Primary Pioneers

Okay, finally I am posting some details from our Primary activity!

As Primary Pioneers we went on a mini trek. We began in Nauvoo, where the kids colored pioneer pictures. Brigham Young came and explained it wasn't safe to stay any longer and we needed to load our wagons and go to Zion. After the wagons were loaded with supplies, we began the long journey. They pushed and pulled the covered wagons through the field at the church.

We rested in Winter Quarters and made button toys, and learned about the Indian "Chief Bighead" who let the pioneers stay the winter. (I brought my teepee, saddles, sticks set up to cook pots over fires and quilts to decorate.)

We continued the trek and ate pickles on the way (so we wouldn't get cholera) and stopped again to chew some beef jerky. We trekked to the Salt Lake Valley after going over the Rocky Mountains (Cement steps up into the church) where Brigham Young told us,"This is the Right Place!" Then we planted crops (sunflower seeds in cups) and ate salt water taffy.

It was a beautiful morning!

It was fun to get into the pioneer spirit because Tom & I are going to Martin's Cove with the youth this summer.
 I love learning about pioneers. We researched our own ancestors to find one for each of us to "be" on the trek. I found my 4th great grandma on my dad's side. Her name is Zurviah! Kevin chose his 4th great grandpa on Tom's mother's side, David Peters. And Tristan chose a 3rd great grandpa on Tom's mother's side, William West Woodland. He was a teenager when he left Winter Quarters with Brigham Young's Company. Tom chose to be my husband, ha ha that's funny. You know, Zurviah's husband, James Eardley. I instantly fell in love with them and their stories. Just seeing names and dates tell so many stories! Just from the dates I could see that Zurviah had a baby 2 months after arriving in Salt Lake, so she was pregnant the whole journey! She met James just after he came across the ocean and was headed to the Salt Lake Valley. We need to read more about the companies they traveled with. It's exciting. I feel like I know them. I know that's weird. Well the most amazing part is while visiting teaching a few days later, I mentioned this and Martha actually had a book with all their pictures and details! Ha ha we laughed! Some of the men were funny looking with their puffy beards. But of course Zurviah's husband was handsome. I couldn't believe we could ever have a picture of these ancestors! Martha made copies for us. The boys were laughing when they saw the pictures too, and I told them I loved these pioneers before I ever saw them. They agreed with me, all of us already felt connected. Just imagine if we look up more ancestors we could fall in love again! There is something about family history work. It's addictive.