The Mormon Pioneer Trail: A Modern Exodus

It's safe to say that one of the parts of our heritage we cherish most is that of the pioneers. During the mid-nineteenth century, Mormons traveled west after being driven out of Missouri and Illinois and settled in places like Utah, Arizona, or California. While many other people also trekked westward, there were several unique things about the Mormon groups. They were composed of people of all ages, from newborn babies and pregnant women to the elderly. They pooled their resources to establish companies that would get as many people safely across the plains as possible. The death rate on the Mormon trail was significantly lower than that on secular routes like the Oregon trail. When I was little, one of my favorite books was I Walked to Zion, a collection of stories about Mormon pioneer children.

Although this movement is obviously historically important, it also holds a special place in our hearts. The journey west strengthened the convictions of many of its participants and forged able leaders and members who were willing to sacrifice for their beliefs. My fourth great grandfather Abraham Hunsaker joined the Church in 1842 and traveled west to Utah alongside other pioneers.

Today, there are plenty of people who are modern pioneers, as the first members in their families or the first members of the Church in new parts of the world.

There are several strong parallels drawn between the exodus of the Saints from Illinois and Missouri and the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. Both groups were lead by a prophet who was commanded to take them (the Israelites by Moses and the Saints by Brigham Young). Both groups were a covenant people who promised "to keep all the commandments and statues" (D&C 136:2) of God. Like the Israelites, the Saints were reminded of the importance of adhering to all of God's commands in order to be successful. The Lord even reminded the Saints "I am he who led the children of Israel out of Egypt; and my arm is stretched out in the last days, to save my people Israel" (D&C 136:22). God encouraged them by saying "Fear not thine enemies, for they are in mine hands, and I will do my pleasure with them" (D&C 136:30), just as he saved the Children of Israel from the wrath of the Egyptians.

These difficult journeys served as trials for both groups of people, separating those who were willing to follow God's commands in all things from those who were more casual in their faith. The Exodus and the Mormon Trail journey weren't just a practical change for the people of the Lord to escape bondage and persecution; they were chances for individuals to grow into the kind of people that God needed them to be. It was necessary for God to test his people and prove their commitment so that they would be prepared for future trials and more hard work. Like the Israelites, the Saints established a thriving community that allowed God's people to grow and flourish together.