Based on Mr. Roberts. point of view. One is left with the impression that the Mormon trek to Salt Lake was a tragic disaster that could have been avoided had the LDS leaders done things a different way.
In hindsight of any event, it is always easy to be critical.
The leaders, Brigham Young in particular, did the best they could under the circumstances.
I was not aware of the supposed intimidation of members who were reluctant to migrate to the West. I know that in the church today that tactic does not fly. And the fact that it did in that time may be reflective of the immaturity of the church and its members at that time.
I truly believe that if there was intimidation or threats of going to hell, they were not responsible for the success of the migration. And although Mr. Roberts may deny there was any success, I know there was success in the fact that the church escaped raging persecution and exists today.
Mr Roberts feels the loss of life and hardship was not worth the end result. That is expected of one who is not a member the faith.
As one who does belong to the faith, I truly believe that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ would not be on the earth today were it not for the sacrifices made during that time in history.
As sad as the hardships of the Mormon trek were (and we will never forget them), They were worth it.

I don't understand why Radio West continually has non-LDS scholars comment on LDS History and Heritage. LDS scholars with differing opinions and accounts of the same incident were not consulted, and frankly I think that is poor, narrow-minded reporting on Radio West's part, as many are available and more than willing to share a differing point of view.

I don't understand how you could have a guest who mocks scouts, youth, and others who commemorate their ancestors by walking in their footsteps during pioneer treks AND who is antagonistic and insulting towards Brigham Young, a man who many (including myself) believe to be a prophet of God, and then you have the audacity to ask me to share the personal, intimate stories of my ancestors? It doesn't add up. Clearly you are either clueless as to how to address an LDS audience, or your show does NOT cater towards the LDS at all. Which would be odd, considering you are located in UTAH.

Your guest insulted an LDS missionary and her rose-colored version of the tragedy that occurred. She may not have been as well-read or scholarly as your guest, but at least she defended her faith. Your guest left no room for faith, the way that he maintained that someone needed to accept the blame for the tragedy.

Once again KUER and Doug Fabrizio are on the attack of anything Mormon, or anything honestly faithful, no matter the religion. This time it is the Mormon pioneers' judgment, core faith and lives.

As I listened I couldn't believe Mr. Roberts' tone. At first I thought I was simply defensive, my ancestors were pioneers and my daughter went on a trek, but then I couldn't believe how this guy could be so pejorative about history and especially the cost of human lives in the pursuit of a better life. I almost expected him to say, "Those imbecilic pioneers, what were they thinking to leave without silk underwear and a GPS?" Doesn't he, and Mr. Fabrizio, realize that 1847 is not a lifetime away from ours, it is a galaxy? At that time there wasn't even plumbing in the White House! The building of the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids, using his logic, were nothing more than a waste of human energy. Lives were lost building the Golden Gate Bridge -- they never should have tried before there was the right technology, or 100% faultless judgment.

What is David Roberts' family history? And Doug Fabrizio's? (I'm not interested enough to criticize it. Just wondering if they personally care.) Don't they find ceaselessly finding fault with others' history, faith and experiences tiresome? I agree with the other comment, with hindsight it is easy to criticize the past. It is easy to criticize and difficult to explain.

KUER (a Utah based station) and Doug Fabrizio in particular, seem to delight in Mormon-bashing. Another example of this was days after President Hinkley died Mr. Fabrizio dug deep enough to find fault, when many in this community were mourning. Why not take on the pioneer history so many Utahn's personally revere and have tried to understand?

Also, why wasn't a Mormon historian on the show to shine light on the aspersions Mr. Roberts cast? Please at lease try to be more balanced.

Thanks to everyone for their feedback. We take these kinds of criticisms very seriously, and we take them as an opportunity to review our work. I've spent a good deal of time doing just that this afternoon.

Here are some statistics to put things in perspective. From December 1, 2007 to December 4, 2008, RadioWest has produced 183 new shows. Of these, 17 shows – that's 9% - dealt with Mormonism in some way. That is a generous number, as I'm including every time we spoke of Mitt Romney's presidency, for example. Hardly a theological debate, but an important political discussion.

Of those 17, only 4 shows failed to have a person from "both sides," i.e. Mormon vs. non-Mormon. Of those 4, 2 had Mormon guests and 2 had non-Mormon guests.

We are proud of our association with scholars that bring well researched arguments to the table, and that includes people like Robert Millet, Richard Bushman, Kathleen Flake, Darius Gray, Glen Leonard, Richard Turley, Ronald Walker, Craig Foster, Bill Duncan, and still others.

