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Little Valley Stake 2016 Pioneer Trek

Thanks Bro. Hood and Bro. Thunell

Women’s Pull Devotional

Sis. Renee Rasmussen

2016 Little Valley Pioneer Trek

Stake YW 1^st Counselor

6.17.16

Many of you may be asking yourselves..."Why am I here?  How does this affect my life?"  With that I have a thought for you to ponder--What is the difference between learning about the pioneers and learning from the pioneers?  If you want to learn about them then you will have a good experience here at trek.  You will most likely learn some facts, stories, and feel the spirit at times.  However, there is a good chance your experience will end by the end of the week.  On the contrary, if you want to learn from the pioneers, then when you go home there is an excellent chance your experience with the pioneer trek truly just begins.  If you learn from them you can learn valuable lessons to aid you throughout your trek of your lifetime.  You can pray to have similar courage, strong determination, and positive attitudes to face your most difficult challenges.

I'd like to share a pioneer story about a young mother, her 2 small children, and husband who traveled across the plains in a wagon.  When her husband became seriously ill he could no longer help with the wagon or children.  He could only lay down, leaving his wife to provide everything needed for the family.  As this mother's physical abilities shrank, the distance between her and the wagon train grew larger.  Soon they were all alone and night set in.  In the distance she heard hungry wolves getting closer and she found herself sitting alone in the front of the wagon, gripping an ax.  READY TO DEFEND her family with every ounce of STRENGTH & COURAGE she had left. The night was long and she felt alone as she watched the shadows of wolves encircling her family.  As tired and exhausted as she was, with ax in hand, she prayed through the night for help in defending her family from the hungry wolves and eventually with the rising of the sun, help came. ¹

Now I want you to recall when you have been exhausted (perhaps it’s now!). Was it physical, mental, or spiritual?  Maybe you worked all day, played in a tournament, participated in a race, struggled with a trial or hardship.  Did something or someone push you to an extreme?

GIVE IN:  At some point did you feel like giving in.  Maybe you wanted to give into TEMPTATIONS to find an easier path or give into cutting corners to make it easier.  Maybe you were giving into lowering your standards.   How strongly were you tested to give into the thought of giving up?

GIVE OUT:  Maybe you felt like giving out which is related to strength.  Did some part of you feel like it just couldn’t keep working and it was going to give out because of fatigue.  (Mile 22 of marathon….I wanted to keep running but my legs wanted to give out and stop.)  Did you find yourself questioning if you could physically match your mental ability?   You can only be pushed so hard before you feel you have nothing left to offer.

GIVE UP: Giving in and giving out leads to giving up which is yielding to others control or surrendering.

How tempting is it when faced with something so extremely difficult that you have wanted to give up and quit?  Perhaps these are familiar thoughts you have heard...**it’s too hard   **I can’t or don’t want to do it anymore  **I’m not good enough  **I’m not strong enough to handle this.  THIS IS A REAL EMOTION AND ITS POWERFUL!

RECALLING THE STORY OF THE YOUNG PIONEER MOTHER…

Someday every one of us will be like her.  I am not saying you’ll be sitting in a wagon with ax in hand defending your family against wolves.  BUT I am telling you there WILL BE EXPERIENCES IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU WILL FEEL ALONE DEFENDING YOUR FAMILY AGAINST THE WOLVES OF THE ADVERSARY. These wolves will be disguised as worldly desires, death of a spouse or child, divorce, unemployment, health issues, or a weakened testimony, just to mention a few.

Whatever circumstances arise, you need to be strong and courageous and believe in yourself and it starts   NOW!!

I'd like to share 3 Things that will help you prepare to defend yourselves and your families against the wolves of the adversary when you want to GIVE IN, GIVE OUT, & GIVE UP

1.      LOOK IN:  Instead of giving in to temptations and finding an easier path, I want you to LOOK IN.  Look into yourselves and remember who you are.  You are a daughter of Heavenly Father who loves you. We don’t just say that because it sounds nice.  We say it because it is the truth.  I testify you are DIVINE and you each have a literal Father in Heaven who is powerful beyond all understanding and HE knows and loves you.  He wants you to learn and grow and most importantly return to Him.

**You each are strong, talented, beautiful and more powerful then you realize and when the wolves come, and they will….REMEMBER you are a survivor, not a victim and you can and will stand guard.

2.       LOOK OUT:  When you are tired and feel like you are giving out, I want you to LOOK OUT.    First:   Look out for those around you who want to help you defend against the wolves.  Heavenly Father and our Savior don’t expect us to feel alone and that’s why they have given us families, bishops, YW leaders,  teachers, and those around you…..friends!  TURN TO THEM FOR HELP.

Look out for others to help.  When you feel weak and question your ability to go on, I promise strength will fill your soul as you look for others to help and serve them. No matter your situation, there is always someone worse off then you!

 3 Nephi 12: 16 “Let your light so shine before this people that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

You have an opportunity to practice this today.  Perhaps along your travels today you can look around you and search for others who may need your help.  "Remember, when you get where you are going don't forget to turn around and help the next one in line." ²

3.       LOOK UP:  Instead of giving up, I want you to LOOK UP!  When you can’t take it any longer or when you feel you just can’t overcome your trial, I want you to FALL TO YOUR KNEES and pray to your Father in Heaven.  Call upon Him for strength (physically, emotionally, and mentally) and for courage necessary to defend your families against the wolves that are waiting for their chance to DESTROY your HOPE, YOUR HAPPINESS, YOUR FAITH.  Remember to Look Up so God can see your beautiful face!

IF you pray for it, it will come little by little if you just don’t give up. Have Faith, knowing Heavenly Father’s and our Saviors help will come.  “Faith is enduring until you understand.”

As you sit feeling alone at times in the darkness of a trial, hold tight to your faith and remember the SUN WILL RISE, HELP WILL COME and you will sit triumphed, protecting your precious family against the wolves just as this young pioneer mother did.

I testify in the name of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ that these things are true and will help you throughout your lives. 

Footnotes

1.  Pioneer story recalled from a Sounds of the Sabbath reading by Glen Rawson, May 2016

2.  Tim McGraw song titled Humble and Kind.