I am a Pioneer!

We often think of a Pioneer as an ancestor who joined the church in a far away land, sailed across the seas, and made the trek across the plains to the Rocky Mountains with other saints. Their journey was long and hard. It took great courage and faith. It took determination, commitment, and sacrifice. Their journey was not without trial and tribulation. Many faced hunger, exposure, and death. Yet, they came! Our ancestors paved the way through an unknown territory in order for us, their posterity, to enjoy the lives we have today. How grateful I am for those faithful ancestors!

The Pioneers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24th, 1847. That was 168 years ago today. Once our ancestors arrived in the Salt Lake Valley, they toiled and labored with all their might to build up Zion. It would not take long for the desert to, indeed... "blossom like a rose."

With all the modern advances of today, we wonder if we could ever be a Pioneer. The answer is "yes!" Every day presents an opportunity to be a Pioneer. So what is a Pioneer? "If you are the first, you are a Pioneer."

Familysearch.org issued a challenge to share how we are a Pioneer today. As I thought about my life, it took me back to a time that posed trials and hardship on every end, but also opened up many wonderful opportunities for growth as I maneuvered through unknown territory.

My Pioneer story is dedicated to my father, who was also born on Pioneer day... July 24, 1928. He was my inspiration!

My father was the first member of, not only his immediate family, but also extended family, to receive a college education. He was a Pioneer. As a child I often went to the bookcase and looked at the book he had written from his college days. I would pick it up with wonder and awe at the vast knowledge that was contained in the thickest book I had ever seen. It was then that the seeds of education were planted in my mind.

However, the opportunity to attend college never came until I found myself in the most difficult of circumstances in my life. After 12 years of marriage, it was over. I suddenly found myself alone to take care of five small children. I had two choices. Either curl up in a corner and watch the world go by, or do something about it. I chose to do something about it! With the encouragement of loving parents, I headed off in a direction that would change mine and my children's lives forever. School!

I moved my family to Logan, UT and started an adventure that took me into unknown territory. It was hard raising five small children alone, attending college full time, and working part-time. My ward became my family. How grateful I was for them. My journey was long and hard. It took great sacrifice, commitment, and determination. It took faith and courage. I had many trials and hardships along the way that left me wanting for the simple days I once knew. Many nights I cried myself to sleep, when the children were safely tucked into bed. Prayer was my lifeline to press forward with faith. I knew my Father In Heaven loved me and was mindful of our needs. I persisted in achieving my goal to graduate from college with a degree that would afford me the opportunity to care for my family.

Five years later, in 1995, I graduated with a B.S. degree in FACS Education and a minor in Nutrition. I re-married my last year of school. Four years later, I earned my M.S. degree and was able to fulfill a life-long dream of becoming a county Extension Agent for USU. As I placed my own book upon the library shelf, thoughts instantly took me back to dad's book that I used to admire with awe and wonder. And now... I could add mine to it!

My brothers followed in dad's footsteps and earned college degrees. All of my sisters started college. They married and started their families, never finishing.

I went to college under the most difficult of circumstances and I finished. I am a Pioneer! I was the first girl in my family to accomplish this. When I look back and think about all the hardships and trials during that time in my life, my heart swells with gratitude in spite of them. Not only for the growth I experienced along the way, but for the opportunities that opened up. Mostly I am grateful that I showed my children the way... that even when sore trials come upon them... they can choose to stay faithful and committed. They, too, can be a Pioneer!

And thank you dad... for showing me the way. Happy Birthday!

Dad's (Jim Bates) graduation from USU, 1959

That's me (Carol) in my mother's arms

We all have a Pioneer story. Please share your's in the comments.

See the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sing "Come, Come, Ye Saints" to an inspiring video at http://www.mormontabernaclechoir.org/videos/come-come-ye-saints-mormon-tabernacle-choir.html?

Staying Cool

When the temperatures climb to over 100 degrees, there's only one place to go....