It is with thanks to their generosity of time and expertise that we continue to stand by the work we do.

Elaine Clark, Producer, RadioWest

Thanks to YOU, Elaine, and KUER for giving us this opportunity to respond and share opinions. Isn't it great to live in America?

I have ancestors who were in the Willey Company. I have made a VERY serious study for many years of the sources faithful LDS have written, and commonly use, in their mythologizing about this gripping event of the American West.

However, after reading Mr. Roberts' book, it is clear that the stories extant in the Mormon storytelling canon are seriously lacking in balance, perspective, and truth. Virtually none of the sources take into account a substantial number of material, historically-substantiated facts that Mr. Roberts carefully cites and analyzes.

No Mormon can really know the story of the handcart companies without reading Mr. Roberts' book. I want to personally thank Mr. Roberts' from the bottom of my heart for this excellent, scholarly work, from which we can finally get the balanced, much more accurate historical account. Such balanced accounts are seriously lacking if you only shop at Deseret Book for Mormon history.

What's the point of putting a Mormon historian on the show? They had their chance to get it historically accurate! But they, after all this time, get it wrong. It's because of their religiously-motivated bias. If you are totally unwilling to consider how wrong, negligent, or reckless someone is, don't you think you might ignore certain crucial facts? In my estimation, and after my substantial study of these events, that is the only explanation for how poorly the Mormon historians have done at painting the full picture. The Mormon historians have done a poor job and I could prove it to any thoughtful person.

And what's the point of "leaving room for faith" surrounding a specific group of events when that person's faith is based on stilted myths about those events?

And the "hindsight is 20-20" argument is pathetic, so just stop it. Roberts PROVES in his book how certain key figures KNEW how it got bungled in a reckless fashion AT THE TIME!! Read the book and you'll see. Besides that, when you know the facts of how it was bungled, it is clear to any reasonable person how negligent the leaders of the Mormon church were. Taylor sent them over from England desperately unprepared and uninformed. Franklin and others sent them out onto the plains knowing they were going to die. All the while, Webb, the Mormon man in charge of the teams preparing the wagons, was not given the supplies and direction needed to prepare the carts in time or with sufficient quality. All the while, Brigham provided the coercive zeitgeist that made the average, uninformed, unprepared emigrant afraid to object to the ill-fated plan for fear of being labelled as a weak apostate who deserved to fall away or die anyway.

Many kudos to Mr. Roberts--- this is a much-needed volume amongst the fluff that has been available.

In reading the very touching, personal stories of my own ancestors, I have been faced with the very tough question of why they had to die. Was it for their faith, when they could have stayed in the East for the winter and preserved their life? After reading Mr. Roberts book, I am constrained to admit that my ancestors were either lacking in intelligence or were duped and coerced by an authority without conscience. Or a combination of these causes.

As a side note, I went into Deseret Book in South Jordan on October 18th and asked for this title. Do you think they had it? No, they did not. Why is that?? Is it because they don't want the Mormon people to know the truth about the Mormons' own history?

The "truth" about the Mormons' own history comes best from those who experienced it themselves and then wrote about it, not from anyone's analysis in 2008, as valuable as some of that may be. To say that your unnamed ancestors in the Willie Company were "either lacking in intelligence or were duped and coerced by an authority without conscience" is very interesting.

You my friend, need a nice cold glass of optimism.
Why is seeing the positive in hardships and faith promotional thinking such a bad thing? The church publications are not stilted myths. They are observations based on facts for the purpose of edification.
Everyone experiences pain. We need these stories told in a way that increases our hope. In that sense, your ancestors and my ancestors are heroes.

Why are you so overjoyed by any bit of information that would put the LDS church in an unfavorable light?

Why is it so interesting that mootman would say this? Why is it so impossible that they would be duped? After all early mormons were led to believe that they should die or let their families die before they denied Christ.

Actually Mr. Robert's book brings up another interesting point? Why do humans in general feel that when someone suffers for their faith it makes it more real? People believe "delusions" all the time with all of their "hearts", does that make the delusion any more real? How do stories of needless suffering increase your hope, in any way they are told? No offense but just because someone dies a tragic death does not make them a hero necessarily.

atrulson, why are you so upset by any information that would put the LDS church in an unfavorable light? Every organization deserves scrutiny, are you afraid to look at both sides of an issue?

mootman, are we possibly looking at the same sources? Please tell what sources you're drawing these conclusions from.

