Health & Fitness
My Own Pioneer Trek - Pioneer Trek Story #5
A story of how one young man has been on his own pioneer trek.
This post is written by Caleb Scott from Lakeside.
My name is Caleb Scott. I am 16 years old and a member of the Lakeside ward. I was recently baptized on February 11th of this year and it has been the best decision of my life so far.
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I went on the pioneer trek on my own time and out of my own free will. I had always heard of the pioneers and what they had to go through but I never thought that I would have to reenact it. The Trek taught me a great deal about myself and my heritage. I came to understand what it meant to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the sacrifice that many undertook to give the future generation a chance at a normal life.
Some activities such as pulling the handcart for 13 miles were difficult but it didn't bother me as much as I had thought it would. I thought I was going to be around a bunch of whining kids that were forced to go because their parents wanted them to. I soon found out that most of the kids there were there for the exact opposite reason.
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Through 13 miles of back breaking labor, my family and I managed to pull the cart without complaint. We were actually short-handed and had a smaller family but I believe that brought us closer. I came to know some pretty amazing people and made a few friends. I wouldn't give up this experience for anything in the world.
As I said I was recently baptized. I studied the church for four years and through many heated conversations, I was finally granted permission. To my knowledge, I am the only member in my family. So in a way, I consider myself a pioneer. Much like the pioneers of the 1800s, I am laying a foundation for future generations to come.
The part of the trek that really affected me was people giving their testimony at the end. It was refreshing to know that other people took something out of the trek as well. We were all lucky for this experience and I'm sure that everybody else feels the same. I'm very grateful for the family I was assigned to and the Ma and Pa I had. The environment was so warm it was as if I was at home with my personal family. Thank you to the leaders who made it possible and if I could go in four years, I would.
