The other half of the story
PORTA-POTTY STOP NO. 1, Wyo. — I am writing this in the middle of a sagebrush flat. It's hot, the wind is blowing and there isn't a tree for 10 miles. In about an hour, 200 sweaty and parched people will heave into view pulling handcarts.
For the past two days, we've followed the Willie-Martin handcart trail as part of a faith-promoting experience for LDS youngsters. I tagged along to see if it's working.
Quick answer: Pretty much. The kids seem fairly impressed with the stories of horrible faith-based sacrifice. It's hard not to be proud of what your ancestors endured to help build Zion.
Long answer: I don't know. I get a little nervous when it comes to making heroes out of people by telling only half the story.
The story we're hearing on this trip is that a group of impoverished Mormon converts attempted to reach Utah by pulling handcarts across America. Caught by snow in Wyoming, hundreds died. Others had limbs amputated from frostbite.
They endured all of this — starvation, frostbite, dead children — because of their devotion to the gospel. So determined were they to build up the kingdom of God that they were willing to die.
The kids are being told this is the sort of faith they should have today.
Maybe, maybe not.
I believe the handcart journey certainly started because of faith. My own ancestors did it. I've read their journals and letters. Tired of being mistreated as a minority in England, they wanted to gather with other Mormons in Utah.
I think my ancestors understood there was some risk in this. I also think they weighed those odds and proceeded anyway.
But if someone had guaranteed them that coming to Utah would cost them six children, a father, a pair of legs and years of pain-wracked poverty, I'm betting they would have stayed home and helped build up Zion in England.
When is your trouble an actual test of your faith and when is it simply the natural result of your own stupidity? It's a fair question, especially because there are valid lessons in both.
Right now the kids are only hearing about how brave and faithful the pioneers were, how those who survived the test were truly devoted to God. They aren't hearing that they ignored repeated warnings to wait until the following year. So how about lessons on how important it is to listen to wise counsel, and even just common sense?
Leave a baby in a hot car today while you earn a living, and you're a monster when the baby dies.
But haul four kids into the mountains in the middle of winter in an open handcart, and you're a valiant pioneer when all of them freeze solid. I suppose it's understandable that we teach this. You can get more mileage out of valiance than you can out of simple-mindedness.
For the past two days, we've followed the Willie-Martin handcart trail as part of a faith-promoting experience for LDS youngsters. I tagged along to see if it's working.
Quick answer: Pretty much. The kids seem fairly impressed with the stories of horrible faith-based sacrifice. It's hard not to be proud of what your ancestors endured to help build Zion.
Long answer: I don't know. I get a little nervous when it comes to making heroes out of people by telling only half the story.
The story we're hearing on this trip is that a group of impoverished Mormon converts attempted to reach Utah by pulling handcarts across America. Caught by snow in Wyoming, hundreds died. Others had limbs amputated from frostbite.
They endured all of this — starvation, frostbite, dead children — because of their devotion to the gospel. So determined were they to build up the kingdom of God that they were willing to die.
The kids are being told this is the sort of faith they should have today.
Maybe, maybe not.
I believe the handcart journey certainly started because of faith. My own ancestors did it. I've read their journals and letters. Tired of being mistreated as a minority in England, they wanted to gather with other Mormons in Utah.
I think my ancestors understood there was some risk in this. I also think they weighed those odds and proceeded anyway.
But if someone had guaranteed them that coming to Utah would cost them six children, a father, a pair of legs and years of pain-wracked poverty, I'm betting they would have stayed home and helped build up Zion in England.
When is your trouble an actual test of your faith and when is it simply the natural result of your own stupidity? It's a fair question, especially because there are valid lessons in both.
Right now the kids are only hearing about how brave and faithful the pioneers were, how those who survived the test were truly devoted to God. They aren't hearing that they ignored repeated warnings to wait until the following year. So how about lessons on how important it is to listen to wise counsel, and even just common sense?
