Day 2

Day 2 has been amazing! Last night I realized that I left my carry-on bag on the bus-- aka I was without face wash, toothbrush, shampoo, straightener, etc... bad news! ha ha so I had to call down to the lobby and get a toothbrush and use all of my room buddies' stuff, but we got on the bus at about 830 and it was SUPER windy and snowing pretty hard-- The whole time I was thingking WOW WE'RE GOING TO GET A LITTLE TINY TASTE OF WHAT MARTIN'S COVE WAS LIKE... and to an extent we did.

So we got to the Homestead by Devil's gate and went into the Chapel they have there and had Sacrament Meeting with all of the amazing Senior Couples that were there serving missions.

Having Sacrament there was awesome because (if any of you have been there and remember) on the wall behind the pulpit 3 pictures hang. One of a boy carrying a little girl-- I think the little girl's last name was like Mortensen or something like that-- then 2nd was of a young girl, probably carrying her little sister, but the last picture is of a mom in front of Devil's gate with three children bundled in front of a fire with the snow blowing around in the wind. I have a new Kaylen Philosophy. All chapels should have paintings/pictures hanging behind the pulpit.. maybe they could change according to the topic of Sacrament meeting or something cool like that because like 90 percent of the meeting I found myself hearing the words that were spoken, but I was lost in the paintings. As people bore testimony of the pioneers you could feel their strenth and resilience. I stared at that loving Mother, who was probably a widow, with three children. Frozen to the bone and knowing that her children were in pain and suffering from exposure and starvation. I dunno I just thought how awesome that would be if every Sunday there were pictures of the wall to keep you focused..

Anyway so after Sacrament we went up the trail to Dan Jones' Cove and had a quick devotional where they shared a few stories and kind of explained the timeline of things. They talked of the rescue party's diligence and the immortalizing act of kindess as three young men packed almost 500 people across the icy Sweet Water River in chest high water.

The man that took us up the trail told a story about President Hinckley, and said that a couple years back he brought his family up to the cove and sat them down. His son quoted him along the lines of: AS A FAMILY WE HAVE BEEN TO MANY SACRED PLACES. TEMPLE DEDICATIONS, THE SACRED GROVE, ETC. THIS PLACE STANDS AMOUNG THEM. NOT ONLY IS THIS PLACE SACRED AND DEDICATED, BUT IT IS HALLOWED GROUND. WHEN I SPEAK OF HALLOWED GROUND I TELL YOU THAT THIS IS A PLACE WHERE THE SAVIOR HAS WALKED. TRULY HOLY GROUND. Wow! What a cool little story! So going up they reminded to use our "temple voices" and quite steps.

As we rounded the bend into the cove it the weather immediatley changed. Up to that point it had been windy and chilly, but as we entered the safety of the cove the wind was blocked into a slight breeze and the sun peeked through the clouds. I truly felt the Spirit of that Hallowed ground and the relief that the Saints must have felt as they entered this place of refuge. The song Come Come Ye Saints rang through my mind.

"And if we die before our journey's through, happy day all is well. We then are free from toil and sorrow too- with the just we shall dwell. But if our lives are spared again to see the Saints their rest obtain. Oh how we'll make this chorus swell. All is well. All is well."

Then this story was read:

"Mistake to send the Handcart Company out so late in the season? Yes. But I was in that company and my wife was in it and Sister Nellie Unthank whom you have cited was there, too. We suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but did you ever hear a survivor of that company utter a word of criticism? …

“I have pulled my handcart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I could hardly put one foot ahead of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and I have said, I can go only that far and there I must give up, for I cannot pull the load through it. ”

He continues: “I have gone on to that sand and when I reached it, the cart began pushing me. I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart, but my eyes saw no one. I knew then that the angels of God were there.

“Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company.’ ***

If you have never been to Martin's Cove-- GO. I think that people might over look it because they want to travel further East to the big sights like Nauvoo and Independnce, but there is such a unique Spirit of sacrifice and true devotion as some of these people paid the ultimate price to become acquianted with God.

In other good news my good friend Brandt met up with us at Martin's Cove and randomly decided to come on the rest of the trip with us! I'm stoked because we'll have some good times if he's here :D

me and my girl B

Well tonight we're staying somewhere in Nebraska and then Winter Quarters is on the agenda for tomorrow