Pioneer Trek Reinactment: Women's Pull

In winter 1846, members of the Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-day Saints were forced to flee their homes again in Nauvoo, Illinois.  These early Church members were forced to leave the United States due to religious persecution to the safety of the Rocky Mountains.  These vanguard Saints first arrived in the Salt Lake Valley July 24, 1847.

Latter-day youth commemorate the Mormon pioneers by building, pulling, and camping beside handcarts designed like those used by early Church pioneers. Part of this Pioneer Trek reenactment customarily involves what is known as the "women's pull" where only the women pull the carts.  The 'women's pull' usually involves the young women pulling their handcarts alone up a steeper section of the trail without the boys. 

This part of Trek remembers that some of the men died along the way or were conscripted by the US Government to leave their wives and children out on the frontier, and participate in the Mexican-American War.  LDS men were ordered to march from Nebraska to California.  These conscripted soldiers are referred to as the Mormon Bittalion. The consequence of this conscription is many women were forced to drive wagons and pull handcarts on their own.  

It has been hinted by Latter-day Saint prophets that women will again play a major role in the events of the Last Days leading to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.  While LDS women may not be literally required to pull handcarts alone as their forebarers did, There is a part of the Book of Mormon involving the people of Limhi where, because of war, there were very few men. Could these events be a type and shadow of events to come?  Yes or no, I have confidence that the faith of the LDS women are up to the challenge, whatever it may entail.