Modern Pioneers - Robyn's Talk

We spoke in church today on the topic of modern day pioneers. Today's two posts are our talks. 

You don’t have to push a handcart,

Leave your family dear,

Or walk a thousand miles or more

To be a pioneer.

You do need to have great courage,

Faith to conquer fear,

And work with might

For a cause that’s right

To be a pioneer.

We were asked to speak last week about modern-day pioneers. Maybe you were expecting the usual 1850s Mormon pioneer stories the Sunday before July 24th, or Pioneer Day, but that’s not what you’ll get from me. As the primary song teaches us, that is actually a very narrow view of what a pioneer is. Few of us will be the first to settle a city or town. Few of us will make some huge breakthrough in research. And I’m willing to venture a guess that none of us will have to walk across half of the country pushing our few belongings in a handcart. But pretty much all of us will have opportunities to show courage, moments where we’ll need to muster up the faith to overcome our fears, and occasion to participate in righteous causes.

COURAGE

So I wanted to talk about some modern-day pioneers who exemplify courage. One that immediately came to my mind is Malala Yousafzai. When she was only 11, she spoke out against the Taliban and wrote about the importance of girls getting an education. At the time, Taliban militants were taking over the Swat Valley in Pakistan where she lived, banning television, music, and girls' education, so speaking against them was very dangerous. They blew up more than a hundred girls’ schools. Malala knew that she might be targeted, but she continued to attend school, and she continued to write for the BBC about what life was like under Taliban control. When she was 15, she was riding a bus home from school when a member of the Taliban boarded it and shot her in the head. Miraculously, she survived. She recently became the youngest ever to receive the Nobel peace prize, and she is still fighting for girls’ education.

Malala is a pretty impressive and obvious modern-day pioneer. Other modern-day pioneers are less obvious--just regular old joes who aren’t risking their lives, but who are showing courage nonetheless. There are brave pioneers among us, in our ward. Two weeks ago, a woman stood right here in front of everyone during sacrament meeting and declared herself an atheist. Think how scary that must be, to stand up during testimony meeting and tell everyone you don’t have a testimony, but that you’re open to searching and seeking and finding? She really opened herself up in admitting this and asking for our help as a ward family. It was not the typical “I know…” testimony, but I definitely felt the Spirit. I think many of us felt a lot of love for her and were touched by her courage.

Then last week in Relief Society, the lesson was about temples. One woman raised her hand toward the end and admitted that she has a difficult time loving the temple. That was a tough thing to do. I’m sure she didn’t want to seem contrary, and perhaps she worried what others would think of her, but she did want to be honest about her experience with the temple and provide a different perspective. I personally appreciated her speaking up because I have occasionally felt confusion, not peace, when in the temple. It is comforting not to feel alone or like something is wrong with you when you are different from the norm.

Having the courage to speak up or take a stand when it is frightening, when you risk ridicule or in some cases, even your life, is difficult. I'll admit that having courage, and especially speaking up, is often hard for me. So I'm grateful for the courageous modern day pioneers I can look to as examples.

FAITH TO CONQUER FEAR

The second attribute of pioneers is that they have faith to conquer fear. The scriptures frequently command us to be of good courage, and often in the same breath we are told to “fear not but be believing.” Peter’s experience walking on water was a back and forth battle between faith and fear. At first, all the disciples were afraid when they saw Jesus walking towards their boat, thinking he was a spirit.

But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. [So faith wins out for a moment] And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him.. [I assume at this point Peter’s faith was restored] (Matthew 14:27-31)

I mentioned earlier that I have a toddler. About a month after I gave birth to her, I noticed I was having a really hard time sleeping. It wasn't because my newborn was keeping me up--she was already sleeping through the night around two weeks. It took me hours to fall asleep and then I'd wake up and not be able to go back to sleep. I sometimes only got two hours of sleep a night and was exhausted. I soon began experiencing other awful things. I was overwhelmed and paralyzed by simple tasks, like putting a load of laundry in the washer. I felt anxious and my throat would constrict, making it difficult to breathe. I lost my appetite and had to force myself to eat. I was ridiculously and unexplainably afraid to be alone. I felt like I resented my baby and wanted to give her away, and of course I felt an enormous amount of guilt for feeling that way. I sometimes dreamed of dying. I.. felt... terrible. I had postpartum depression and anxiety. I had a lot of fear and sadness to overcome in that very dark time. I wanted to read you something I wrote during that experience:

“Thankfully, even though just a few months ago my tunnel of depression seemed interminable, I now see an end to that tunnel, and that there is also light. Now more than ever, I believe that Jesus is the light of the world, shining through darkness, like the scripture in 2 Corinthians states. Although I couldn’t feel that very often in my darkest moments, my heart wanted to believe it, and held on to that hope. I think that on the stormy seas of life’s difficulties, Jesus is our lighthouse shining through the blackest nights. Our faith in Him is essential.”

