To Be a Pioneer

Selections from the Children’s Sesquicentennial Art Exhibit, sponsored by the Museum of Church History and Art

You don’t have to push a handcart,

Leave your family dear,

Or walk a thousand miles or more

To be a pioneer!

(Children’s Songbook, number 218).

Nephi and the Ship, Bae Tae Joo, 7, Korea. “Nephi made the ship to go to the land of promise. Nephi is a pioneer because he was an example to his brothers.”

The Pioneers, Rafail Monroy Angel, 8, Mexico.

Building a Temple, Jorge Cantos Rodriguez, 9, Spain. “I saw the groundbreaking ceremony for the temple in Spain and I saw the prophet. My grandparents are pioneers in the Church in Spain. I want the temple to be finished soon.”

Deann Marie Jensen, Kaitlyn Brunsdale, 6, United States. “Deann is a pioneer of the present. She is the first girl in our family to serve a mission. She is my cousin! She went to Italy. In this picture she’s at the Leaning Tower of Pisa. I put myself in the picture because I want to be a missionary in the future.”

People Who Believe in God and the Temple, Bae Tae Jung, 4, Korea. “My father and mother believe in God, and they go to the temple often. Others also follow us. Therefore, we are pioneers.”

Stake Conference, Nataly Estefania Ruiz Villacis, 8, Ecuador. “Mormon pioneers in Guayaquil attending their first stake conference.”

Building a Chapel, Nadia Ruiz Villacis, 8, Ecuador. “Mormon pioneers in Guayaquil helping in the construction of the first chapel.”

Church-Going Pioneers, Alex Wolf, age 6, Canada.

Pioneers of My Family, Marilia Kim De O Nafalski, 9, Brazil. “One day my mother heard some young men clapping their hands at the gate of our home. It was two missionaries. Our family was converted, and now we are preparing to go to the temple.”

I Am a Pioneer, Barbra Jackeline Gomez Yalderrabano, 5, Mexico. “I will be a pioneer in a remote area, and I will teach the gospel to children. I will help them to know Christ and his teachings.”

Hopes for a Temple, Andriarnaly Harison Nivoelihenta, 10, Madagascar. “At first we had a branch in Madagascar, and now we have a district. I hope that later we will have a temple.”

Pioneers Traveling to the Temple, Maria Alicia Matos Strauss, 10, Bolivia. “This is one of the first caravans to travel to the temple. They had a few car troubles.

Paintings and drawings photographed by R. T. Clark.