The LDS Daily WOOL© Archive - Our Pioneer Heritage

(7/17/97)
We read about the pioneers who, in the early history of the Church, left their possessions, "their things," and headed west. Those who were with the handcart company who would push or pull their carts into the wilderness would give much thought to what they would make room for in their wagons and what they would be willing to leave behind. Even after the journey began, some things had to be unloaded along the way for people to reach their destination. In our season of abundance and excess, even while we are counseled to reduce and simplify, there will be a high level of frustration until we understand the value of pruning. When someone asks the question, "How do you do it all?" our answer should be, "We don't." We must be willing to let go of many things but defend with our lives the essentials.-Sister Ardeth G. Kapp, BYU Speeches, 13 November 1990

(7/18/97)
Our purpose in life provides the compass and keeps us on course while we enjoy the journey. If we are found to be long faced, sober, and sanctimonious, we will be guilty of portraying a false image of the joys of the gospel. As the pioneers traveled, there was singing and dancing. In their camaraderie, a covenant people built a community with a strong sense of brotherhood and sisterhood. People with common values and goals strengthened one another in joy and sorrow, in sickness and health. They sustained one another as they prepared to make and keep sacred covenants.-Sister Ardeth G. Kapp, BYU Speeches, 13 November 1990

(7/19/97)
"Some of the time," Brigham recalled, "we followed Indian trails . . . we ran by the compass . . . We killed rattlesnakes by the cord . . . made roads and built bridges till our backs ached." What kept them going? The first principle of their Mormon gospel-faith in God the Father and in Jesus Christ, His Son. They, believed, as Brigham said, "that the Lord had in reserve for us a good place in the mountains, and that He would lead us directly to it."-The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: The First 150 Years, p.6"Some of the time," Brigham recalled, "we followed Indian trails . . . we ran by the compass . . . We killed rattlesnakes by the cord . . . made roads and built bridges till our backs ached." What kept them going? The first principle of their Mormon gospel-faith in God the Father and in Jesus Christ, His Son. They, believed, as Brigham said, "that the Lord had in reserve for us a good place in the mountains, and that He would lead us directly to it."-The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: The First 150 Years, p.6

(7/20/97)
Though few died on the plains of Iowa, the small number cannot lessen the degree of their sacrifice. Their deaths prove their devotion as much as do the deaths of the Saints in Missouri, Illinois, or Nebraska. In addition, the Saints who endured the bitter winter storms and accompanying sickness, either to reach the promised land or to die in the journey, equally proved their devotion. Indeed, their hope, faith, and objective, good-natured attitudes during these trails offer to the modern Saints a graphic lesson in true courage.-Susan W. Easton; BYU Studies Vol. 21, No. 4, pg.438

(7/21/97)
Make sure that your children know our pioneer story. Let it not be said in any Latter-day Saint home that the children grow up in ignorance of the achievements of their forebears.-Adam S. Bennion, General Conference, April 1954

(7/22/97)
You will need to take upon you the whole armour of God and exercise the faith which was planted in your hearts by your pioneer ancestors who crossed the plains against overwhelming odds.-Hugh B. Brown, The Abundant Life, p.342

(7/23/97)
We must be sure that the legacy of faith received from them is never faith lost. Let their heroic lives touch our hearts, and especially the hearts of our youth, so the fire of true testimony and unwavering love for the Lord and his Church will blaze brightly within each one of us as it did our faithful pioneers.-Elder M. Russell Ballard, General Conference, October 1996

(7/24/97)
Fulfilment of prophecy-a place of refuge and peace-a center from which would radiate the message of truth-a place wherein to establish true worship, industry, education, and service-these are some of the thoughts connoted in the mind of Brigham Young when, a century ago, he said: "This is the place!"-David O. McKay, Gospel Ideals, p.530

(7/19/02)
"In the struggle which lies ahead of you,... You will need to take upon you the whole armour of God and exercise the faith which was planted in your hearts by your pioneer ancestors who crossed the plains against overwhelming odds." — Hugh B. Brown, "The Abundant Life," Bookcraft, 1965, p. 342

(7/20/02)
"Our pioneer ancestors survived and grew stronger in the face of extreme trials and afflictions and made the desert blossom as a rose. My own great-grandfather suffered so much from asthma that he had to walk a mile or two behind the covered wagons crossing the plains to avoid the dust. However, he always arrived at his destination and did his share of the work.

"Our challenges today are different from those of our ancestors. Many of them lived lives of poverty and hardship, while some among us are affluent and complacent. But wealth, abundance, and easy living do not help us develop the ability to flourish when faced with the rigors and reversals of life. Rather than seeking ease, we must plant, cultivate, and nourish within ourselves the seeds that will enable us to withstand the winds and heat of temptation, sin, and evil and help us to live successful, happy, and pure lives." — Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Finding Peace in Our Lives," Deseret Book Co., 1995, p. 215

(7/21/02)
"But we must not honor the pioneers alone in parades and celebrations, in monuments and books, we must join with these sons and daughters of the pioneers and, realizing that we are the trustees to whom their heritage shall pass, we must undertake to maintain their ideals, to continue their loyalty and frugality, and to preserve that which they pass to us or those who are to follow us. We must pass it on, not only unimpaired but improved upon." — Hugh B. Brown, "The Abundant Life," Bookcraft, 1965, p. 331

(7/22/02)
"They made great sacrifices to come to these valleys of the mountains. They left their homes, and President Grant used to say they left willingly because they had to. They could not bring very much with them in the way of this world's goods, but they brought something that was more precious than all else in this world. They brought with them faith in the Living God and in the Prophet of this dispensation and in the Holy Scriptures." — LeGrand Richards, "Conference Report," April 1947, p. 41 - 42

