Blessed, Honored Pioneers!

I haven't been to Utah since I was in fifth grade. And at that, I've only been three or four times in my entire life. And though we don't celebrate this Holiday here, we can still honor our heritage. So, Happy Pioneer Day! Today is the 164th Anniversary of the Saints entering the Salt Lake Valley. We didn't sing any Pioneer songs in church today which made me a little sad so I decided to have my own tribute to the Pioneers. I am dedicating today to reading stories, watching videos, and listening to music which honor Pioneers. There are several articles in this months Ensign that I plan to re-read about Pioneers. In fact, there is even a small portion of it dedicated to Latin American Pioneers! My favorite!! I'm pretty sure I've read those four times by now and copied them and sent them to my friends serving missions in Latin America but you learn something new every time you read something, so one more time cannot possibly hurt.

I've never been really into Pioneers before. You know when you're little, everyone has there little niche that they love learning about. A certain topic that for some reason or another they love. Mine was always Temples. I loved learning and listening and singing about the Temple. As I've gotten older, I've become more and more interested in Pioneers, heritage, and family history work. They all seem to be beautifully intertwined.

The main thing that I like to think about regarding pioneers is that they sacrificed for not only themselves, but for future generations. They endured physical persecution and hardships for us. They walked... they walked across the plains to settle the Salt Lake Valley for their faith and their families. Though I don't have to walk thousands of miles, losing my husband and children on the way, suffering from snow storms and starvation, I think we all in a way are modern day pioneers. We still stand before persecution, trying to save our faith and future generations. They endured extermination orders for us. They endured physically so we could endure spiritually. Two of my favorite songs are 'Come Come Ye Saints' (one I grew up singing because it is my Dad's favorite song) and 'They, the Builders of the Nation'. Even better, watch the Pioneer Day Commemoration Concert. Take a listen, and think about how relevant these are to us today. I think it will surprise you how much we have in common with our Pioneer ancestors. Here is a Pioneer Day Quiz you can also try to brush up on your Pioneer facts. Warning: It's pretty difficult. I promise you though, it's not as difficult as what the Pioneers did.

Blessed, Honored Pioneers!