Elder Nathan Hughes served his mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He will report Sunday, June 26th at 11:00 am at the Bunkerville Chapel. Jeff and Jodi Hughes in the Bunkerville 2nd Ward are his parents. Elder Hughes served in the Chile Osorno Mission from June 2014 to June 2016 in 11 different regions of southern Chile ranging from Mariquipia San Jose to Puenta Arenas. Nathan is a 2014 Virgin Valley High School graduate who is planning to continue his education this fall at Brigham Young University.

Zach Barnum has been called to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elder Barnum will serve for 24 months in the Texas Houston East Mission, Spanish speaking. He reports to the Mexico City Missionary Training Center on July 12. Mark and Lori Barnum of the Bunkerville 1st Ward are his parents. Elder Zach Barnum will speak on June 26 at 9 am in the Bunkerville Chapel.

June 13, 2016 By Barbara Ellestad MESQUITE LOCAL NEWS Kids cheer as they make a triumphant return to Bunkerville after a four-day, 24 mile trek through the desert and mountains as part of the quadrennial celebration of pioneer westward movements organized by the Mesquite Nevada Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It’s a lesson in history, religion, physics, environmentalism, physical education, and even psychology. For many of the 190 children who spent four days and three nights trekking through the desert south of Mesquite, it’s a rite of passage. Every four years the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Mesquite Nevada Stake organizes a reenactment of the journeys early pioneer settlers made in the 1800s as they came west to make new lives. The 14- to 18-year old boys and girls are divided into families of about 10 each with a “Ma and Pa” in charge. Each family shares one historical handcart built like the ones used by the early pioneers packing just about everything they need into it. The 18 families leave the easy lives they know on Wednesday, heading out of Bunkerville into the desert. They climb as high as 9,000 feet into the mountains over 24 miles, circling back down into a raucous homecoming celebration on Saturday in Bunkerville. Families of 10 boys and girls push and pull historic handcarts through the desert and mountains on a four day trek as they reenact their ancestors’ westward moves in the 1800s. Almost everything the kids will need – not want – for the next four days goes into one five-gallon plastic bucket for each child. No cell phones, iPods, iPads, computers, or other electronic devices are allowed. Each child gets a sleeping bag but no pillow – another throwback to the pioneers who didn’t have that luxury either. For three nights they will sleep on tarps under the stars. One exception for modern times are the water pouches most children wear on their backs to combat thirst from strenuous activities, dust, wind, and heat. Oh, and the porta-potties carried on trailers at the end of the train or placed strategically along the trail. Brian and Joy Haviland were designated this year’s ‘trail bosses.’ “The kids learn how to work hard together,” Brian said. “They learn they can do things they didn’t think they could. They do it in an environment that we can control and keep them safe. They grow physically and spiritually. These kids are tough.” “You can’t really do a lot without a team and you have to work together,” one young boy, Trey said about the lessons he learned walking through the desert. “A lot of it goes to the Lord and having Him here now with us. You always know He’s there.” “You can’t do anything without help from someone else,” his friend added. “Coming up Angel’s Hill was so hard until other people came to help us. You could just feel the burden being lifted off your shoulders. It felt great.” The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Mesquite Nevada Stake organizes a 24 mile trek through the desert and mountains as 190 kids learn about their physical and spiritual strengths. As the young boys relaxed after making it up the last stretch of the day’s walk, they reflected on their experience at Angel’s Hill. “It made me push myself more. I kept thinking ‘just get to these people and we’re done,’” Trey said. After trekking eight miles on the third day of the 24 mile excursion, Angel’s Hill was the last steep hill to conquer before everyone settled into that night’s campsite. With about a ten percent grade and loose gravel, rocks and sand the only thing below their feet, pulling and pushing the handcart up the hill looked daunting to say the least. But David Anderson, Mesquite Stake LDS President explained it was another lesson in church lore that until that day the children had only read or heard about. “There’s a symbolic and spiritual implication for us,” Anderson said. “The early pioneers shared experiences where they believed they weren’t going to make it to the next bush. But all of a sudden they had a feeling they were being pushed by angels among them. That gave them the strength and courage to go on.” In the local reenactment, as the handcarts gathered at the bottom of the slope with the kids staring at the seemingly insurmountable obstacle in front of them, about 25 adults dressed in pure white shirts and dark pants came over the crest of Angel’s Hill and grabbed ropes and pulleys to help pull the carts to the top. While the kids on the carts pulled and pushed, those on the ropes shouted words of encouragement all the way to the finish. One by one each handcart crested the worst part of the trek with the help of the ‘angels among them.’ As the kids parked their cart in the campsite, they returned to the rope line to help pull the next cart up the steep slope. By the time the last several carts were pulled up, over a hundred people were helping. “I can’t wait to do it again,” both boys said about their experiences. Four girls who participated for the first time all agreed on one thing – they loved the experience of being with their newly-formed family. But they also agreed that four days was just the right number. In a reenactment of church lore, angels in white descend from the top of Angel’s Hill to help pull handcarts to the top of the steepest slope during a four-day desert trek through the mountains south of Bunkerville and Mesquite. All of them said the women’s pull was the hardest part of the trek. Again, reenacting scenes from their ancestors, all the boys were taken off the carts and watched from a distance as the girls moved the train down the trail by themselves. During parts of the westward movement in the 1800s, men were drafted to fight wars near the pioneer trails while the women had to continue their trek alone. “It was really tough to do that without the boys. When they were allowed to come back to help us, the cart felt like it weighed only a pound,” one fourteen year old girl said. “Our ancestors did this for us. So it helps us understand what they had to go through and sacrifice for us.” One 17-year old girl said the part she loved the most was the women’s pull. “It showed us how strong and tough we are but also how dependent we are on the men to help us and how much we need them in our lives.” It was Jarrod Price’s second time as a Pa on the quadrennial trek. “It’s a lot of work but it’s worth it. It gives me peace of mind that we’re raising these kids to be decent human beings. They’ll be able to overcome challenges and work through trials in their lives.” Anderson echoed those thoughts as he and several hundred people waited Saturday morning to welcome the families back home. “I think our kids want to do hard things. They are grateful for someone to give them a challenge from time to time,” Anderson said. “Life is a trek; marriage is a trek; work is a trek. It’s good for them to understand they can do hard things. They are amazing kids. “On those days when they wake up and it’s hard to go to work or they have to figure out a solution to a problem, they can harken back to this trek when they did a hard thing and say ‘I can do this.’” And indeed they did.

