Parents & Leaders
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A recent letter to youth leaders from our Stake Presidency:
Dear Bishoprics and Young Women Presidencies,
We are excited for our upcoming Youth Pioneer Trek in March 2024, and thank you for what you are doing to help prepare our youth for a powerful experience! Pioneer treks can deepen our testimonies of the Savior Jesus Christ, as participants learn from those who, inspired by their faith in Christ and the power of their covenants, prepared the way for us as beneficiaries of the blessings of the restored gospel.
Just as the early Saints prepared the way for those who came after them, our youth, acting on President Nelson’s invitation to gather Israel, can prepare the way for their ancestors by performing saving ordinances for them in the temple.
Therefore, as we prepare for trek, we are asking each youth (and leaders too!) to do the following:
Schedule your youth (whether they are going to trek or not) to attend the temple to perform baptisms for the dead as close to trek as possible. This can be done as a group or in classes or quorums. Please note: March appointments are already open and will fill up fast, please do not wait until January to start scheduling!
Watch the video “The Promised Blessings of Temple and Family History Work” Look for the promised blessings associated with gathering Israel through temple and family history work (this can be done in a class or quorum setting).
Discover at least 1 ancestor who needs temple work done. Attend the temple and perform the ordinance on their behalf.
Research and learn about your pioneer ancestors, or someone in your family who converted to the gospel and made it possible for you to have the gospel in your life. Choose one person that you will trek for.
Questions for the youth to consider, as they do the above activities:
What promised blessings have I witnessed in my life as I have served my ancestors through family history and attending the temple on their behalf?
How has my life changed because of my participation in the gathering of Israel?
With love and appreciation,
Chad Call, Dean Lefler, Mark Lawton
Cypress Texas Stake Presidency
A recent letter to parents of youth from the trek chairs:
A recent letter to parents of youth from the trek chairs:
A youth’s testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ can deepen as they learn from those who, inspired by their faith in Christ and the power of their covenants, prepared the way for them to receive the blessings of the restored gospel. Just as the early Saints prepared the way for those who came after them, the youth, acting on the Prophet’s invitation to gather Israel, can prepare the way for their ancestors by performing saving ordinances for them in the temple.
help your son or daughter discover at least one ancestor who needs temple work done (baptism).
have them attend the temple to perform that ordinance on their behalf. (http://tinyurl.com/templename)
help them research and learn about their pioneer ancestors (www.familysearch.org/campaign/pioneers), or someone in your family who converted to the gospel and made it possible for your son or daughter to have the gospel in their life.
have them choose one to trek for, and bring a short description of their pioneer ancestor with them on Trek.
WALK WITH HIM
“thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.” Moses 6:34
Pioneer treks can be physically demanding and deepen one’s testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ, as participants learn from those who, inspired by their faith in Christ and the power of their covenants, prepared the way for us as beneficiaries of the blessings of the resorted gospel. If appropriate preparations are made it can be a life-changing experience. Therefore, it is important that each participant takes physical and spiritual preparation seriously.
Parents and youth leaders can be some of the best motivators for a youth’s level of excitement and enthusiasm for trek and extremely helpful in encouraging individual preparation as well as providing opportunities for classes and quorums to prepare effectively.
Below are four areas, listing what we would like each trek participant (youth & adult) to strive to apply individually in preparation for trek. You will notice that these fall under the spiritual, physical, social, and intellectual areas of improvement in the Children and Youth Program. Parents, as preparation is home centered Church supported, prayerfully consider ways to help or encourage your youth. Leaders, because the needs of ward, class and quorum vary, we invite you, along with class and quorum presidencies, to prayerfully consider the needs of your youth and plan additional purposeful activities that will help the youth prepare. Feel free to include the help of your Ward Trek Specialist as well as your ward’s two Youth Trek Committee members. This list is not exhaustive, remember keep it simple do what works.
Essential Preparation
Wherefore, be not aweary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation of a great work.
And out of small things proceedeth that which is great.
