The re-enactment of the Mormon Pioneer trek will "touch hearts and change lives," Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve said after the wagon train commemorating the 150th anniversary of the trek rumbled out of Florence, Neb., April 21.
Elder Ballard, accompanied by Elder Hugh W. Pinnock of the Seventy and president of the North America Central Area, talked about the re-enactment in a Church News interview."The re-enactment," continued Elder Ballard, "will fill our people's hearts with the spirit of appreciation and increased devotion to the Church, and we'll be looking back to our forefathers with greater affection and appreciation.
"It's a very touching thing to reflect back 150 years and to contemplate, as it's being re-enacted, the marvel of it all," said Elder Ballard, who is chairman of the Church's sesquicentennial celebration.
He spoke of those participating in the re-enactment. "They are going to have some very special experiences as they read in the journals of some of the faith promoting experiences that our people had and some of the tragic experiences they had. And you can't get into their history without having your heart touched as you reflect upon what they were willing to do for the gospel."
He said that those traveling on the trail have 1,050 miles ahead of them, "and they are going to be hard miles, and they need to be in our prayers. I hope every member of the Church will remember the wagon train in their family and their personal prayers."
