Special Witness

The early pioneers lived long ago. What can I learn from them?

From “The Past Way of Facing the Future,” Liahona and Ensign, Nov. 2009, 74; “A Meaningful Celebration,” Ensign, Nov. 1987, 70, 72.

Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles shares some thoughts on this question.

On the 24th of July, we celebrate the arrival of the pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley.

They left everything behind—their homes, their businesses, their farms, and even their beloved family members—to journey into a wilderness.

The pioneers danced and sang as they crossed the plains. It was a way they kept their spirits high in the face of tremendous hardships.

With firm faith in God and their leaders, the early pioneers went to work to create beautiful communities in the shadows of the mountains.

What a glorious legacy of faith, courage, and ingenuity those noble pioneers have left for us to build upon.

Illustration by Steve Kropp