Until We Reach the Valley-o!

Last night I drove home to my sister's place in East Millcreek by a different route. I usually drive home via Weber Canyon to 89 and then south to I-15 and that way. But last night I decided to head straight south and went past East Canyon and up over Big Mountain down through Emigration Canyon. It was an incredibly lovely drive - lots of good twisty bits for my little blue car to cruise. It took me significantly less time than my GPS indicated that it might. ;)

I was impressed by a couple of things. I thought of the pioneers making their way through these canyons, following the water and hiking up the mountains with all their worldly possessions in small handcarts. I thought of bad shoes, tired feet, knees, and arms, worn out bodies, sudden chilly rains, and the overall exhaustion they must have felt at this point in their journey. Then, to reach the top of Big Mountain and look down into the Valley for the first time... It took me an hour to do what must have taken them a solid day to do, but it was still absolutely thrilling to look down through the canyon, through the clouds and into the sun-filled valley below. I'd never seen that before, and it was amazing.

I was also impressed by the idea that these folks had an incredible sense of vision. I believe that's what spurred them onward when they would have preferred to stop. The valley I saw before me when I reached Big Mountain was covered with roads and buildings, with trees and yards, with people and civilization. I wonder just how much of the current condition the pioneers were able to see. Because surely it is lovely, and surely it was worth the sacrifices. They honor us with their effort and sacrifices; we honor their legacy by being good caretakers of the land they left us.

If you've never been, and if you get a chance, I'd recommend the little jaunt up their to take in the view.

http://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200197139

Ye saints who dwell on Europe's shore

Prepare yourselves for many more,

To leave behind your native land,

For sure God's judgments are at hand.

For you must cross the raging main

Before the promised land you gain

And with the faithful make a start

To cross the plains with your handcart.

The lands that boast of modern light

We know are all as dark as night

Where poor men toil and want for bread,

Where peasant folks are blindly led.

These lands that boast of liberty

You ne'er again will wish to see

When you from Europe make a start

To cross the plains with your handcart.

As on the road the carts are pulled

'Twould very much surprise the world

To see the old and feeble dame

Thus lend a hand to pull the same.

And maidens fair will dance and sing,

Young men more happy than a king,

And children will laugh and play

Their strength increasing day by day.

And long before the Valley's gained,

We will be met upon the plain

With music sweet and friends so dear

And fresh supplies our hearts to cheer.

And then with music and with song

How cheerfully we'll march along

And thank the day we made a start

To cross the plains in our handcart.

When you get there among the rest,

Obedient be and you'll be blessed

And in God's chambers be shut in

While judgments cleanse the earth from sin,

For we do know it will be so,

God's servants spoke it long ago,

We say it is high time to start

To cross the plains with your handcart.

Chorus:

For some must push and some must pull

As we go marching up the hill;

So merrily on our way we go

Until we reach the Valley-o.