Pioneer Children Sang As They Walked, And Walked, And Walked...

Six months ago, I accompanied a very frustrated Natasha to the 'kick-off' fireside for our Stake Pioneer Trek to take place in July. She had zero desire to go...in fact, she was pretty resentful that we were "making" her participate. And that fireside proved even less helpful in exciting her about the prospect of dressing up in layers of pioneer clothes, trudging 30 miles through the deserts of Wyoming pulling heavy handcarts in 105 degree heat with a "family" of strangers she had never met while dirt swirled all around her. In fact, as we left the fireside, she refused to speak to me...it was an interesting parenting moment to say the least. We walked in the door to our home and she immediately burst into tears begging her daddy not to make her go...
Fast forward six months...and she STILL was hating the idea of trek. No matter what anyone said about the great experience trek could be, she was pretty darn sure it wasn't for her. Nonetheless, I gathered all the clothes and supplies she would need (thanks to Internet ordering!) and dropped off her packed bucket and sleeping bag to her trek Ma and Pa.
Surprisingly, she informed me the night before her departure that she had, indeed, taken our advice and prayed about going...she knew it would be alright and she was willing to do it. I was so grateful for the Lord blessing her with peace.
And, so, at 5:45 a.m., in a week of record heat, I dropped her off at the stake center to begin her experience. My eyes welled up with tears as I hugged her good-bye. I could sense her hesitancy in greeting her stranger family and the worry for the unknown that seemed to plague her mind. I felt awful as I drove away wondering just why I was making her do this...but I prayed it would be to her benefit and give her a life experience that would instill gratitude for those who suffered and sacrificed for us that we might enjoy the gospel.
While she was gone, I heard some scary stories about leaders using up every IV supply that was taken to treat very sick, heat ridden and dehydrated youth. I heard of how hard this trek was and so worried about my daughter's health and safety. I was anxious all morning on July 4th and couldn't wait to get my girl home, hopefully, safe and sound. I sped to the stake center to pick her up at the appointed time and awaited her bus to arrive.
Those poor, dirty, bedraggled kids stepped wearily off the buses and my heart burst for them. They looked like a bunch of pitiful refugees so in need of love and a shower! And then I saw my Tash step off that bus...complete with a big grin! I hugged her so tight and made sure she was still in one piece. I asked her immediately if she was ok and could tell me if her experience was a good one. And she replied: "I can't, Mom, I'll just cry if I do." And I felt the tears in my eyes yet again...but I knew this time, that she had come away from that trek a changed girl. And I was so grateful to the Lord for blessing her with new understanding and testimony.
I took her straight to Roxberry to get some sugar and water back into that cute, dehydrated, body and home to shower. As she stripped off her clothes and showed me her layers upon layers of dirt (yep, she looked like she had the world's best spray tan, she was so dirty! I've never seen Tash with such a tan face! LOL), she described parts of her trek to me and I just stood there and smiled. Because I knew the dirt would wash away, the clothes could be laundered (I hope!), and she could sleep in an air-conditioned room that night, but the memories she gleaned from her pioneer trek will stay with her forever...

Natasha and her Ma, Sister Adams