How Did They Do It?

When I opened the door this morning to take Hatcher for a walk, I was surprised with how "cold" it was outside. For us southerners (yes I am one now) 48-50 degrees is cold. I would never survive the northern winters again. In order to walk today in the chill of the morning air, I changed into longer walking pants and put on a long sleeve shirt. The wind and the cold bit at my nose and ears, not to mention what it did to my chapped lips and cold hands. I was so happy on my trek when the sun would shine down amongst the large trees that put me in the shade most of the time.

As I was walking, I thought of the pioneers and what perseverance and strong testimonies of the gospel they had that gave them the courage to endure whatever weather and trials came upon them while they trekked forward. I knew that when I got home, I could put the lip balm on my lips and sooth them so they would not crack. Walking into the house that was so warm and toasty gave me comfort and warmed up my body that had been freezing on our walk. What did the pioneers face as they put one foot in front of the other in the freezing weather, the snow, the icy water, and frozen trails? How could they dig shallow graves with their bare frost bitten hands? My hands were burning just from our 2 1/2 mile walk.

I realized that in their minds and in their hearts, they had a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ and that the continuing of the restored gospel was in their hands as they trudged forward.

Onward ever onward , forward pressing forward with testimonies to strengthen them as they walked with clothing that could not keep them warm, shoes that were covered in cloth to cover the holes in their shoes, and blood stained snow caused by the cracked skin in their feet.

I have heard it said by our modern apostles that our problems and trials are harder than what the pioneers went through as theirs was a physical trial whereas ours are emotional and spiritual trials. The Lord saved me for this day and age to live in. I know I couldn't have made it on the pioneer trails. And, I look at my trials and obstacles in my life, the emotional and spiritual struggles that I go through and I am encouraged by the pioneers as the gospel of Jesus Christ gave them the courage to endure and to reach their goal. And, they knew that if they died on the path to Zion, they would be reunited with their families in Zion above at the feet of the Savior.

With the trials I face each day, I pray that my testimony of the gospel and of our Savior Jesus Christ will be strong enough to help me endure to the end that I, too, might have the courage to press forward and do what I was sent here to do. I am a pioneer in the gospel and I pray that my children and grandchildren know of my testimony of the gospel; and I know that if we stay on the strait and narrow path holding onto the iron rod, we can make it. The journey may be difficult and at times we might feel like we are walking through the snow with cracked lips and bloodied feet. But onward we must go to reach our eternal destination to be reunited with family forever and eternity with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.