And so I made pioneer clothes and broke in pioneer shoes, and was off. The sad reality soon became evident. I am no pioneer. I was the slowest on the trek. As hard as I tried I just couldn’t keep up. I followed the prophet’s counsel to lengthen my stride; didn’t work. Even the old people were faster than I (and I wasn’t even pulling the handcart). This was not a good sign, and things did not improve with time. It hit me hard: I was not a Mary Fielding Smith. MY oxen would be dead. I would be the one holding back the company. The broken wheel would have been mine, the lost child would have been mine, the dysentery epidemic would have been my fault. I did not sink into total despair just yet. I figured that I could still have made my mark in history by being the only pioneer who was in all ten handcart companies. History books would say of me, “This faithful sister started walking with that first handcart company. When it left her in the dust, she fought off the Indians and lived off the land until the second company caught up with her. She walked with it until it left her in the dust…” and on and on until “She finally triumphantly straggled into the
Friday, July 25, 2008
lessons from Rocky Ridge (part II)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Dear Loveylou,
Please excuse me a moment while I tell a different story.
Although our time may be many years later than the pioneers, our trials are no less trivial. Your name may not be Mary Fielding Smith, but your faith is the same. I recall a mother holding a babe in her arms calling on the powers of heaven to heal strength and bless him who arrived much too soon. He is a live and well. You never held back your company (family), you loved, supported, fed, clothed and taught the gospel of Jesus Christ never giving up on any of them, ever. The load you carried during the many callings your husband served, were hard and lonely. He might not be 200lbs, but that handcart was not light. So when you pleaded to your Heavenly Father to be a pioneer, He agreed with you, you would be a great pioneer. You live "charity never faileth", always lengthening your stride and not worrying about keeping up in the world, but keeping close to the Savior. "So when the wind blow and the rain come" you are the best kind of pioneer. You have what is takes! This is what I know.
Love you, DXOX
Thank-you for your kind words. You have always been an example to me; going through so much to stay alive for your family, never giving up, staying positive, exercising faith... You truly have what it takes to be a pioneer.
Post a Comment