Pioneer Day

Yesterday was Pioneer Day, the day when the Mormon pioneers reached the Salt Lake Valley, the end of their destination. That was in 1847, over one hundred and sixty years ago.
I'm very grateful for the pioneers and that they were willing to leave their homes, in some cases many times over, in order to practice the religion they knew to be true. I know this religion to be true as well and I'm grateful for the sacrifices they made for me and all the others who would come after them.
I got to go on a pioneer trek in 2005, we went some of the same places where the Willy and Martin hand cart companies went. The Willy and Martin companies are rather well known to members of the LDS faith these days, these were poorer members who had traveled from England in order to join the rest of the Saints in Utah. The companies started out late in the year and eventually needed rescue from the frozen areas of Wyoming where they were stranded. Many people died before reaching the Salt Lake Valley and many more had health problems or lost toes, etc. from the trip.
When we went on our trek it was summer and we were well watered and fed, in contrast to the companies who were literally freezing and starving to death. One of the remarkable things about the companies though, is that they were not sorry that they'd been through that ordeal, it brought them closer to their Heavenly Father.
I am very glad that I am not a pioneer, that I am not called on to take a difficult and dangerous journey into the unknown, but I am very glad of those who did.