; Whereas upon entering the Great Salt Lake Valley in Utah on July 24, 1847, Brigham Young announced, “This is the right place,” foretelling how the valley would become home to many Latter-day Saints and their posterity; Whereas the Latter-day Saint pioneers worked together to plant crops, irrigate fields, and build homes and businesses, transforming the desert into a thriving community where they could live in safety and practice their religion without prejudice and abuse; Whereas on July 24, 1849, the Latter-day Saints first commemorated their arrival to their new home with a procession to Temple Square in Salt Lake City for a special devotional, followed by a feast of thanksgiving; Whereas Pioneer Day is a Utah State holiday celebrated on July 24th to remember and honor the early settlers with parades, flag ceremonies, re-enactments, devotionals, sporting events, feasts, dances, concerts, festivals, rodeos, and fireworks; Whereas the Latter-day Saint pioneers helped shape the settlement of the West by constructing bridges, building ferries, clearing trails, establishing communities, planting crops, expanding trade posts, erecting trail markers, and charting maps, all of which assisted thousands of settlers westward; Whereas the Latter-day Saint pioneers exemplified what can be achieved when industrious and resilient people work diligently and join together as communities to build a stronger and brighter future; and Whereas the bravery, determination, and ingenuity that the Latter-day Saint pioneers demonstrated inspires citizens of the United States and people across the world to triumph over adversity, to continuously strive toward progress and innovation, and to press forward with unconquerable faith and undaunted hope: Now, therefore, be it