https://youtu.be/Q7XSagYvBMc

Britton Wilson holding his Duty to God gift (pocket knife) from the Stake YM

Conner Woods received his Arrow of Light Award at a ceremony, May 26, 2016 in his Cub Scout Pack 2041 sponsored by the Bunkerville First Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Conner really liked cub scouts but he is really excited to be a boy scout. Conner was welcomed into the 11 year old scout troop. Conner's favorite part of the arrow of light ceremony was the presentation of the arrow of light. Kelton Chamberlain, representing Aleka, gave Conner an arrow when he crossed the bridge into boy scouts. The requirements for arrow of light include being active in a Webelos Den (We Be Loyal Scouts), learning outdoor skills, physical fitness, citizenship and cyber safety. He is the son of Chris and Krysten Woods.

Colton Mickelson received his Eagle Scout Award at a Court of Honor on June 3, 2016. He is a member of Venture Crew 2488 sponsored by the Mesquite 3rd Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His Eagle project was refurbishing theroof and eves of the pavilion at Heritage Park. He earned 30 merit badges on his trail to Eagle Scout and only 21 are required. He graduated the day before from Virgin Valley High School where he participated in Future Farmers of America and band andis now planning to serve a mission for his church. He is the son of Tracy and Kameron Mickelson. Kameron’s dad, spoke about how Colton has grown in his leadership skills. When Colton was 11 he and Dacen Cox wanted to climbMt. Whitney, the highest peak in the US. They had to put their names in the lottery and then they and their dads went on several pre-hikes to prepare. The hike was 2 days of strenuous climbing from 8,000 ft. to the top of 14,495 feet with 96 switchbacks. Coltonwas ready to quit and they were all feeling the effect of the high altitude. Kameron gave his son the choice of turning back but he reminded him, “You can always tell yourself that you’ll come back and do it again but the chances are slim for most people when theysay that. You can choose to go back if you don’t feel well, but I don’t want you to wonder if you could have done it.” They proceeded to the top without any more trouble and Colton’s exclamation was, “It was so totally worth it!” Colton has been on 4 different 50 mile hikeswith the scouts in Virgin Valley and last year led some of the scouts when his dad had to return for some gear left behind. “I have watched Colton become a leader and he has walked the path and done everything fully and completely along the trail to Eagle. Ken Carter, Colton’s grandfather, gave him the Eagle Charge. He asked the audience to take the challenge to live the scout oath and law also. He said, “Lord Baden Powell wanted scouts to have a happy life and look at the bright side and give out happiness. Be prepared to live happyand stick to your scout promise. Earning the Eagle Scout Badge is an honor and also a responsibility, “Carter said. “You have a solemn obligation to God and you fellow scouts to uphold the 12 points of the scout law and as you do you will bring honor to yourself and your fellow scouts.America’s greatness depends on the quality of its citizens. Lead only to the best that is in you and hold before you the high ideals of honor and dedicating yourself to the common good, to honest work, unselfish service and reverence to God. Colton repeated the last of the Eagle Chargewith the words the signers of the Declaration used, “I accept the obligation and responsibility of the rank of Eagle Scout and will make my example and my rank and influence count strongly for better citizenship in my troop, my community and my country; to this I pledge my sacred honor!” Colton’s mother pinned the Eagle medal on her son and Colton presented his parents with pins to thank them for their help in achieving this rank. Colton presented the mentor’s pin to Charlie Lee, his scoutmaster. Mark Tichenor, district commissioner representing Virgin River Valley Boy Scouts of America, presented Colton with a pocket knife engraved with Eagle Scout.

David West was presented with the Scouter's Training Award by Mark Tichenor, Virgin River Valley District Chairman, Mark Tichenor. Cubmaster David West is the Cubmaster of Community Pack 8 chartered by the Mesquite Elks Lodge #2811. He also serves as an Assistant Scoutmaster in Troop 2596 sponsored by the Mesquite 5th Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Scouter’s Training Award recognizes adult volunteers who demonstrate commitment to youth in Scouting over an extended period of time. As part of qualifying for the award, West participated in a week-long leadership training course at the Boy Scouts of America’s national training center in Philmont, New Mexico last year.