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7/16/11 Pioneer Trek

 7/16/11
Pioneer Bryce
Survived pioneer trek!  It was a really great experience.  I wasn't assigned to a family so when I went I didn't really know where I would fit into everything.  The first little while I kind of hopped around from one group to the next but the family that Dallas was in was the most welcoming and so I decided to be their "Aunt Shelly" or Aunt Mmmmm (because I brought a TON of M&M's and shared them with everyone).  Needless to say I was pretty popular as the m's lasted most of the trek!

The people that organized the trek did an amazing job.  We had devotionals each morning with our family.  We learned about a dozen different people and their stories within our families.  There was stops all along the way where additional pioneer stories were shared along with songs.  There were many times during the trek where people would be brought to tears as they shared or heard of the experiences of the pioneers.  There were white flags all along the trek signifying people who died trying to get to Utah.
Bryce 

The youth as a whole were extremely pleasant to be around and the boys were really nice to the girls.  The boys had all the girls go before them in the meal line to get food first.

The kids all sat as families (there were about a dozen families total) and it was amazing how close they got within a couple of days.  I was really impressed at how they looked out for one another and pitched in and took care of whatever needed done.  Pulling the handcart was not easy but they kids did it with little complaint.  Many of the families sang and giggled all along the way.  We trekked 8 miles the first day, 6.5 the second and 3 today.  Yesterday was the hardest day for me because I was sore and tired from the first day and then we went a pretty long way.



No make-up pioneer selfie

Bryce's family

Annie and Aunt Shelly


There was pioneer games and good food and a really neat testimony meeting.

The testimony meeting was done as a stake and the kids were seriously racing to get up and get their turn.  It lasted almost 2 hours and Pres. Koeven had to get up and stop it or it probably would have gone on much longer.  The adults were asked not to get up ... so that was ALL KIDS!!!!  It was pretty neat to hear them testify of their love of Christ and how they had grown from the experience that they had.

Dallas seemed to really enjoy having his Aunt Shelly around.  It was kind of funny because we didn't say anything about being related and after a full day of doing stuff something was said that made it known that I was his mother.  One of the girls was like, WHAT????  You're his MOTHER??? No way...and on and on.  She's like you don't look like him and you don't look old enough to be his mom.  She was freaked out for awhile.  Made me laugh!

Annie and Aunt Shelly
Bryce said he was jealous I wasn't in his group -- I tried to go over quite a bit but I guess it wasn't quite enough.  He seemed to really enjoy his family and I think he had a pretty fun experience too. Both he and Dallas bore their testimony Friday night.  Bryce got in line and 4 people got in front of him (there was buckets lined up and then kids sitting on the ground waiting and somehow a group got the buckets before he could get up or something...not exactly sure. )  Then another group of 4 got in front of him.  He continued patiently waiting and then it was finally his turn and he started to stand up and Pres. Koeven stood up behind him and took the mike (to tell people to try to stay focused on actually giving testimonies and not unrelated stories and to keep it short 'cause the line was HUGE to give your testimony).  So Bryce is thinking that he isn't going to get a turn and I guess is a little bit agitated.  Pres. Koeven gives the mike back to him and he says, "I'm not gonna lie, I was thinking about punching you!"  Aaaahhhh!!!!  Everybody laughs and I just shake my head. 
Today I'm Aunt Shelly, not mom
 Only Bryce tells the Stake Presidency he's thinking of punching them!  So that was mentioned several times throughout the rest of the meeting.  Bryce says he apologized to him afterward and I also apologized for Bryce. 

 Funny kid that one!

Well I hope you had a great week and I can't wait to hear about it.  I imagine once my head hits the pillow I should sleep like a baby!

Love you, Mom.

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