The conclusions I am drawing are simply the conclusions that this author, David Roberts, draws in his book, which I have read. I suspect that most if not all of the other posters on here have not.

There are numerous comments I could make, having studied and published these people's personal biographies for 9 years now, but I will limit it to a few for the purposes of this post.

1 - Mr. Roberts makes a great fuss about calling the statement that "none of the group apostatized" a popular Mormon myth. In fact, a lot of Mormons do quote this, but like Mr. Roberts himself, don't stop to think about it being taken entirely out of context. The comment was reportedly made by Francis Webster of the Martin Company later in his life as he was in a meeting where the handcart plan was being criticized. He was living in Cedar City where he had gone immediately after reaching Salt Lake City because Brigham Young asked him to. Having gone to Cedar City he would have had no way of knowing if any of the 1000 + handcart pioneers had apostatized. Also, he had seen firsthand those who did apostatize along the way.

Webster was commenting on those who had settled in Southern Utah from these handcart groups, who in fact were among the some of the most faithful; namely Jens Neilson whose little boy died on the trek and whose right foot was so deformed from the cold that it turned at an angle to the other one for the rest of his life, Ellen Pucell (Unthank) who lost her legs to the cold, but went on to marry and raise a family of 6 children, the large Peder and Helena Mortensen family who knew setting out that they would have to pull two adult crippled members of their family in their 2 handcarts the entire way (Peder was one of them), James G. Bleak whose life was saved and who then raised his little boy from the dead by the power of the Priesthood, and Maria Normington who lost 3 children and her husband on the trek, bore great scars on her arms from pulling herself along when she could no longer walk, and ate dirt to satisfy her hunger. These friends and neighbors of Webster's were the ones he was talking about; people who in fact lived the highest of moral standards and continued to sacrifice for the good of their neighbors (including non-Mormons) and their Church. They are the ones Webster said did not offer criticism or apostatize.

Also, Webster was a wealthy newlywed when he left England. He and his wife knew that they were expecting their first baby. Webster gave all his wealth to the emigration fund and chose to come by handcart. So did many other wealthy people.

2 - Brigham Young took in many of these people himself, although he certainly did not brag about it. One was a little girl by the name of Maren Johansen, age 7, from Denmark. She had lost her parents and a little brother to cholera at a Church outfitting post in Kansas called Mormon Grove in 1855. The remaining 5 children were split up and came to Utah with different companies. Maren came with John and Mary Ennion of the Hunt Wagon Company. Her feet froze first and she had to have them partially amputated. Upon arriving in SLC she had them amputated at the ankle. They still did not heal properly and later had to be amputated just below the knees. By the time Maren was reunited with her two brothers in Dec. 1856, they had not seen each other for about a year. Her brothers burst into tears at seeing their little sister in this condition. As a 7 year old child she said, "I told them not to cry so, for I would have my feet again when I got to heaven."

As reported by others, the Ennions had been "cruel" to Maren on the trek, but she only reports them as "careless and unfeeling." Upon reaching Utah the Ennions apostatized and returned to England. Maren, however, continued to live a faithful life. She married and bore 7 children, giving service in her community and never even missing a singing practice which she walked two miles on her knee stubs to reach. Her children and others tell of her loving to tell funny stories, and she is most often quoted as saying "I am sure that I shall have my feet and legs after the resurrection."

It seems truly implausible that Maren would have had this great faith at the age of 7 and throughout her life, if the influence of Brigham Young was that of a "despot" as Roberts calls him in his book Devil's Gate. Even after Maren left Brigham Young's home to live with her older sister, Brigham never forgot her. He personally saw to it that she had many things, including a sewing machine created just for her which she could operate with her knee stubs instead of feet.

3 - A few other representative accounts from these late 1856 pioneers who were with, but NOT of the handcart companies; people who had money and who did not pull handcarts but suffered along with the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies:

William Jones, age 45, Hodgett Company, as quoted by his daughter, Louisa: "Father suffered in desperate pain now. One night, after our company had traveled two days from the Platte River, he begged mother to have me drive to the side of the road and let him die in peace. We had very little left of our provisions. . . . A few days later, father called our family to his wagon and said, 'I have pointed you Zionward and I want you never to turn back. God is in his heaven and all is right with us whether we are in this earth or out of it. God will be with you. If you stumble and fall back, pick yourselves up and go on again.'"

