Pioneer Day Posts and Links

Today is a holiday for Mormons called Pioneer Day. We celebrate the arrival of Mormon pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley and also celebrate modern-day pioneers and the sacrifices they have made in faith.

Pioneer Day is a Utah state holiday (since it’s part of Utah history) (fireworks happen twice in July for Utahans), but it’s also celebrated by many members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world.

We’ve got a lot of links for you to peruse if you are either curious about what Pioneer Day is about, or if you are looking for stories and reflections about Mormon pioneer heritage.

You can enjoy the recent Pioneer Day Celebration with Mormon Tabernacle Choir & Katherine Jenkins in its entirety on YouTube (what a wonderful blessing social media can be!)

Read more posts from our archives about Mormon pioneers (both 19th-century pioneers and modern-day pioneers), as well as reflections on pioneer stories:

Portraits of Mormon Women: Bindu

Inspired by Mormon Pioneers

Counterparts: Our Pioneer Heritage (Poetry)

First Mormon Church Meetings in Kasane, Botswana (May 2010)

Thoughts on My Pioneer Family by Katy

Here is a list of pioneer posts and stories and links from other websites that we shared last year:

A Mormon pioneer story (video)

Pioneer Stories, Past and Present (at Mormon Soprano)

Handcart Pioneer Companies (many links included on this website)

Teenage Mormon Pioneer Stories

Mi Vida, Mi Historia — stories of Latin American Latter-day Saints. See an online version of the exhibit that was in the Church History Museum. Mi vida, mi historia es la expresión y el testimonio de los Santos de los Últimos Días latinoamericanos que protagonizan esta exhibición. Sus relatos personales de convicción y creencia representan, en forma colectiva, la historia épica de los millones de santos que han aceptado el evangelio de Jesucristo en Latinoamérica. Esta exhibición nos ayuda a comprender la forma en que los santos de Latinoamérica, quienes aportan individualmente las bellezas de su patrimonio nacional e identidad cultural, enriquecen el cuerpo de la Iglesia y fortalecen a cada uno de nosotros, llevándonos a la unidad de espíritu y a un sentido de unión.

A Different Kind of Pioneer – Story of Bindu Sabbavarapu of Visakhapatnam, India

Modern-day pioneers — “Joseph W. B. Johnson — Ghana’s face of light”

Modern Pioneers (by Elder Dallin H. Oaks)

Pioneer Shoes through the Ages (by Sister Mary Ellen Smoot)

The July 2011 and August 2011 Ensign include many pioneer stories as well.

And see how Mormons in various places celebrate Pioneer Day here and here

And here’s a video celebrating modern-day Mormon pioneers.

Finally, read some thoughts on why “Pioneer faith is needed as much in the world today as in any period of time” (from Elder L. Tom Perry).