I'm not trying to tout myself as some great faith-filled pioneer, but I wanted to give you a real world example of faith helping to conquer fear. We have all gone through tough times like this. Maybe visualizing Jesus stretching forth his hand as you start to sink into the sea helps you make an effort to reach out for Him. That reaching out might be trusting that He will help you find a job after recently being laid off. It may be holding on to what you know is true and right when in the midst of a faith crisis. It may be putting your confidence in Him when you go through a divorce or your spouse dies, and you have no idea what the future holds. The world and its experiences are full of scary things, but in Him we might have peace. “In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

WORK WITH MIGHT FOR A CAUSE THAT’S RIGHT

Lastly, modern day pioneers work with might for a cause that's right. Our common cause as members of the church is in the missionary purpose: invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. My mission president once told us to think of that purpose and end on “helping them.” Then it’s simply,  invite others to come unto Christ by helping them.

It is so easy for us to get involved in worthy causes today, in and outside of the church. With the internet we can research non-profit organizations that do a lot of good and donate our time or money. I think these specific causes are worth mentioning because they center on helping others, and thus help us in our common cause to invite others to come unto Christ.

One organization a friend told us about recently is called Kiva. Their mission is to connect people through lending money to alleviate poverty. Through a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, you can lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world. It is a really simple and easy way to help people escape poverty. We loaned one woman in El Salvador some money to buy maize and firewood to make tortillas. We loaned some money to a woman from Kyrgyzstan to buy calves for breeding. They are already paying back their loans, which we can then loan to somebody else who needs a jump start.

Another organization called Operation Underground Railroad is a nonprofit group started by an LDS man who rescues children from slavery, particularly from sex trafficking. He works to put the perpetrators in jail. We just got an email a few days ago that they had rescued 3 children in India and captured 7 traffickers.

Then there are well known causes like Malala’s: fighting for girls’ right to education. Or the Church’s humanitarian aid program following severe natural disasters.

These examples of causes are pretty major ones. Smaller or personal crusades are just as important and worth fighting for. I try to look out for new moms and ask them how they are doing a few weeks and months after giving birth. I feel like it’s one of my missions in life to help and encourage other women who experience postpartum depression. An LDS member, Ardis Parshall, is working on a project called “She Shall Be an Ensign,” a Mormon history narrative with women in the foreground. Maybe your cause is helping new converts feel welcome at church. Maybe your cause is speaking up in an effort to prevent abuse. Maybe your cause is family history. Maybe your cause is helping those with addictions to drugs, alcohol, or pornography. Maybe your cause is going green and trying to conserve Earth’s precious resources. There are so many causes that are worthy of our time and effort.

CONCLUSION

I hope I have helped expand your view of what a pioneer is: someone who has great courage, someone with faith to conquer fear, and someone who works with might for a cause that’s right. I invite you to think of ways you can be more pioneer-like, which is essentially doing what God has asked of us: Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. Joshua 1:9

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Modern Pioneers - Dallin's Talk

We spoke in church today on the topic of modern day pioneers. Today's two posts are our talks. 

I. Pioneers of the past

Those among us who are new or visiting may find us unique. One of many peculiar characteristics of our faith is our interest in pioneers. Children learn to sing songs about pioneer children who "walked and walked and walked and walked". As youth, we go on pioneer reenactments where we get to have our own experience as we walk and walk and walk and walk. And now we’re having a Sacrament Meeting dedicated to the theme of pioneers, where you get to hear the Rowley family talk and talk and talk and talk. 

So why this peculiar fascination? The group of people commonly known as the “Mormon Pioneers” are an important part of the heritage of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Although my talk today will focus on modern pioneers, I wish to start by briefly telling the story of one of these Mormon Pioneers. 

Anne Jewel Rowley is my triple-great grandmother, Anne and her husband and children were baptized in England around the time of the westward migration of the pioneers. Heeding the call of the prophet, even after the death of her husband, Anne emigrated to America and began the trip to Utah with her seven children and one stepdaughter. At the start of their journey, in Iowa city, she was forced to abandon all but 17 pounds of personal luggage. She had a prized feather bed that she had brought from England and had hoped to bring with her to Utah. But, as she said, "a feather-bed is a feather-bed, and when it came to choosing between Zion and a feather-bed, well it was a little too late to turn  my back on Zion, so I ripped it open and emptied the feathers on the ground and used the tic to cover the supplies on the handcart" (Olsen, The Price We Paid).

Anne and her children faced a difficult journey. They experienced frostbite and starvation. They were exposed to the elements during bitter storms. Most of the cattle they had brought with them for food were lost in a stampede. Some of her children passed away on the journey. Through it all, she wrote frequently in her journal about her motivation to get to Zion and to get the temple work done for her family. Despite the many difficulties Anne and the other pioneers faced, there were also many miracles. 