Leave a baby in a hot car today while you earn a living, and you're a monster when the baby dies.
But haul four kids into the mountains in the middle of winter in an open handcart, and you're a valiant pioneer when all of them freeze solid. I suppose it's understandable that we teach this. You can get more mileage out of valiance than you can out of simple-mindedness.
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 5:38 PM |
19 Comments:
Amen Brother Kirby! One of my ancestors was part of a handcart company. She was a mill worker in Liverpool. Heck anything would look better than dying of linty lungs. She and her mother survived the trek. But like a wise man said "you can't fix stupid." and many converts took themselves out of the gene pool by doing exactly what they were warned not to do.
You are right the kids only get part of the story. It might be faith promoting or it might be a crock. My brother who was a Dad on a trek went for the "crock" definition.
Kirby, as usual you help me get it. Us not-Mo's have lots of issues understanding.
Living here in cool lovely green Maine,in the little town my paternal great-grandfather left for Utah, your words resonate. Growing up in the Salt Lake valley, I always questioned why "our" people left what I had heard was such a beautiful place. Now that I have moved here and live amongst my cousins, the offspring of those who chose not to leave; I understand how horrifyingly difficult the trip must have been and how ugly that valley would have appeared. How they must have missed the sea breezes lifting the morning fog.... and the green green green of Maine. I have also learned that a lot of downright "crazy" people left; some families legendary in their stupidity or their trouble making or spiritual gullibility (the "Millerites" did particularly well in Maine). Thank you for this, and all of your stories, Kirby. You bring honesty and life to legends that we might love, but legends about which we might also need to learn just a little more truth.
Robert, You seem to have forgot the other side of the story as well. What you neglected to mention is that leaving their homes for Winter Quarters was not their decision, That decision was made for them by the mobs in Missouri bent on "exterminating them damn Mormons". Yes, the Willie and Martin handcart companies were warned not to leave Winter Quarters so late in the year but with overcrowding and the fact that food and resourses were slim there that year, it promised to be a very lean winter if they stayed.
I think that the move had more to do with faith that the Lord will provide combined with the "human nature" belief that unknown is better than the known when you know you are facing starvation if you stay where you are. What they gambled on and lost was that winter came early that year.
I too, have read the diaries and most said, knowing what they know now, they would have still left.
Denise Kirby. (your sister)
Denise must be a fine sister. The handcart episode in western migration relates to more than the Saints. I too have traveled the length of the trail (all of it) across the sage flats. Ranchers, forgive me for cutting your fences, which I always repaired with my wire stretcher, heavy gloves, and a spare roll of wire. If people think Utah "sucks" they should try Wyoming in the summer.
I hear about the Willie-Martin handcart story allot in Church. It always makes me uneasy since from historians and others outside the Church, it is viewed so differently. It's refreshing to hear an honest reference to the incident that's not glorifying or vilifying the event.
I think that we're missing part of the point of this experience, for the kids and the adults, too. In today's world where the privailing attitude is "What's in it for me?" and "What do you mean, I actually have to work for it," that pushing a handcart for a couple of days is a wonderful experience. I don't think we can understand the perspective of the pioneers as they made their way westward, by handcart, wagon, or foot, to any of the "Movement" destinations. We complain if we have to travel an hour by air-conditioned car. As far as whether or not it was a wise decision, it's so easy to play "woulda, coulda, shoulda."
Mr Kirby, I feel sad that you do not fully understand what faith is, apparantly you have not found it yet. Is not faith a belief in something that is not seen or experienced. Yes they were warned and we taught our youth that they were warned. I believe that the greatest faith did not occur in leaving but the faith occured when they had to turn their very lives over to the Lord for survival not knowing what would happen to them. Whether it originated out of lack of wisdom or a knowledge of what lay ahead doesn't matter. It is that Faith grew in the Journey. Is faith unique to Mormons, no, I believe that many Pioneers that crossed those plains and lost life and limb grew in faith during the process! I am saddened that with your biased view you fuel the fire of anti feelings under the guise of honesty. PS I have read all of your books and have enjoyed them. On this one your are dead wrong.
