West Stake Ice Cream Social

The West Stake held a Pioneer Celebration on July 24. A clip of Ephriam Hanks Rescue was shown which details the many miracles in the Willy handcart company in the snowy blizzard. Ephraim, wanting to be as clean as he could be, washed his hands before he gave the many blessings he was asked to give to the members of the company. Miraculous healings were a result of their faith.

A few quotes at the end of the movie are: “Lift as you have been lifted.” “The gospel is a name for opportunity. It is a privilege and responsibility to give. God always relies on someone to help Him out.”

“The spirits of many were lifted so they could carry on!”

Brother Greg Walker explained some of the story of Ephriam Hanks before the rescue. He was fishing at Utah Lake when someone appeared to him and told him the handcart people were on the plains and in trouble. Ephriam returning to Salt Lake, heard Brigham Young call for a group to go out in the winter storm and rescue them. Brigham Young asked who ready and Ephraim can be spoke up and said he was ready now! Ephriam left the next morning in the worst storm he had ever seen! The stories and the miracles are all taken from journal entries. He encouraged everyone to go and watch the movie again. It is available on YouTube.

Bro. Walker quoted Elder Dieter Uchtdorf, “I doubt they looked forward to the daily effort it eventually required, but they did know it was going to be hard and that there was a possibility they or someone they loved would not finish the journey. And yet they came. By the thousands they came. And we, this nation, and even the world is richer because they came.”

Pres. Jared Hollingshead spoke about the great lessons we can learn from history. They pressed forward with unshakable faith. They had faith and determination to keep going and an unwillingness to give up. He invited us to be more like them and find joy in the journey with a goal and vision. “Trust and have faith and press forward.” He told of his great-grandmother, Sara Moulton, who was in the Willey handcart company.

Sara was nineteen in 1856 and later wrote, “Food was scare and there was barely enough to keep us alive – never enough to keep us from being intensely hungry. A man roasted beef hide strips over the wood fire. How good it tasted to the starving company.”

“We have a great pioneer history in this valley, let us celebrate and remember those that came to settle so we could worship together.”

He reminded us of the last conference when Elder Carnavale said, “There is a special spirit in this valley!”

He agreed with Elder Carnavale and said, “Those early settlers were good committed, faithful people and you are part of that legacy!”

Ice cream was served – lots of choices of flavors with chocolate covered vanilla with crunchies, and fruit bars or just chocolate ice cream bars. There were many delighted kids and parents enjoying the refreshing treats!