“Disapora” in a Mormon context is a term that has traditionally referred to those who left Utah in the early 20th century to pursue economic and educational opportunities elsewhere. Checking FPR’s own archives, this post properly states that “A Mormon diaspora properly refers to Utah Mormons and their children. Converts who remain outside of the cultural and geographical centers of Mormonism cannot be considered to be members of a Mormon Diaspora. For this reason and others, it seems that diaspora is not a useful way of thinking about the changing geographical centers of Mormonism. While this might be a helpful concept for understanding the migration of Utah Mormons to other locations, it ultimately cannot be said to describe the character of most congregations around the country.” 

Furthermore, a conference at UVU a few years back properly placed the Mormon “outmigration” in an early 20th Century context, again, of those living in Utah and identifying with it and then leaving it. 

An added set of terms that I find to be problematic is to refer to those that crossed the plains as “The Mormon Pioneers” which you also use in your post. Using the general terms “Mormon Pioneers” and the definite article “the” before it signifies that this is the only body in the Church that can claim the Pioneer title. This is incorrect and marginalizes the contributions of the thousands of others who may be claimed as pioneers in other contexts and lands. A more precise rendering like “Utah Pioneer” (as in the Daughters (and Sons) of the Utah Pioneers organization) would be more appropriate. 

Finally, if one desires to take on that identity and embrace the Pioneer epic and the Utah homeland, that is perfectly fine. One may sing and praise it and hold parades for it and gush and whatever. All of that is perfectly fine. Nobody, not me to be sure, is saying that it’s wrong to feel and participate in these celebrations. But what is not ok is turning and insisting that the rest of the Church feel that way as well. It is not ok. There are many reasons to be appreciative of the Utah Pioneers and their sacrifices. The story of the Church’s move from being headquartered in Nauvoo to Utah (and of course, the narrative obscures anyway the thousands of LDS who did not take that journey and with quiet persistence built the kingdom in their own states and lands, but well, no surprise there) is important to the Church’s institutional history. But in the scheme of things of importance to the Church’s institutional history, I can think of at least a half dozen other events that would, to me, better merit a celebration, not the least of which is the First Vision. However, there is no yearly First Vision Day, First Vision Parade, First Vision Celebration, First Vision Tabernacle Choir Commemorative Broadcast. Yet, by not going to any such thing, am I looked at as being any less appreciative of the First Vision? No. However, once I feel a disinclination to the festivities of Pioneer Day, all of the sudden I’m not properly respecting the Utah Pioneers or their sacrifices? I’m failing to remember their contributions? Balderdash. I observe a quiet respect for the Utah Pioneers and their achievements in the same way I observe a quiet reverence for other peoples, events, and processes that makeup our shared legacy of faith and history, and I don’t have to go to a parade or have an identity imposed upon me to do so. 

I like escargots. I celebrate green jello with carrot shavings.  I know what frog-eye salad is and crave funeral potatoes. The message of Christ was to learn to celebrate through the joy of others, to find happiness in their accomplishments (I call it “parenting”). I have no problem becoming the collective of Saints that followed the Platte. They probably envy me my SUV.

You don’t have to feel a “kinship” with the pioneers, or “identify” with them. You are part of the Church, and should be respectful of the people who sacrificed so much so that you could enjoy your church membership today – whether you be from pioneer stock, or a convert, or have Lamanite blood in your veins. 

The founder of LDS Sunday School was a Scot. The first major Mormon writer was also a Scot. Sadly though, he is forgotten, although his descendants, the Lyons seem to be well known in Utah. Pres. McKay served his mission here, and had a great love for the country of his ancestors. However, most of this has been lost and forgotten in Scotland amongst the LDS themselves, let alone the wider Scottish population.

Some mining villages in Scotland became heavily Mormon, particularly in Midlothian. But again, this is forgotten.

BYU Studies did a volume on British Mormon history, but that’s the problem. Scottish stuff often gets lost in any British context. There needs to be some kind of work done specifically on Scotland (not to mention Ireland, Switzerland, Holland etc etc)* It can be written by Americans, I’ve no problem with that, but it needs input from this end, if only in the editing. There were some factual mistakes and spelling errors in the volume… all of which could have been remedied with some local knowledge.

Anyway, the long and the short of this is that we don’t feel anything for the stars and stripes here, or at least we don’t have a completely rosy image of it, if we do. The union jack is accepted by some of us, and hated by others of us, but that’s how the LDS sees the British Isles, even the Republic of Ireland. I hope one day we have our own temple.

* The only place which has had some significant work done is Wales, mostly by Welsh language scholars.

I’d imagine there are some phenomenal stories of Mormonism in Scotland. I hope someone out there is working to recover and preserve the stories of LDS there. If not, please consider starting something or contact the European Mormon Studies Association (euromormonstudies [dot] com] and pick their brain about what might be done. It has to start somewhere. Best of luck.

The church here has shallow roots, because a lot of the Scottish members emigrated, and never came back.

We do have a dual problem here though – as Scots our own national heritage is more or less ignored a lot of the time, and we have Britishness (i.e. Englishness most of the time) and American stuff rammed down our throats. All fine and well, but we are neither of these, we are just Scots.

The Pioneer stories are inspiring, but the stories of Mormonism in Scotland, past and present tend to be ignored.

I’m also reacting against the culture of royalty that has already been alluded to before this. I’ve been in Utah 10 years and it’s readily discerned in my experience with even Handcart descendants telling me that there is a hierarchy of pedigree with handcart descendants at the top.

Also, as Elder Jensen recently observed and David G. over at the JI also, silence and forgetting portions of the Pioneer story is a potentially oppressive force in its own right without the presence of overt jingoism.

I’m not diminishing the part of Mormon history that is connected to the trek thos pioneers made to Utah, but have a hard time finding relevance to it from this far away.

I think we’re reaching a critical mass that will begin to drive local areas to learn more about the history of the Church in their areas. They will then begin to have Pioneer Days according to their local stories. I have felt that need in the last few years and so I have embarked on a wide-ranging project to recover the history of the Church in South Texas. There was a small effort undertaken in the 70s, but the text is unavailable anywhere in the ward libraries or files. You can read about some of what I’m coming up with here in a this talk that I gave in Church last Pioneer Day. You’ll notice the almost hysterical response by one Utah Pioneer descendant. Another later on says it’s messy, but he misconstrues or misunderstands or both what I did there.

You’re being a bit dramatic.

“Either they were forced to leave or they chose to leave.”

Wasn’t the third option to remain where they were and not practice Mormonism? Some DID remain–or migrated back. Opposition died down if they were quiet and didn’t assemble.

There is relevance. Every new convert who deals with the ramifications of saying, “I am an actively practicing Mormon” has a bond.

I also think we need to minimize the celebration of a Utah state holiday and maximize the celebration of Holy Week and Easter Sunday. We have our priorities totally screwed up.

Just my thoughts.

Today I had scheduled all music around the pioneer theme but the talks were of a general nature. I believe that there are inspirational elements for all members in the story of the mormon exodus, and new converts benefit from becoming familiar with it.

I too was born in the Church, but have no so-called “pioneer” ancestry. Pioneer day celebrations, sacrament meetings, Trek, etc. get stale and old. And you’re never allowed to tell about what your ancestors did. As James (#11) above pointed out, it seems like those of us without pioneer ancestry are forever outsiders, and our own ancestor’s sacrifices and experience have no value. I appreciate what the LDS pioneers did, but it was the same kind of thing my own ancestors did, and for similar reasons.