(7/23/02)
"One of the most important lessons I learned in Africa was to examine my priorities and values. In one of our Relief Society lessons there, the manual recommended that children should be helped to keep their drawers clean and neat. One of the sisters asked, 'What is a drawer?' So many great Latter-day Saints, honored pioneers, will be exalted without ever having seen a drawer, owned a new dress, used a time planner, or gazed into a mirror. They will rejoice in the celestial kingdom having never walked through Temple Square or visited Relief Society headquarters in Salt Lake City." — Mary Ellen Edmunds, "Blessed, Honored Pioneers," "Ensign," Mar. 1992, 37

(7/24/02)
"The passage of time dims our memories and diminishes our appreciation for those who walked the path of pain, leaving behind a tear-marked trail of nameless graves. But what of today's challenge? Are there no rocky roads to travel, no rugged mountains to climb, chasms to cross, trails to blaze, or rivers to ford? Or is there a very present need for that pioneer spirit to guide us away from the dangers that threaten to engulf us and lead us rather to a Zion of safety?" — Thomas S. Monson, "Conference Report," April 1967, p. 57

(10/11/05)
"Too often, I fear, we are disposed to revere the past without realizing that in the present lies our great opportunity, in the future our great hope. We may be pardoned for honoring the pioneers who blazed the trail we follow, and we may regard with reverence their great deeds. Still, if we would carry on what they so well began, we must see clearly our own tasks and develop and exercise the courage required to build upon the foundations which were laid for us through the faith of our fathers." - Improvement Era, 1935

11/16/07
"To me one of the finest heritages that has come to us is that quality of faith and testimony exercised by our pioneer fathers and mothers. I firmly believe had it not been for this abiding testimony, they never would have reached their destination, built their homes and established this western civilization. Many of them, as we know, were driven out into the cold, bleak wintry storms and vast wilderness with a hope and a belief and a testimony that God would protect and lead them on. They read the right, thought the right, and lived the right. They knew and felt this great work. They consciously and unconsciously reflected the very highest in spiritual life, and knew the power in the statement, 'By their fruits ye shall know them.' - Elder Joseph Quinney, Jr., "Conference Report," April 1935, Afternoon Meeting, p.86

7/13/08
"Could the thousands of our pioneers have voice this morning, I am sure that they would ask for no shrine, no monuments to their name, no words of praise, but this thing would they ask: that we, their posterity, should consecrate our lives, our fortunes, our energies, and ourselves to the work of the Lord, the cause for which they gave so much." - Spencer W. Kimball, "The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball," edited by Edward L. Kimball, p.156

11/6/08
"This is God’s work, and God’s work will not be frustrated. But there is still much to be done before the Great Jehovah can announce that the work is done. While we praise and honor those faithful Saints who have brought us to this point of public prominence, we cannot afford, my brothers and sisters, to be comfortable or content.

"We are all needed to finish the work that was begun by those pioneering Saints over 175 years ago and carried out through the subsequent decades by faithful Saints of every generation. We need to believe as they believed. We need to work as they worked. We need to serve as they served. And we need to overcome as they overcame." - M. Russell Ballard, "The Truth of God Shall Go Forth," General Conference, October 2008

5/16/12
The exciting global growth of the Church has focused our attention on the prophesied glorious future of the kingdom. At the same time that we look ahead with optimism, we should pause and look back on the faith of our humble pioneer forefathers. Their faith built the foundation on which the Church continues to flourish. - Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Faith of Our Fathers," Ensign (CR) May 1996

6/26/12
Our challenges today are different from those of our ancestors. Many of them lived lives of poverty and hardship; some among us, however, are affluent and complacent. Wealth, abundance, and easy living do not help us develop the ability to flourish when faced with the rigors and reversals of life. Rather than seeking ease, we must plant, cultivate, and nourish within ourselves the seeds that will enable us to withstand the winds and heat of temptation, sin, and evil and that will help us live successful, happy, and pure lives. - Joseph B. Wirthlin, "Seeds of Renewal," Ensign (CR) May 1989

7/12/12
The stronger our spiritual footings, the greater our capacity to build the kingdom—and the greater our joy. As you write your family histories, as you tend to lost sheep, as you nurture the seedlings of faith in others, you will find yourself saying, “Is it already the end of the day?” rather than “Will this day ever end?” Pioneer women did not have time to wallow in discouragement. They were too busy working their way toward Zion. - Mary Ellen Smoot, "Pioneer Shoes through the Ages," Ensign (CR) November 1997

8/30/12
Hands we have touched have touched the hands that shaped the beginnings of this dispensation. - Boyd K. Packer, "A Tribute to the Rank and File of the Church," Ensign (CR) May 1980

1/3/13
As members of the Church from many nations, we all share the early history of the Church in common. It is important for all of us to become familiar with our Church’s history, especially what I will call its “founding stories.” These stories—Joseph Smith’s First Vision, the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, angelic visitations by John the Baptist, Peter, James, and John, Elijah, Elias, and others—contain the foundational truths upon which the Restoration of the gospel is based. - Marlin K. Jensen, "Stand in the Sacred Grove," CES Devotional for Young Adults • May 6, 2012 • Sacramento, California

5/19/15
But we can be explorers in spirit, with a mandate to make this world better by discovering improved ways of living and of doing things. The spirit of exploration, whether it be of the surface of the earth, the vastness of space, or the principles of living greatly, includes developing the capacity to face trouble with courage, disappointment with cheerfulness, and triumph with humility. - Thomas S. Monson, "Pathways to Perfection," p. 123

 
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