About the Actors and Volunteers

Our volunteers are the heartbeat of this event, setting aside the noise of the modern world to channel the spirits of the pioneers whose voices have been quiet for generations but are now awakened through the stories they share. 

Lawrence Law may have left the world of Financial Services behind, but he remains as busy as ever. A man of many talents, Lawrence manages the digital presence for both MormonBattalion.com and MormonTrails.org and contributes his expertise to the Board of the National Mormon Trails Association.

His commitment to faith is reflected in his service at the Deseret Peak Temple.

At home, life is a whirlwind of activity with 13 children and 21 grandchildren. In his quieter moments, Lawrence enjoys gardening and building, though he’s always up for an epic movie, a trip abroad, or a chance to sing and dance.  

Sherene Easter is a proud descendant of pioneers with a deep-rooted love for her heritage. She finds great joy in singing the hymns composed by the early pioneers and spends much of her time immersed in books or exploring the beauty of nature.

Sherene feels a profound sense of gratitude for the sacrifices and endurance of the pioneers who labored to build the beautiful valley she calls home today.  

Michael Atkinson was born in Provo, Utah, and carries a deep connection to the state’s pioneer roots. While his ancestors, including Erastus Bingham and Levi Stewart, were early settlers of Utah, his most direct tie to the Martin Handcart Company comes through his great-great-grandfather, William Newlove Atkinson, who served in the heroic rescue party.

Fueled by a passion for the past, Michael embarked on a mission several years ago to visit all of Utah’s 600-plus cemeteries.  You can follow his journey to all of the cemeteries and other historical sites on his Facebook page.

When he isn't exploring historical sites, he enjoys working with his hands and has recently taken up the craft of horology (watch repair). Although he comes from a large family of six siblings, he often jokes that he likely isn't related to many people, as his paternal line consists of three generations of only sons.  

Doreen brings a deeply personal perspective to today’s reenactment as the great-granddaughter of Mary Penfold Goble and the only living grandchild of Mary Goble Pay. For Doreen, this portrayal is more than a performance; it is a tribute to her own lineage.

She has visited Martin’s Cove many times, finding it both a pleasure and a humbling experience to walk the same paths her grandmother and great-grandmother once traveled—including the specific trail leading down to the spring.

When she isn't retracing historical footsteps or exploring family heritage, Doreen enjoys spending her time traveling and immersed in a good book. 

While separated by over 170 years, Victoria and Rhoda share several striking similarities that bring this portrayal to life:

A Gift for Song: Just as Rhoda was known for her "sweet soprano voice" that lifted the spirits of weary travelers in the handcart camps, Victoria loves to sing and understands the power of music to bring hope and comfort to those around her. She shared this gift by singing "You Are My Sunshine" at her great-grandmother's funeral, lightening the spirits of her family during a difficult time, much like Rhoda did for her fellow pioneers. 

A Love of Learning and Literacy: Rhoda’s story is preserved through the history Victoria is currently studying in school. Much like Victoria, who loves to read and immerse herself in stories, Rhoda’s legacy lives on through the written word and the records kept by those who survived the journey.

Deeply Rooted Heritage: Rhoda’s journey ended just as her family reached the Salt Lake Valley, but her kin went on to help settle the areas of Paris and Montpelier, Idaho. In a beautiful twist of history, Victoria’s family on her mother's side also hails from that same region, creating a profound ancestral link to the very land where Rhoda’s family built their future.

As Victoria began to uncover the details of Rhoda’s life, the connection was instant; she affectionately remarked, 'We’re basically the same person! 

This event is deeply personal for Victoria, as her fifth great-grandfather, John Griffiths, is among those being portrayed. 

Lynette Bliss Weber, at 76 years of age, is a woman who embraces life with curiosity and a creative spirit. From mastering the art of writing Ukrainian eggs to painting watercolors and quilting, she loves any hobby that stretches her imagination.

After being assigned the role of Harriet Cross Walters, Lynette utilized her experience with genealogy to research Harriet’s history, immersing herself in the stories of Harriet’s family. While she dived into many genealogy sites to root her performance in historical detail, she also thoughtfully took some creative freedoms in her portrayal to help bring Harriet’s spirit to life for today’s audience.

Having traveled the Wyoming plains with her family, Lynette has seen the very wagon ruts carved by the pioneers and felt the sacredness of sites like Martin’s Cove. To Lynette, portraying Harriet is a blessing—an opportunity to honor the immense faithfulness and sacrifice of those who traveled across oceans and plains to be with the Saints. 

Logan Marshall is an eighth-grade student at Mountain Heights Academy with a passion for the outdoors and his heritage.

When he isn't reading or spending time with his family and dogs, he can often be found fishing or 4-wheeling. Logan is dedicated to family history work and finds great purpose in visiting the temple to perform baptisms.

