"it was all part of god's plan - the coming of columbus, the colonization, wise men raised up to frame the constituion, joseph smith prepared for his part in the restoration of the gospel, even the persecution which drove the saints to the rocky mountains where the church could continue to grow. what does all this mean to you and me as individuals? it means that god, as our father, made all these arrangements for you and me. we were part of his eternal scheme. and so it is not enough merely to observe these various anniversaries, but we must recommit and rededicate ourselves to uphold the convictions and the principles upon which the blessing we enjoy are predicated. we too must be prepared to sacrifice, where necessary, to keep freedoms inviolate. my father used to say: 'the true way to honor the past is to improve upon it.' "
n. eldon tanner, "pioneers are still needed," ensign, july 1976, 4