Shawn
Just got through reading your account up to today (Thursday). We have two grandchildren participating in the trek.
We ourselves have participated in two treks--both on the Barlow Trail around Mt. Hood--one as a "Ma and Pa" and one just before coming on our mission--I as a blacksmith and my companion as an extra in a "village" for the trekers to visit after setting up camp on the second day of their trek.
P.S. Your picture makes you look a little like Ben Cartwright!
Your perspective is superb! This experience shared with others offers what most on trek do not realize let alone share. Thanks so much for the candid blogs. You're great.
Kirby, I have a son and daughter that are on the trek with you. You are actually part of my daughters family on the trek. I hope that she has the faith to continue on and experience what her ancestors went through. She has been taught the whole story and hopefully upon returning will have a had a faith promoting experience. Also, hopefully she is also gaining an appreciation for what we have today. Hope all is going well. Excited to read your next account on your trek experience.
My husband and I have had several conversations about trek. I am a convert and so I don't have pioneer ancestors and he has several. I always thought it would be "fun" to go on trek (but mainly because all that walking would be good for my waistline!). However, I do think that my hubby makes a good point. Namely, the pioneers went across the plains so we didn't have to and that they're up in heaven shaking their heads at us thinking we're making a mockery of it. It was hard enough the first time around, why do it again? We can't ever possibly understand the things they went through unless we decide to give the kids dysentery and kill off a few along the way. The pioneers had their "battles" to fight and we have our own in this day and age.
Hey Bro. Kirby,
I must agree with your sister on this one. You spoke of "the other half", as if you understood the first half. There were so many other factors playing into the situation that resulted in their trials when they began the trek. Lack of communication between England and Salt Lake was a big factor. They were delayed in New York, they were delayed again when they got to Missouri and the handcart makers weren't expecting them and therefore had no cured wood to make handcarts. So, they made their handcarts with green wood. Like your sister said, they couldn't stay in winter quarters and then winter came uncommonly early. The posts Brigham Young had established along the way were not expecting them, and so they could not replenish their supplies. I would recommend reading Gerald Lund's "Fire of the Covenant: The Story of the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies". It's a novel, yes. BUT, his attention to the minutest detail of the events that happened really give a good perspective as to what happened and why a lot of what happened to them was not in their hands.
Not to be a grouch (OK, I'll be a grouch), but let's get our details straight. The handcarts in question left from Iowa City, Iowa, not Winter Quarters.
And none other that Brigham Young himself was absolutely livid with anger when he found that the agents in Iowa City had sent the handcars out so late in the year, and said it was due to their "pride and arrogance". There is no reason they couldn't have stayed the Winter in Iowa City, since there was very little persecution there.
Well, I must say that there are quite a variety of opinions about this whole trek deal. I, myself, an 18 year old youth, just returned home from this pioneer trek. While it is true that we were fed the stories of the "heroics" of the pioneers, it is equally true that we all understand that we know your supposed "other half of the story." Yes, its true that you were there right with us, and yes, its also true that you might believe that the Martin-Willie handcart companies made a huge mistake coming so late in the year, but have you ever read the first-hand accounts of those people you claim to have figured out so well? Well, I have, and I can tell you that not one, not one single one of those in the two companies ever regretted going. It might seem foolishness that drove those people across the plains, but I think those who truly understand the faith that this gospel promotes can see that it most definately was not. It was indeed faith that drove them. Another blogger pointed out that there was no need to repeat the hardships of those before us. Well, to you i have this to say; Why have you ever suffered? Have you not learned lessons from your pains? Why can't those who go on the trek nowadays learn those kinds of lessons? Also, for those of you who have not been able to experience this wonderful reenactment, what right do you have to criticize it? This program continues not because the youth in the LDS church think that it will be fun! As a matter of fact, walking thirty-some-odd miles across desolate Wyoming in the heat and the dirt and the dust during the middle of my summer vacation isn't exactly my idea of the greatest time in the world. This program is perpetuated because it is indeed faith-promoting, and it is an unbelievable growing experience for every person who allows it to be. I'm not saying that I now fully comprehend why and what the pioneers went through. If I learned anything from this whole ordeal it was that I cannot possibly understand their trials and sufferings. This was my second trek, and I am unbelievably grateful that I had the opportunity to go again. Those who read this don't have to agree with me, but I can say without one doubt that I know that everything I've written is true.
