Part One: Youth Utah Trip and Handcart Trek

Christ – Yoke with Him / Walk with Him

During the past month our service in Addiction Recovery continued as we strived to bring to Christ those struggling in difficult situations. We love and admire them. They come to support groups seeking to find power in Christ to be strengthened and continue in recovery.

Departing Maui Airport

After months of planning and preparation, two dozen of our Maui youth and a half dozen leaders made the journey to experience an 1856 handcart trek in the mountains of Utah. It all started when Bishop Benjamin Thompson felt inspired to give his youth an off-island broadening and spiritual experience. More than a year ago when we introduced ourselves into our Kahului 1^st Ward, and he learned of our past involvement in trek reenactments, his loving and hard-working eyes beamed with excitement and the planning began.

After searching for suitable sites and handcarts on Maui and Oahu, Lehi Utah stake president Brent Greenhalgh (our son-in-law) invited our Maui group to come on their stake trek. Our youth and leaders were invited to be housed, fed and embraced with much aloha by many loving families in Lehi. New and enduring relationships would be born as our Maui members would stay in the homes of Lehi host families, and as they journeyed and trekked within their Lehi Ma/Pa families.

Arriving in SLC

Over several months, Church and parental permissions were received, preparations were completed, and on June 4^th the anxious group boarded a red-eye Southwest flight to SLC. Sister Hardman and I had arrived early to attend the sealing of our grand-daughter Becca Greenhalgh in the Taylorsville Utah Temple. After the sealing, while the wedding party gathered for pictures on the temple steps we literally observed our Maui group’s Southwest jet fly right over the temple spire, descending into SLC. They landed, gathered their belongings and boarded large passenger vans. We met up with them with Costco pizza near Temple Square in Salt Lake City.

At Cascade Springs

On Saturday, June 6^th, two days before Trek, our group served at the newly dedicated Lindon Utah Temple. With its two baptismal fonts, beautiful architecture, and heavenly spirit, our Maui youth were blessed to participate in ordinances for others including some of their own ancestors. To get our youth more conditioned for the higher trek altitude, we drove up Provo Canyon and walked through beautiful Cascade Springs. We played at a park in Heber City and had dinner at the popular Dairy Keen. We then ascended even more, physically and spiritually, by experiencing the Walk With Christ activity at the Church Heber Valley Camp. Everyone, including me and Sister Hardman were changed that night as we laid a personal burden at the Lords feet and imagined how he would encourage us if we met him on the trail.

On Sunday, June 7^th our youth attended fast and testimony meeting in Lehi. Several from our group including Bishop Thompson stepped to the pulpit and bore their genuine testimonies. Later we met at the Lehi Stake Center and prepared buckets for the handcart trek. Throughout the whole experience, the Lehi Stake treated our group as precious royalty providing sleeping bags, winter coats, buckets and various supplies so such wouldn’t have to be transported from Hawaii. They bathed our group with love, kindness, and encouragement. We were literally embraced as Ohana, family and fellow citizens in Christ for the whole experience. They provided aqua blue baseball caps so that our kids could always be distinguished even though fully integrated into trek Ma/Pa families. 

A Trek Family

On Monday, June 8^th all met at the stake center for devotional. My anxiety was high. “With all the work to prepare the youth, were we ourselves ready for another trek?” Inspiring messages were given by trek leaders including President Greenhalgh and Sister Greenhalgh (our daughter). “Even though we are trail bosses,” Jana said, “The real trail boss is Jesus.” We then journeyed again up through Provo Canyon, Heber Valley, and on up and up into the Current Creek area above eight thousand feet. As handcarts were loaded, the trek families became fully formed. Each of our Maui youth had been assigned to different Lehi Stake Ma/Pa families and the company set out on their journey. Two of our adult sister leaders, as well as Sister Hardman and I were assigned to drive vehicles following the company to help anyone struggling. 

Ascending among snow fields

Every few miles the company would briefly halt to rest, stay hydrated and enjoy a view of the beautiful Uintah mountains. Our peak altitude was ten-thousand feet. It was cool and breezy. Even after difficult ascents pushing and pulling handcarts, many still had energy to climb and slide down steep snow drifts. The entire company looked united with their handcart flags, blue Walk with Me, and Yoked [with Christ] hoodies. During lunch camp, our youth Oliver Char was invited to stand on a trailer and speak to the group of three-hundred youth about his challenging life and his faith in Jesus Christ.

1st night camp

Later at camp we enjoy lots of good food, some free time and devotional with get-to-know-you skits from each family. Each evening concluded with prayer, family time, and journaling.

Evening devotional

On Tuesday, June 9^th, after a very cold night in tents… (To be continued)