Trekking Across Wyoming

Everyone who has ever been on a stake trek knows what I'm about to tell you all, but for those that haven't...
I just came back from our Mapleton Stake Trek and had a great time. We went to Martians Cove, Rocky Ridge and all over the state of Wyoming. It was good overall, but my most favorite part was that I got to know some of the people from my ward better (you know, the people you know of, but you don't know them as a friend or such.)
We had such a fun time on the bus ride home! But that comes later...
We left on Thursday morning at 4:00 IN THE MORNING! But although most of the youth weren't that excited about our departure time, I always feel like its an adventure when you have to get up that early! I got assigned to my "family" and met them all. There were five boys and four girls including me. I was a bit nervous that there was no one in my ward there, but I got to know my "siblings" better and found out that we all have some very different personalities, hobbies, ideas and such. It was better than I had thought it would be! =D
My little brother, Tyson, was in group 12, and I was with 26, so we were pretty far away. I had hoped he was having a good time, already I could see him making friends.
My family and I got on our bus #73, (this was my first time EVER on a school bus, =D) and started the long drive to Wyoming. Most of the people slept, but I kept up conversation with those that weren't checking the back of their eyelids for holes. When one of them drifted off, I would just chat with another one. That's basically how it went the whole way there, because I can't fall asleep in moving vehicles. =)
We stopped for bathroom breaks every two hours, and had lunch in a small town somewhere in Colorado. I couldn't seem to find my family anywhere, so I just sat with one of the girls from my ward. Then I went people-watching while eating my turkey wrap and chips. Its interesting the kind of things you see when you watch people specifically like that. You guys should try it out sometime!
When we finally got to Martians Cove (9 hours later :D) we all unloaded, and ran to the bathroom. I went to fill my water bottle when I saw one of the guys from my EFY group. I was happy to see a familiar face, and I quickly said 'hi' before being called off somewhere else again. I think we should really get together and have a EFY reunion, 'cause I miss all those guys so much!
Anyway, I was smart and wore my shawl that day, when it was around 95 degrees outside, and hardly any breeze. I laugh at myself, but at least I looked like a real pioneer!
Our families rounded us all up eventually and brought us to an orientation in the missionaries cabin. We watched a little clip from President Hinckley, and heard some stories about the different pioneers etc. The missionaries also told us how our little sisters (ages 8-11) made blankets for the people in third-world countries. They had all of us, who had a little sister that helped, stand up. I was proud of Sierra when I stood up with the rest, and thanked her much when I got home. I'm sure those people will really benefit, at least in some small way, what she sacrificed for them.
After our orientation, they set us off on a 5 mile hike up to the cove. They had asked us to be reverently quiet when we had reached the Dan Jones cove, and in silence as we walked the last little bit to Martians Cove. Our stake president spoke to us at the first cove, all about the sacrifice those pioneers had made, and many more stories of their experience on the trek there. I think its so awesome to hear these tales of how life really was then, and actually be there where it happened so long ago. They told us that if we had our minds and hearts opened, that we could feel the presence of those people that died, and sacrificed so much there.
After hearing from our stake president and another missionary, we started off in silence for Martians cove. I said a little prayer that my mind and heart might be open to the experiences they had had there, and that I might feel at least a small portion of their strong, faithful spirits. I expected the cove to be more of a cave, so I was a bit surprised to hear that little valley, in between the mountains, was really where they stayed. I thought about what it would have been like, all covered in snow, with hardly any food, and nearly no shoes, just bandages on their feet. How cold the must've been, how happy they were to finally stop and rest, and how very sad they felt when 13 members of their party died in one night from freezing or overexhaustion.
The song "Come, Come, Ye Saints," kept running through my head as I walked along. I didn't feel any particular strong feeling come over me as I expected, just a quiet peace. One that I had often felt before. Simple, gentle, calm, as if they were telling me that they knew, with all their hearts, that they would have done it all over again. That much faith I cannot seem to comprehend....

We got back to the bus in quiet, but then the boys had an overwhelming urge to take care of that need. So about 30 of them went out into the middle of nowhere, (there is a lot of that in Wyoming ;D) turned their backs to us. Most of the girls turned to look just as I said, "Don't look outside!" I couldn't believe they actually did that! They must really have had to go. I wished, later, that I would have brought my camera.... :D
We got to our camp, and I cannot tell you how very happy I was to see that the tents were all set up for us, and the food was ready and waiting! Even though we were more than an hour behind schedule...
While I was eating with some friends, a guy walked up and started talking to us. He looked very familiar to me, but I couldn't place him. So I said, "Hey, you look familiar. Where do I know you from?" He told me that he had danced with me at a stake dance. Wow, I thought, I can't believe he would remember that. Then I asked how long ago. "'Bout six months," he said. SIX MONTHS ?!? I was thinking; I know I wouldn't have remembered!
Turns out he was the kid I had been hearing about that kept playing his harmonica all the way there, and the people on his bus were getting really bugged with him. I told him about another guy from my ward, who kept singing, (he loved to sing) during the trip as well, then apologized and stopped after he realized he was irritating people. When he fell asleep, some of them played a mean trick, and drew on his face with a red marker. I had told the guy from my ward to not let what people think bother him, and I said he was awesome for singing, and I loved his voice. I felt so bad that they would do that though...so I said the same thing to Preston, (from the stake dance.)
Of course you want to be considerate of others, but there is a point when what people think shouldn't matter to you, if you are doing what makes you the most happy. And to just be yourself. (There are many exceptions to this, as expected, but I think he got the basic message.)
(Contiued on my other article "Trekking Across Wyoming Cont.)