Creating Our Own Pioneering Moments by Spence Udall

Thinking about Pioneer Days has given me a good opportunity to look back in time at my ancestors and my own pioneer heritage. I feel lucky and blessed that I have this heritage and am able to review the lives of those that came before me and learn from them. You never know beforehand what a person is capable of; time is always the ultimate judge. The passing of time also provides us with perspective.

This last week my boys and I had the opportunity to go to the ranch to gather some cattle for this weekend’s rodeo. When we gather cows we always make sure the gates are open and set and a way is prepared so that when we return with the cattle we are able to put them in the corral. When we start to gather a pasture the cows are moved easily, and it takes little effort on our part keeping them headed in the right direction.  As we get closer to the corral the area in which the cows have to move gets smaller and smaller as we try and push them through the gate. Invariably there are always a few animals that need a little extra persuasion to get in the corral, and occasionally there will be one so rank that the decision is made to let that one go rather than jeopardize the entire herd. But eventually, with a little patience and coaxing, we are able to get the cattle into the corral.

 

It makes me wonder if the Lord worked this way to get the Saints out West, a mob here, disease and famine there, eventually gathering them together, pushing them west to this Zion. In May of 1830 Joseph Smith and Parley Pratt visited Nelson, Ohio where they testified of the restored gospel in the Hulett home. Elisha and Sally Whiting were among those that listened. While Sally immediately was convinced of its truthfulness, Elisha was not. To say that Elisha tolerated his wife’s new religion would be an exaggeration. He was no fan of the Mormons nor of their Prophet, and he made life generally miserable for those family members that had joined the church. He was quoted as saying he wished that he had ‘ol Joe Smith on his work bench, that it’d be a pleasure to saw his head off with a hand saw. But like the cowboy driving cattle to their destination, sometimes the Lord drives us. His conversion did not happen until he had become so sick that death was imminent. It was to the point that the doctor refused to render any further care to spare the family any more expense and Elisha’s fate seemed sealed. Elisha’s jaws had become set to the point that they had to pry them open to give him any kind of nourishment. His wife Sally who had converted years earlier asked him one more time if she could call the Elders to administer to him. The account goes on to say that, although he could not speak, she felt sure he consented. I find it interesting that not only does the Lord sometimes have to drive us to our destination, and if it so be that our hearts are so hard, he might even need to take our speech and let someone more “in tune” speak for us. Needless to say, the Elders did come and administer to him, and his condition improved immediately, to the point that Elisha was baptized four days later. Although it took what the family considered a miracle to convince Elisha to join the church, he still had to make the decision to step forward into the waters of baptism. And with that step, Elisha’s and Sally’s future would change dramatically. From that time forward he was a staunch defender of the faith. It is worth noting that this was not the only time in my family’s history that it took near death to prompt conversion.

Now this story of Elisha and Sally sadly does not have a fairy tale ending. In fact, Elisha’s and Sally’s story to the outside world might be considered a failure. From the moment Elisha was baptized the misery that he hoped that would befall the saints and their prophet befell him. They would be driven from their homes and had businesses burned to the ground on numerous occasions. They would eventually die in Iowa, penniless and their family divided among two religious factions. But like I said, the passing of time provides us with perspective. Six of twelve children accompanied Elisha to Iowa; of those six, only two, Edwin and his sister Emeline continued west, while the others remained with the Cutler faction. Even though the way is prepared for us, brothers and sisters, we still have to step forward in the right direction.

Time doesn’t permit me to go into detail about what happened next in the lives of Edwin and his sister Emeline Whiting, but I can tell you that the blessings that our families have received by their decisions have been many.

It occurs to me that many of you may not have this type of pioneer history to lean on. Some of you might be the first in your family to have joined the church, but your pioneer legacy is no less important. While it might be difficult to measure what the steps you take today will have on generations to come, I testify that those steps will add up to something. Elisha Whiting had no way of knowing that his choice of stepping into the waters of baptism would play no small part in me standing here today. But like I said, time gives perspective. Every day we get up in the morning and proceed to make choices all day long. Admittedly some choices are more important than others, but all choices add up to some whole. The question becomes for us, is what do we want our choices to add up to?

Now more than ever the Lord needs people to choose to step forward. Every step you take now may very well be a pioneering moment for your future generations. I think of my own family and friends that I have grown up with, who have great pioneer histories that can see the choices and sacrifices made that for whatever reason have chosen to step back rather than step forward. I wouldn’t suppose to tell you why they made their choice nor to judge them for it. I wish I could stand here and tell you that I had always stood firm and made correct choices, but the truth is, I’ve had a tremendous amount of help along the way by people who have led me, driven me, and sometimes dragged me in the right direction. You’ll notice that the Lord always organizes his people into groups. That is not by coincidence, but by design. As the early companies started the trek west, the trail was difficult. Some families were able to move faster than others, and sometimes only a half mile was achieved in a day's time. Brigham Young became more and more frustrated as the lead of the company would often be many miles in front of the tail. Communication became difficult as messengers had such a great distance to cover relaying messages. Eventually Brigham Young stopped and reorganized, making sure no group fell below 50 people. There is strength in numbers, there was then, and there is now. It is important that we surround ourselves with people whose goals are aligned with ours. I’ll try and refrain from drawing any more parallels of gathering and driving cattle across the pastures to ourselves. Although I do have to wonder if when the Lord is gathering us and trying to get us somewhere if he thinks we are as stupid as I think those cows are?

As I look at my own kids as they start to have families of their own, I realize now how the choices I made as a young father have impacted our family today. Some of the choices I made were of great success and others miserable failures. Like I said, time gives perspective.

Brothers and sisters, as we go out it is my prayer that we will be the pioneers that God intended us to be, that we will look at the choices we are faced with in an eternal perspective. That we will have the strength to step forward and not back in His Gospel. That a hundred years from now time will give perspective to our descendants, that they will be able to look at our lives and the choices that we have made and will be able to use it as a guide in their lives. The way has been prepared; we just need to step forward.