TOPIC:
In the state of Utah July 24th is a holiday called Pioneer Day.
A pioneer is defined as "one who is the first to do something", or "one who opens up the way for others".
Using this definition, tell us about pioneers in your family.
Use this definition to share a piece of your family history.
This weeks topic made me think...A LOT. Growing up in Provo, Utah this was always kind of a sore spot for me. Everyone (and I do mean EVERYONE) came from a long, long line of pioneer heritage. They all had some amazing story to tell about when Great, Great Grandpa Fred crossed the plains with a legless ox or how Great, Great Aunt Gertrude made a loaf of bread in the middle of the wilderness with only a teaspoon of wheat. I was completely jealous of these stories...I was a convert...I did not have any pioneer heritage. You could say that I was a little bitter.
As I have grown, I have come to accept that I will never have those amazing stories to tell my children. However, I do have a different kind of story to tell them...it's about a pioneer family living in Bayside, Queens, New York in 1989. The youngest child of this family, the only girl, was sitting on the stoop in front of the family's apartment putting together a puzzle with her best friend. She was approached by two of the prettiest looking ladies and asked if she knew the Pena's...well of course she did! She was one of them!! They were invited in and shared a special message with her family. They returned again several times. One of these beautiful sisters gave the little pioneer girl her own Book of Mormon reader to read and pray about it. She began to read every day, every night. She loved the stories in that book and loved the pictures. She had only just turned 8 years old but she knew that what the sisters were teaching her family was right and she wanted to be a part of it. Her parents also felt that it was true and the family made the decision to be baptized as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and began to attended church where all they spoke was spanish. This was difficult for the young girl at first because her first language was english and she didn't speak spanish as well but as she continued to attend, the language came much easier to her. One day when she was almost 12 years old her parents sent her to live in Provo, Utah for awhile with some family she had there. It was scary for her to be without her mother and father but she continued to attend church (in Spanish) and continued to grow in the gospel. Her parents joined her 6 months later and the family was sealed in the Provo Temple later that year.
So while I may not have any "pioneer heritage" I know that were it not for my strong testimony of the truth even at such a young age I wouldn't be here today. I AM that pioneer....I was the first to be baptized in my family...literally I was the first in the water. I opened the way for my family and for my children to be Latterday Saints. Soo I suppose that is part of the legacy that i get to pass down to my great-great grandchildren. Maybe someday they'll say "My great-great grandma Alida was the first in her family to be baptized and that's why I am a member..."