Yours sincerely,
Brett Hashimoto, Falcon Park Ward, Canyon View Stake
Well said Brett! I am 47 yrs old, and this is my 3rd trek in 8 yrs. The reason we do Pioneer Trek is we want our youth to feel the spirit there... Bro Kirby...were you there to witness the women's pull at Rocky Ridge? Did you feel the sacredness in Martins Cove? And the great spirit at the gravesites in Rock Creek? I am sure you did! How could anyone be in these holy places and not feel the spirit.
Our world today is so different than the world in the 1800's and our youth face different challenges. However much can be learned from the past. Was it a poor decision to leave Iowa City when the Willie - Martin Companies did? I think so, but what did the survivors do? They didn't whine, complain, and leave the church over it. They grew from it, they became stronger because of it, and most importantly they became closer to God because of their experiences! We all can learn from them! I wish you were in our testimony meeting last night and heard the testimonies of the youth and the adults....say what you want to, but this trek experience changed lives for the better! Oh yeah, thanks again for the ride....I told you I may write about it!
Robyne London, Alta Heights Ward
Canyon View Stake
On the difference between trials of faith and the consequences of stupidity, I'm not sure there's a distinction to be made. I really don't believe the Lord needs to spend a whole lot of energy manufacturing trials for us. The natural consequences of our own actions and those of others, combined with the natural consequences of things like weather patterns and genetics, provide us with a full complement of wars, diseases, persecutions, impossible deadlines, etc. We can try to minimize our problems by acting wisely, but then something like a traffic accident or a burglary or cancer waltzes in and we still have to deal with it.
The question this is, how do we deal with it? The test is not some manufactured thing like we get in school, it's the day to day of living with the consequences of life.
Did the Martin and Willie companies leave too late and too unprepared? Sure. Did they make other mistakes? Probably. When my children were infants I had nightmares about leaving them in cars. When they were small children I had panic attacks about drugs and bad guys. Now that they're teenagers and adults I realize that I've been doing the best I can and making plenty of mistakes along the way. The test is in how they deal with that and how I deal with it.
I was on this trek and it was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but also one of the most rewarding. The spirit of god is there. you can feel it and I was brought to tears many times (womens pull on rocky ridge). Kirby may claim to be a mormon but I found him to be an As@34*& as he likes to type. He seems very unhappy and yes if you were there with bad feelings to begin with it would suck. The heat, dust and 37 miles we hiked in 3 days would get anyone down. I grew as a person and my testimony also grew of the pioneers and of the restored gospel. The spirit was with us and we were allowed to grow in many positve ways. When was the last time kirby used his priesthood or went to the temple I ask.
Hey baby, this is yo' ma.
As far as troublesome kids go, you were the least of my worries, besides the mild attack on the wildlife. Throwing rocks at cows? Don't know how you dodged the BLM on that one.
As far as troubled kids go, well, you're so far gone that worrying won't help a thing. Anyway, it was oh-so-pleasant to have you with us on trek.
From the comments left here it sounds like you're either being enabled or called to repentance, and since both extremes of these opinions make whoever left them sound a little like an idiot, I'll do neither.
Hope it wasn't all too horrible for you.
love
ma
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