Our debt to the early pioneers is enormous

(by Kristine Frederickson deseretnews.com 7-22-18)

Some decisions have enormous consequences.

We see this in the remarkable life of Mary Fielding Smith, who, after the murder of her husband, Hyrum Smith, and his brother, the Prophet Joseph Smith, acted against the advice and bullying of relatives who wanted her to stay with her children in Illinois. Trusting in the priesthood authority of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, then led by Brigham Young, Mary committed to traverse 1,300 miles of wilderness, overseeing a ragtag band to gather with others of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Zion in the Salt Lake Valley.

Earlier, Mary had demonstrated her devotion to Jesus Christ. After emigrating from England in 1832 to Toronto, Canada, she heard the gospel preached by Parley P. Pratt and sought and received a testimony of its truthfulness. With sister Mercy, brother John and Leonora and John Taylor (later the third prophet of the church), she left her secure, comfortable life to join the Saints in Kirtland, Ohio, in 1837.

(more to come)

https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900025538/our-debt-to-the-early-pioneers-is-enormous.html