How Great Thou Art

Tomorrow is Pioneer Day...

I can't even speak about the pioneers without great emotion and tears coming to my eyes. I have such tender feelings towards those Saints and their sacrifices. What they did, allows me to live my religion freely and fully, and for that I am thankful beyond words.

Here is a little video I put together to honor those great souls. The pictures are from a variety of sources, but the music is from my dear friends Heartbound:



I am in awe of the faithfulness and faith of those who crossed the plains. They suffered and sacrificed more than we could ever know, and yet without ceasing they praised and worshiped their God. The following words were spoken by a brother in the Martin Handcart Company:

"We suffered beyond anything you can imagine and many died of exposure and starvation, but did you ever hear a survivor of that company utter a word of criticism?…
“I have pulled my handcart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I could hardly put one foot ahead of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and I have said, I can go only that far and there I must give up, for I cannot pull the load through it.
“I have gone on to that sand and when I reached it, the cart began pushing me. I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart, but my eyes saw no one. I knew then that the angels of God were there.
“Was I sorry that I chose to come by handcart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay, and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Handcart Company."

With those humbling words in mind, I saw it fitting to put these images to How Great Thou Art. For with all the suffering these Saints endured, they still praised their God, acknowledged His power and glory, never doubting His constant love and awareness of them.

In conclusion, consider these words from President Hinckley, "Should we be surprised if we are called upon to endure a little criticism, to make some small sacrifice for our faith, when our forbears paid so great a price for theirs?”