This last weekend I went camping overnight with my good friend Paul Carter. We left pretty late from my house but we only went up Farmington Canyon so it wasn't a far drive. I'm glad we arrived in the dark because if I had seen what I saw in the morning
I would have been too upset to sleep. We hiked up the canyon a ways until we found the spot I was looking for. We had seen some trash along the way but nothing out of the usual. Beer cans, shotgun shells and some granola bar wrappers. When I woke up I went up the trail a little ways to check out another spot where I normally camp only to be horrified by what I saw. There was a pile of soda cans sitting next to a log, 5 or 6 paper targets with holes all over them, can after can strewn about on the ground with hundreds of bullet holes in them, a pile of live .22 rounds sitting next to the fire-pit, and worst of all, the trees were nearly all dead or cut back. I couldn't believe it. A place that I have loved to visit ever since I was a child has now become a dumping ground for gun enthusiasts. One might say, "Oh, c'mon Jeff, it isn't that bad." Paul came up with a great idea, we organize a group and go back up to do a service project to try and clean up the canyon. I was whole-heartedly in agreement with this idea. When we got to the bottom of the trail to the truck again I decided to look over the ledge at the river and there I saw a fisherman, among pile after pile of garbage. There was paper, cans, shotgun shells, .22 shells (many different kind of bullet casings actually). Literally thousands of these metal casings everywhere. Then I looked down and saw a t.v. sitting on a rock across the river riddled with bullet holes. At this point my sadness turned to anger. I came off that mountain so angry at anyone who goes up there to shoot their guns. I wanted to find out who they are and litter their yard with horrible things. After having a few days to think about it, a scripture has come to mind. Pearl of Great Price, Moses 7:48. Enoch has been shown many things in vision and one thing is included in this passage. "And it came to pass that Enoch looked upon the earth; and he heard a voice from the bowels thereof, saying: Wo, wo is me, the mother of men; I am pained, I am weary, because of the wickedness of my children. When shall I rest, and be cleansed from the filthiness which is gone out of me? When will my Creator sanctify me, that I may rest, and righteousness for a season abide upon my face?" To relate this passage to what I experienced in Farmington Canyon I'd like to point out that the earth has a spirit, it is able to feel and it is obedient! It is my belief that when we dirty the face of the earth, literally and figuratively, we are being bad stewards and must accept rewards, good or bad, for our actions.
I'm ok with people going up to the mountains to shoot their guns, I've done it and really enjoyed it. But it was taught to me by those I went with that it is proper behavior to pick up all casings, to not leave a target behind and to leave little impact on the area in which we were. This is my practice in hiking, backpacking and camping. Unless I use an existing campsite where a fire-pit already exists then a person coming after me would never know I was there.
I am sickened by the thought of a beautiful place like Farmington Canyon becoming a dumping ground for ignorant, selfish and immoral people. I am committed to being a good steward.
Are you?
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