Important Post- A Must Read for Everyone Going on Trek!

Drop off Instructions for Monday, July 25th

Please come Monday morning the 25th at 5:00 a.m. in pioneer attire - Don't be late!  Leaders need to be at the church at 4:45!  Look up on the blog under the family assignments tab, and find what color your company is.  It is very important that you know your family color before you arrive that morning!!!  Pack your sleeping gear in a garbage bag, and your other personal items in your bucket (Make sure it is an easy lid to get off).  Make sure your bucket has your name on it!!!  There will be a larger more durable garbage bag tagged with your company color for you to put your personal gear in when you get to the church.  Bring your equipment plus a sack lunch for that day. Please leave all electronic devices at home including cell phones, ipods, mp3's, ipads etc. ...)   The entrances to the church will be blocked off - only the buses and other vehicles going will be allowed in the church parking lot.  There will be drop off points on the South and West sides of the Stake Center.  It will be an MTC style drop off.  Say your goodbyes at home, because we have almost 600 people that will be dropping off kids. Pull up along the curb.  There will be people there to help assist you with your gear, and parents need to quickly make an exit!  You will find your company flag on the lawn surrounding the church - in the company colors - and you will take your personal gear to your company flag table where you will be checked in and given instructions, and then go into the chapel.  To get off on time it is very important you are on time and make a very quick drop off!!

Other important matters:

Drink, drink, drink!!

We are hearing that mosquito's are very bad up there this year - make sure you have plenty of bug spray!!!

Bring a sack lunch for Monday on the bus ride.  Bus policy says there cannot be any glass - so don't bring drink containers that are glass!  There are bathrooms on the buses as well as a few stops we will make before we get to our destination.

A message from Dr. Pavich

Stuff that Will Happen That You Can Do Something About

1- Car Sickness-  It is a 6 hour bus ride and many kids get car sick.  Even though you won’t want to eat breakfast at 5 am, do it, traveling on an empty stomach is a set up for nausea.

2- Sunburns-  Despite your great base tan, use your sunscreen and wear your hat/bonnet. 

3- Bugs-  With all the rain this spring, there is a lot of standing water and there will be a lot of mosquitoes.  Wear insect repellant (with 25% DEET) and reapply when needed.  This will also help keep the Tics away.

4- Blisters-  DON’T WAIT for it to become a blister.  When you feel a hot spot, that is the time  to use the mole skin or duct tape.  Wear the right socks.  NO COTTON.  Get socks that wick moisture away from your skin.  Your shoes should be light hikers or athletic shoes (jogging for example).  At night you will need something to rest you feet so that they can air out, so bring some flip-flops. 

5- Dehydration-  You can’t play catch-up.  Please hydrate from the beginning.  If you find  yourself starting to get nauseous, light-headed, fatigued, flushed, chills while sweating, not urinating or just really thirsty you might be dehydrating.  You can’t rehydrate all at once.  You will also be burning a lot of calories out there and need to make sure you are eating at all the meals. 

6- Chaffing-  Any parts that may rub together can cause you problems.  You will need to reduce the friction.  Bring your OWN Glide stick (this includes boys AND girls). 

7- For the sisters-

            If you have your period on Trek, you will need make some accommodations.  Pads can certainly cause chaffing issues.  Not to mention that they need to be changed more frequently.  Tampons may be a better choice.  Bring the ones that you like.  There is no place to go to buy supplies out there, so PLEASE come prepared.

If you have any questions about anything in this post, please email Trhoton5@gmail.com and I will be happy to answer your questions!!

Equipment Lists

If you are looking for the final equipment packing list, click under the equipment lists and forms tab above. Double click on the form and it will enlarge and then you can print out.  Start early, and get all the things on your list.  Happy shopping!

Trek Families are on the Blog!!

We finally have all the family lists on the blog!!!  Click on the Family Assignments/Maps tab and you will see that each company is broken down.  Double click on the lists and it will enlarge the company groups and you can look for your names.  Hope this is helpful for everyone!

Family Lists

For those of you who could not make it to the Meet the Family Night, we will have posted in the next few days the lists of families so you can find who your ma and pa is and what family you have!  Families are Forever!

The Music is Here!!