Anna Larsen, Hodgett Company, from her granddaughter Sarah Clawson Johnson: "How often I have sat and listened to grandmother relate the sad experiences of her life, ignored and disinherited by her family because of her faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She had come from a wealthy family and was at a finishing school in Copenhagen when she met grandfather. Then the sad death of her baby boy, who had frozen to death and [was] buried in the wilderness of Wyoming. I have asked many times, 'Grandma, how did you stand it all?' And then in the eyes of that little determined person, I knew that expression was real when she said, 'It will be worth it all if my posterity will keep the faith.'"

Wilhelmina Krause (Madsen), age 9, Hodgett Company, also lost her mother and two sisters to cholera in St. Louis in 1855. Separated from her father and remaining siblings before leaving Denmark, Wilhelmina went on to Utah while the others stayed in St. Louis. She traveled with the Lars and Bodil Madsen family and became very attached to Lars, who died at Devil's Gate. Wilhelmina's father, Johan Kraus, became very embittered toward the Mormons, maintaining that they had kidnapped his daughter. (He was not a member of the LDS Church.) He became a millionaire in St. Louis, and purchased one of the first Pierce-Arrow automobiles in that area. He offered Wilhelmina anything she desired to renounce her faith and return with her children to St. Louis where she would be given every advantage, but she refused. Instead, she continued faithful and was a very influential person in building her community of Mt. Pleasant, Utah. How does Mr. Roberts answer these things in light of his unabashed hatred for Brigham Young? Truly, it is very difficult for someone who does not believe in God or what the Mormons call The Plan of Salvation, to understand any of this.

The stories and biographies of these Mormon immigrant groups in 1856 are rife with angelic visitations, prophetic dreams, healings and other miracles. It is therefore no surprise that Francis Webster and others said they came to know God in their extremities. Again, for someone who does not believe in, petition, or know God, and has no interest in such things, it is not surprising that Roberts would try to explain away all of this on the pretense of good scholarship and affixing blame.

Jolene Allphin

I’ve enjoyed reading David Roberts for years, and after learning that he was writing a book about the handcart pioneers, I ordered it early and anticipated it eagerly. However, after reading his book and listening to his KUER interview, it seems to me that he approached this subject with a predetermined thesis, apparently derived from Will Bagley and his “blame Brigham Young” approach to history. Having read every journal, recollection, and reminiscence I can find written by members of the Willie and Martin handcart companies (including all those that Roberts cites and more), I see a troubling pattern in Roberts’ book and interview: he uses the sources that support his thesis (many of which he frankly admits are anti-Mormon), while minimizing, fragmenting, and even suppressing many of the writings by the Willie and Martin pioneers themselves that lead readily to much different conclusions.

One of Roberts’ most persistent assertions is that Church leaders from Brigham Young to the present day have orchestrated a “spin” and “propaganda” campaign to turn the handcart tragedy into something positive. Roberts calls this alleged campaign “mythologizing” and “revisionist history.” But finding positive outcomes in the Willie and Martin tragedy isn’t a result of spin or propaganda. Rather, these outcomes are a prevailing theme in the first-person accounts of most of the Willie and Martin pioneers themselves (see excerpts from Allphin below). The problem with Roberts’ assertions of mythologizing and revisionist history, as with many of his assertions, is that he largely disregards the faith-based segments from this substantial body of first-person accounts.

I'm not suggesting we view the handcart tragedy through rose-colored glasses. We should acknowledge the pain and suffering, and most people I know do so. We shouldn’t cavalierly declare the suffering to be “worth it” for everyone because some of them said it helped them come to know God. We should be open about the mistakes that led to the tragedy. At the same time, however, we should be slow to condemn leaders for decisions that led to what may have been, as Roberts says, a preventable tragedy. We all make well-meaning decisions that involve a measure of risk, which, with a wrong turn here or there of something beyond our control, could lead to tragedy for ourselves or others. Roberts’ climbing books have plenty of examples of this from his own life--times when decisions put him and his partners in situations that were more risky than expected and could have turned tragic, not just for him but also for those he was leading, with a change in weather or an equipment breakdown or a late-arriving bush pilot. At some level, most tragedies are preventable. In my opinion, if people feel a need to judge those who conceived and implemented the handcart plan, they should do so with the same spirit they would hope to be judged by if their well-meant intentions somehow turned tragic.

Although Roberts would disagree, I believe that the greatest thing we can learn from these pioneers is how to endure and grow from the pain, suffering, disappointment, and even mundane difficulties we all inevitably experience, whether from our own actions, the actions of others, natural calamities, or the frailties of the human body. Many of us choose to focus on this aspect of the handcart experience because we find it helpful in our day-to-day lives. It feels progressive, while a focus on finding fault and placing blame feels regressive. That we find inspiration from the faith, sacrifice, and endurance of these pioneers--and their leaders--doesn't mean we're mythologizing a tragedy, or that we’re cavalier about the suffering, or that we're oblivious to the errors and are on course to repeat them.

