Great Book

I have decided that I really love reading history, at least when it is well written. It is amazing to read about what people are able to accomplish with so little, the intense devotion to a cause, the inhumane cruelty, and the indomitable human spirit. History is just amazing and we have so much to learn from it.

I just finished reading the book Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick. It is an excellent account of the Pilgrims, the beginnings of settlement in New England, and the events leading up to and including King Philip's War. Much of the details and history I was unfamiliar with. When you learn about history in school you only have time to skim the surface because there is just so much there. Plus, history texts are sometimes not very interesting or well written. This book is fascinating and very well written.

One of the most interesting things I took from the book was a lesson on establishing Zion. When the Pilgrims landed in 1620 they were a mixed group of religious separatists and Strangers, as the Pilgrims called them. They did not share religious beliefs, nor even the same purpose in coming to America, yet they required each others cooperation to survive. The first two winters in America they lived on the verge of starvation, but not the third winter.

"The fall of 1623 marked the end of Plymouth's debilitating food shortages. For the last two planting seasons, the Pilgrims had grown crops communally. . .In April, Bradford had decided that each household should be assigned its own plot to cultivate, with the understanding that each family kept whatever it grew. The change in attitude was stunning. Families were now willing to work much harder than they had ever worked before. . .The Pilgrims had stumbled on the power of capitalism. Although the fortunes of the colony still teetered precariously in the years ahead, the inhabitants never again starved."

It's interesting that even though their very lives depended on working together to provide food, it wasn't until they could keep all the fruits of their labors for themselves that they ceased to starve. The natural man is definitely a selfish creature. It made me think of Elder Christofferson's talk last October entitled "Come to Zion" in which he says,

"Zion is Zion because of the character, attributes, and faithfulness of her citizens. . .If we would establish Zion. . .It will be necessary to become unified in one heart and mind; to become, individually and collectively, a holy people; and to care for the poor and needy with such effectiveness that we eliminate poverty among us. We cannot wait until Zion comes for these things to happen-Zion will come only as they happen."

The Pilgrims demonstrate that you simply can't desire to survive. You must desire for the survival of your fellow citizens as well. If you are not a Zion people in heart you will not desire to work towards Zion. You will work towards your own ends even if it hurts your very survival. Much like what has happened to our economy. Capitalism plays on our inherently selfish natures.

I've noticed this to a certain extent in my own life. Living in an apartment I find myself much less inclined to do a great job cleaning and keeping things looking nice because it doesn't belong to me. I would find cleaning chores much more satisfying if it were my own house that belonged to me. People value what belongs to them individually more than what belongs to everyone as a whole. I guess I'm not quite ready for Zion either.