Although the Great Basin was settled by Latter-day Saints devout in their beliefs, the area also should be a haven for non-LDS, whose beliefs should be equally respected, Elder Glen L. Rudd declared July 25 at the annual Days of '47 Sunrise Service.

The service in the Salt Lake Tabernacle was sponsored by the Sons of the Utah Pioneers and included a patriotic flag ceremony by the Mormon Battalion and music and narration by the Millcreek Region.The Days of '47 royalty, Anne Madsen of Salt Lake City, queen; and her attendants, Elizabeth Nebeker of Sandy, Utah; and Maria Matthews of Bountiful, Utah, were also presented.

Elder Rudd of the First Quorum of the Seventy, who has been a mission president twice, a temple president and the director of Welfare Square for 25 years, encouraged Latter-day Saints to extend fellowship to all their neighbors, regardless of religion.

"No one who comes here should be given the feeling that they are not welcome," he affirmed. "This is the land of America. Salt Lake City, Utah, is a friendly city. Our neighbors who do not believe as we do have every right to be here and enjoy the blessings of freedom.

"It is proper that we stop and think of the past, but the real challenge we all have is to live peacefully and happily together in this beautiful land of America, and be grateful for the privilege and opportunity that we enjoy in this modern, wonderful day and age.

"We owe our respect to all others who live righteously and properly as law-abiding citizens in this great community."

He paid tribute to pioneers, including his paternal great-grandfather and great-grandmother. They were converted in Wales in the late 1840s by Dan Jones, an associate of the Prophet Joseph Smith.

His great-grandmother was told by her doctor in Wales that she could not emigrate because she would not survive the ocean voyage, much less the arduous pioneer trek. "She was nonetheless willing to risk her life to make the journey to the Salt Lake Valley," said Elder Rudd. He explained she was given a priesthood blessing and promised that she would make it to the valley. She crossed the ocean, rode in a wagon most of the way across the plains, but died the day after she arrived in the Salt Lake Valley.

"This story is typical of many, many other stories," he said. "The price they paid to establish their homes in this part of the world was a heavy price. I hope that those of us who are privileged to live here . . . never forget the price paid by our forefathers in establishing this part of the world."

Elder Rudd recounted how the pioneers had plowed ground and planted seed on the first day of their arrival in the valley.

The next morning was Sunday, and even though it was almost mandatory for them to work in order to survive, the men instead stopped to worship, he said. "According to Wilford Woodruff's journal, Brigham Young told them they must not work on Sunday and that they would lose five times as much as they would gain by working. And that they must not hunt or fish on the Sabbath Day.

"Now, 141 years later, the Sabbath Day is still the Sabbath Day," said Elder Rudd. "And the instructions he gave Church members that they are not to work on the Sabbath Day are still in effect."

He concluded his address by sharing some little-known facts of the pioneers' arrival. For example:

- Wilford Woodruff planted half a bushel of seed potatoes the same day he arrived in the valley.

- Just four days after the pioneers arrived, Brigham Young chose 40 acres for the temple block. This site was later reduced to its present 10-acre size.

- Brigham Young remained in the valley just 18 days before returning to Winter Quarters, and 100 men went back with him.

"May the Lord bless our memories of those who sacrificed and struggled to make this long journey," he said. "They dreamed dreams, and they had the courage and the faith to build homes so that we may live here in this day and age. May God bless us that our memories may be bright and our appreciation might be full."