Doctrine & Covenants 64:33-34
Spiritual
“I plead with you now—to take charge of your own testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Work for it. Nurture it so that it will grow. Feed it truth. As you make the continual strengthening of your testimony of Jesus Christ your highest priority watch for miracles to happen in your life. I promise you that as you consistently give the Lord a generous portion of your time, He will multiply the remainder.” President Nelson
● Strive for regular personal scripture study & prayer.
● Study the Book of Mormon and other scriptures regularly,
look for examples of faith in Christ and the power that
can come through making and keeping covenants.
● Prayerfully and regularly study the For Strength of
Youth: A Guide for Making Choices.
● Attend the temple as often as your schedule allows.
Questions to Consider:
What do I need to start or stop doing so that I can more fully “Walk with Him” as I prepare for trek?
How will my life be blessed as I do this?
Physical
Your body is an amazing gift from your Heavenly Father. He gave it to you to help you become more like Him. Having a body gives you increased power to exercise your freedom to choose. The restored gospel of Jesus Christ can help you see your body from God’s perspective. And that makes a big difference in your choices about what to do with your body and how to care for it. For the Strength of Youth
Trek families will be pulling and pushing a handcart through various terrains for up to 16-20 miles over the course of 4 days (broken into smaller lengths each day). When you are prepared you will be surprised at what you can accomplish.
● Decide what shoes you will wear and begin breaking
them in now. Prepared feet, proper shoes and socks,
will make all the difference in your trek journey
(refer to clothing page for shoe & sock info)
● Begin a personal fitness program that at minimum
includes simple walking, or other fitness activities
gradually increasing distance and difficulty.
● Regularly push yourself to do hard things
Questions to Consider:
How will physically preparing for trek help me honor my body as a sacred gift from God?
How can physically preparing for trek help me to resist temptation and face the challenges of daily life?
Gather Israel
“The Lord is hastening His work to gather Israel. That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today. … nothing else compares in importance…anytime you do anything that helps anyone-on either side of the veil-take a step toward making covenants with God...you are helping gather Israel.” President Nelson
Pi·o·neer one who goes before, preparing the way for others to follow. Whether you have an ancestor who crossed the plains with the Saints or are the first member of the Church in your family, everyone has a pioneer heritage that they can honor.
● Watch the video above. Look for the promised blessings
and truths associated with gathering Israel through
temple and family history work.
● Research and learn about your pioneer ancestors,
or someone in your family who converted to the gospel
and made it possible for you to have the gospel in
your life. Choose one that you will trek for.
● Discover at least 1 ancestor who needs temple work
done. Attend the temple and peform the ordinance
on their behalf (don’t stop there! We hope you keep
going to the temple as often as possible).
Questions to Consider:
What promised blessings have you witnessed in your life as you served your ancestors through family history and attending the temple on their behalf?
How has your life changed because of your participation in the gathering of Israel?
Social & Emotional Resilience
Caring for your body includes caring for your mental and emotional health.
For the Strength of Youth: A Guide to Making Choices. Pg29
Despite their many differences in language, culture, and nationality, the early pioneers shared one thing in common, a testimony of Jesus Christ and the restoration of His gospel (Ballard). They learned to overcome these obstacles to work together in unity and to build friendships and community. Like the pioneers you too may have different life experiences, cultural backgrounds, interests, or family situations. Trek is an opportunity to:
● Strengthen your testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ
and how His atonement can give you strength and
peace as you act in faith.
● Associate with other youth who share your beliefs and
develop new friendships, unity and a sense of
belonging as you work, play, learn, and pray together.
● Engage in activities that will bolster your self-esteem
and increase your confidence.
On the first day of trek you may not know all the youth in your trek family, but you will know many of the youth in your company. For some, meeting new people can be exciting, for others, it can create an initial sense of anxiousness. At the conclusion of His earthly ministry, the Savior taught, “love one another; as I have loved you … by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35) We want you to know that the Lord is aware of you. He is aware of your excitement and concerns and is ready to help. We encourage you to turn towards Him and prayerfully consider ways you can prepare emotionally and socially for trek.
Questions to Consider:
How can I plan now to help strengthen, minister to, and help unify my trek family?
How will preparing emotionally and socially for trek help me to learn to persevere, and turn to God in times of trial, and gain a testimony that He will help bear their burdens?
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