http://www.understandingmormonism.org

I recall driving through areas in Nebraska and Wyoming where the only adjustments I made in the car were not in the steering wheel, but in my seat to lay back. The flat and open road soon began to bore me, and I began to complain about my situation.

“Why couldn’t my parents just have flown me out to Utah?” In my bitterness and complaining, I remember that I stared out of the window only to see the open plains that lie ahead of me.

In that moment, I could not help but to think about the Pioneers and their trek westward.
Having left everything behind, they journeyed through plains and mountains, the hot sun, and the freezing snow. I can only imagine making such a trek with the thought that some of my family members might not make it.

So why were the Saints subjecting themselves to such awful circumstances? I learned in that moment that the Saints were not only traversing across the country to flee persecution, they were doing it because a prophet of the Lord had been inspired to tell them to do so. No matter how intense the pain of their frozen feet, or the blisters on their hands from pulling the carts became, the Saints pressed forward.

I’ll never forget that car ride and just how grateful I felt to be able to make my own passage out west in the manner in which I was traveling.  It was because of the sacrifice of so many that I was able to have it so easy. It was because of these faithful early members of the church, that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been able to fulfill the prophecy that it would one day cover the whole of the earth.

Let us all strive to remember the sacrifices that have been given so that we too may be able to be grateful for those few and precious eternal things that are of most importance.

– Ben Simmons, Education in Zion Gallery Educator, Psychology Major

My mother always taught me to respect the scriptures: never throw them, put them on the floor, or ignore them – so many people have sacrificed so much for us to have them.

Growing up I’d heard stories about such sacrifices. John Wycliffe being declared a heretic for translating the New Testament. William Tyndale being burnt at the stake for publishing the Old and New Testaments. Caroline and Mary Elizabeth Rollins rescuing the Book of Commandments manuscript from mobs. And Joseph and Hyrum Smith dying for their testimonies of the Book of Mormon.

But there are also some that are less known: George Q. Cannon and Jonathan Napela consecrated over two years to translating the Book of Mormon into Hawaiian. Thomas Howard struggled for 3 years in pioneer Utah to produce paper for the printing of the Book of Mormon out of rags. George S. Reynolds worked on the first concordance of the scriptures for eighteen years: he even worked on it while he was incarcerated for his beliefs.

Sacrificing for the scriptures isn’t reserved for people born before 1830 though. Today there dozens of people who sacrifice everyday so that we can have the scriptures wherever we go: Gospel Library App workers.  Much of the work done to make Gospel Library Apps is done by volunteers. They have developed four free downloads: Mormon Channel, Gospel Library, LDS Tools and Scripture Mastery. These apps have literally touched the lives of thousands: they have been downloaded over 800,000 times since they were first released in 2009.

So as I finish reading the scriptures I carefully mark my place, glance at my alarm clock and start to calculate:  4 hours till wake up. My nose peaks over the edge of the bed as I carefully put my scriptures back down on the top of my pile of books. I couldn’t skip reading, not even for a night and I’m grateful.  After all, like my mother always told me, so many people sacrificed so much so I could have them.

—Anna Silver, Theater Education Major and Education in Zion Gallery Educator

Becca Snyder, After Eve Gallery Talks

I had the great opportunity to be part of the After Eve art exhibition, both as a designer and as an artist. This experience has given me a great deal of time to ponder womanhood, education, and the light of the gospel.

When I first got started on my project, the idea of education was something very formal and structured. You go to school, you come home, you study, you go back to school, etc. But as we explored education in terms of art and womanhood, my definition expanded to include visiting teaching experiences, conflicting opinions with roommates, local restaurant reviews, growing a garden, community service, meetings with my bishop, and hikes up to the Y.

Elaine Shaw Sorenson wrote an article for the Ensign in 1983 entitled “The Educated Woman Within Us.” In this article she writes:

The meaning of education is often assumed to be somehow related to “going to school” or learning as an external experience, related only to acquiring knowledge or skills helpful toward work productivity in society.

Education is . . . an unveiling of the natural thirst of the mind and soul, and subsequently their replenishment, refreshment, and expansion. Considered in its broadest sense, education may occur at school, at home, with family, at church, or even with an enlightening thought in a moment of solitude.

Education is more than learning. It is a complex interactive teaching and learning process.

I am grateful for the After Eve art exhibition because each artist has explored how education has influenced them individually. For some it has been learning to take risks, for others it has been passing knowledge to the next generation and learning from one another, and for me it was understanding how to find balance in all the varieties of my life.

If you have not seen the exhibition yet, I encourage you to come and enjoy the work as you ponder educated women and their far-reaching influence. For deeper views into the art, we also invite you to join our upcoming gallery talk on the 23rd of March where three artists will be discussing their work.

– Rebecca Snyder, Graphic Design Major