SERVICE PROJECT JOURNAL GLUE-IN
And behold, I
tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye
are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your
God. Mosiah
2:17
Following the Pioneers--DALLIN H. OAKS
It is not enough to study or
reenact the accomplishments of our pioneers...
The foremost quality of our
pioneers was faith…two companion qualities evident in the lives of our
pioneers, early and modern, are unselfishness and sacrifice. Our Utah pioneers
excelled at putting “the general welfare and community goals over individual
gain and personal ambition.”
These pioneer qualities …are
as vital today as when they guided the actions of our pioneer forebears, early
and modern. To honor those pioneers, we must honor and act upon the eternal
principles that guided their actions. As President Hinckley [reminds us], “We
honor best those who have gone before when we serve well in the cause of
truth.” That cause of truth is the cause of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,
whose servants they were, and whose servants we should strive to be.
Nellie Pucell Unthank
(An excerpt from
an article written by W. Paul Reev, History
Blazer, August 1995)
[9
year old Nellie Pucell endured the
handcart trail with the Martin Company. She suffered severe frostbite and
her legs had to be amputated below the knee.] Due to the primitive surgical
conditions the wound healed poorly, and bones protruded from the end of
Nellie's stumps. She spent the rest of her life waddling on her knees in
constant pain.
She married William Unthank, bore six children and lived in
poverty. She was, however, accustomed to facing challenges and did all in her
power to make the most of her situation. Even while living in a log cabin she
kept her home immaculately clean. To help meet her family's needs she took in
laundry, knitted stockings to sell, carded wool, and crocheted table pieces. At
times, however, she could not provide all the essentials for her children and
received assistance from her Mormon bishop. As repayment for this aid and out
of deeply felt gratitude, she and her children yearly scrubbed and washed the
church where they worshiped each Sunday. Nellie
spent most of her life in similar quiet acts of service, not only for her
church but also for her family and neighbors.
