We can know, as they knew, that God is our Father, that He cares about us individually and collectively, and that as long as we continue to exercise our faith and trust in Him there is nothing to fear in the journey. No matter how difficult the trail, and regardless of how heavy our load, we can take comfort in knowing that others before us have borne life’s most grievous trials and tragedies by looking to heaven for peace, comfort and hopeful reassurance. In the process they found joy amid the hardships and trials of the trek. But ultimately their faith in God and the man they sustained as their prophet and leader prevailed, and they righted their vision and attitudes along with their wagons. At times, they gave in to their discouragement and allowed themselves to murmur and complain. They were a band of believers who tried to do the right things for the right reasons, ordinary men and women who were called on to perform an extraordinary work. Those 19th century pioneers to whom we pay special tribute never set out to be heroes, and yet they accomplished heroic things. There are lessons for us in every footstep they took–lessons of love, courage, commitment, devotion, endurance, and, most of all, faith. Once we make that connection, however, we will begin to see how their journeys parallel ours now. “We cannot begin to understand the journeys made by those who laid the foundation of this dispensation until we understand their spiritual underpinnings. Russell Ballard sums up the overall feeling of what a trek experience should be and what we can learn and apply to our lives: (excerpts from “You Have Nothing to Fear From the Journey” May 1997 Ensign)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |