Faith In Every Footstep

Pioneer Day

Today, July 24, 2008, Commemorates the

161st Anniversary of the Mormon Pioneers arriving in

The Salt Lake Valley

This is a day near and dear to my heart.

How grateful I am for Pioneers of yesterday and today who love the Gospel of Jesus Christ with all their hearts.I am in awe and reverence those who sacrificed every comfort and even life itself to ensure I enjoy the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

How grateful I am to rub shoulders daily with Modern Day Pioneers. Those who are the first in their family to embrace The Gospel of Jesus Christ and be Baptized. Their strength, courage, and vibrancy build me up and help me want to be a better person. There are many, many first generation members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints I am blessed to call dear friends, one I even call my husband. Their dedication to living the Gospel daily has been a motivation for me to become a better person.

Have you ever been around people who just make you want to be the best you can be? That is how I feel when I am around Modern Day Pioneers, also referred to as Converts To The Church. They are just amazing people to me. I think that is how it would feel to be around the early Pioneers and to feel of their love and commitment to the Gospel.

As President Gordon B Hinkley taught at the 150th Pioneer Day Commemoration....Whether you were baptized yesterday or come from a a long line on Pioneer Ancestry, The Pioneer Heritage is yours. It is for all. We ALL have the Gospel because of their willingness to find the place they could settle and worship in peace.

In a previous post, I wrote that I never fly over the Rocky Mountains without crying. It is true. As I fly in and out of Salt Lake City a few times per year, I contemplate the miracle of weak, tired, and ill-equipped wagons and handcarts crossing over the mountains. They only could have made it with the help of Angels. I know Angels accompanied the Mormon Pioneers at each step of their journey. I stare at the jagged peaks and straight up and down inclines and marvel at every step taken to reach The Salt Lake Valley. Yes, I cry....tears of gratitude and reverence.

Amid the celebrations, parades, and fun food today.... Stop for a moment and think about the Legacy of The Mormon Pioneers. It is yours, it is mine.

They changed the world, literally, One Step At A Time.

How are you celebrating this day? Do you have any traditions surrounding Pioneer Day?