On the 177th anniversary of the arrival of pioneers to the Salt Lake Valley, Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles led a different kind of group through Salt Lake City.
As the grand marshal of the Days of ‘47 Parade, Elder Bednar was joined by his wife, Sister Susan Bednar, at the front of a long line of commemorative floats and other entries that made their way through the streets of downtown Salt Lake City on Wednesday morning, July 24.
“Participating in the parade is an occasion to remember, to celebrate and to look forward with great optimism,” Elder Bednar said as he reached the end of the parade route.
Of the 40 floats in this year’s parade, 20 of them were designed and built by wards and stakes in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Each stake that was assigned the task of putting together a float had to interpret the year’s theme of “Stout Pioneer Hearts — Lift Others!”
In his April 2024 general conference message, Elder Bednar said, “The foundation of our lives must be connected to the rock of Christ if we are to remain firm and steadfast.”
The commemoration of the pioneers arriving in this valley can help people focus on the Savior and help them build foundations on Him, he explained.
“The Saints came here to seek religious freedom — to worship as they wished. Everything that has occurred since the time the pioneers arrived in this valley is a consequence of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said.
Elder Bednar said that faith in the Savior is a principle of action and power, and what the pioneers accomplished is the result of the spiritual strength and perspective they were blessed to receive.
“Today we reflect on the challenges and adversity the pioneers overcame and ask, ‘How could they do it?’ Their achievements were possible only with God’s help. What they accomplished came as a result of their devotion to the Savior.”
Having grown up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Elder Bednar did not see the Days of ‘47 Parade until after he and Sister Bednar were married. He said he remembers a fun morning at the parade with Sister Bednar’s family and the heat of that day — similar to the day’s near record high temperatures.
“To participate as the grand marshal is a privilege. We were blessed to have a most-memorable experience we never expected to have,” he said of the chance to be in this year’s parade.
Sister Bednar said she also felt a sense of awe at the foresight of the pioneers as they established the pattern of Salt Lake City’s streets.
“As we traveled the parade route today, we could not help but think of the people who, with foresight and wisdom, laid out the city of Salt Lake City,” she said. She pointed out that many large cities were not originally created in a way that easily accommodates modern traffic and population density.
While the Days of ‘47 celebrations encourage reflection on the sacrifices, faith and dedication of the pioneers, Elder Bednar said it is important to know and celebrate pioneers of today, as well.
“Every convert to the Church is a pioneer in his or her family,” Elder Bednar said. “Susan and I have traveled all over the world. The new members of the Church in Africa, the Philippines and in countries around the world are pioneers. A person who is coming back to the Church after a period of having been away is a pioneer for all of his or her posterity.”
Moving forward in faith as an individual, family or community is the essence of being a pioneer. That means, according to Elder Bednar, that we all have a pioneering role to fulfill.
“I believe every person in his or her own way, in his or her respective family, is a pioneer.”
Sister Bednar added, “I think it is exciting to be a pioneer — the first one that embraces the gospel or does something good or reaches deep inside to see who they really are. I think that is the pioneering spirit that makes the world a better place.”
