Fire of the Covenant

This year I have a goal to read 24 new books and I just finished #11.

My neighbor, Amy, recommended and lent me this book and OH. MY. GOSH. It was so good.

I have never been closer to crying while reading a book than while reading this one.

I love that most of the stories are true stories too. The story of the rescuing of the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies is incredible. Even if you aren't a member of the Church.

"I no longer wondered why so many died. Another question now pressed in heavily upon me. How did anyone survive?"

#miracle

So many literally died for the Gospel's sake. We are only asked to live for it.

"Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation."

So now this EFY song has been stuck in my head all week! And the desire to watch 17 Miracles.

Bring Them In

November 1856
Just west of Devil's Gate
A place they now call Martin's Cove
Sacred ground of faith
Some hours ago we somehow crossed
Sweetwater's sheets of ice
At times it took your breath away
At times it took your life

The sky is growing dark again
There's little food to eat
The chilling wind cut to the bone
I cannot feel my feet
I know that Zion lay just ahead
As I rest and close my eyes
Will I wake to see the morn
Or maybe Paradise?

Go bring them in from the plains
Go bring them in from the storm
Like a fire the Spirit's burning
Bring them in and keep them warm
Go bring them in from the plains
Go bring them in from the cold
Wrap your loving arms around them
Bring His peace to their souls

 Now tonight I dream of Kirtland
Zion's Camp's holy test
I dream of Independence
Liberty and Far West
Tonight I dream of Nauvoo
Brother Joseph's iron will
Tonight I dream of Carthage
And how we miss him still

And tonight I dream of Bethlehem
Nazareth and Galilee
Tonight I dream of miracles
From our Master and our King
Somewhere it starts as whispers
Then turns to shouts so clear
Wake up, wake up, it's not a dream
The Valley Boys are here!

Now it's me who walks these steps
Just west of Devil's Gate
A place we now call Martin's Cove
Sacred ground of faith
In silence and in reverence
Sweetwater we now cross
And hear the echo of their prayers
Their tears and their loss

The night still needs a light that shines
His truth we need to share
To honor those who came this way
We'll lift up and we'll care
On our backs and in our hearts
We'll carry and proclaim
And heed a prophet's call once more
Go bring them in from the plains!

Go bring them in from the plains
Go bring them in from the storm
Like a fire the Spirit's burning
Bring them in and keep them warm
Go bring them in from the plains
Go bring them in from the cold
Wrap your loving arms around them
Bring His peace to their souls

The year I graduated high school in 2006, I got to go on trek with my family to Martin's Cove, Wyoming. Looking back now I with I would have appreciated that experience more than I understood it then. I know youth groups usually go on treks with their stake, but I thought it was super neat that our whole ward went together and we were with our actual families.

 Along with the 4 ounces of flour that the companies were rationed to each each day, we also each carried around our necks the name of an ancestor we were walking in remembrance of. Mine was Mary Priscilla Griffiths.

 I remember doing the women's pull and also crossing the Sweetwater River. Although when these handcart companies crossed the river it was winter and chunks of ice were floating in it.

I know I would have sat down and rather died!

 The miracles that happened were unreal and the amazing faith of those pioneers has definitely inspired my testimony of what it means to endure to the end.