Ironically, while Roberts criticizes Mormons for “spinning” the handcart tragedy into something positive, he often spins it one-dimensionally in the other direction, omitting important aspects of the story that the primary sources lead us to. For example, in both the book and the interview, Roberts criticizes William Kimball for the offer he made in Florence to eat all the snow that would fall on the pioneers. While I can understand the criticism, I can’t understand why Roberts doesn’t tell the rest of William Kimball’s story--the heroic part, the part that reveals Kimball’s caring and courage. After arriving in SLC with F.D. Richards in early October, Kimball got back on the trail only two days later as part of the 27-man first rescue team. After these rescuers found the Willie company two weeks later, Kimball accepted the arduous assignment to lead them to SLC, a distance of 270 miles, with the assistance of only a few other rescuers and three or four rescue wagons for much of the way (he had little help from the rescue team because most of them continued eastward in search of the Martin company). He finally got the Willie company to SLC on November 9, but his work wasn’t done. Within a day or two, Brigham Young asked him to go back on the trail to turn around other rescue teams that given up on the Martin company. William Kimball traveled all the way to South Pass (230 miles), where the rescuers he re-routed met the Martin company with life-saving assistance. Yes, Kimball made mistakes, but he's only a cardboard character--a villain--if that's all we're told about him. Readers deserve to know that William Kimball did everything in his power to help alleviate the suffering he felt some responsibility for.

Roberts also forces many conclusions from insufficient evidence. One example from both the book and the interview: He asserts that Brigham Young knew the Willie and Martin companies were on the trail and feigned surprise when F.D. Richards and other missionaries arrived in SLC and announced this to him in early October. Roberts’ evidence for this assertion is a letter announcing the arrival of these pioneers in Iowa City. Citing the fact that a date on the back of the letter shows it was received in the office of the First Presidency in July 1856, Roberts concludes that Brigham Young knew Willie and Martin were coming all the way to SLC that year. Interpreting this evidence more objectively, we can only say that Brigham Young knew these people were in the country--not that they would be sent forward so late. Moreover, all evidence suggests that if Brigham Young had even suspected Willie and Martin were coming all the way to SLC, he would have sent them a resupply. How can we be sure? Because he sent out substantial resupply teams to the three handcart companies that were on the trail a few weeks ahead of Willie and Martin. These teams left SLC as soon as wheat was harvested and milled, and they carried many tons of supplies as far as 500 miles east of SLC to help those three companies. To believe that Brigham Young would initiate such an effort for the first three companies and then knowingly ignore the last two would require a leap of cynicism that has no foundation.

Announcing this "discovery," which few readers would know enough to dispute, allows Roberts to minimize one of Brigham Young's greatest moments--the call to rescue. This was a rescue that no one but Brigham Young felt any urgency about at the time, a rescue that he foresaw a need for two weeks before the first snow fell, a rescue he issued after receiving a report that the people were in good condition, a rescue he issued with the urgency necessary to save nearly 1,000 people who likely would have all perished if he'd waited even a few more days.

One final note about the interview: Doug Fabrizio owes it to his listeners to ask a hard question once in a while. Roberts went on for nearly an hour, challenging and even deriding the LDS Church's so-called mythologizing of the Willie and Martin tragedy, but his own conclusions didn't merit a single challenging question from the interviewer?

I agree with you about not challenging the statements Roberts made. My biggest frustration is that many of the unfriendly LDS comments go unchallenged on KUER. There needs to be a balance.

I find it very interesting that Mr. Roberts does not like Mormon Handcart re-enactments. I do not assume that he feels the same way about Civil War re-enactments at Gettysburg and other such battle fields.
Once again Mr. Roberts proves that historians bring their own personal bias to the table. His book is biased, just as were his comments on the radio.

Here are some more first-hand quotes for the open-minded reader to consider:

"One cold, dreary afternoon, my feet having been frosted, I felt that I could go no further, and withdrew a little from the company, and sat down to await the end, being somewhat in a stupor. After a time, I was aroused by a voice, which seemed as audible as anything could be, which spoke to my very soul of the promises and blessings I had received, and which should surely be fulfilled, and that I had a mission to perform in Zion. I received strength, and was filled with the Spirit of the Lord, and arose and traveled on with a light heart. ... I am thankful that I was counted worthy to be a pioneer and a handcart girl. It prepared me to endure hard times in my future life. I often think of the songs we sang to encourage us on our toilsome journey. It was hard to endure, but the Lord gave us strength and courage." -Susannah Stone, age 25, Willie Company

Emily Hill (age 20)of the Willie Company later wrote that the painful abandonment by her husband and subsequent divorce made her experiences in the Willie Handcart Company seem like "child's play."

