Jared and I had a great time at my mom's family reunion. (Barnes family). We went to Martin's Cove in Wyoming where the Martin handcart company was rescued. My great-great grandmother Margaret Ellen Clegg, came across as a baby. She was 13 months-old when they arrived in SLC.
The church has a mission there that is operable during the summer months. Visitors can camp down the road, then take the "re-created" trek during the day. It was such a great experience. The missionaries take you along and every mile or so tell stories and events that occurred on the trail. It was fun, spiritual, and educational.
Below is my contribution to a book my aunt is putting together of our insights and experiences. I thought I would post it as well.
(p.s.--some of us dressed up for the occasion. Jared did too. He wore his BYU shirt in honor of Brigham sending in the rescuers! :)
"How could God let this happen?" This is the cry of many who lack faith in God and his purposes, it is often said when good things happen to bad people. Some who witness a tragedy may be compelled to ask, "Where was God?" Or those who the tragedy happens to may be tempted to ask, "Why did this happen to me?" During our trek I was most impressed with the testimony given over and over from the pioneers that they knew God lived and that they felt so near to him. It seemed to go against the natural tendency to complain and question God and his purposes in hard times. What was it about the Martin handcart company and their adversity that brought them to know God lives? What was different about those saints that they could find tender mercies in the midst of such suffering when others, in easier circumstances, are so quick to question God, or betray what they once knew to be true? During our trek, and since, I have reflected on these differences. All throughout scripture we learn of a pattern the Lord has for refining his people. One aspect of his pattern is to lead them through a wilderness. One of the missionaries in the beginning devotional asked to reflect on our "handcarts" today. Instead of modern-day personal handcarts, I would like to speak of personal wildernesses. First, let me speak of scriptural wildernesses. Adam and Eve were lead to a wilderness, Abraham was lead to a wilderness, he Israelites were lead, then wandered in the wilderness. John the Baptist grew up in a wilderness, Lehi and his family were lead through the wilderness. In Lehi's dream he was lead through a wilderness before coming to the path, Enos speaks of the Lamanites who wandered in the wilderness as a blood thirsty people, the Jaredites were lead through a wilderness, Moroni had to live out the remainder of his days in a hidden wilderness. The pioneers were lead through multiple wildernesses, the Martin handcart company suffered in the wilderness. What is it with the Lord and wildernesses? As we study each account of the people in the wilderness, there is a common theme throughout: those who had faith in the Lord were lead by him, and those who did not have faith wandered. The Israelites were lead out of Egypt but as they lost faith and became disobedient, they were left to wander until through their trials they either perished or learned to look to the Lord. In Lehi's dream, he was lead through the wilderness by a man in a white robe. It was dark and dreary, but he was still being lead--he was not alone. By following with faith, he was eventually brought out of the dark and to the path and the rod which lead the way to salvation. In real life, Lehi and his family were alone in the wilderness, but the Lord sent a tender mercy: the Liahona. And why were the Jaredites in the boat for as long as they were? The Lord could have brought them to the Americas faster than he did. What did they learn in their wilderness that they could not have otherwise learned? We all have wildernesses. Sometimes they come just as a matter of life, sometimes we cause them, sometimes the Lord provides them for us. What I have learned is that what we do in our wildernesses determines our outcome and determines our faith in God. Findng God in the middle of the trial is key. After the women's pull, and at the end of the day I was convinced that the pioneers were being helped along the way by heavenly means. I am a healthy woman who exercises each day, I eat healthy food, and I am well-rested. I didn't have to look for my food or prepare a fire, I was wearing great shoes and the weather was good, and after visiting the Beehive house, I saw that I am twice the size of those pioneer women, yet I could barely pull the cart up one hill, and at the end of 6 miles and I was exhaustd from a long day, I realized that I had only gone half the distance that the pioneers went in one day. I am convinced of the accounts of pioneers who felt heavenly beings pushing their carts with them. When we look for God, we find him and he helps us. When we leave him out of our lives and determine to go about things our own way, we are left to our own strength. Making and keeping covenants were never meant to promise a person a life of ease. They were meant to promise a person strength through trials. We are promised that we can walk and not be weary and run and not faint, but we must still walk and we must still run. The Lord will support our efforts as we strive to become more like him. President Hinckley referred to the Cove as sacred. Another place I have been that is sacred and the Spirit is strong, is Liberty Jail. Two places where great suffering occurred. When suffering is done over the altar as a sacrifice to God, he consecrates our efforts and seals our sacrifice to him. This is done through the power of the Holy Ghost. This is why we can feel the Spirit so strong in these places. In our personal wildernesses, in our homes, our families, in our church callings, we can have this same Spirit when we have faith and hope in the Lord that he will mend hearts, perform miracles, and strengthen faith-- we will see the power of God at work in our lives. We will find those tender mercies and proclaim that we know God lives and answers prayers.
