July 24 is Pioneer Day in our church. On this day, the Mormon pioneers, led by Prophet and President Brigham Young arrived in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah.
The hardships they faced, from hunger to cold to blizzards and a myriad of others, would defeat many of us, me most especially. For I like my comforts and have been known to complain as we make the drive from our home in Loveland, Colorado to Utah in an air-conditioned car.
My own ancestors were among those who crossed the plains. They walked along side covered wagons. They pulled handcarts. They buried their old ... and their young. They left behind comfortable homes and family because of the Lord's direction. What faith they had. What strength and courage. I read of them, in journals and history books. And I weep with what they endured. Could I have buried a baby in a shallow grave and then continued on my way?
This I know for sure: the pioneers left a legacy of sacrifice and obedience
This is true. But it is also true that we are not called to sacrifice in this way. We are asked to bury our sins and temptations deeply. We often are not compelled to, but it is our lot to do this of our own volition in one of the most sin-saturated societies the world has known. Some of us travel up Rocky Ridge every day in this way.
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