"With all our trials, our weary traveling, burying our dear ones, piling our clothing and bedding by the wayside and setting fire to them, we have never once felt to murmur or complain or regret the steps we have taken." James Hurren, age 29, Willie Handcart Company

Sarah James, age 19, Willie Company, wrote of her mother who was widowed during the trek: "She left a great posterity to revere her memory and give thanks that she had had the determination to come to Zion." Sarah's children wrote of her that she was "heard saying that she would rather die than give up her testimony of the truthfulness of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ."

"The campfires at night were very good times. We sang the Church hymns and they inspired us. Come Come Ye Saints [was] my favorite, and we were happy in our labors. A bond of love and friendship was amonst us. ... We did not choose to remember the pains of hunger and the cold, but wanted to remember the goodness of God unto us" -Euphemia Mitchell, age 23, Willie Handcart Company (Euphemia had flesh scraped from the bones of her frozen feet)

"No person can describe it, nor could it be comprehended or understood by any human living in this life, but those who were called to pass through it ... Obedience is better than sacrifice." -Jens Nielson, age 35, Willie Handcart Company

"We passed through Fort Larmie on September 30, where a few supplies were bought. We soon began to realize that we had started our journey too late in the year ... it is beyond my power of description to write. God only can understand and realize the torture and privation, exposure, and starvation we went through....the weakened condition of our older members slowed us down....Ten or twelve of our members, faithful to the last, were buried in a single grave. ...A day or two later my own father closed his eyes, never to wake again. He, too, had given his life cheerfully for the cause that he espoused." John Oborn, age 12, Willie Handcart Company

"We dreamed of going to Zion, where we could be with the main body of the Saints, but money was the problem ... I was left a widow with 7 children under 12 years of age adn the step-children of William's first marriage. I was very grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the comfort it gave me. I knew that our parting was only temporary and that viewed from the eternities, this was but a fleeting moment. ... I had to make the best of it. ... the big task and the one I must accomplish, is to get us all to Zion. I must be among the people of my faith and I must get the Temple work done for us. -Ann Jewell Rowley, age 48, Willie Handcart Company

"Night was coming and there was no food for the evening meal. Mother asked God's help as she always did. Our family got on their knees and remembered two hard sea rolls left over from the sea voyage. They were not large, and were so hard they couldn't be broken. Surely, that was not enough to feed this large family. But 5 loaves and 2 fishes were not enough to feed 5,000 people either, but through a miracle, Jesus had done it. ... Mother found the biscuits and put them in a dutch oven and covered them with water and asked for God's blessing. Then she put the lid on the pan and set it on the coals. When she took off the lid a little later, she found the pan filled with food. We kneeled as a family and thanked God for his goodness. ... The Lord had not deserted us" -Thomas Rowley, age 10, Willie Handcart Company

"Brother Editor of the Era, you said you would like my story. I have therefore written these few recollections. For the benefit of the youth of Zion who may read this, I bear testimony that I know God hears and answers prayers, and the Lord will help those who help themselves." Elizabeth Smith, age 13, Willie Handcart Company

From an interview with Thomas Dobson, age 18, Martin Handcart Company, published in the Deseret News, Saturday, September 1, 1906: "from the Sweetwater to the end of the journey [Thomas] was entirely without shoes. Both his big toes were so badly frozen that it was thought he would lose the members. Elder Ephraim K. Hanks administered to the youth and promised him that his toes would be saved. Later in the evening Thomas performed a clog dance by request, and he declares that from the same moment until the present time the toes have never troubled him." Ephraim Hanks account of this is recorded as follows: "One evening after having gone as far as Ft. Bridger, I was requested by a sister to come and administer to her son, whose name was Thomas Dobson. He was very sick indeed and his friends expected he would die that night. When I came to the place where he lay he was moaning pitifully, and was almost too weak to turn around in his bed. I felt the power of God resting upon me and adressing the young man said, 'Will you believe the words I tell you?' His response was, 'Yes.' I then administered to him and he was immediately healed. He got up, dressed himself and danced the hornpipe on the inboard of a wagon, which I procured for that purpose."

