a visit from Dan, Jean, Rex, Sheri and Rosalie

"WHEN OUR HEARTS TURN TO OUR ANCESTORS SOMETHING CHANGES INSIDE OF US!"
--Russell M. Nelson

Rosalie, Jean and Dan being pioneers in the Trail Center

We must be sure that the legacy of faith received from the pioneers who came before us is never lost.  Let their heroic lives touch our hearts so the fire of true testimony and unwavering love for the Lord and his church will blaze brightly within each of us as it did in our faithful pioneers.  

--M. Russell Ballard

 a rainy but happy day in Omaha -- took shelter in the Trail Center

 a wonderful session at the Winter Quarters Temple

 a rainy day -- visiting pioneer sites

We were soooo happy to be on the grounds and at the place where the mustering of the Mormon Battalion took place in Council Bluffs.  It was an honor to have Dan and Rex stand at the place where our great great grandpa John Buchanan signed up for the Battalion and became part of Company D 

It is true something changed inside of me this week as we honored our ancestors who traveled these roads and hills here in the winter quarters area and lived in the surrounding areas before their trek west.  I felt them every where we went this week.  I imagined and visioned in my head how it looked when they were here, how they looked.  I felt the spirit of the Mormon Battalion as we walked the grounds where our great great grandpa signed up and prepared to join the battalion and march an amazing distance. I can't imagine how they felt leaving them families and knowing that they had to walk and push forward to an unknown adventure.  We experienced a massive rainstorm while in Council Bluffs (on our tour).  It was so bad that I pulled over and had the tour guide Bro. Sharp drive my car -- I could not see very far ahead of me and he knows the area.  It was as if our ancestors wanted us to see what it was really like when those storms hit.  We talked about how awful it must have been to be instantly wet and in fact everything they owned instantly wet -- with  no where to go -- no shelter, no buildings, no dryers to dry clothes, no dry blankets -- I can't even think about it -- it just brings tears to my eyes.  It's one thing to be wet from the rain, but here in Omaha it's bone chilling wet.  I appreciated them even more and it did change me.  

I especially felt some of their spirits while in Winter Quarters temple.  It was as if they were expressing their gratitude that we were here and in place where they worked, worshiped and gained a firm and faithful testimony of a loving Heavenly Father.  I am bound to them -- I honor them -- I will tell their stories -- I will search for their descendants -- I will remember them.  My heart was changed this week, my testimony increased and my love for my Savior is instilled in my soul -- I love this work and am determined to work harder and harder to bring about the salvation of man and to fulfill my purpose here.

"Let us remember the pioneers as we strive to be valiant servants in our work to invite all to COME UNTO CHRIST"

 -- JOSEPH B. WIRTHLIN