pencer and Nicholas Cox received their Eagle Scout Award at a ceremony on Saturday, June 25, 2016. They are member of Venture Crew 2640 sponsored by the Mesquite 6th Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Their project was making emergency alert flags for quick response in Sunset Greens. They organized their troop in making 700 flags each homeowner received 3 felt flags – green, yellow and red – with instructions to display the appropriate color in their window or door in case of a need or an emergency. This will help residents’ lookout for their neighbors and help fire and ambulance crews. Nick said some of his favorite merit badges were archery, Wilderness Survival, carpentry and path finding. Spencer said his favorite merit badges were personal fitness, swimming and lifesaving. Stephen Waite spoke saying, “The greatest institutions are of God; the first is the family, second is church, third is scouting. Each of these institutions has expectations that need to be met. Scouting provides good mentors for boys to emulate to become good men and fathers and meet the expectations of home, family and church. These two young men have just joined a great group to help them in life – the brotherhood of Eagle Scouts.” Bishop Kevin Jensen gave them the Eagle Charge. He challenged them to rededicate themselves to the principles of Scouting by repeating the Scout Oath and Law. “Always remember that as an Eagle Scout, you become a guide to other Scouts and an example in your community.” He reminded them, “should you falter in your responsibility it would reflect not only on you, but on your fellow Eagles and all of Scouting.” Donald Barnum, young men’s president, presented them with their Eagle Award. Their mother pinned the Eagle Badge on her sons. Nick and Spencer then presented pins to their parents to thank them for their help on their trail to Eagle Scout. Spencer and Nick presented mentor pins to Don Barnum, their scoutmaster, Merlin Hafen for helping them with their Eagle Project, Bishop Kevin Jensen and Mark Barnum for encouraging them on their trail to Eagle Scout. Each received an engraved pocket knife to help them always be prepared; this was presented by the Virgin Valley District BSA. Spencer and Nicholas, sons of Dan and Wendy Cox, just graduated with honors from Virgin Valley High School where they participated in Football, basketball, and track and were member of the National Honor Society. Spencer is planning on serving a mission for the LDS Church and college at SUU. Nick will attend SUU and plans on a career in sports medicine.

Elder John and Sister Jane Coons are serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are in the Washington Everett Mission. Elder and Sister Coons are assigned to the Lynden, Washington Ward on a Member/Leader Support Mission until September and then they are assigned to the Washington DC Temple for a 19 month mission.

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.