All Youth (14+) and leaders are invited to participate in The Trail of Faith program. This is designed to help all prepare for a meaningful trek experience. To earn the one of a kind trek bracelet, you are to complete the 1 challenge activity in each section and 1 additional activity of your choosing.
*** Download and print the tri-fold pamphlet.
Completion: Put a check next to the activities you complete as you prepare for trek. When you have completed 10 activities (the challenge and at least one additional activity in each area), have your parent or leader sign. Return the form to your ward YM/YW leaders or bring them with you in your bucket to Trek and turn them in at registration for a trek bracelet that will remind you of your efforts.
Feel free to substitute any of the challenges for something in one of the 5 areas to better fit your own spiritual and physical preparedness.
Many of these challenge items can and should be used to complete Personal Progress/Girls Camp Certification requirements or Duty to God/Scouting requirements.
“Let us never forget the faith of our fathers and the selfless sacrifice of our mothers, those pioneering Saints who set such an inspiring example of obedience. Let us remember them as we strive to be valiant servants in our work.”
-Joseph B. Wirthlin
Service
CHALLENGE: Spend at least 3 hours giving service outside your family. Record your feelings about the experience in your journal or share in your quorum/class. (YW – Good Works #6 or Honor Bee #2, YM – Duty to God Service)
- Help clean up a cemetery. If possible, visit and clean-up the gravesite of a family member. (YW – Good Works #2)
- For 2 weeks, make a special effort to strengthen your relationship with a friend or family member. Set your phone to remind you. Think of what you learned and how this can be applied to your “family” on trek. Record and share your thoughts. (YW – Divine Nature #3, YM – Duty to God For the Strength of Youth: Friends & Family)
- Volunteer at a hospital, assisted living community, or food pantry. Check www.JustServe.org for ideas. (YW – Good Works #8 or value project or Honor Bee #2)
- Invite a non-member or less-active member to come with you to a service project.
- Teach a lesson about how the Savior taught us to give meaningful service. (YW – Knowledge #4, YM – Duty to God Understand Doctrine & Public Speaking merit badge)
- Other:_____________________________________________________________
Family History/Temple Work
CHALLENGE: With help from your parents, leaders, or family history specialist, search for an ancestor to take on trek. Take that name to the temple if possible. (YW – Individual Worth #8)
- Write your story in at least 500 words. (YW – Individual Worth #8)
- YM – Earn the Genealogy merit badge.
- Complete a pedigree chart of your family and list temple ordinances that have been completed. (YW – Individual Worth #6)
- Spend 3 hours indexing records at www.Familysearch.org/indexing.
- Collect stories and learn about your ancestors who have demonstrated faith and sacrifice. Share these stories with your family or class. (YW – Faith value project)
- Record “living histories” of an older family member or person in your ward by videotaping them as you interview them about their lives. (YW – Individual Worth #6)
- Think about the sacrifices the pioneers made to build early temples. Read some of the pioneers’ temple-building stories and record your thoughts and feelings in your journal.
- Place a framed picture of the temple in your room.
- Other:_____________________________________________________________
Spiritual Growth
CHALLENGE: Read in the Book of Mormon every day before trek.
- Study D&C 4:2 and 2 Nephi 31:20. How can you apply these scriptures on the trek and in your life? Record your thoughts in your journal.
- Prepare a Family Home Evening lesson on patriarchal blessings. If you have not received yours, begin making plans to do so. (YW – Individual Worth #2)
- Pray for a missionary experience. Read Matthew 24:14, 28:19, and D&C 88:81. Invite a non-member or less active friend to a pre-trek activity. (YW – Good Works #7, YM – Invite All to Come to Christ)
- Start a journal.
Physical Fitness
CHALLENGE: Organize/participate in a 3-5 mile hike. (YW – Girls Camp Cert)
- Read D&C 89. Improve your health by implementing a regular fitness program and consistently follow it until trek. (YW – Knowledge value project, YM – Personal Fitness merit badge)
- Train for and participate in a 5k or 10k race prior to trek.
- Receive training for First Aid skills to use in an emergency. (YW – Knowledge #7 & Girls Camp Cert, YM – First Aid merit badge)
- Other:____________________________
Remembering the Pioneers
CHALLENGE: Memorize Hymns for trek:
a. Come, Come Ye Saints (all verses)
b. The Spirit of God (verses 1&2)
c. Come Follow Me (verses 1&2)
d. I Am a Child of God (verses 1&2)
e. Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel (verses 1&2)
f. Come Thou Fount (verses 1&4)
g. Valiant Faith (by Jenny Phillips) (YW – Knowledge #6)
- Sew a bonnet, dress, apron, shirt, or vest to wear on trek. (YW – Knowledge #2)
- Cook at least two items using a Dutch Oven or a camp stove. (YW – Girls Camp Cert, YM – Camping merit badge)
- Give a talk about pioneers or a pioneer ancestor in Sacrament Meeting, YM/YW, or Family Home Evening.
- Make a list of qualities the pioneers developed on the trail (i.e. faith, endurance, humility, obedience, charity). Pick one of these and strive to improve it before trek. Give a lesson on what you learned. (YW – Faith #3, YM – Spiritual Strength: Understanding Doctrine)
- Watch at least one pioneer movie. Legacy, American Prophet, Perilous Journey, etc.
- Use any art form to express your pioneer heritage. Remember that this can include modern-day pioneers who sacrificed for their faith. (YW – Individual Worth #8 or value project)
- YM – Complete the Duty to God Spiritual Strength: Pray and Study the Scriptures.