Here is an account from Anne’s journal about a miracle that occured: "It hurt me to see my children go hungry. … Night was coming and there was no food for the evening meal. I asked God’s help as I always did. I got on my knees, remembering two hard sea biscuits that … had been left over from the sea voyage. They were not large, and were so hard they couldn’t be broken. Surely, that was not enough to feed 8 people, but ... with God’s help, nothing is impossible. I found the biscuits and put them in a dutch oven and covered them with water and asked for God’s blessing…. When I took off the lid a little later, I found the pan filled with food. I kneeled with my family and thanked God for his goodness.” (Olsen, The Price We Paid).

I always feel inspired when I hear that story. While it is a powerful story, most of us won’t experience anything like what Anne did. We probably won’t ever be starving, and we probably won’t ever see food miraculously multiplied. But we will experience hard times and there will be times when we are in need of miracles. As we face these experiences, there is much to be learned from men and women like Anne. By studying their lives, we can discover the attributes of a pioneer and the principles that guide them. There are also pioneers all around us today who we can learn from.  In the remainder  of our time today, I will build on the foundation of the past pioneers to discuss the pioneers of the present as well as the pioneers of the future. 

There is one point about the pioneers of the past that I wish to make, however. While being literal descendants of the Mormon Pioneers is something to cherish, those who are not should feel not left out. No one should feel like pioneer stories are merely someone else’s heritage. I think that every faithful disciple can claim as ancestors all of the pioneers of every past age and dispensation—including the great heroes and heroines of the scriptures.  After all, by joining the Church and keeping our covenants, we become “the children of the prophets” and “of the house of Israel” (3 Nephi 20:25). We can all feel like President Deiter F. Uchtdorf, who said "I have no ancestors among the 19th century pioneers. However, since the first days of my Church membership, I have felt a close kinship to those early pioneers who crossed the plains. They are my spiritual ancestry, as they are for each and every member of the Church, regardless of nationality, language, or culture. They have established not only a safe place in the West but also a spiritual foundation for the building of the kingdom of God in all nations of the world” (Ensign Nov 2002). 

II. Pioneers of the Present (“modern pioneers") 

The definition of “pioneer" focuses on being the first to go to an area or to do a certain thing. Pioneers are leaders who explore previously unknown lands and prepare the way for those who will follow. In The Church, the connotations of “pioneer” include many attributes. Elder Oaks summarized the attributes of a pioneer as “integrity, inclusion, cooperation, unity, unselfishness, sacrifice, and obedience” (Ensign Oct 1997). President Uchtdorf, in this month’s home teaching message, focuses on the attributes of compassion, work, and optimism (Ensign July 2015). 

In one way or another, each of us is a pioneer. Perhaps you are the first member of the Church in your family. Or the first to serve a mission, go to college, or be in the military. Perhaps you’re the first to be sealed in the temple. At the very least, you are the first to face your particular circumstances at this particular time and place. In the new, uncharted territory of the digital age and a rapidly changing social and technological landscape, are we not all pioneers?

This week, The Church announced an online campaign to share stories of past and present pioneers using the hashtag #IAmAPioneer. In that spirit, I would like to give some examples of modern day pioneers. These examples are all based off of real people I either know personally or have read about. As you think about these examples and consider the ways in which you yourself are a pioneer, I invite you to think about what you are doing to be a leader and to prepare the way for those who will follow. How are you developing the attributes of sacrifice, obedience, unselfishness, unity, cooperation, work, and optimism? 

Consider the following examples: 

- My mother, who’s parents left and became antagonistic towards The Church when she was a young teenager, making it difficult for her to stay faithful. But she kept her faith, married in the temple, raised a family in the Church, and set an example for her younger sister to do the same. 

- The man who grew up abused by an alcoholic father, but, through the grace of God, broke the cycle of alcoholism and abuse in his family. 

- The couple who moved to a new ward and found there to be a division between those who had lived there for years and the transient students, and sought ways to build unity among all ward family members. 

- My wife who, after having a baby, rather than feeling the joy and satisfaction that others had  foretold, found herself facing the darkness of post-partum depression but somehow managed to make it through that terrible storm by focusing on the Light of Christ. 

- The woman I taught on my mission, who, before meeting the missionaries, literally worshiped death, but when she felt the Spirit bear testimony to her soul she made the decision to abandon that false tradition. 

- The many people I met on my mission who had many good traditions passed down through their culture who learned to keep the good while adding the further light of the gospel. 

- My cousin, who served as a missionary for a few months and then was honorably released because of anxiety, coming home to face the stigmatism that awaits an early returned missionary. 

- A young man I know who, when his high school class had a debate on a moral issue, had the courage to be the only person defending the conviction he held. 

