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One of the many things that I am thankful for is that I never made one of those phony pioneer treks that today's Mormon youth
A friend of mine, who acted as a youth leader on one of these ordeals, claimed that his ward dressed up like the Utah pioneers, went to a local (D.C. area) park or field and slogged around in circles for an entire week. -- Sort of the antithesis of an actual pioneer journey. Although it could be the ultimate paradigm for the Mormon experience.
There are all kinds of ways that people set off for new territory, not all of them hot and sweaty. And there are all kinds of reasons people choose to get out of town, not all of them altruistic. -- Maybe a man's just robbed a bank, or he's committed murder, or he wants to marry 50 women, for example.
But, in general I think pioneers are honest and brave and true. Especially those who lead themselves and others to a better world.
For example, the ExMormon pioneers who celebrated Pioneer Day last night at the Hotel Utah Saloon in San Francisco.
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| Westward ho! Sans handcarts and stupid costumes. |
Cheers to the real pioneers everywhere. Also to the real world.
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What a great looking group! Shout out to Jerry and Cheryl!
ReplyDeleteOne of these days, you just have to make the trip out and attend, Keith!
DeleteYou guys make being a pioneer look fun!
ReplyDeleteBest looking group of pioneers ever!!
ReplyDeleteDonna, I have to fess up that I gave three years of my life to Pioneer Trek. I worked for BYU/CES and led many youth through the rigors of Pioneer Trek. My third year I was the Director. I was way into it!!
As a TBM I found the experience deeply spiritual and strengthening. As a TNB I now realize it was just another manipulative over emotional way to rope people in. I probably had a hand in influencing more people in those three years than I did two years on my mission.
AT, I hope you can join us sometime.
ReplyDeleteJJ, I must fess up that part of my aversion to the pioneer treks is that I am not a happy camper. My idea of "roughing it" is a hostel with a bathroom down the hall. Also I can't stand the heat. But I do remember some very spiritual experiences at Girls Camp. I imagine it's something like that. And yes, just about all of those youth activities are designed to manipulate.
so what are you saying Donna? We will never be camping buddies?
DeleteThat's okay; I'm more of a sit down and have a drink person than a 'let's go push a handcart' person these days.
We could compromise and do a wine country picnic. :)
DeleteI could be a pioneer, too! As long as the beer is cold.
ReplyDeleteAlways plenty of cold ones at the Hotel Utah Saloon!
DeleteI went on one of those stupid treks when I was 12 and with relatives in Utah. We had to wear total pioneer attire. Of curse I didn't have any, but my aunt was able to borrow around and find some that sort of fit. Some idiot decided that we all MUST wear pioneer-style boots, which they had saved from prior years' treks. The problem was that they didn't have any in girls' size 1, so I had to wear women's size 6 with god knows how many pairs of socks. I tripped and fell about a million times because I wasn't used to walking in shoes three inches or so longer than my normal shoes, and I got blisters that took over a month to heal. It was surely a spiritual experience for me. Even at the age of twelve, I would have gotten more spirituality from a strawberry daiquiri than from that nightmare.
ReplyDeleteAlexisAR, That's horrible. Someone made a bad decision on that one. If we ever meet up I'll accept my retribution by buying you a drink.
DeleteMy comment was here and disappeared. Did I offend someone?
ReplyDeleteOffend somebody? You?!! Here? I don't know what happened but it's up there now. So I had it right about those treks--at least in some cases. Ridiculous that you had to wear shoes that didn't fit.
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