COME, COME YE SAINTS

"ALL IS WELL!"

There were many days in my life when I felt like a pioneer woman traveling down a new path with my children - on  our journey to a new place for protection and religious peace.  I felt at times that my children and I were pushing our handcart through the ruts in the dirt roads and through the mire and across the streams. Yet, I ended each day with this same phrase "ALL IS WELL!"  

I am moved by the account of Elizabeth Jackson whose husband Aaron died after the last crossing of the Platte River with the Martin Handcart company.  She wrote: "I will not attempt to describe my feelings at finding myself thus left a widow with three children, under such excruciating circumstances...I believe....that my sufferings for the gospels sake will be sanctified unto me for my good. "I appealed to the Lord....He who had promised to be a husband to the widow and a father to the fatherless.  I appealed to him and he came to my aid."  (she expressed this on behalf of those who passed through like scenes with the hope that prosperity would be willing to suffer and sacrifice all things for the kingdom of God.(from an article by Gene R. Cook). 

I like Elizabeth, found myself alone as a single mother to three small children.  She a widow - I a divorced woman.  But nonetheless, my children needed the blessings promised to the fatherless children and I needed comfort in the sometimes unbearable, lonely moments.  I also appealed to him and his promises were sure.  He promises this:  "if you keep my commandments and are faithful to your convenants - I will always be with you."  I can testify to that.

I would go forth to establish "MY ZION" for me and my children. The Zion that would provide for us a land of promise, a place of peace and freedom:  freedom from the ill effects put in a home from abuse of different kinds and levels.  A place where we would feel the spirit of Lord in our home at all times. And through all the years we did find our "ZION". ALL IS WELL. I became a pioneer mother to my children.  We steered our handcart onward ever onward and forward on the sometimes rugged path but also through many paths of sunshine and wildflowers.

My great great grandparents John and Adeline Buchanan traveled with the Howell wagon train. It was the third train to leave Iowa for the Great Salt Lake in 1852.  They left Kanesville, Iowa on June 7 1852 with 293 people, 65 wagons and 10 families under the direction of Captain Thomas C. Howell.  Each night they circled their wagons into a camp circle for protection and also in case of indian attacks and the wolves. Each night they held a meeting; had prayer together and felt a "good spirit".  The entire camp assisted each other.               (family book written by Hayle Buchanan)

I was left with three small children.  We also headed on a journey  - a new path - a new horizon. I would also gather my children in a circle each night -- kneeling in prayer asking for protection during the night and protection from attacks that we might be faced with -- attacks from the wolves, and the worldly surroundings.  I prayed that my children would be protected from the things that would lead them astray.  For us there could be attacks equal to the indian attacks of our pioneers. Some of them could be:  street drugs, vulgar language, pornography, corruption with technology and the internet, bad influence from kids in the schools, movies, loneliness, fear, anger -- etc. Each night I gathered my little family in our circle and prayed for the Lord's protection to be with us. We were protected -- soooo protected and those wolves stayed away from our prayer circle and from the spirit in our home and our love for the Lord.  

All is well

"My appeal is that you nurture your own physical and spiritual strength so that you have a deep reservoir of faith to call upon when tasks or challenges or demands of one kind or another come.  Pray a little more, study a little more, shut out the noise and shut down the clamor, enjoy nature, call down personal revelation, search your soul, and search the heavens for the testimony that led our pioneer parents.  Then when you need to reach down inside a little deeper and a little farther to face life and do your work, you will be sure there is something down there to call upon."  (Pres. Jeffrey R. Holland)