July is a month of remembrance. It is a blessing to us that such a time is set aside where we may remember and honor the great patriots and pioneers of our past. You know, it seems to me that the more we value what they did for us, the more sacred their memory becomes to us. So in that spirit, if a pioneer is one who at great personal risk and sacrifice makes the journey first and opens the way for us to follow after, would you consider – who in my humble opinion is – the greatest pioneer of all history?

Late on Friday afternoon after some six tortuous hours hanging on the cross of Calvary, the Lord Jesus Christ utters these final words, “…Father, it is finished, thy will is done…” (JST (Matthew 27:50) “…into thy hands I commend my spirit:…” (Luke 23:46) And having said thus, the Savior of the world died.

Now, some time before dawn on Sunday morning, the Lord returns in spirit to His body and by the power of the spirit of God, He raises that body from death and reenters it, never again to be divided. The angel of the Lord descends and rolls back the sealed stone from the garden tomb, but Jesus has already left.

As the signs of an impending sunrise became evident, Mary Magdalene and other women came to the tomb. They were greeted by angels who announced, “He is not here: for he is risen...” (Matthew 28:6)

A short time later, that same Mary is back at the tomb, this time alone and grieving. She supposes that someone has stolen the Lord’s body. So inconceivable is the rising of someone from the dead, especially one whose body has been so thoroughly destroyed as was the Lord’s that the angel’s words “He is risen” just simply have not registered. The Lord comes behind Mary. She sees Him, but does not recognize Him. Supposing that He is the caretaker of that garden where the tomb lies, she asks him if he has any knowledge of where the body of the Lord has been taken.

Then, the Lord said, “…Mary...” (John 20:16)

Something about the tone and tenderness by which He spoke her name caused her to recognize Him. She ran to embrace Him. The Lord stopped her, and sent her to tell the disciples what she had seen.

Later that night, ten of the twelve are gathered together still skeptical of the many reports of the Lord’s rising from the dead. As they are talking, the Master appears before them. So overwhelmed are they that they cannot believe their eyes for joy.

Now, I don’t believe it is accidental or incidental that in each case of the Lord’s personal appearance after the resurrection, there was a dramatic emotional shift from deep pain and doubt to indescribable joy.

Now please consider, if the pioneer whose efforts affect the most people for the greatest good for the longest time deserves the greatest adoration, then I submit that the Lord Jesus is the greatest pioneer of them all. Literally, all our hopes, our dreams, our loves and joy for all eternity – our happiness here and hereafter – come because He went first and broke the bands of death. “[O] …how great the importance to make these [things] known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, [and] mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead…” (2 Nephi 2:8)

My dear friends, we may not understand it now, but someday I believe we will count His pioneering Atonement and Resurrection as one of the greatest gifts a generous God could ever have given.