- This topic is empty.
-
Posts
-
The rescue party left on a Tuesday. Date from the below article and a date calculator. Quote:Thoreau wrote: The rescue party left on a Tuesday. Date from the below article and a date calculator.
Thank you so much for that. I had always heard about BY talking during conference and telling people to prepare and leave immediately. There have been so many SS teachers over the years that talked about leaving directly from conference — on Sunday — that I assumed that date fact was correct.
Over the years I heard much the same thing. Brigham Young received an inspiration during conference that the handcart companies were in trouble and immediately sent out a rescue party. When you read the actual history you find out this was far from the case. Yeah, leaving on Tuesday is much better. Pres. Young got that right. Nothing like leaving unprepared to rescue a group of people who left unprepared.
there is a tendency to exaggerate the miraculousness of events. I was impressed with a Young Man in sacrament meeting. He was just called to an Asian country on his mission. His father bore his testimony about his son praying to go to the country he was called, and how God hears and answers prayers etcetera. Sounded very miraculous. Then the son got up and started with a statement meant to “correct what his Dad said”. He commented on how he actually prayed to go to any one of five different areas of the world, and the Asian country to which he called was within one of the regions he hoped to go.
Much less miraculous, but a lot more truthful.
So, it doesn’t surprise me that lore has sped up the departure of the rescue party for the handcart company — to make it sound more miraculous that it was.
Also, I find exaggeration happens with a lot of things which in my view, are mere coincidence.
I used to like a very conservative show involving Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes. I was showing one of my favorite episodes to my fiancee (now my wife) at her house. Sure enough, her Dad walks in in the one scene in the entire series of 20 or more episodes where a nude model is standing in a portrait studio, with her back to the camera, being painted. About 20 seconds of this as a constable talked business to someone (kind of amusing, really). This bit of nudity was the only amount in the entire 20-30 hours of footage in this series. My then-to-be, father-in-law started questioning whether what I brought into his house was appropriate. We explained our way out of it, and continued watching the movie.
But wasn’t that miraculous???? That he would show up at that very moment?? Perhaps I should bear testimony about that! (Just kidding).
I do acknowledge that God works in our lives in many different ways, and do acknowledge his hand But I’m always skeptical about it when I hear it from other people — embellishment is alive and well in the church as we strive to bolster our faith, look good in front of other members, etcetera.
And by the way, if given the choice of destroying my long-term health, or moving west with the pioneers, I would’ve stayed put and used my healthy body in the East, in the service of others, and my family.
Old-Timer wrote:Yeah, leaving on Tuesday is much better. Pres. Young got that right.
Nothing like leaving unprepared to rescue a group of people who left unprepared.
I think they had to wait until after FHE.I have heard some talk about being pioneers in their families. Meanings the converts to the church in any generation are pioneers. My father and mother in Law are converts. I consider them to be pioneer ancestors for my children. Rich – I agree. Two summers ago I was at my parents ward and an Asian young man spoke about his pioneer heritage. He is a teen convert to the church, only LDS member in his family. His pioneer was his mother. She is Laotian, and fled Laos as a young mom, taking her 3 boys with her. It was an arduous, risk filled journey. Her goal was to get to any first world country where she could get a job, an education and raise her boys. I can’t remember all the details, but I remember loving her story and the positive effect it had on him. No handcarts necessary.
My father is a convert. He grew up Methodist. My MIL is a convert. She grew up Greek Orthrodox. My FIL was a convert. He grew up “vaguely Christian”. My In Laws served 4 missions together. My MIL has served 2 more as a widow .. And is putting in paperwork for a 3rd. I consider each of them more pioneer in every sense of the word than my mother’s family that can trace their roots in the church back to the 1830’s. Ray’s comment inspired me: http://bycommonconsent.com/2015/06/01/pioneer-day-tips-for-mormon-muggles-mudbloods/ Hawkgrrrl: A totally and completely awesome article. You nailed it.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.