We returned from our handcart trek five days ago, and I still don’t feel like I have fully recovered. Although I did walk a few miles around Martin’s Cove, it was not the walking that was so demanding for me. I think we were exhausted before we even left. We collected food and packed coolers on Sunday evening, and by the time everything was ready, it was close to midnight. Then we were up by around 4am to get ready to go.
Then, we drove for 6 hours. Along with 5 others, I was responsible for preparing all of the meals for about 70 people. Inevitably we encountered problems with each meal- winds that blew out the flames on our stoves, hamburger patties frozen in a solid block, missing or inadequate equipment, etc. We did our best to improvise, and I think the food in general was very good. It just seemed as though we would run from preparing and cleaning up from one meal to having to start the process all over again. I can’t think of a single meal in 4 days where I actually sat down or had more than a few quick bites. We were basically on our feet all day, every day, from early morning to late at night. There were times when I literally could not think straight or even form a coherent sentence. It was good though to be so busy and engaged, and we were fortunate to have many people that were willing to help when needed.
Many are familiar with Francis Webster’s quote where he defended the Martin Company’s decision to make the trek late in the year, even knowing the likely calamity that they would face. If you are interested in reading the full account, check here (search for “testimony” to find this specific story).
I am intrigued by Francis’ statement that he and other pioneers that suffered gladly paid the price that they did because it was through these trials that they became acquainted with God.
What are your thoughts? Do we need to go though extreme tragedy as these pioneers to come to know God? If not, since few of us will ever experience anything close to what these saints did, how do we come to the same knowledge of God that they did?
I have my own ideas that I am happy to share but would love for others to give their thoughts about this.
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July 20, 2011 at 5:52 pm
Steve
Brigham Young evidently didn’t think that suffering and denying was necessary to relate to God.
After the tragedy, he totally revamped the program — requiring adequate supplies, better handcarts, living earlier, etc. He was harshly critical of the decision to go and the horrible suffering that resulted.
We can and should honor those who suffered and the heroic rescue efforts.
But, we should not try to turn this horrific event into something that was good for those who experienced it — the losses were so unnecessary..
July 21, 2011 at 3:39 pm
Jim
Steve, thanks for your comment. I think it is interesting to consider the much good that can come from tragedies such as the Martin and Willie companies encountered. It is hard to say that what they suffered was good for them, especially when it may have been avoided. Those that died, including some of my own ancestors, did so following their prophet and faithfully doing what was required of them. I think that these valiant saints earned their eternal reward, and their legacy has blessed and continues to bless many.
My trivial issues obviously cannot compare with what they endured, but quotes like this at least help me to believe that whatever I do endure is helping me to become a better person:
“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God . . . and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we come here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven. . . .” (Orson F. Whitney as cited in Spencer W. Kimball, Faith Proceeds the Miracle, [1972], 99).
July 20, 2011 at 8:52 pm
nene
Your post brought a lot back to me, Jim. Not just my own experience with trekking around Martin’s Cove, but also thoughts on tragedy in life. I think you’re right about us never being able to comprehend what those saints went through.
I myself have never suffered extreme tragedy, but I have suffered, and I think we all do in some ways. I think that no matter what we go through in life, even if it is a period free from trials–it is our task to become acquainted with God in our extremities. It is easy for my human mind to sometimes “forget” God when things are well, and when things are bad to distance myself from Him. But in my few decades of life I’ve figured out (yes, I’m a slow learner) that my joy comes from being close to Him no matter the joy or sorrow I happen to be going through at the moment.
One of the things that I love and appreciate about our Heavenly Father is that He knows us so well that He can tailor our lives with experiences for what we need to learn and grow. And it is always our choice how acquainted with Him we become.
July 21, 2011 at 11:22 am
Jim
Nene, thanks for the profound comment! I think you are absolutely right. Some people may respond to extreme tragedy by turning away from God, while others in similar situations turn to Him. It really is our choice. And I think if knowing our Heavenly Father is really important to us, it will be shown by our actions, and He will draw near to us as we draw near to Him.
I think that in our relative affluence that it can be easy to lose sight of why we are here and of what really matters. Sometimes we need to be compelled to be humble through life’s trials, but hopefully more often we “yield to the enticings of the Holy Spirit” and become saints through the atonement.
July 21, 2011 at 10:24 am
chris
Thinking about the pioneers, and these in particular, I can’t help but think of these lines from the Lectures on Faith…
“It is in vain for persons to fancy to themselves that they are heirs with those, or can be heirs with them, who have offered their all in sacrifice, and by this means obtained faith in God and favor with him so as to obtain eternal life, unless they, in like manner, offer unto him the same sacrifice, and through that offering obtain the knowledge that they are accepted of him…
But those who have not made this sacrifice to God do not know that the course which they pursue is well pleasing in his sight”
There is no doubt in my mind that God did not want or need them to suffer in the manner they did. There is no doubt in my mind that as a result of their suffering, blessings of faith and testimony were poured out immeasurably upon those individuals and their descendants in the generations to come. In some ways it is tragic. We do not praise those who persecuted and placed Jesus on the cross. “Judas with his thirty pieces of silver was a failure. Christ on the cross was the greatest figure of time and eternity.” – Gordon Hinckley quoting Channing Pollock.
How can you have the one without the other? You might as well go back to the Fall. How can we have repentance without sin or transgression? These Pioneers were acquainted with the bitter fruit more than most, and as a result they were even more so acquainted with the Lord.
I think in understanding both sides of this pioneer story, the good as well as the bad we can come to know God a little better. As these pioneers directly and painfully experienced the bad as well as the ultimate good, even more so could be said of them.
Were we able to have a conversation with them across the veil, would they wish they had never gone to the martyrs death and suffering? Or would they recognize how much better off in an eternal sense they are?
This does not mean those who were wrong in their counsel were not wrong. Judas was clearly wrong. But if I think about the Lord offering up forgiveness to those who wrong him, I think I and others should have even more so toward those who faulty actions led to the extremely humbling and subsequent exalting of these pioneers.