Pioneers of the Heart – July 20, 2003
Over 150 years ago, when the pioneers arrived in what would become Salt Lake City, they were greeted by a barren desert. The air was dry, and so was the valley floor. At this first view, some pioneers were disappointed. Their land of promise seemed a desolate haven for crickets and snakes—surely not for people who had sacrificed everything and come a thousand miles. But other pioneers encouraged them with their industry and faith. Mountain streams could be diverted onto thirsty soil; seeds could be planted; and homes could be built. And they were.
They all did their part to build a community. Some wove straw into hats; some cut stones out of mountains; some nursed others back to health; some organized singers into beautiful choirs; and some greeted newcomers with peaches.
One young pioneer, a boy of only eleven years, recounted his experience entering the Salt Lake Valley several years after the first band of pioneers. Christopher Alston and his company were greeted by a man with a wagon full of peaches. The man called Christopher over and put handfuls of peaches in his cap. After sharing some of the peaches with his eight-year-old brother, who lay sick in their wagon, young Christopher sat down to take his first bite. In his own words, he relates, “Now imagine, if you can, an eleven-year-old boy who had walked 1,100 miles and had an 1,100 mile appetite, and had never tasted a peach before in his life, having half a dozen nice peaches to eat!”[1] The greeting could not have been more favorable. Upon one person’s generosity was built a boy’s attitude about the challenges that lay ahead. Establishing a home in a desert would not be easy. If all alone, one would find the tasks overwhelming, but with the help of others, it would be possible. With God’s help, it was done.
And so it is for each of us. Our best efforts pave the way for others’ success. Our generosity of spirit lifts those around us. No matter how long we’ve been walking life’s journey, we can lend a hand to someone a few strides behind and make the path a little more pleasant for them. We are pioneers every time we open our hearts to another, every time we reach out in kindness to a fellow traveler.
Program #3857
[1] Susan Arrington Madsen, Growing Up in Zion: True Stories of Young Pioneers Building the Kingdom, (1996), 8.