I just finished reading “The Undaunted,” an incredible story of faith, perseverance, and determination.  These courageous pioneers were called upon to forge a trail through uncharted, harsh terrain to create a settlement in the Four Corners area.  In the book, there is a talk given during the meeting where the mission calls were extended, where the presiding authority said, “This will be unlike any settlement we have thus far established.  You will be far from the nearest towns.  You will be going into a harsh and cruel climate.  Your neighbors will be thieves and robbers, violent and wicked men, sometimes hostile Indians.  There will be no sheriff to call on, no nearby military garrison to flee to.  There are not even established wagon roads as yet by which help can be sent to you….  Why do we ask such a difficult thing?  Because we have no choice.  There is only one real solution to our problem.  We need a settlement that will become the buffer between our established settlements and the growing problem with the Indians and the outlaws….”  Despite the grim prospects, these faithful pioneers accepted mission calls and left their comfortable homes behind.  In December, after a month on the trail, by the time when the pioneers had previously estimated they would be close to reaching their destination, the entire company was still stuck in the wilderness at a standstill, not even halfway to the Four Corners area.  Scouts had been sent forward across the river to determine the best route.  The scouts came back with discouraging news.  One was quoted as saying, “We found the country so badly broken up and cut through with impassable gorges, that we gave up all hope of making a road through there….  The country on that side of the river is nothing but hills and mountains made up almost entirely of solid rock, cut through by gulches that are altogether precipitous and impassable.  It is certainly the worst country I ever saw.”  But, others among the scouting party felt that while the assessment of the terrain was accurate, that it would be possible to make a way through.  Yet, they questioned, “Will we go on only to reach a point, in another months or two, when we truly can go no farther?  How then shall we answer the pain in the eyes of our wives and children?  How then shall we fill their bellies when there is no more food and we are even farther from help than we are now?”   But, they decided to put their trust in the Lord and make a decision based on what was right, as opposed to what was easy.  They decided to go ahead.  One of the leaders, Bishop Nielson, a Welshman who was a member of the Willie Handcart company and now a member of this expedition, said “Vee must go troo, even if vee cannot.”

Despite intense hardships and difficulties, the group did complete the trek and created a settlement.  Later, these same words were repeated at a wedding.  Speaking of himself, Bishop Nielson said, “I once hear a very vise ole man give…advice.  It vas given to a company of people travelink in de vilds of da desert, but it be goot advice for two people starting on da journey of life as well….  Remember dis.  ‘Even ven der is no way to go troo, you must go troo.’ ”

What an amazing heritage we have!  Though we are not called upon to pack only those belongings that can fit in a wagon and blast trails through perilous trails and desolate cliffs to settle an untamed wilderness, sometimes we are called upon to things that are difficult.  That are uncomfortable.  That are frustrating.  There are times when the path ahead seems impassable.  But, the Lord will provide a way for us as we go forward in faith even when, according to our understanding, there is no way through.  He knows all things.  We are His children and He loves us.  We must go through.  Even when there is no way.  He provides the way.