Our "Pilgrim's Progress"

I actually don't know why I am posting about this book--it was really hard for me to read and I'm not sure how much I got out of it.  My friend and I decided to read it because the story and lessons were such a big part of the March girls' lives in Little Women and we wanted to see what the big deal was. 

The story is written in two parts.  In the first part we meet Christian and watch him as he makes his journey to the Celestial City.  The second part is the story of his wife, Christiana, and their children making the same journey. 

Along the way they meet people who help them and people who hinder them.  They have many adventures and learn a lot.  I compared their journeys to our lives as we go from birth to death.  Some of us have a plan and some of us are living blindly.  Some of us have a great support system and some of us are struggling along on our own.  Some of us have trials while others appear to be living free of them.  Some of us understand the atonement of our Savior and some of us are still waiting to learn. 

I think there were several reasons that Christian and his wife were successful on their journeys.

1.  They both had a goal of where they wanted to go (the Celestial City).  If we know and understand Christ's plan of salvation then we, too, can know our ending goal.

2.  They both had helpers--Christian first had Evangelist to guide him in the right direction and then other friends/helpers on the way.  Christiana had Christian's success to persuade her to make the journey and she also had many friends and helpers.  I see our helpers as our family, friends, church members, missionaries, mentors, and prophets. 

3.  They both had endurance.  Even though Christian and Christiana struggled and had trials on their journeys, they remembered the joys they experienced and their future goal.  I think that if we focus on the good we will be better able to endure. 

4.  They had an understanding of the Atonement.  When Christian first reaches the cross and tomb, his burden is lifted and he is able to continue more easily on his journey.  If we truly understand and apply the redeeming power of Christ's Atonement, we will also continue more easily on our path.

Even though I couldn't keep the characters straight or remember all the adventures or understand all the analogies, I did understand the joy Christian and Christiana had when they arrived at the Celestial City and I hope that one day I can feel that joy.