When I arrived in Albuquerque and met with my crew, I was surprised to discover that my peers were from dioceses all over the U.S., which gave me a sense of the grand scale of the church. Our good-natured conversations indicated we would have a wonderful time on the trek. I also had a feeling the trek would be more than just a long hike through scenic nature. I silently pledged to stay open to any message God might send.

We received our St. George Trek binders with agendas, songs, Mass preparations, Scripture readings, reflection sections and instructional materials. I thought the trek was well-organized and thorough while still allowing us to participate freely. To be honest, the one portion I did not enjoy was the songs. Singing is just not my thing. But I did enjoy the reflection questions, such as “In what ways can I be a better leader like Jesus and his disciples? How can the Eucharist help me to understand my unity with God’s people? What kind of service can I do back home to share this Philmont experience?”

These questions helped me to reflect and called me to action. As I hiked, my thoughts often centered on how I could develop as a leader to serve the church. However, I was struggling to find the answers to these questions.

But then, just as I thought the St. George Trek was going to conclude as just a nice outdoor experience with like-minded peers, my moment of spiritual awakening happened. Near the end of the trek when I was asked to carry the monstrance, I was struck by the profound awareness that I was carrying Jesus’ body!

There are no words that can come close to describing what my mind, body and soul were experiencing as I was made aware of Christ’s body in my hands. I felt so small but also full of warmth and humility. Here was Jesus, Our Savior, who gave his life for the sake of our souls. Images from the New Testament came to me, especially of Christ’s death and resurrection.

One of my peers, Kyle Vogtman, witnessed this incredible experience. He said I had a sort of glow, not like actual lighting but more of a spiritual moment. He encouraged me to see this as a calling to become a Eucharistic minister. Without question, this was God’s gift to me, answering my earlier question of how I could develop my leadership skills to best serve the church.

What a wonderful gift made possible by the generosity of the Diocese of Austin! I am also thankful for my trek leaders and peers. I believe my spiritual inspiration came near the end of the trek because I needed the discussions with my peers and leaders that were had along the way. Lastly, hiking for 80 miles provided me with just the right amount of suffering, which helped me to better open myself spiritually to the Lord.

Back home in Austin, I recently completed my training as a Eucharistic minister. My first time serving as a Eucharistic minister was at my Nana’s funeral on Aug. 21, which was a profound experience. I surprised myself as I was able to do it despite my heavy sorrow, but I knew my Nana was smiling down on me. I am grateful and blessed to serve our Lord in my new role with the church.