O Pioneers

I remember first coming to Utah for BYU and being so culturally shocked by the pervasiveness of the church. Growing up in the Land of the Frozen Chosen, otherwise known as Minneapolis, MN I was most often the only Mormon at school. My family drove 20 minutes to get to church and we thought that was close until a new Stake was formed in our area. I remember Utah missionaries telling me there were chapels on every block; they were exagerating, but not by much! "Oh my heck" and other Utah born expressions still amaze me to this day. Sorry, but they do. People touted their Pioneer decent, which to that I thought, so what. Then, that first summer, to my biggest surprise there was an actual holiday celebrating the Pioneers with parades and fireworks and everything. I really thought UT had reached overload on the gay meter at that point. No offense, I just wasn't used to the pervasive Mormon culture and found it quite odd.

It wasn't until later, post-UT days, that I really started to appreciate Pioneer Day and all it celebrated. The talks in Sacrament mtg today were all dedicated to Pioneers, obviously in anticipation of UT's Pioneer Day this Tues, July 24th. Perhaps it is because I have been spending so much time researching my anceteral peeps that heritage means much more to me now. For the first time I was a little sad that I didn't take the opportunity to pull hand carts with my Stake to live what physical trials the Pioneers legacy really took to move the Work West.

The two youth speakers were extremely well developed with stories of Pioneers and their sacrifices. But what really impressed me, is that both made parallels with the legacy and trials the Pioneers faced and what we and our modern day Pioneers face. One young woman was so mature to recognize Pioneers in a single parent struggling to raise their children in the gospel, or a single adult struggling to make it through this life on their own, or a teen struggling to overcome the temptations and peer pressure so prevalent in their day to day life. That made me think about the Pioneers in my life.

I may not be able to trace my roots to pioneer heritage, but I want to dedicate this to my grandmother, Joy Walker, and her Pioneer legacy in my life. She was a struggling single mother of 6 children back in the 50's who went back to school to get her teaching license to be able to better support them. My dad tells stories of how little they had, and that the first new pair of shoes he got was from his basketball coach as a teenager. I know my grandmother sacrificed so much and toiled year after year to not only support her children financially, but spiritually. I know that without the testimony and dedication that my grandmother had, my life would be very different. I know my dad's life would be very different. I am eternally indebted to her and her love for the gospel and her family. I love her dearly.

To my Grandmother Joy, my Pioneer, and all the past and present Pioneers we celebrate on July 24th, 2007!

Carry On

"Firm as the mountains around us, Stalwart and brave we stand
On the rock our fathers planted for us in the goodly land--
The rock of honor and virtue, of faith in the living God.
They raised his banner triumphant--Over the desertsod.

And we hear the desert singing: Carry on, carry on, carry on!
Hills and vales and mountains ringing:Carry on, carry on, carry on!
Holding aloft our colors, we march in the glorious dawn.
O youth of noble birth-right, Carry on, carry on, carry on!

We'll build on the rock they planted a palace to the Kind.
Into its shining corridors, our songs of praise we'll bring,
For the heritage they left us, not of gold or of worldly wealth,
But a blessing everlasting of love and joy and health.

And we hear the desert singing: Carry on, carry on, carry on!
Hills and vales and mountains ringing:Carry on, carry on, carry on!
Holding aloft our colors, we march in the glorious dawn.
O youth of noble birth-right, Carry on, carry on, carry on!"

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