He is thrilled to participate in this event and looks forward to deepening his understanding of the pioneers who established the Church in this valley.  

Marianne and her husband Mark have had the experience of being a part of and participating in five pioneer treks in the past 30 years. They contributed as trek organizers, 'angels,' mail carriers, and transporters, yet serving as Trek Masters was their most humbling experience. They grew to love everyone they trekked with and will never forget praying for their safety. While their 25-mile walk was only a fraction of the original 1,300-mile trail, those moments of pleading with the Lord for protection left a lasting mark on their hearts. Though several trekkers were hospitalized and near death, all recovered; Marianne credits this safety to God watching over them and answering their prayers. 

While participating in these treks, she began a personal quest to locate her own ancestors who had journeyed to Utah. On her maternal side, the Siddoway family traveled with the Robinson Handcart Company. 

Although Marianne was well aware of her husband’s deep roots in the Martin Handcart Company, a recent discovery of her own ancestor, Ruth Butterworth Briggs, sparked a new personal connection—and inspired her to join this reenactment. After the heartbreaking loss of Ruth’s husband, son, and daughter during the journey, Marianne’s great-great-grandfather, Benjamin Clark, opened his home to Ruth and her children after their tragic journey. By later becoming his wife, Ruth wove her journey into Marianne’s own history, forever intertwining their legacies across the generations. 

Mirroring Ruth’s journey to the valley for the promise of the temple, Marianne found her life’s deepest fulfillment in the sacred work of sealing her family together forever. . She and Mark built their foundation alongside their four children, reaching a beautiful milestone in their family legacy on June 11, 1988. On that blessed day, Mark, Marianne, and their young children—Jennifer (10), Michelle (9), Chad (7), and Zachary (4)—were sealed together for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake Temple. 

For Mark, family history and temple work are a sacred passion, honoring those who sacrificed so much. He carries a profound connection to the Martin Handcart Company, with roots stretching back to three separate families from the 1856 trek. The stories shared today are part of his own family tree; he is a third great-grandson of John Griffiths and shares a direct family link to Elizabeth Webb, the step-mother of his second great-grandmother.

This heritage has blossomed into a family-wide legacy; both of Mark’s daughters-in-law descend from Martin Company families, while his sons-in-law bring their own remarkable ties—one is the third great-grandson of Captain Edward Martin, and the other is the fourth great-grandson of one of the first rescuers. 

For Preston, family history began by watching his wife, Michelle, unearth the inspiring stories of her ancestors. Seeing how those discoveries changed her perspective on life inspired Preston to ask: What stories are waiting for me?

The answer came quickly. Within fifteen minutes, Preston discovered he is the 4x great-grandson of William Bert Simmons, one of the first rescuers to reach the Willie and Martin handcart companies.

Using the FamilySearch app, Preston has found a deep connection to the past; to him, a random headstone is no longer just a name, but a relative waiting to be remembered.

One of his favorite discoveries involves a 10x great-grandfather whose banishment from Ireland—following a scandalous affair—forced him on a one-way trip to the "New World." His wife and children now playfully "banish" Preston from the family’s corned beef and cabbage every St. Patrick’s Day. 

After being moved by the reenactments at the Taylorsville Cemetery last year, he is honored to help bring that same spirit of remembrance to the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

Michelle believes that every cemetery is a sea of “ordinarily extraordinary” life stories waiting to be discovered, and that every headstone holds a hidden narrative of a life once lived. Her passion for "living history" was sparked by similar reenactments at Park City’s historic Glenwood Cemetery, Fort Douglas Military Cemetery, and the Taylorsville Cemetery. While she long envisioned bringing a similar experience to the Salt Lake City Cemetery, its vast scale felt like a daunting hurdle.

The turning point came when she was put in charge of the history and family history portion of a pioneer trek for the youth in her neighborhood. Discovering a high concentration of handcart pioneer graves clustered in one area provided the clarity and inspiration she needed to transform the "sea of stories" into a focused, immersive event.

Michelle holds a Certificate in Family History Research from BYU-Idaho. For her, this work is deeply personal: while creating a family history calendar, she discovered that every branch of her close extended family has ties to the Martin Handcart Company. In a profound historical intersection, Michelle discovered that her husband Preston’s 4x great-grandfather was among the first rescuers to reach her ancestors. It is a stirring realization that she exists today because of that rescue.

Connecting with her ancestors’ stories has changed her life, giving her a new perspective on resilience and hope.  She finds a profound sense of joy in helping others discover their own hidden history, witnessing that special moment when a name on a page suddenly becomes a living, breathing part of someone's identity, and they feel the profound weight of the history they carry within them.

This event is close to Michelle’s heart due to her personal family ties to some of the pioneers portrayed: John Griffiths is her 4x great-grandfather, Elizabeth Webb’s stepdaughter is her 3x great-grandmother, and Ruth Butterworth is her 3x great-grandfather’s wife.