Share Your Stories

“The Mormon Trail, from Winter Quarters, Nebraska, to the Great Salt Lake Valley, is more than a thousand miles long. It’s hard to imagine walking a thousand miles – especially if one must walk that far as quickly as possible, before supplies run out and before the snow flies. But between 1847 and 1869, more than seventy thousand Latter-day Saint pioneers made the trek, seeking religious freedom, with most of them walking every step of the way.”

I have so much respect for our pioneer ancestors and have often wondered how I would like to be remembered if I had been an early pioneer woman. I would like you to know that although the primary song says our children “sang as they walked and walked and walked,” they didn’t always sing. They got tired, they got sick, and sometimes they asked, “Are we there yet?” or “How much longer?”

I would like you to know that I tried to be faithful and do what was expected of me, but there were times my faith faltered, and I pled with Heavenly Father, “Are we there yet?” and “How much longer?”

I would like you to know that I never wanted to make that trek again, but I wouldn’t take a million dollars for the experience I gained from making it. I would like you to know that with the Lord’s help, I walked every step of the way.

I taught early morning seminary to high school students for several years. During our first week of lessons, I asked why they thought we were here on earth. The answers were almost always the same–to get a body and to be tested. We talked about what that meant and eventually realized we are here to learn, so we gain experience, and our lives can progress. And while it would be nice to sail on crystal clear waters that are smooth as glass, most of our learning and growth comes from hard work, sorrow, sweat, agony, and discouragement. Those experiences are when we tend to learn the most.

If I had been an early pioneer woman, I would like you to know that God is in His heaven and He is mindful of you even when you don’t feel His presence. That no matter how difficult things are, this, too, shall pass. That you are loved beyond your comprehension to understand. That you are needed in this work. That you don’t have to do it alone. That you don’t have to sing the entire way.

My journey was not with those early pioneers. I have not suffered many of their trials. But I am the first to travel this earth in my body with my heart and brain. I have experienced my own trials, and as I have overcome each one, I have found strength beyond what I thought I could achieve. I have progressed beyond what I had ever planned. I have learned more than I ever wanted to know. My faith has faltered at times, and I have pled with the Lord, “Am I there yet?” and “How much longer?”

As a modern pioneer, I want my great-great-grandkids to know that they can overcome anything they set their mind to. I want them to know that while it may be easier to give in and give up, in the long run, it will get them nowhere. I want them to know that I didn’t get through my trials without scrapes, bruises, and a few broken bones. I want them to know that there will be things they will deal with that they hope to never deal with again, but what they gain through those experiences will make the challenge worth it.

So, how do I share with those precious souls I will never meet? I have to write my stories. I have to write my feelings and not just give names and dates. I must share my fears, my failures, my agonies, my discouragement, and my sorrows, as freely as I share the good stuff. And I must lay aside my embarrassment, shame, and pride. By sharing those things, I will come to life. I may be able to help when they are sure they can’t walk another step or take another breath.

We are going through a most challenging period as we try to navigate the rough, choppy waters of pandemic, politics, fear, hatred, and uncertainty. One day, our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and others will read about these events. They will be able to search the names and dates, but what they won’t be able to search are your experiences. They will get edited and varnished edited details of these events unless you write your stories. If you have dealt with the virus, write about it. If you have dealt with depression and despair from months of social distancing, write about it. If you have found new hobbies, recipes, or earned your college degree during this time, write about it.

Share you. Write about life today through your eyes. No one else can do that. Some day, someone will read your stories, and they will come to know you long after you are gone. You will live on through the stories you wrote. And you may be able to help someone you will never meet make it through their own pioneer trek.

If you are interested in writing your stories but don’t know how or where to begin, drop me an email. Let’s work on this together. charlene@charlenepaul.com

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