- My wife’s good friend who has felt belittled and misunderstood at times in church because of her gender, even to the point of shedding tears, but who has kept following God as her first priority and refused to leave the Church. 

- My classmate and his wife, who’s young son is diagnosed with leukemia and who have to watch their precious child suffer and spend weeks at a time living in the hospital, but who manage to keep a positive attitude and find comfort in the plan of Salvation. 

-  A family friend who has unexpectedly gone through life without the opportunity to marry that she had hoped for, but who became a great role model for many children and youth, including myself. 

- My missionary companion who overcame additions to both drugs and pornography to serve an honorable mission and has helped teach many people about the power of repentance. 

- The young military recruit who leaves home for the first time and not only has to deal with the stresses of basic training but also is constantly surrounded by offensive language and stories, but still manages to find a quiet moment to pray each day. 

- My close friend, who discovered his same sex attraction as a teenager and had to face the incredibly difficult choice between romantic love and the teachings of his religion, but decided that really "being true to himself” was remaining active in the Church. He now is determined to use his voice to convey both his compassion for his gay and lesbian brothers and sisters as well as the committed discipleship and love he has for God. 

- The woman who Sister Wixom told us about this last General Conference, who faced sincere questions and deep doubts about some of the Church’s history and doctrine and struggled mightily as she held on to her testimony. 

That last example is one that I personally identify with.  For me, these doubts are hard to put on a shelf and kept out of site and out of mind. Rather, they are a frequent load that I carry with me. Perhaps you too can identify with one or more of these examples.  Like the handcart pioneers, we all have burdens that we must push and pull through life. But going through hard times does not make us less worthy to be called a pioneer. The Utah Pioneers experienced hardship. Many felt like giving up. It is persevering along the painful path that makes us pioneers. 

III. The Greatest Pioneer 

How, can we be like these pioneers of the past and present who kept their faith despite the challenges, who faced extreme sacrifices with optimism, who sought for unity when it would have been easier to focus only on themselves? 

The answer can be found in a hymn written and sung by pioneers, “Come Come Ye Saints.” The first verse of this anthem begins: 

Come, come, ye saints, no toil nor labor fear;
But with joy wend your way.
Though hard to you this journey may appear,

Grace shall be as your day.

(Hymns #30) 

“Grace shall be as your day.” The enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ will be what gives us light and life and power to continue on. It was Jesus that sustained the pioneers in their journey west, and His grace that sustains us in our journey through life today. 

Listen to this powerful testimony from Elder Holland about Jesus, the Greatest Pioneer: "Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of [the] Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so. His solitary journey brought great company for our little version of that path—the merciful care of our Father in Heaven, the unfailing companionship of this Beloved Son, the consummate gift of the Holy Ghost, angels in heaven, family members on both sides of the veil, prophets and apostles, teachers, leaders, friends. All of these and more have been given as companions for our mortal journey because of the Atonement ofJesus Christ and the Restoration of His gospel. Trumpeted from the summit of Calvary is the truth that we will never be left alone nor unaided, even if sometimes we may feel that we are. Truly the Redeemer of us all said: “I will not leave you comfortless: [My Father and] I will come to you [and abide with you].” (Ensign May 2009)

Jesus blazed the trail we are to follow and He accompanies us on that trail, pushing our load. In fact, He is the trail (John 14:6). We are not the first to traverse it, nor are we alone on our journey. We are not comfortless (John 14:18). It is through Him that we can develop the optimism, the diligence  the faith and sacrifice we need as pioneers. 

IV. Pioneers of the Future 

Another hymn that I associate with pioneers is “Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel." It begins with the following statement and invitation: 

The world has need of willing men [and women]

Who wear the worker's seal.

Come, help the good work move along;

Put your shoulder to the wheel (Hymns #225)

I believe that need for pioneer men and women will only increase. Listen to this recent statement from Elder Dallin H. Oaks: “[in the future] we may incur accusaitions of bigotry, suffer discrimination, or have to withstand invasions of our free exercise of religion. If so, I think we should remember our first priority—to Serve God—and, like our pioneer predicessors, push our personal handcarts forward with the same fortitude they exhibited” (Ensign, Nov 2013). 

^{As we face the future and the daunting tasks that lie ahead, let us remember the power of optimism. Let us sing with pioneer all around the world:} 

Gird up your loins; fresh courage take.

Our God will never us forsake;
And soon we'll have this tale to tell-

All is well! All is well!

(Hymns #30) 

I bear testimony with Anne and other pioneers of the past and present that God is good. His grace is sufficient for us as we journey through this life and will be even in the uncharted paths that lay ahead. I pray that we can be optimistic, inclusive, faithful, and willing to sacrifice as we look to the examples of pioneers of the past, the pioneers of the present, and the Greatest Pioneer as we become the pioneers of the future.