"I believe the Recording Angel has inscribed in the archives above, and that my sufferings for the Gospel's sake will be sanctified unto me for my good ... I [appealed] to the Lord ... He who had promised to be a husband to the widow, and af ather to the fatherless. I appealed to him and he came to my aid ... Aaron [her recently deceased husband] was left there to sleep in peace until the trump of the Lord shall sound, and the dead in Christ shall awake and come forth in the morning of the first resurrection. We shall then again unite our hearts and lives, and eternity will furnish us with life forever more. I have a desire to leave a record of those scenes and events, thru which I have passed, that my children, down to my latest posterity may read what their ancestors were willing to suffer, and did suffer, patiently for the Gospel's sake. And I wish them to understand, too, that what I now word is the history of hundreds of others, both men, women and children, who have passed thru many like scenes for a similar cause, at the same time we did. I also desire them to know that it was in obedience to the commandments of the true and living God, and with the assurance of an eternal reward - an exaltation to eternal life in His kingdom - that we suffered these things. I hope, too, that it will inspire my posterity with fortitude to stand firm and faithful to the truth, and be willing to suffer, and sacrifice all things they may be required to pass thru for the Kingdom of God's sake." Elizabeth Horrocks Jackson, age 30, Martin Handcart Company

"Feb 9 1912 - I am Seventy five years old to day. ... In looking back over my past life from this stand point, I wonder how I have been able to outlive the many struggles and difficulties I have pass'd through and I feel to bow my head reverently before the Lord and thank Him for His protecting care. I know not how much longer I may sojourn here on earth, but my testimony at this time is that the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as revealed through the Porphet Joseph Smith is true, and that I rejoice in its principals more and more, as my years on earth advance. And I pray that my Sons and my daughters may continue in the faith, and bring up their children to do the same, for we are living in the last days, and it is not very long untill the Lord will take vengeance upon the wicked, and come and dwell upon this earth with His Saints upon an earth redeemed. So it behooveth us all, each and every one to live in a manner, that we will not be ashamed to meet Him." Samuel S. Jones, age 19, Martin Handcart Company, in a letter to his children

"We did not get but very little meat as the bone had been picked the night before and we did not have only the half of asmall biscute as we only was having four oz. of flour aday. This we devided into portians so we could have asmall peice three times aday. This we eat with thankfull hearts and we allways as[k] God to bless to our use and that it would strengthen our bodys day by day so that we could performe our dutys. And I can testefie that our heavenly Father heard and answered our prayers and we was blessed with health and strength day by day to endure the severe trials we had to pass through on that terrable journey before we got to Salt Lake City.j We know that if God had not been with us that our strength would have failed us ... I can say we put our trust in God and he heard and answerd our prayers and brought us through to the valleys." Patience Loader, age 29, Martin Handcart Company

Marion Marshall, age 34, of the Martin Handcart Company, came as a widow with her 8-year-old daughter whose deafness had been cured by a Priesthood blessing. Later in her life, when Marion's daughters asked her if she would endure her 1856 journey again, she replied, "If I knew that was the only way I could get to Zion and obtain the blessings of the gospel, I most certainly would."

"When I was seventeen years old,[1853] I sprained or broke some of the ligaments in my ankle and the doctor said I must lose my leg, but I refused to have it amputated. I was forced to use crutches for nearly four years." ... Of her handcart trek, she wrote: "Part of the way I walked, and part of the way I was hauled in a wagon or handcart. One day I walked and crawled eight miles, and my knees finally bled. We had a very hard trip. ... I have never regretted coming to Zion, even though my life has been one of hardship and trial." Charlotte Mee, age 20, Martin Handcart Company

Louisa Mellor, whose mother was too weak to continue one day, wrote of her experience staying with her mother while her father got the rest of the family to camp: "[After having gone a ways from her mother to pray] As I was going back to where Mother was sitting, I found a pie in the road. I picked it up and gave it to mother to eat, and after resting awhile we started on our journey, thanking God for His blessings. ... Many times after that, Mother felt like giving up and quitting; but then she would remember how wonderful the Lord had been to spare her so many times, and she offered a prayer of gratitude instead." Louisa Mellor, age 15, Martin Handcart Company

Louisa also wrote of the meeting held on October 27, 1856, wherein Captain Martin asked for a raise of hands who was now willing to die for the Gospel's Sake: She wrote: "At last the Company gave up and decided they could go no further. We all gathered around and held a meeting, praying God to help us, as we knew it was Him alone who could deliver us from death. We were happy and willing to die for a just cause." A few other accounts from this meeting: "The Captain called us all together and stated that we must lay our bodies down, and 'were we willing to do so for the Gospel's sake?' Many a poor, starved man shouted with their remaining strength, 'Aye' but mothers could not say that, so were quiet. ..." -Elizabeth Sermon, age 37, Martin Co. "I held up my hand but I didn't believe we were going to die." -Eliza Morton, age 20, Martin Co.

