A Day of Thankful Remembrance. A Day of Mixed Emotions. Here is an article written to recapture the moments of celebration that captivated the moods of the members of the three Branches of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the city of Coimbatore.
The evening was breezy and peacefully quiet unlike the struggles and the heart wrenching hardships of the first pioneers of our true spiritual Organization. Members trickled in sober spirits and calm persona In line with the spirit of the historical episodes of faith and sacrifices that reflected the lives of those brethren and sisters who gave their everything to build the Lord's Kingdom.
I stood there one among them, silently meditating on the testimonial evidences that has crossed many years and seasons down the road which was narrow and straight. The Leaders of the three Branches moved like bees with concerns on their brows so as to keep the spirit of the occasion, 'The Pioneers Day' through the evening.
The children and the adults were dressed in costumes of the pioneers of the yesteryears, dutifully memorizing the lines uttered by the mouths of the Saints who lived hundreds of years before. They were consciously careful not to lose the spirit of the gospel which they had carefully nourished in their hearts over a period of time.
A movie clip on the lives of the struggles faced by our loving pioneers was played in the beginning of the evening which set on the moods on each one of us to move in the expected direction.
Young Women had used the Book by name 'The Heritage' extensively to choose a character for themselves and continued consistently to deliver a good performance. The Primary contributed their part with a combination of innocence and purity reserved for their age group. Relief Society and Elders Quorum were influencing the evening with striking demonstration of the principles lifted out from the Book of Mormon.
The old pioneers of our Church lost every bit of their temporal comforts but never let their faith go in vain. We have moved a long way and have arrived at a time, where we have been called to cultivate the qualities of gratitude and love and possess the gentle spirit of determination to hasten the work of Salvation.
I was assured of the strength of conviction that the members of today had for our Saviour's Atonement and the powerful impact it had in our spiritual life. Prophet Joseph Smith's legacy stands out even now with an army of warriors who are ready to fight the forces of adversaries who cross their lives almost every day. We are not here to lose ourselves in these battles but to tide over them and overcome them drawing inspiration from the beginners of faith.
I went back home with tears in my eyes shining on my cheeks, feeling comforted that the Latter Day Saints are here to make a difference be it in the holier spaces of our Church or in the tumultuous sea of challenges in the world outside. They are here to stay and to rule the Earth with grace and dignity in the light of Christ.
I can dream. I can wake up from the dream and yet feel reassured that the journey may be long and hard but never alone.