"How could God let this happen?" This is the cry of many who lack faith in God and his purposes, it is often said when good things happen to bad people. Some who witness a tragedy may be compelled to ask, "Where was God?" Or those who the tragedy happens to may be tempted to ask, "Why did this happen to me?" During our trek I was most impressed with the testimony given over and over from the pioneers that they knew God lived and that they felt so near to him. It seemed to go against the natural tendency to complain and question God and his purposes in hard times. What was it about the Martin handcart company and their adversity that brought them to know God lives? What was different about those saints that they could find tender mercies in the midst of such suffering when others, in easier circumstances, are so quick to question God, or betray what they once knew to be true? During our trek, and since, I have reflected on these differences. All throughout scripture we learn of a pattern the Lord has for refining his people. One aspect of his pattern is to lead them through a wilderness. One of the missionaries in the beginning devotional asked to reflect on our "handcarts" today. Instead of modern-day personal handcarts, I would like to speak of personal wildernesses. First, let me speak of scriptural wildernesses. Adam and Eve were lead to a wilderness, Abraham was lead to a wilderness, he Israelites were lead, then wandered in the wilderness. John the Baptist grew up in a wilderness, Lehi and his family were lead through the wilderness. In Lehi's dream he was lead through a wilderness before coming to the path, Enos speaks of the Lamanites who wandered in the wilderness as a blood thirsty people, the Jaredites were lead through a wilderness, Moroni had to live out the remainder of his days in a hidden wilderness. The pioneers were lead through multiple wildernesses, the Martin handcart company suffered in the wilderness. What is it with the Lord and wildernesses? As we study each account of the people in the wilderness, there is a common theme throughout: those who had faith in the Lord were lead by him, and those who did not have faith wandered. The Israelites were lead out of Egypt but as they lost faith and became disobedient, they were left to wander until through their trials they either perished or learned to look to the Lord. In Lehi's dream, he was lead through the wilderness by a man in a white robe. It was dark and dreary, but he was still being lead--he was not alone. By following with faith, he was eventually brought out of the dark and to the path and the rod which lead the way to salvation. In real life, Lehi and his family were alone in the wilderness, but the Lord sent a tender mercy: the Liahona. And why were the Jaredites in the boat for as long as they were? The Lord could have brought them to the Americas faster than he did. What did they learn in their wilderness that they could not have otherwise learned? We all have wildernesses. Sometimes they come just as a matter of life, sometimes we cause them, sometimes the Lord provides them for us. What I have learned is that what we do in our wildernesses determines our outcome and determines our faith in God. Findng God in the middle of the trial is key. After the women's pull, and at the end of the day I was convinced that the pioneers were being helped along the way by heavenly means. I am a healthy woman who exercises each day, I eat healthy food, and I am well-rested. I didn't have to look for my food or prepare a fire, I was wearing great shoes and the weather was good, and after visiting the Beehive house, I saw that I am twice the size of those pioneer women, yet I could barely pull the cart up one hill, and at the end of 6 miles and I was exhaustd from a long day, I realized that I had only gone half the distance that the pioneers went in one day. I am convinced of the accounts of pioneers who felt heavenly beings pushing their carts with them. When we look for God, we find him and he helps us. When we leave him out of our lives and determine to go about things our own way, we are left to our own strength. Making and keeping covenants were never meant to promise a person a life of ease. They were meant to promise a person strength through trials. We are promised that we can walk and not be weary and run and not faint, but we must still walk and we must still run. The Lord will support our efforts as we strive to become more like him. President Hinckley referred to the Cove as sacred. Another place I have been that is sacred and the Spirit is strong, is Liberty Jail. Two places where great suffering occurred. When suffering is done over the altar as a sacrifice to God, he consecrates our efforts and seals our sacrifice to him. This is done through the power of the Holy Ghost. This is why we can feel the Spirit so strong in these places. In our personal wildernesses, in our homes, our families, in our church callings, we can have this same Spirit when we have faith and hope in the Lord that he will mend hearts, perform miracles, and strengthen faith-- we will see the power of God at work in our lives. We will find those tender mercies and proclaim that we know God lives and answers prayers.