The Splash Pad

Ice cream helps, too!

Beat the heat... Stay cool!

Writing prompt #2: Write a blog post inspired by the word: cool

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Mama Kat's Pretty Much Famous Writer's Workshop

PERU was no vacation!

The Explorer (the hubs) and I just back from a trip to Peru. We went with Judd Tours out of SLC. Our tour guide was host to 60 of us. 

Peru is a third world country. I was not prepared to see people living in deplorable conditions, with no plumbing or electricity. Many of their homes were no more than a shack. Barely a roof over their heads. Only in the large cities could you see any kind of modern civilization.

The food was good but took some adjusting to. Rice, fresh fish, vegetables, and fruits. All meals were made with whole foods. It was my first time to see a real banana and coconut tree. You could not drink the water or even brush your teeth with it. We drank bottled water the entire time. Most of our group took turns being "sick". Our immune systems in America are weak.

We were entertained with tribal music and dance. It was great! We had native tour guides who were knowledgeable and passionate about their heritage.

We traveled by plane, by bus, by boat, and hiked and walked and walked. It was a lot of work. We went from sea level to over 16,000 feet in a few days time. We saw three volcanoes placed in close proximity and known as the "ring of fire."

Some of the places we visited - 

Machu Picchu, Inca ruins and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Amazing!

Lake Titicaca, Puno. Floating islands.

Amazon. Here we saw first hand how tribes live in the jungles along the Amazon. We fished for prana with sticks, a line and hook with meat on it. And, by the way, Explorer caught the first one and I caught the second two! No one else on our boat caught any, so we were feeling quite lucky. We saw a rare pink dolphin jump out of the water. Monkeys jumped from the trees onto our shoulders. We saw a poisonous frog, macaws, large anaconda and boa constrictor snake. The jungle was green, wet, and humid and filled with creepy crawly things. 

My favorite place to visit were the floating islands on Lake Titicaca. The small islands are made up of reeds and new ones need to be added every 15 days to keep the island afloat. There are about 100 small islands on the lake. 

The island we visited housed three families. Each owned a reed hut that was about 10x10 feet. We were invited into the president's hut. It had two beds and poles above to hold clothes. Everything else is done outside in the middle of the island. Cooking, crafting, playing, visiting, and entertaining visitors like us.

The natives could speak no English but that did not stop them from friendly chat and telling us the story of life on the islands. They used props to help tell the story. Our tour guide, which accompanied us throughout Peru interpreted for us.

The people on the islands drink the lake water, which is salty, therefore they retain a lot of water. They have to row 5 minutes away for bathroom needs. 

The people in Peru have very little but it is evident they are happy people. You see lots of smiles!

A few pictures from the Floating Islands, Lake Titicaca

A young boy plays with the fish.

The tribal people wear colorful clothing. Lots of layers of colorful skirts, and large pom poms at the bottom of their braids.

The President and his wife.

Ducks were part of island life.

We were invited into the President's hut which had two beds and poles overhead to drape their clothing over. 

Larry and Anna. Anna is stitching a colorful tribal scene on cloth, getting it ready to sell.

The children attend school on its own island. We took the children gifts brought from America. They sang us songs and showed us their school. It was so rewarding seeing the smiles on their faces.

The Explorer and I. The Col. retired his army gear for traveling gear. Let the adventures begin!

If you want to learn more about the Floating Islands, click here and here.

Our next trip, and I call them trips because they are no vacation, is to China in October. To explore another country, to experience a foreign culture, to adjust to extreme elevation and climate conditions, experience diet changes, to hike in rugged and uneven terrain, and being on the go constantly is no picnic. I didn't start my vacation until I got back home!

But... the rewards of trips like these are the people you meet, the friendships forged, and a better understanding of the world we all live in. We really are all alike!

Writing prompt #2: Write a blog post inspired by the word: vacation.

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