Extermination

This morning I was thinking about extermination of pests-public nuisances-whatever.  We used to have this really cool BBQ pit in our stake park.  It could accommodate large groups for campfire fun.  It even had a couple of raised platforms for some type of performances-at least I can imagine people playing guitars, singing around the campfire, etc.  Since the park is pretty much my backyard, I thought about using it in the future for some type of family gathering.  Well, that's not happening.

A couple of months ago, the stake leaders decided to fill the area in with dirt because rowdy teens were using it for their drug parties or other unseemly activities.  They thought the best way to drive out the nuisance was to destroy the gathering place; that will stop it, right?  Or at least force them to continue their activities somewhere else where we can't see it, where they can't bother us.  It made me sad.  Not that I'm in to wild drug/sex parties, but it was just such a nice feature of the park.  Now it's just weeds. 

It reminded me of our infestation of swallows  all along the top edge on the outside of our gym building at work.  I liked going in that door to enter the facility.  Mind you, I was a little concerned of bird droppings, but I loved seeing the crazy way these birds flew together, or should I say, really did not fly together.  Mighty ducks they were not-no flying V's or any semblance of order.  They just clumped and moved together like a flock of hyperactive children.  Reminded me of the students inside the building. 

One day while entering the building I noticed all the nests were gone.  I don't know how the maintenance dudes did it...perhaps power washing?  But all the crazy birds and their nests were gone.   It was clean, sanitized, but devoid of life.  I was sad.  I'm sure they found new homes.  I hope.  It's possible some of the baby swallows were destroyed in the cleansing of the building.  I understood they were a nuisance, but did we really have to give the extermination order? 

Back in the early days of the church, the  Mormons were a nuisance to the residents of Missouri and Illinois.  They seemed to be gathering in droves.  They encroached on the state's land They made their presence known. They could influence the vote. They not only were a nuisance, but they threatened the residents way of life.  They had to be driven out-exterminated. According to the order by Gov. Lilburn W. Boggs, the Mormons were "in open avowed defiance of the laws, and having made war upon the people of the State...and must be exterminated or driven from the State if necessary for public peace."   So legally you could exterminate a Mormon until 1976, when it was eliminated by Sen. Christopher Bond.  There you go.  I suppose like the crazy swallows and crazy teenagers, if you take away their nests and place of gathering, they'll be gone...or at least from your line of sight. 

Death and destruction certainly don't reign supreme.  Life prevails.  People start again.  People find a new place and carry on with life.  As Pioneer day, celebrated in Utah every July 24th attests:
"We’ll find the place which God for us prepared, Far away in the West, Where none shall come to hurt or make afraid; There the Saints will be blessed."

And so they have. I am so proud to be a Mormon, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I'm grateful for the pioneers who preserved my faith, who kept it alive even with the threat of extermination...life prevails.  Faith prevails. 

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