During a 43-kilometer hike, members of Boy Scout Troop 23, sponsored by the Sapporo Japan Stake, commemorated the pioneer trek of 150 years ago. The Scouts showed a spirit of service along the way by picking up empty cans littering their path.
Under the direction of Scoutmaster Takao Nishida, the Scouts spent three days recently hiking and camping. There were 13 Scouts, one senior Scout and three leaders. They covered 14 kilometers the first day, 23 kilometers on the second, and 6 on the third. It was while walking on the second day that the Scouts began picking up litter. In no time, they filled up the bags they had with them.The Scouts also enjoyed spiritual experiences along the way through prayer, sharing testimonies, and helping each other.
"Because of this experience, we can better understand the many phases of our gospel and appreciate the efforts of the pioneers," said Senior Scout Tsutomu Nakashima.
The activity received favorable publicity in the Hokkaido Shinbum, one of the newspapers in the area, according to Brother Nishida.
