Load 'Em Up! Move 'Em Out! Westward Ho!

That classic call took on new meaning to more than 149 youth and 50 adult members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Central Oregon area who participated in a four-day trek to gain some pioneer experience and perspective.

In the mid 1800s, many Mormon families chose to endure the hardships of traveling thousands of miles by foot, pulling and/or pushing a handcart in order to start a new life in the West, free of persecuting mobs. This modern-day trek, with its theme "Fear Not, I Am With You," was designed to introduce Mormon youth to the strenuous rigors of daily life on the trail - the rigors endured by their ancestors.

"It was certainly among some of the most challenging events in my life," said Jacobie Petterson, age 16. "But it was worth every step to relive my pioneer heritage and truly understand what faith it took to endure such trials."

"I could feel the presence of my great-grandparents," said Riley Papworth, age 14. "I knew they were there helping me pull my cart."

Jacobie and Rory Petterson, Emily and Porter Ford, Spencer Smith, Drew Hopkins, and Riley Papworth along with adult leaders Bruce Kemp, Melanie Petterson, Andrew Ellis, Dave and Debbie Liddell, Peter Liddell, Nyle and Emily Head, and Jay Crawford represented the Sisters congregation of the church.

The event took place July 25-28 on Steens Mountain, south of Frenchglen. Four Company Captains were chosen who were responsible for 4-5 "families" consisting of 6-8 teens and a "Ma" and "Pa." Each family had a replica handcart to carry all their belongings, tents and sleeping bags, and five gallons of water. A total of 18 handcarts, carrying 400-500 pounds apiece, made up the company. Participants could take only what would fit in a five-gallon bucket - usually a few clothes, their scriptures, flashlight, journal, toothbrush, jacket, and eating utensils. All were dressed in period costumes and each wore a leather bracelet with the name of an actual pioneer inscribed on it.

"It took about a day for the youth to leave the rest of the world behind them," said one of the event organizers, Melanie Petterson. "After that they embraced the experience, bonded with each other, and formed deep friendships within their new 'family.' And they soon learned how teamwork and cooperation were essential to survival."

Trail Boss Stacy Davies noted that when any of the youth encountered trials much greater than their ability to cope with them, they could turn without shame to their "family" or the company for help and strength, a lesson leaders hoped their charges would absorb.

When asked what was most memorable to them, many of the teens responded, "The Women's Pull." In this exercise, mimicking arduous treks of 150 years or more ago, the girls and women leaders by themselves pushed and pulled their heavy handcarts up a steep rocky hill in the heat of the day while the men and boys stood helpless on the sidelines watching, representing pioneer men who had become too weak or had died along the Mormon Trail, leaving their wives to shoulder all the responsibilities without them.

"This was an extremely emotional moment for everyone involved," Petterson said. "The boys and men could only watch while the girls struggled really hard to get their carts up the hill; some of them went through great anguish, others were on their knees praying, with tears running down their faces."

After 27 miles of seemingly endless striving through the hot, rock-strewn, roadless, sagebrush landscape, the company reached their destination. Sunburned, blistered, gritty with dirt, and exhausted, the group was nevertheless jubilant.

"They never complained, there wasn't any animosity or contention, and they probably would have continued on if we had let them," Petterson said. "In spite of all the difficulties they encountered, these humbled youth discovered they had strength within themselves to overcome any adversity. What more could you ask for in these times?"