A Muggle-born Nation

Today is a holiday in the Mormon world, called "Pioneer Day."

If you hear that word and immediately think of women in long skirts and bonnets and men with amazing beards pulling handcarts and wagons, then congrats - you've probably met a Relief Society president at some point in your life.

This is the day we choose to honor our ancestors - those who crossed the American plains with nothing but their faith to carry them on: on to a land where they would be free to worship God without fear of persecution. It was the day in which they arrived in the soon to be established Salt Lake Valley.

But enough history lesson - many of you probably don't even believe in or have particularly strong feelings toward a God, the Mormons, or religious freedom at all. Many of you might not care about a history that happened to a people with whom you don't relate, and who lived so long ago. You are not a bad person for feeling so - it is simply not a concern on your mind, and who can blame you? There are so many other things to be worried about that are happening right now.

a Pioneer for our, and all, nations.

Since the word "pioneer" itself might also be a foreign concept to you or even a concept that you feel some disconnect from, I would like to take this opportunity to bring up a different image of the word - one I hope all of us will stake personal claim to in years to come.

In the early 1520s, the word "pioneer" was recorded as "a foot soldier who prepares the way for the army." They were the scouts who cleared the path for the battalion to come - scouts who pledge their faith and their loyalty to their brothers-in-arms. Sometimes they were viewed as "pawns" in the game (which is the root of the original French word) - like the pawn pieces in a chess match: easier to sacrifice than the others; but to the true chess master, they were recognizably just as important as every other piece on the field.

Now imagine it in the wizarding world - I know you're all secretly (or not so secretly) Harry Potter fans. Just imagine that you're a muggle-born, receiving your letter to join the magical world - a day you couldn't be "waiting" for, because it was a day you didn't know would arrive.

It's easy to place yourself in those shoes if you are an American. We are still relatively new to this world as a nation. We still have pioneering to do. We're like the muggle born wizards entering the world of magic for the first time: a new generation of wand-waving, inexperienced lunatics who have some ground to make up, but also have a lot to offer this already "established" world. We might not know as much about politics, economics, or establishing world order as the rest of our compatriots, but we have all been offered the same opportunity: to live here on this earth.

It's important to remember that our different heritage/upbringing/race, etc. does not make us of any greater or less worth than those who have likewise inherited this planet. Each human life is of equal importance. Muggleborns, half-bloods, and purebloods are all created equal: but equality does not equal frivolity. We cannot sit back and do nothing, allowing those of like-minded potential do all the work. If we want "change", we have to contribute to the act of "change."

Whether you believe in a God/the Mormon Pioneers/religious freedom or not, I invite you to look at today as an invitation to "Pioneer" in whatever you do believe in most. If you believe in education, be a foot soldier in establishing schools all over the world. If you believe in gender equality, be a foot soldier in removing the wage gap in the world of business and work. If you believe in magic, be a foot soldier in the battle against illiteracy and ignorance and teach children how to read...Harry Potter! Just kidding. Teach them to read other books too.
(but Harry Potter's a good place to start...)

If you are unhappy with the politics of today, prepare and start paving the way for a new generation of politics that you and your children can be proud of.

Being a Pioneer does not ensure that you will see the fruits of your labors - many have died in the pursuit of what they believe - but it does ensure that someone, someday will; and pioneers fight for the someone, the anyone, the everyone.

I believe in an eternal salvation for every man, woman, and child on this earth - EVERY one. That is why I served a mission, and that is why I strive to continually serve all mankind. If I am failing in this task, I apologize. Like those pioneers who came before me, I am not perfect and am prone to mistakes, but I am also driven by my faith, and I have faith in humanity. I believe that we can rise up to the challenge that has been presented in these latter days - the challenge to be better to our fellow men than we have in the past: to better ourselves and to help others become better as well.

While standing up for what you believe in, look at the ground on which you stand, for it was fought for and won by those who came before - the earlier foot soldiers, the pioneers of your heritage. Recognize that there is good in this world worth fighting for as you defend the ground that's already been won.

Join the Resistance, the Fellowship, the Order of the Phoenix, whatever you want: be a foot soldier for the nation - do whatever you can to make this world, our world, a better place to call home.

And, Happy Pioneer Day all!