Was life better or worse back then?

Lately I have been reading a book on pioneers and the settling of the west. It brings me to pose a question I have been replaying the answer to in my head for some time now. When would life have been better then or now? Now each time period poses it's advantages and disadvantages.

Present day we have technology without which you would not be reading my random thoughts each time you click on here. There are so many great things about now there is no need to list them all. There is one that I will mention " Modern Medicine".

I have read alot of books on pioneers and the west and I will say this, so many people died of simple things back then. It is always sad to me when I read about the amount of children that died needlessly. For things that we consider minor now. Also another thing is food. I have recently been reading about Joseph smith and the saint's being drove from place to place In the dead of winter. How often do we look at our pantry or food storage and tell ourselves how blessed we are. We don't! How often the early saints were left with nothing. Milk and vegetables if they were lucky at times they were down to just potatoes. Can you imagine setting a plate of boiled potatoes in front of your children once maybe twice a day and that is your meal. My kids cry if out of the 3-4 items I serve them they don't like them and want something different.  

But there is a flip side! How would it be to be there for the early days of the church. To see and watch these things transpire before your eyes. To see a temple built from the ground up with your sweat and tears. To raise your family in a community that is filled with faith, hope, and the spirit of christ. To know the simple pleasure of sitting together talking and not being entertained. To know each other and your neighbor. To work with others to improve their life and them yours. To have the faith that you may not have alot of food but if you have faith and follow christ he will provide.

How many of us truly know out neighbors and would be there to help them in a time of need.

Can we send our children to the local store and know they will make it there and back safely. Can we send them to school and not worry about what someone else's child is teaching them.

Do we feel the spirit of Giving and Receiving in our daily lives?

Who are the truly blessed people? Where do you want to be? Wouldn't it be nice to still have that spirit of giving and love among us now!