As 73-year-old Mary Murdoch of the Martin Company lay dying on Oct. 3, 1856, she asked those attending her to be sure to relay a message to her son, John, who was already in Utah: "Tell John I died with my face toward Zion."

Maria Normington, age 36, who possibly suffered more than anyone else in the Martin Handcart Company, lived her future life as described by her descendants: "Maria was never heard to censure anyone for her trials, nor complain because her lot was hard. She was cheerful and faithful throughout her life and felt that the gospel of Jesus Christ, for which she had endured so much, was the most glorious of all blessings. Her family loved to hear her pray, as her prayers reflected her great faith. She seemed to actually see and talk with her Father in Heaven as she expressed her gratitude and asked for the blessings they needed."

From a biography written by William Palmer about Nellie Pucell (age 9 or 10 of the Martin Company): "In memory I recall her wrinkled forehead, her soft dark eyes that told of toil and pain and suffering, and the deep grooves that encircled the corners of her strong mouth. But in that face there was no trace of bitterness or railings at her fate. There was patience and serenity for in spite of her handicap she had earned her keep and justified her existence. She had given more to family, friends and to the world than she had received." (Nellie had lost her parents and her lower legs during the trek)

From a letter purportedly written by Elizabeth Read, age 51, Martin Co. to her children back in England: "My dear children, we have suffered beyond anything you can imagine. ... But in all this suffering we have come face to face with God. ... Yes, my children, for the first time in my life I know God. I know that He hears our prayers, and that in his wisdom all is for the best."

Elizabeth Sermon, age 37, of the Martin Handcart Company, vascillated on the journey with her ability to follow counsel, but before she died she wrote the following excerpts in a letter to her children: "I weakened considerable before my journey was completed, but my faith was never lost ... My heart was happy, and I rejoiced in singing the songs of Zion, my only hope and desire was to reach the Valley where my children could be raised in the true gospel. ... my faith was still in my Father in Heaven. I have never lost my faith in Him. It is as sweet today to trust in Him, and my prayers are, that I may always trust Him. You may perhaps say, 'why you did not ask Him to save you then, when you needed it?' I did, and he spared me through many trials to my family."

Excerpts from an autobiographical sketch written on Feb. 20, 1881, by Mary Soar Taylor who was a 31 year old widow of the Martin Handcart Company: "I have written this sketch of my life as stated for the benefit of my grandchildren and others and I also add my testimony of the divinity of this work. I know that it is the work of God and hope and trust that any of my posterity that may come in possession of this may be strengthened in their faith by it, and be wrothy of such parentage for truly we suffered much for the truth's sake, but the reward of the faithful is sure."

"These scenes are too painful. A detailed account would melt a heart of stone. We did our best and many today congratulate us on saving their lives while others whom by the utmost exertion we succeeded in saving can scarcely think of anything too wicked and false to say about us." Daniel Tyler, age 34, counselor to Captain Martin in the handcart company

"I am getting on in years, children and grandchildren play around my door, but I have never, for one single moment, regretted what I have passed through for the cause I believe in." John Watkins, age 22, Martin Company

The Jewish people have suffered even more than this, and on a substantially larger scale over a much longer period of time.
If suffering made a religion true, why isn't the Jewish Church the true Church? Think a little please.

The point of these quotations is not to focus on the suffering. The point is to focus on the faith--the part of the story that Roberts doesn't give due respect to.

Yes, but faith in what? If they could have saved their lives by NOT coming, at least for that winter, what good did their faith do them?
What is different from the kind of blind faith that is so irrationally idealized in these stories, compared to the blind faith that the Jonestown dwellers had in taking the cyanide-laced Kool-Aid? : "If you do this, you will get to heaven"?

Faith in God does not immunize one from physical death. Faith as about spiritual growth which is understood to be a vital attribute after physical death.
And, I don't believe suffering alone is what makes a religion true.

Also, The Jonestown dwellers were clearly deceived.
Mind you, I haven't read "Devil's Gate" yet but I plan to. And I have to say I will read it with skepticizm of any charges of blatant deception on the part of LDS leaders.