MATS

Both American and Latter-day Saint Church history intertwine and come to life through the BYU-Idaho Mormon American Travel Studies (MATS).

“I was looking forward to the religious sites rather than the historical sites but both were super interesting and I think they complement one another as well,” said Sarah Bedke, a senior studying recreational management who did MATS in fall 2008. “The trip would not have been the same had we just visited historical or just Church history sites.”

MATS takes students to sites in ten states, starting in Jamestown, Virginia, and ending in Salt Lake City, Utah. It starts by introducing America’s first settlements and works up to New York, where the Church history begins to emerge. From New York, the tour moves westward, with stops in Kirtland, Ohio and Nauvoo, Illinois.

“[One of my favorite sites was] Kirtland, Ohio because so many things happened there historically in the Church and the Savior appeared there multiple times and the Spirit of those events is still present,” Bedke said.

The tour is about 23 days long, and in that time the students grow close to each other.

“I was surprised at how quickly the time passed on the tour, and also how close you can become with a group of people in such a short amount of time when you are united (and driving on a bus across Wyoming in one day),” Bedke said.

Bedke also came to know and love the faculty leaders just the same as the participants.

“I loved getting to know the leaders. They were like our personalized tour guides, but they were more than that. We could tell that they really cared about us and there were excited about their subject matter, and they were excited about teaching us. It was almost impossible not to be excited about what we were going to see,” Bedke said. “And they also treated us like friends. I still remember we had quite a long drive, and Brother Pulsipher told the story of how he met and married his wife.”

Thought the sites and stories are memorable, the bus rides in-between are also unforgettable. The long hours provide creative moments.

“There were definitely opportunities to get creative. One time we made a fort on the bus and it was really fun,” Bedke said.

The bus rides are also chances to get to know fellow students and to branch out.

“Never sit on the same seat on the bus twice. It will be hard. People will become friends and it’ll be really tempting to continuously sit in the same seat,” Bedke said. “Don’t let it happen. Be strong.”

The combined events and experiences of MATS can offer more than any textbook.

“I could imagine what Liberty Jail looked like, but actually seeing the jail brought it life for me,” Bedke said. “It’s like, the basics can be read and studied, but there are little added tidbits and perks from actually visiting the sites.”

By studying historical figures, students learned to better understand their present.

“I learned you can live more fully in the present by learning about and coming to understand the past,” Bedke said. “The people from the past took their opportunities to act.”

Bedke’s experiences and lessons learned from MATS will be life-long.

“I think anytime you can experience something involving as many senses you can, the effect will be long-lasting,” Bedke said.