What Andy Taught Me at Trek

This is Andy.  He is a big, strapping LDS boy.  He is here with his "Ma" at trek.  My friend, Anne.

Anne has a bad back.  She had surgery on her back about 6 months ago.  She exercised a lot of faith by going to trek.  There was some concern that all the walking. pushing, and sleeping on the hard ground would make it worse.

At one point in the trek trail, the families came upon a river they had to cross with their handcarts.  Andy carried Anne across.  He didn't want her to slip and fall.

Immediately after that was a VERY STEEP ascent up a hill. 

 Everyone looked at it and thought, "we have to go up that?"    

It was overwhelming.  

It was hard.  

Super hard.

Here is a picture of it but it really doesn't do it justice.

Andy helped his family up the steep ascent and then sent them on their way.  

Because the rest of the trail that day was going to be easier.

He went back.  

He went back  to help the handcart behind him.  

And the handcart behind that one.

I watched him help one after another up the ascent.

It brought tears to my eyes. 

Most were just so grateful to be able to be done with it and move on to an easier trail.  

Not Andy.

I asked him how many he helped.  

He smiled and said, "I don't know Sister Argyle, how many were in my company? 

 I helped everyone in my company."

There were 9.

Andy felt strong and capable so he wanted to help those behind him that might not have been  feeling as strong and capable.

I was inspired by him.

I want to be strong.  Not the kind of strong where you can lift heavy things or push up a hill.

I want to be strong so that I can help others who feel weak.

I know the way to do that is to study scripture, have meaningful prayer, live my covenants so I can be in tune.

I want to be strong because there have been times in my life when I have been helped by others when I have felt weak.

Romans 15:1

"We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak..."