Connected

In my opinion, one of the most incredible stories from my church's history is the one of the Willie Handcart Company. The pioneers traveling in this company sufferered worse than anything I could ever possbily imagine being able to handle myself. They had to move to Utah because our church members were being persecuted back east. Church members were mobbed and murdered for their beliefs. On the journey to Utah, this company had problems and had to leave later than expected. Unfortunately, winter came earlier and much more severely than usual as they were crossing Wyoming. So many people died and they ran out of food. During coldest blizzards their food ration was reduced to an average of only 10 oz of flour a person. Can you imagine only eating a handful of flour each day as you are nearly freezing to death and watching your loved ones die around you?

I was able to visit some of the places where these pioneers suffered about 10 years ago. The first time was with a youth group I was partially in charge of and the second time was for a family reunion. Being there and hearing the stories of these people was absolutely an incredible spiritual experience. These people suffered so much, but had so much faith and love for God.

I just realized today how closely connected I am to a few of the people that traveled in that company. Since my early twenties, I knew my forth great grandparents brought their children across the plains in this handcart company. Their names were James and Mary Laird. I also knew my third great grandfather, Edward was one of those children. What I didn't realize until today, is that I have touched a hand, that touched a hand, that came across the country in the Willie Handcart Company. I knew my Great Grandma Park, whose grandfather was Edward Laird. Looking at the information I have on Edward, I can see that my great grandma grew up by him and knew him until he died when she was about 19. That's really neat to me. These ancestors seemed so old and so distant until I realized that today. I have loved someone, who has loved someone, who was in the Willie Handcart Company. Wow. I feel very connected.