Every four years, our stake has the opportunity to hold a handcart reenactment trek as a youth conference. It is a powerful faith-building experience that gives youth and leaders a chance to learn and understand the perseverance and resilience of ancestors who have gone before us and to understand our value in the restored gospel community.

This year's trek theme is Our Story, and activities will be focused on exploring each youth's story, their family and ancestor story, and the Savior's story so they can build their testimonies, see themselves in the gospel, and strengthen their faith in Christ. You may wish to read the Philosophy below to learn more.

Trek officially launches at a fireside at 6:30 pm on March 13 at the Weston Building and will culminate in a three-day trek, where youth will be divided into trek families and will pull handcarts over 15 miles in New Hampshire from June 27-29.

Youth aged 14-18 in 2022 are eligible to participate in the three-day experience, but we will also have a one-day experience for youth ages 12 and 13 where they will join for the final day. Members from all over the stake are preparing and participating in making this a powerful activity.

Trek Philosophy

Downloadable version coming soon

Purpose

The purpose of three day handcart trek reenactment (trek) is to create a meaningful experience for youth. “Treks provide powerful opportunities to strengthen testimonies, build unity, do family history, and learn core gospel principles. Treks can help youth learn about who they are and what they may become.” - Guidelines p. 1

We will center the trek in gospel principles, step back from the “world” to have physical and mental space to build relationships, feel the spirit, serve one another, and have fun.

Philosophy about Pioneers and Trek

The following philosophy about pioneers and trek will guide our activities

Trek is not an activity for people with pioneer ancestry centered on a particular geographic area, but is for everyone who wishes to learn about and live a life of faith. "Each of us is a pioneer in his own life, often in his own family, and many of us pioneer daily in seeking to do God’s will and lift and serve those around us." Gordon B. Hinckley
We have both a shared pioneer story (of the church) and an individual pioneer story (of our families). Trek is an opportunity to explore the tapestry of our collective story that emerges through the unique threads of our individual ones. This experience will be an inclusive one so each individual can strengthen the connection to their story and faith in the restored gospel.
Trek is less a historical reenactment than a learning experience that both celebrates and seeks to evoke the great faith of the handcart pioneers. Trek is also a time to seek out and cherish the lives and faith of other “pioneers” in each of our lives.
A pioneer is not just a participant in a distant historical episode, but is any person that courageously follows the gospel and participates in building the Kingdom of God.

Our Approach to Physical Experience

We benefit from the experience and learning from previous treks. Previous leaders have universally expressed that trek should not attempt to manufacture physical or emotional pain.

Trek is not about misery, deprivation, discomfort, or pain, either physical or emotional. Trek is about faith, testimony, joy, and triumph.
Trek participants will not be subjected to any kind of abuse, deprivation, or neglect. Participants will never be deprived of food, sleep, or any essential comfort or assistance, nor will anyone be singled out or ridiculed for issues of strength or stamina or for any other reason. Trek will be a healthy experience in every way.

Relationship to Curriculum

Trek should be thought of as an enhancement to the youth curriculum in Come Follow Me, not an additional curriculum that ward leaders must run in parallel to their existing activities. Trek leaders will provide the wards with sufficient support to fully prepare Trek participants and volunteers.
Trek isn’t just a 3-day activity, it is an intellectual and spiritual journey that will take a few months to experience.
Trek is a privilege for which participants must qualify. All participants will complete a course of study, exercises, and assignments to be prepared to get the most out of Trek. Preparation for Trek is mostly spiritual, though participants must also be physically prepared as well.

“Our youth are not children spiritually. To treat them as children spiritually, as the world might treat the same age group, is therefore and likewise an anachronism. You do not have to sneak up behind these spiritually experienced youth and whisper religion in their ears; you can come right out, face to face, and talk with them. You do not need to disguise religious truths with a cloak of worldly things; you can bring these truths to them openly, in their natural guise. Youth may prove to be not more fearful of them than you are. There is no need for gradual approaches, for "bedtime" stories, for coddling, for patronizing, or for any of the other childish devices used in efforts to reach those spiritually inexperienced and all but spiritually dead.” J. Reuben Clark

Planning and Organization

We will manage the temporal activities in an orderly way to allow for spiritual growth of participants. We will work for maximum youth participation, high safety and well-being, and clarity in roles and responsibilities.
Trek is for the entire Boston Stake, not just the youth. Many leaders, members, and youth will benefit as they serve and participate in Trek, and every member of the Stake will benefit through the influence it will have on church meetings, talks, lessons, testimonies, and by participating in Stake-wide events.
Trek is an opportunity for brothers and sisters in our Stake to serve, learn and grow. We will create many opportunities at various commitment levels so that individuals from all wards and branches can contribute meaningfully.