So we each got to pick a character of one of the pioneers in the companies. Then we researched them and presented them at a certain time. My girl was Zilpah Loader Jaques. She was born and raised in England. She grew up pretty well, living on an estate, while her Dad worked for the Sir and Lady that lived there. Was baptized in a river that had to have the ice broken to go into. Got married to John Jaques. They had a little girl before they came over to America. Her name was Flora. By the time they came over to America on the Horizon, Flora was 2 years old, and Zilpah was 8 months pregnant. Zilpah and John met Zilpah's family in Iowa City and joined the Martins Company with them. They all were so strong in the gospel and had so much faith that they would all reach Zion. Zilpah had her baby boy in Florence, Nebraska. His name was Alpha. Along the way Zilpah's Dad got very sick and ended up dying. So John was there to help with his in-laws, and still pulled his handcart too. It was very exhausting for him. There came a time when John's legs started to swell and it became harder and harder for him to pull the handcart. So Zilpah got out of the cart(she was still recovering from giving birth), leaving her 2 year-old and her newborn in the cart and got in the tongue of the cart and helped her husband push the cart so that they could keep going. Flora got sick later on and died at Fort Bridger, 6 days from the Salt Lake Valley. But they made it to Zion and buried Flora there in the Valley. Alpha was the oldest living member of that company.
Hearing all the stories about the different members of the company was such an amazing experience. I became so much more in tuned with where i was and what they went through at that point in time. We crossed the Sweetwater River; it wasn't as cold as i thought it was going to be for November. It was more refreshing to the 70 degree weather we were in. I was able to go through the river a few times. :) We had the BYU studios camera crew with us the whole time filming us, so the handcart that i helped pull through the river had a camera on it. We went through the first time, but they said the camera wasn't low enough to go all the way in the water how they wanted it, so we pushed the handcart back to the other side and tried it again. I got pretty wet, but it was such a great experience to be able to do that. As i went through I kept thinking how it would be to have chunks of ice flowing down the river and cut at your legs. Those pioneers were amazing to suffer through so much and still have faith that they would make it to Zion. I am truly blessed to be able to experience this last weekend with my ward! I have so much respect for the Pioneers and all they went through. If you want to learn more about their experiences, read The Fire and The Covenant. It is written by Gerald Lund and it's fictional characters in real events with the real pioneers. SO GOOD!! I loved it! I hope you all realize what our ancestors did to come to America, and what the rescuers went through to save those pioneers! I hope we never forget and never take it lightly. I'm so grateful for them and for them to listen to the Prophet's calling.
