Our first stop was at the Willie Hand Cart Company Site at Sixth Crossing. It is about ten miles west of Jeffery City Wyoming, in the middle of the state, in the middle of no where literally. They did have a visitor center there and we were able to find out some information on Daddy's ancestors that were a part of the Willie Company.
Daddy obviously did not get the black and white memo that day.
Then we went further east to the Martin Handcart Company Visitor center (just west of Alcova, Wy). While we were there we were able to get copies of journal entries from Mommy's ancestors that were in the Martin Company. We also watched a video called "Nor tongue, nor Pen" that portrayed many of the trials the Martin Company faced taken from Mommy's ancestor's journal entries.
We then took the kids for a handcart ride to Devil's Gate about a mile from the visitor center. They loved the hand cart ride and it was humbling to Mommy and Daddy (who thought pulling the kids for a mile was far enough) as we reflected on our ancestors and their journey. Also pictured is Independence rock, another mile marker for the Saints.
A few days before we made this trek we had the opportunity to go see a movie called "17 Miracles" based on the Willie Handcart company (if you haven't seen it or heard if it- look into it! It's wonderful, and Uncle D was a camera man on set). It is a powerful story based on the journal writings of the saints that crossed the plains by handcarts and a tribute to their faith. While at the Martin Visitor center I read a plaque that touched me and explained my feelings while both during the movie and at these visitor centers. It is a journal entry by an Elizabeth Jackson, which says,
" I have a desire to leave a record of these scenes and events, through which I have passed, that my children, down to my latest posterity, may read what their ancestors were willing to suffer and did suffer, patiently for the Gospel's sake... I hope, too, that it will inspire my prosperity with fortitude to stand firm and faithful to the truth, and be willing to suffer , and sacrifice all things they may be required to pass though for the sake of the Kingdom of God."
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