Trek

Mormons all over the U.S. (and elsewhere, perhaps) gathered yesterday to celebrate Pioneer Day–commemorating the entry of   Brigham Young and the first group of Mormon pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. Our ward (= congregation) had a picnic and potluck dessert, followed by everyone gathering to watch an official broadcast from Salt Lake to honor our Mormon pioneers. My kids went to an activity with my sister’s family where they ate lots of pie and played old fashioned games and did some folk dancing.

When I was a kid, we loved pioneer day. My mom sewed matching pioneer dresses and bonnets for all of us. We started the Pioneer Day festivities at the church building with a parade wherein we marched with wagons decorated with signs that said, “Utah or Bust.” We made homemade butter in baby jars. We made corn husk baby dolls. We made our own candles. We did the stick pull. We did three-legged races. My favorite was the gunny sack races, although if memory serves, my sister was the queen of the gunny sack race.

In some Mormon congregations, the youth honor the sacrifices made by their Mormon forebears by participating in what’s called “trek“–reenactments of the journey west made by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1830 and 1860.  So in honor of Pioneer Day, this week’s “ride to church” isn’t really a ride at all; it’s a series of miscellaneous pictures I collected from various Mormon “treks.”

I’ve never been in a ward/stake that did a “trek,” so I’ve never participated in one, but would love to hear from those who have.

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