Please excuse my "cold brain" (different than a brain freeze) as I try to tell you my thoughts about how we can be pioneers wearing jeans...
I have always enjoyed the stories that illustrate gospel points, but are ultimately fiction. Growing up, my favorite was the story about someone looking back on his journey, like he could see his life as footprints in the sand. As he looked he noticed that there were often two sets of footprints as Jesus was walking with him. He then noticed stretches where there was only one set, and he recognized those stretches as some of the hardest times in his life. Initially he was upset that Jesus would leave him alone at those times. He was gently told, or maybe reminded, that there was only one set of footprints because Jesus was carrying him through those times, not because he had been abandoned.
I realized that this is something that we can all be prone to doing at times, thinking we were alone when we were actually being helped along our path. On Sunday we talked about the pioneers and their great faith. I was remembering another story I had heard (this time a real one) about a pioneer pulling his handcart. I believe that he kept telling himself that if he could just make it to the next boulder, or up the next hill that would be enough. He continually made his goals, but unlike the guy looking at one set of footprints in the sand, the pioneer immediately recognized that he had received help. He was sure angels had been behind his handcart pushing him along while he pulled. Sometimes I have days that are emotionally like that pioneer's where I tell myself, "If I can just make it through this next half hour, that will be enough" or "if I can just make it until I finish this task, that will be enough." I think we often end up handling more than we think we can, like that pioneer, I hope we immediately recognize the help that heaven sends us, pushing us along when we think we can go no farther. I am sure, despite the help of the angels, the pioneer finished that trek with much more strength than he started with. I think as we keep going and keep telling ourselves "I will at least make it this far" that we will find ourselves blessed with heavenly pushes and stronger muscles. Perhaps this is what enduring to the end truly looks like--setting small goals and continually stretching for them until we reach the end.
