never say never !

i know i've said that i didn't ever think i'd do this again, but... this past week, donnie and i went with our stake youth to deseret land and livestock, just below evanston, wyoming for four days. we were on the equipment committee, so we didn't walk, we pulled the equipment trailer. i think there were about 700 people with our group.

these two pictures are what it was like at least half of the time we were up there. (my camera died and these are the only pictures i got, but there are lots more out there somewhere). these pictures do not do it justice. it poured down rain. (i was sitting in the truck when i took these pictures). we were smart and slept in the equipment trailer with craig, ladawn, mike and cindy. we had air mattresses and a heater. unlike most, when the clouds opened up and poured rain all night long, we were dry and warm. it really rained hard the first night, and never quit all night long. the rain started just as the second handcart company got into camp, that evening. they were trying to get their tents set up as quick as possible. some didn't get the tarps tucked under their tents good enough, and by the time they got their tents set up, a lot of their things were already really wet. needless to say, the next morning, there were a lot of dripping wet sleeping bags, pillows, clothes, shoes, etc. that had to be hung up to dry. (i loved it, a little gal came over with her shoes to see if we could put them by the heater. they still had about 2 inches of mud on them. kids! do some of them even have a clue?!!!!) some of the kids didn't have extra jackets, and one kid didn't even have one! we were sharing our jackets and warm clothes, wondering if we would ever see them again. (happy to say that we actually got them all back).

the second afternoon, it cleared a little and they went out trekking again. we kept camp at the same place, so they just trekked around in a circle and came back to their camp already set up. although... while they were out trekking, it did rain and blow for a bit. blowing the food tents over, twisting and bending the poles, which had to be straightened back out so that they could put the tents up again to have it ready to serve dinner under when the trekkers got back into camp. that night it was nice enough to have a hoe-down. they had a professional caller, and what a sight it was. i think he had four different huge double circles. the whole camp area was a dance floor. almost every kid (and a lot of the adults) were out there dancing. they were having a great time! after the dance, they served hot chocolate and cookies... what were they thinking? sugar? not a good thing! kids were so hyped up, they were up screaming and running around half of the night. all i can say is "thank you", to who ever invented ambien!

friday we woke up to blue sky... yippe! we got up, had breakfast, and moved camp, after the trekkers left. (we had to load all of the tents, sleeping bags, and extras that they didn't take on the handcarts, into the trailers, for over 650 people, every time we moved.) meeting them later that evening at the next camping spot. we watched some of the staff, play horse shoes, read, took naps, and were envious when some took showers (they brought their solar showers, and showered in their bathing suits. not that there was really any place to hide behind a bush or anything).

we got to meet a lot of new people and renew a lot of old friendships. over all, we really had a great time.

it made me think again, about the blessings that i have been given. my ancestors trekked across the plains, leaving almost all that they had, to come to salt lake, because they had such strong testimonies of the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. they didn't have a nice warm trailer with an air mattress, and a heater, to get in out of the elements. they didn't have the modern medicines, (just in case they got a bad migraine), for blisters, or sunburns, or anything of the liking. they didn't have a porta-potty or a water buffalo following behind them. they didn't come over the hill and see a food tent set up, with a warm dinner waiting for some one to serve them. and... they didn't know that they were going to be able to come home on saturday afternoon and take a nice long hot shower, and sleep in a nice bed. boy do we owe those people a lot! and heavenly father, knew that i could have never made it. that's why he saved me for this day and age.