The wonderful song written and performed by the Dyers in our stake, "Dyer Highway" - is now on the blog for you to download.  If you are on a PC - right click on the word "HERE" (below) and then choose "Save Link As" - it should save on your computer that you can put on I tunes and on your ipod.  If you are on a MAC, push "Control" on your keyboard, then click and select "Save link as".  Let me know if you have any problems!!  Enjoy the Music!  Thanks Dyer Highway for sharing your incredible talents with us!!

Click HERE to download the full theme song
Click HERE to download the minus track to sing to

FYI:  Dyer Highway has a concert at Lehi High School Auditorium this Saturday night the 25th.  Doors open at 6:30 and show starts at 7:30.  Tickets are available at dyerhighway.com.   What a great way to spend your Saturday evening!!!

Final Equipment List

There is a final packing list just up on the blog.  Click on Equipment Lists and Forms and then double click on the reduced size icon.  It will enlarge and you can print off.  Be sure to start collecting the things on this list.  We have 600 other trekkers all that will need the same things!  Happy Trekking!

Meet Your Family

Come to the stake center at 7:00 on June 21st to meet your new trek family.  You will have some activities together, fun, and feel the spirit!  We'll see you all there!

An Amazing Group Coming to Our Stake!

The Nashville Tribute Band is coming to our stake on June 26th @ 7:00 p.m. at the Stake Center!  They are talented singers and songwriters who have written music in Nashville and have used their talents to produce "A Nashville Tribute to the Prophet Joseph Smith", "A Nashville Tribute to the Pioneers" and a new album, "A Nashville tribute to the Missionaries".  Their music is amazing and it is a real treat to have them come to our stake!  You won't want to miss this evening!!!

New Facebook Page

Click on the link below to view our new facebook page which will have information, video's and pictures. At the top right click on join our group and you are set!  Thanks to the historical committee for setting this up!http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_204928952884253

Registration

Registration online is now closed!  But it doesn't mean you still can't go!  Please email bryce.owen@gmail.com if you still want to go and we will make sure you get put in a family.  We still need you to print off a medical release form (under the registration tab) and have your parents sign.  Then get the form to your ward YW/YM Secretaries.  Also, if you still need to pay - pay your ward!  Thanks!!

Registration closes on June 5th

Thanks to everyone who registered online for our stake trek!!  If you have not paid your money to your ward, please do so asap.  If you have not turned in your medical release form, click on the registration tab and click on the medical release form.  Double click to enlarge and print off.  Then have your parents sign and give it to your ward Young Men or Young Women Secretaries.  We will continue to register online anyone who wants to go on trek through June 5th.  After June 5th you will have to email Trhoton5@gmail.com and we will get you registered.  We are so excited for this awesome experience.  Trek on!!

Bug Repellent

From a Journal of Zebulon William Jacobs:  He was with the “out and back” wagon trains, as a teamster at age 19.

August 2, 1861  I fixed the mules’feet, mended harnesses and played laundress.  In the evening I went to meeting, but the mosquitoes were there first.  The mosquitoes sang at the opening, sang during service, and at the closing, and finally sang all night.  Tried to sleep, but they pulled me out of bed.

August 4,  1861- Went to the river to have a bath.  We found mosquitoes there too.  They very soon got rid of us.  I then went to meeting.  The meeting was well attended.  The mosquitoes came in clouds.  The people soon went in disgust to their tents but not to sleep.  No, no that was impossible.

Don't forget the mosquito repellant!  There are a couple of recommended repellants.  Clothing soaked in Permethrin is effective for several washings and repels ticks as well as mosquitos.  A repellant with a high percentage of DEET is most effective.

Registration now Open!!

Click on the Registration Tab above and register for trek online!  It takes only a couple of minutes.  Then youth click on the Medical Release Form (under the registration tab) print it out, have your parents sign, and then bring the night of the Iowa City Stake Registration Fair on May 10th from 7 to 9 at the Stake Center!!  You also need to pay your ward - ask a leader how much your ward is requiring you to pay by May 10th!

Wearing Good Shoes

On the importance of wearing good shoes……….. Dan Jones was left at Devil’s Gate to take care of supplies that were left behind.  It was a constant struggle to get food and he was out chasing buffalo when this occurred…….

