth.’ These experiences ‘gladdened our young hearts.’” Selection from Stanley B. and Violet T. Kimball's 2011 book,  Villages on Wheels: A Social History of the Gathering to Zion. I actually kind of like this AI image. It was a "first try" image.

There are some things we will not experience on Trek, but it is important for us to appreciate that life went on for the Latter-day Saint pioneers on the trail and that included mothers giving birth to children. If things get hard for you on the trail during Trek, think back to this topic and gain some perspective. It could be much worse. In spite of challenges, these pioneer women pushed forward. And in that hardship, I want to believe that there were still those moments of overwhelming love and connection to their newborn babies for whom they were sacrificing so much. “Since pregnancy and childbirth were not considered cause to delay a journey, the women made do with makeshift care and few comforts. A surprising number of babies were born under trying circumstances, and the outcome for both mother and child was often harsh. Given the difficulties of trail travel and little medical knowledge and practices, the wonder is that more tiny graves did not line the trail west. “Women gave ...

We will be on Trek the week before the 4th of July. Have you wondered how pioneers celebrated the 4th of July on the trail? “Both Mormons and American travelers commemorated July 4 th with elaborate patriotic observances. They generally started a daybreak with gun and cannon salutes, and continued with cheers, speeches, toasts, feasts, parades, dancing, and drinking whatever spirits were available. Music was provided by whatever instruments were available – or even improvised . A fife and drum corps could be made out of box elder branches by forcing out the pith and boring holes into the stem. Cooking pans became makeshift drums.” Selection from Stanley B. and Violet T. Kimball's 2011 book,  Villages on Wheels: A Social History of the Gathering to Zion. California became the 31st state on September 9, 1850. From 1848 to 1850, there were 30 states. Perhaps AI put 30 stars on this flag on purpose.

Modern life comes with its costs. Where we live, there is a lot of light pollution at night. We need to travel quite some distance from the Wasatch Front and other population centers to be able to see the night sky the way generations before us did. Sleeping out "under the stars," I hope that you'll look up at all of the stars and planets overhead. Mankind has often looked up to the heavens to understand their place on earth. Latter-day Saint pioneers were no different. Like the pioneers of old, look to heaven and feel the majesty of God's Creation. “Orson Pratt brought his telescope on the trail in the summer of 1847. On April 24, he and fellow travelers marveled at the magnified moons of Jupiter. The vast expanse of the plains and clear skies free of modern haze and artificial light presented stunning night skies. Robert Stoney recorded seeing ‘the aurora borealis, or northern lights … very clear.’” Selection from Stanley B. and Violet T. Kimball's 2011 book,  V...

Many Latter-day Saint pioneers loved to dance. It was a fun diversion from the demands of trail life. Few are born knowing how to dance. We all need to learn as some point. Part of our Trek activity will be a hoedown. But don't be worried. Before Trek, we are going to have a fun activity where you'll be able to learn how to square dance and be able to practice. Like the pioneers, you might just discover that a fun dance at the end of a long day is quite fun. “Dancing schools were organized at Winter Quarters in the winter of 1846-47 to give more people a chance to learn those cotillions and Virginia reels. Richard Ballantyne, a young convert from Scotland, described a school conducted across the river at Council Bluffs: ‘To keep up the desponding spirits of the Saints, and to prevent as many as possible from being discouraged, President Young gave encouragement to dancing. As many did not know how, dancing schools were established. The cheering music and social pleasure found i...

The Latter-day Saints have a strong and broad tradition of the visual arts. Some pioneers actually pulled out their painting supplies to paint what they saw on the trail. Others sketched scenes into their journals. Some of you may be inspired to not only write about Trek, but even capture your experience through art. “A few pioneers did some painting. At Winter Quarters in 1848, Philo Dibble, for example, did a series illustrating such significant episodes as ‘The Martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum’ and ‘Joseph Smith’s Last Address to the Nauvoo Legion.’ Wilford Woodruff declared it to be ‘the best art in the world.’ Frederick H. Piercy, an Englishman especially brought over to make some drawings of Church leaders and trail drawings in 1853, illustrated a popular trail book, Route from Liverpool to Salt Lake City .” Selection from Stanley B. and Violet T. Kimball's 2011 book,  Villages on Wheels: A Social History of the Gathering to Zion.

