Last Leg of the Pioneer Journey

When we left Scottsbluff Nebraska this morning, it was windy but 72 degrees. When we got to Casper Wyoming, it was raining and in the mid-40's. As we drove to the handcart visitors' site at Martin's Cove, the rain was mixed with snow. And we're in the middle of May. It helped me understand how much the weather can change on you in this area. Wyoming is a mixed bag: rolling prairies, long straight stretches of highway, lots of pronghorn antelope and cattle, coal mines and oil wells, desolate high prairie, huge rock formations like molten lava pimples on the earth's face. (I should write travelogues!) It's just funny that we have been in cold, stormy weather a lot more on this trip than we expected.

We visited both Martin's Cove and the Sixth Crossing of the Sweetwater river. Both have visitors' centers about the handcart pioneers. The first one focuses on the Martin company and the second on the Willie company, since they are located where the main rescue of each company took place. Martin's Cove is also where they have youth handcart treks. It has become so popular, they are expecting 26,000 youth over this next season. These youth treks have been referred to as the "Second Rescue," comparing the physical rescue of the early pioneers to the spiritual rescue of youth. The site was part of the largest ranch in Wyoming, until the owners provided part of it to the church for historical restoration. This photo is of the Sweetwater river near Martin's Cove. It's a peaceful, sacred place.

I learned more about my ancestors there, especially at the Willie site. They were already closed, but a senior missionary came out and invited us in to their visitors' center. It turns out that her husband and I are cousins. We are both descended from Peder Mortensen (he is my 3rd great grandfather). I come from the oldest son, and he comes from one of the younger sons. Peder and his wife and 8 children were baptized in Denmark, and decided to travel to Zion. As they were leaving, the mission president called the oldest son, Morten, to serve a mission. Of course, the family needed this young adult to help with the journey. But the mission president promised the family that if Morten stayed to preach the gospel, the rest of the family would be blessed and would reach Salt Lake City safely. The family went on, taking a ship to America with many other Scandinavian and British saints, then the train to Iowa. Apparently, they were a family of means, but had shared so much of their money to help other saints make the trip, they found they needed to travel with the handcart companies. Thus, they were put in the Willie handcart company. One of the problems was that Peder and one of the daughters were both handicapped and had to ride in the supply wagons and then in the handcarts. Despite all the difficulty and privation, the whole family made it safely to their destination. The oldest son, Morten, finished his mission, took the ship to America (even getting married on board ship), and joined his family 3 years later. I'm glad that sister missionary invited us in and spent time with us.

I also found a Robert Whittaker in the Martin handcart company of 1856, who died in Wyoming. That is the name of my great grandfather, but they are not the same person. My relative wasn't born until 1857.

We listened to our church history podcast on the trip. They pointed out that the Martin and Willie handcart companies were tragic, but an anomaly. Most of the 60,000 LDS pioneers traveling in handcarts and wagons during that great migration arrived safely.

After having driven more than 3500 miles since we left Arlington, and having visited most of the major church history sights, it would make sense to finish the trip in Salt Lake City, including the "This is the Place Monument." But our plans include visiting our kids, so we turned off the Mormon trail and headed away from Salt Lake, on our way to see Liz in Rexburg, Idaho.

This pioneer journey has been a fascinating and moving trip, and a real privilege to share the testimony, heritage, and blessings of the restored gospel.