Since today is Pioneer Day, I thought I would write a little bit about the pioneer heritage that we have in our church. The pioneers crossed the plains in great difficulty fleeing persecution and seeking a new life. There were many immigrants from Europe that came and then crossed the plains to join the saints in Utah. There are always many stories to read about the sacrifices that the Saints have made.
Since I grew up in Utah, I grew up distinctly celebrating the holiday. Businesses close down and there is big parade in downtown Salt Lake. In many ways this is the time that Utah celebrates its beginnings, even though they did not achieve statehood until many years after the first pioneers arrived in the valley. Every year we hear people share stories of how their ancestors sacrificed and prayed for help so that they could join the other saints.
We live in a time when we no longer all live in the same place. The church has grown worldwide, and many, many members do not have pioneer ancestors. This does not mean that the heritage does not include them however. The first member of the church in any family can be considered a pioneer since he paved the way for his family. The sacrifices are just as real today, as they were back then.
As we celebrate our pioneer heritage think of the pioneers who are in your family. It may be you, or your parents, or you could have ancestors that crossed the plains. No matter when they joined, they all embraced the gospel as the truth, and made the sacrifices to continue to live the gospel. You are a pioneer now as you choose to stand for the truth and live the commandments in a world that is full of confusion and doubt. Your strength and example can touch those around you, and they can gain strength from you, just as we gain strength from the examples of the pioneers of old
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