One of the exciting parts of trail life was seeing wild animals. Each of you will have a journal to capture your Trek experience. In the future, you will come across your journal, pull it off the shelf or out of a box, and re-read it. Try to capture as many details as possible. One thing you might note are the animals you saw.  “Scores of Mormon trail records mention animals: squirrels, ducks, snapping turtles, various kinds of fish, goose, lizards, skunks, prairie dogs, rattlesnakes, antelope, hares, wolves, buffalo, badgers, deer, crickets, spiders, scorpions, toads, ants, mosquitoes, horse flies, mice, eagles, hawks, cranes, martins, pheasants, and magpies. William Clayton wrote May 23, 1847: ‘A while ago I went out a little distance to view an adder which Geo Billings had discovered. It was a dark brown color about 18 inches long and ¼ inch thick through the body. They are represented as very poisonous.’” Selection from Stanley B. and Violet T. Kimball's 2011 book,  Villag...

Human beings belong to the animal kingdom. Like all animals, humans need to eliminate waste in order to stay healthy. Are you nervous about that part of Trek? Please don't be. Trek is so well organized, there will be support staff transporting "Porta-Potties," "Porta-Johns" or "Honeypots," whatever you prefer to call them, to each camp. You will have privacy and plenty of clean water and soap to stay clean and healthy. Please stay healthy and use these facilities as often as nature calls. And please don't be embarrassed about being human. Everyone else on Trek is as well.  “On the trail, the universal rule as part of the morning routine was: ‘Gents to the right, ladies to the left.’ Women could retire from the camp in small groups and, by spreading their long skirts, provide screens for each other. Immigrants were frequently advised, rather decorously, to remember the ‘Law of Moses,’ meaning the restriction decreed in Deuteronomy 23:13: ‘And thou s...

Pioneer teens (an age category that actually developed in the 20th century) performed adult tasks. On Trek, there will be a lot to do. Don't stand back and let the others do the work. If you see something that needs doing, step in and offer to help. At a minimum, ask your mas and pas, "Is there anything I can do to help you?" Part of the fun of Trek will be helping set up and take down, cooking and cleaning up food, and being the first to jump in and support the activities. If you are naturally reserved and shy around strangers, your small Trek families can be a great place to push against your comfort zone and put yourself out there. Check out some of the things that pioneer people your age and younger did to move to Zion. “Twelve-year-old Matilda Ann Duncan earned bragging rights by driving ‘the final 500 miles to Utah in 1848 without any mishaps.’ These miles comprised the entire trail past Fort Laramie, through the Wasatch Mountains, and down steep Echo Canyon where m...

Singing will be a big part of Trek. In the 19th-century, it was something that kept the pioneers focused and inspired. Latter-day Saints have a strong tradition of singing and musical performances. “All companies sang popular songs and hymns. Orson Pratt wrote in 1846: ‘During the evening, as usual, the animating sounds of music, in different parts of the camp, seemed to break gently in upon the surrounding solitudes of these uninhabited regions.’ Latter-day Saints favored hymns such as ‘The Morning Breaks,’ ‘Redeemer of Israel,’ ‘How Firm a Foundation,’ ‘The Spirit of God,’ ‘O My Father,’ ‘Hail to the Prophet,’ and ‘Come All Ye Sons of Zion,’ – hymns still sung today. The most famous Latter-day Saint hymn of them all, the LDS ‘Marseilles,’ was the poignant ‘Come, Come, Ye Saints.’” Selection from Stanley B. and Violet T. Kimball's 2011 book,  Villages on Wheels: A Social History of the Gathering to Zion.

Not much quilting would have been done on the trail between Winter Quarters and Salt Lake City, but in 1846 and 1847 when Latter-day Saints were in Winter Quarters and several temporary settlements across Iowa, they were a more common occurrence. “Quilting parties were so common that they were seldom noted, but many women mentioned making quilts or helping someone make one.” Selection from Stanley B. and Violet T. Kimball's 2011 book,  Villages on Wheels: A Social History of the Gathering to Zion.