Personal Reflection 1

I am very excited to learn more about church history and grow my testimony in this class. I hope to be inspired by the example of the early Latter-day Saints and their perseverance through difficulty. Having some pioneer ancestry, I want to be able to understand their experiences on a more personal level. I also want to uncover the potential origins and examine reactions to difficult church practices like polygamy and the priesthood/temple ban. I believe that seeing how the people in this time confront these, at-times confusing practices will allow me to apply their same tactics to things I struggle with today. I anticipate that reading about the early saints will foster a deeper appreciation for their sacrifices to bring about the fruits we now enjoy (such as this very university!).

Seeing the diligence and faith of the early saints through the challenges and imperfections of the early saints has already inspired me to give more grace to those in the past. For me, applying that grace to the present is a little more difficult. I too often find myself criticizing leaders or fellow saints when I should be recognizing their perspectives and backgrounds. I hope that through further examination of this time period, I may be able to learn to extend that same grace to my fellow saints today. In general, my study of history has given me more sympathy to all sorts of groups of people in the present day, yet for some reason, there is a disconnect with that idea when it comes to church history. I want to have an open mind or a "broken heart" as I study this semester and look forward to receiving God's grace through my efforts.