Bonneville Stake Pioneer Trek - July 13-16, 2015

Clint and I were called to be the Transportation Committee for the Bonneville Stake Pioneer Trek. We accepted, even though we knew it would occur two weeks after we moved from Salt Lake City. Heck, we'd been living 100 feet outside of the stake boundaries two years, anyway! Clint made arrangements for the buses to carry the people and the trailers to carry the stuff. I ordered 12 different patterns of ducktape in red, yellow and blue color families to put on each kids bucket for the easy sorting of stuff. Then I just followed orders and pitched in wherever during the trek, while Clint was on the walkie-talkie or four wheelers making it all sort out. I have to say it was a very enjoyable three days. My sisters had my little kids. My teenagers were with their fake "Mas" and "Pas" and I just visited and worked with the other adult logistics crew. It was a great time.

At one of the Pre-Events

 Wyoming is so high there are no mountains above, because you are on top of the mountains! It's really beautiful with a huge sky that dumped rain on us every afternoon.

These rocks are called Brigham's Arrow, a pioneer trail marker. The stake leadership was not into making the kids miserable and exhausted. I think they hiked a total of eighteen miles in three days and they fed them like kings--Costa Vida the first night! But several times a day they stopped for devotionals with speakers on the historical parts of the trail that we were on. President McConkie, President Fowles and President Jackson can bring the spirit in about three words.

 Privileges of your parents being on the committee: Cole got to come, even though he was only 12.

Cole Lucked out and got these two as his Ma and Pa. They don't make 'em better than Missy and Troy Hardy. I served with Missy in the Stake Primary Presidency. Missy said that she was so impressed with Cole's attitude and work ethic and that he had a very sweet testimony.

We were so blessed because Dave and Karly Nielsen requested to have Talmage in their family. They love him and did a great job of keeping track of him.

 

 The activity committee had the kids build this model of the Nauvoo Temple! What a neat experience!

 Hear I am yaking with some of the support crew, Debbie Graham and Heather Hays.

 Here's Heather in the nighttime blue grass band. Guitar, puffy coat, head-lamp, all set.

 Dave McConkie. One of our dear friends, who now lives in Kaysville! We get to hang with him and Michelle frequently.

 Here is Sierra our long-time babysitter. She's a pioneer in her own right. She joined the church when she was 10. She's been on her own since about 13. She's a sweetheart and tough cookie.

 Leslie and Scott Wilkey. Love them. He's our accountant. Leslie was the Primary President and has a big spot in her heart for Talmage because Talmage is so good with her autistic grandson.

 With Molly Justice and Laura DeLannoy. Molly and I served together in the Stake Primary Presidency. I was Laura's visiting teacher.

 Ariane and Dave Dansie. I rode Lotoja with Ariane and Dave is Mr. Bicycle and was Jack's Wolf Den Leader.

 Dr. Jeff Robison (medical person on call), Ryan Humphreys, Clint's assistant.

 Clint and I hanging in the adult-only screen tent Clint set up with a cooler full of diet coke. It was very popular.

 These two were the most amazing activity committee ever. Leather satchels, leather journals, a 15-foot high temple replica you could walk inside? Inspired and inspiring.

 Heather and Harland Hayes - in charge of it all.

 
Cort and Maryanne Andrews. I adore them and their four smart and sassy daughters. Cort offered up a key connection for Clint in getting his job at AMRG. They moved to Utah county about the same time we moved to Farmington.

John and Debbie Graham: Food Committee. He's an oral surgeon turned orthodontist. She's a pediatric dentist and has four kids, yet she cooked and froze nine meals for 180 people! She's amazing.

Molly and Jeff Justice. Jeff is a real estate broker. Molly is a computer programmer. She is an amazing mother.

Jenny and Matt Asay. Jenny is the creative power behind the Nativity in the Glen, the Bonneville Elementary Shakespeare play and the Bonneville ski program. Matt was our home teacher and made us all fat on his homemade pies and Banbury Cross donuts on all our birthdays.

Boy this blog has made me homesick for our Yalecrest neighborhood. Boo Hoo!