The Mormon Battalion and other pioneers here, I think helped lay a very strong foundation of freedom, of worship, of service to one another.

And then I think it's important to recognize the mutual support.

We're not in this alone, any of us really.

One of the main reasons we have a church, for example,

is that we have a support system.

We can work together, hold each other up.

Sometimes we're weak and others help us,

and sometimes we're strong,

we help others. But we have a community of saints as they had a battalion, a military unit

that they served with and they helped each other, they lifted each other to the end.

I'm Sarah Jane Weaver, editor of the church news, and welcome to the church news podcast.

We are taking you on a journey of connection as we discuss news and events of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson addressed thousands gathered in Old Town San Diego on January 29, 2022,

in celebration of the 175th anniversary of the arrival of the Mormon battalion to the city. In a church news interview,

taped on the streets of Old Town Sandiego moments later that day, he spoke of the battalion's

historic 2100 Mile March and why it still matters to each of us. This episode of the

Church News podcast features that interview with Elder Christofferson, a member of the Corm of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

It also features an interview with Mormon Battalion Historic Sites Director, President Brent L. Top and Sister Wendy C. Top.

Each look at history and in the process help us find answers to some of the

problems we all face today. We'll start this episode of the Church News podcast with the interview

with Elder Christofferson, then go directly into the interview with President and Sister Top.

Elder Christofferson, we're here on the 175th anniversary of the arrival of the Mormon

...