Memorable Monday

A friend of mine wrote some posts titled Memorable Monday. She would share memories of her younger years. I wanted to start doing that in the New Year. At the year of each year I make my blog into a book. I want those memories to be there for me for myself and my family. It's a fun way of writing a personal history. Thanks Kim for the wonderful idea. So here it goes.

• Josh went on Jan 2nd to do Baptisms for the Dead. He was so excited and nervous before he went. His dad went with him on this special day. I remember when I went for the first time to do Baptisms for the Dead. I went to the Salt Lake Temple for the first time because it was the closest temple at that time. I still remember the physical set up of the font and the feelings that I had that day. It's so neat to go inside the temple for the first time and participate. I only did Baptisms for the Dead once at the Salt Lake Temple, that's probably why the memories of it are so clear. The Jordan River Temple was to be dedicated soon and our ward would attend that temple to do Baptisms for the Dead in the future. Our ward went to the Jordan River Temple often and I loved participating. I will always remember my first visit to the temple and I hope Josh will to.

• Our stake participated in a Pioneer Trek. There was a lot of planning involved in this event. I remember when I was around 12 or 13, I went on a pioneer trek sponsored by BYU. The trek lasts 8 days and was very hard. The first day we walked all day and into the night until about 1 or 2 in the morning. When we arrived at camp we only had a cup of broth to drink. That was very satisfying that night. The next morning we ate cornmeal mush and walked for a few more hours until we arrived at the main camp. We stayed at the main camp for most of the time. One night, we caught, killed, and cooked a chicken. For some of us, including me, it was a first time experience that we will never forget even if we try. We played pioneer games, shot black powder rifles, and participated in a lot of pioneer events. There was a special evening when we found a place of solitude and read our scriptures for a good hour or two. The last day, we hiked for a couple of hours to be reunited with our families. It was such a great experience, so good that I went again when I was 17. Since I remember the events from the first time, I was much happier. I smiled the whole time when the sisters had to pull the wagon by themselves. Our brothers had to step back and watch us pull and push the wagons by ourselves. This was to remember those women who continued while their husbands were serving in the Mormon Battalion. I knew when it would happen the second time, I smiled at my sister's to give them hope. We were unable to talk to each other, so smiling was the only way I knew to communicate with them. When this time was over, our brothers gave us some flowers that they picked along the trail. We stopped and sang "Come, Come Ye Saints". It was a great moment to reflect on what our pioneers did for us and their great sacrifice. I was so lucky to have gone on the Pioneer Trek twice.