How I Became a "Survivalist"

I had no concept of what I TRULY was getting into.  This happens a lot in my life...hmmmm...

I read the description.  Words do not convey the actual experience.   Case in point:

Transition in labor is described as "the most intense part of labor. Contractions are usually very strong, coming every two and a half to three minutes or so and lasting a minute or more, and you may start shaking and shivering."

Does that give you an accurate picture of what you are in for??  No way Jose!  Somehow in reading, your brain skips over the words "most intense."  We get the impression that it is going to be uncomfortable and maybe scary.  HA!  Little did we know!

THAT was my experience with Survival!

I only knew about the class because I met a girl who was taking the fall trip in 1972.  I had never heard of it before then.  She told me general things and I thought it sounded amazing.  I heard her pre-trip and post-trip descriptions.  Post-trip mostly consisted of  "it's not something I can easily explain...we walked a lot..."  and she spoke of how much she grew spiritually on the trip.  She was preparing to go on a mission and thought it was the perfect pre-mission experience she could have had.  Sounded good.  I wanted to go.

I am not really a detail-oriented person.  I'm kind of a "fly-be-the-seat-of-my-pants" gal.  Okay - I'm a total disaster!  My plans for going to this class were - sketchy - to say the least.  I didn't think though the details at all.  I wanted to go.  I quit my job.  Took my last paycheck, and took off for Utah.  I left my stuff with my roommates, including my car, and got a ride with a guy in the branch who was going to Utah. 

The course offered on-campus housing for the first two days and the last day of the course, which I applied for and received.  I arrived at the first class September 11, 1973 - blithely unaware of what lay ahead.