We started our journey at 4:30 in the morning. Well, actually I started my journey at 9:00 pm the previous evening when I was lying in bed trying really hard to go to sleep. And we all know that sleep never comes when you're trying to sleep. Anyway I finally fell into fitful slumber and had a decent amount of rest before morning came.
Our wonderful stake president gave us a great send off. He encouraged each of the youth to find a spot on the temple to call their own and to promise themselves that they would return there on the day they receive their endowments. He talked about how this journey would be difficult for some and easy for others. He encouraged us all to lift and help each other along the way and to persevere. Then we were off.
Two girls have been my special walking buddies each morning and they waited till Mary, Mathan and I were ready to go, which wasn't till most everyone had left. When we finally got outside I gave a whoop and ran through the parking lot. I was so excited to finally be going after all the preparation!
We started out going nearly four miles an hour and at that pace we quickly caught up to and passed much of the group. Of course we weren't trying to get ahead, that was just our normal practice pace. It was actually really fun to be able to walk a few feet with most of the people on the hike and to say hello and cheer on everyone as we passed.
5 miles passed quickly and easily, ten miles passed with a much needed potty break and water refill, and I was still feeling good and motivated. 15 miles came much slower than the previous 5 mile increments. My feet were aching by then and my legs burning. We had kept up our speed and spirits really well, but after 15 it was much more of a challenge to keep our minds off the pain. We kept joking about how great our elbows and earlobes felt. No pain at all there. Then came our manna from heaven. A little four passenger airplane flew over and we thought is was pretty cool. Then it circled back and dropped twinkies on the road! That was a nice little lift and distraction.
I think the hardest part for me came about mile 18. We had just flagged down the portable potty and I sat on the ground to stretch and rest for a while, but when I got up the muscles in my legs were screaming! The best I could do was toddle with stiff knees. It was really painful for a while, but finally I worked through it and could walk more freely. At mile 20 I discovered a few blisters but I didn't care at that point. Just two more miles! The walk up to the temple was beautiful and much less difficult than I had imagined. I pictured myself crawling on hands and knees, but all I had to do was put my arm around Mathan's waist and we just plowed up that steep hill together. It took us 6 1/2 hours from the time we started walking.
It felt so good to be finished and to sit with Mathan in the special spot that we have had since out dating days. I have to admit I felt so dirty and uncomfortable in my sweaty sunburned state. The temple presidency had asked that we not loiter around, so we didn't stay long. We will be going back soon, properly dressed, to do baptisms for the dead for whom we walked. My parents got out of the temple just as we arrived. We also saw Mathan's Aunt Lorna and Uncle Levell. They didn't believe us when we first told them how far we had walked.
It has been an unforgettable experience. I'm looking forward to the baptisms and the closing fireside where we get to share all of our stories!