“I had been wearing moccasins all winter, had done a great deal of walking and had felt well and strong; but the winter had commenced to break and there was mud and wet snow to en­counter on our trip. Someone had induced me to put on a pair of heavy, stiff-soled English shoes. About sundown I gave out; got so lame that it was impossible for me to wear the shoes and travel. We had about ten miles to go yet, and no trail, as the Indian trail was much longer than to cross directly over the country, and we wished to take the short­est cut. Moreover, there was still a few inches of snow on the ground, part of the way, on the most direct route. We were bent on getting to camp that night, if possible, so determined to keep going. I was compelled to pull off my "stoggas" and go in my stocking feet. This did very well till the snow gave out, which it did as we got on to lower coun­try. My socks soon failed then, and the ground commenced to freeze hard. Traveling became slightly unpleasant to me. I put on the shoes again, but could not possibly walk; it was as though my shin bones were being broken at every step. (Some may wonder why my companion did not change his foot gear with me. The reason was he wore a number six shoe, and I could squeeze on a number ten. Will that do?) So I determined to go bare­footed.It now became really unpleasant, for the country was spotted with prickly pears (thorny cactus). When I placed my number ten foot, pressed down by my 175-pound body, on these desert ornaments, they had a piercing effect, often causing me to halt. Several times it hurt so badly that I dropped, desiring to take a seat so that I could pull the thorns out of my feet, but on striking the ground I had a sudden desire to rise, as the cactus formed the only place to sit. This was really amusing. Still, I soon had enough of this fun and commenced to figure how to avoid having any more of it. The horses dreaded the cactus, and if left to pick the road would avoid them; so we al­lowed them to go ahead. I carefully watched their tracks and followed them, getting along much better after this.

About midnight we got in, my feet a little the worse for wear; but so happy were we with our success that my feet soon got well”. -Forty Years Among the Indians   Dan Jones (rescuer) from book: Remember by Members of the Riverton Wyoming Stake 1997 pg. 115

Make sure your shoes fit and they are well broken in.

Liverpool, England

Wasn't the Pre-Trek Fireside Amazing!!!!  Thanks to everyone who made that night an incredible experience!  I hope everyone has a greater understanding of what that might have been like to be in Liverpool.

Here is another courageous story of an amazing pioneer:

When the Saints stepped on the ship in Liverpool England they showed great commitment to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Some of them like Susannah Stone left behind everything that they had know and came alone.  They had the “fire of Israel God burning in their Hearts”  and desired to come to Zion.

In 1856, Susannah prepared to emigrate. She wrote, “My parents, relatives and
friends did all in their power to keep me from coming to America, but I had the
spirit of gathering, and the Lord opened up my way, and I came to Utah in 1856
with the handcart company…We waded through the cold streams many times, but we
murmured not, for our faith in God and our testimony of His work were supreme.”

When we made our covenants at Baptism we made that same commitment to our Heavenly Father and to the Lord.  Our Trials may be different but our faith must be as strong.

A Fabulous Pre-Trek Activity for Ward Youth Groups!!!

The Church History Museum offers Pre-Trek Tours!  Before heading out on the handcart trail with your ward or stake group, schedule a visit to the Church History Museum to learn about the handcart pioneers - about their experiences in gathering to Zion and what motivated them to make the great sacrifices required of them.

Pre-Trek tours are offered to help Latter-day Saint youth groups and their leaders prepare for their trek experience.  The tours last about one hour and highlight handcart-related artifacts, events that occurred on the trail, and personal stories of handcart pioneers.

CALL 801-240-4615 to schedule a tour

45 North West Temple, Salt Lake City
Open Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

churchmuseum.com

Inspirational Video

Hey everyone!  Check out the Inspirational Video tab!  It's awesome and gets you excited for trek!

Why go on Trek?

 Responses from youth in our Stake who attended Stake Trek 2007

“Trek was such an amazing testimony builder.  Even when the going got rough, I was able to remember my ancestors, the pioneers.  Thinking of their countless sacrifices helped me have the motivation to keep going one step at a time.”

“Trek was such an amazing experience!  I was so glad I got to meet so many new people and build relationships with youth in our stake.  Trek is a wonderful place to go if you want to feel the spirit!”

“In the beginning I didn’t want to go on trek, but in the end it was one of the best things I’ve ever done!”

“They never said it would be easy, but they did say it would be worth it!  They were right!