Memorial Day 2015

Many people spend Memorial Day shopping sales, visiting the graves of family members who have dies, and celebrating the “unofficial” beginning of summer with barbecues and a multitude of other fun activities.

Do we also take time to remember why we celebrate Memorial Day in the first place? It started as Decoration Day after the Civil War to honor those, Union and Confederate, who had died. These celebrations were scattered and, because of the divide between the North and South, they were also celebrated differently. It wasn’t until after WWII that the holiday garnered a stronger following. In 1967 it was renamed Memorial day and finally in 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Holiday Act designating Memorial Day be celebrated the last Monday in May instead of on May 30.

This holiday is to remember all those who served in died protecting this great nation. These people gave all, they forsake everything “in memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children” (Alma 46:12). They gave their all, so that we might be free. So that we can sleep in safety knowing that someone is standing watch saying that no one can hurt us tonight, not on their watch.  In doing so many lost their lives for our defense and for the defense of this chosen land.

It is nice to have a holiday to celebrate their lives, but we shouldn’t just remember their sacrifice on this one designated day of the year. We need to remember them always. We need to remember those who fought against the tyranny of England and were traitors because they wanted a free nation. Those who fought to keep this nation together and to make sure that all men, no matter their color, were free. Those who left and fought in a war that this nation wasn’t even a part of until the very end. The greatest generation, who went to fight Hitler’s oppression and not only free multiple nations from his madness but a group of people who suffered greatly under his hands. And those on the Pacific front who fought the Japanese and suffered under horrible conditions in their POW camps.  Those who left to fight the communist uprising in Korea and Vietnam.  And, now those who are fighting a war on terror, where the enemy is not only abroad, but also at home.

It is up to us to keep their memory alive and to honor them by making sure that we keep our great nation “the land of the free and the home of the brave!”