Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith
Prophet, Seer and Revelator

Sunday, January 13, 2013

The Trek West


Under the direction of Brigham Young, the apostles who remained in Winter Quarters prepared the first pioneer company to leave for the West in the spring of 1847. Upon returning from England, John and Parley P. Pratt were to organize a second company to come west that same summer. They began their trek in June with six hundred wagons, 1,553 pioneers, 2,213 oxen, 887 cows, 358 sheep, 716 chickens and quite a few pigs. The group was divided into six sections of one hundred wagons each.11
This second pioneer company that John and Brother Pratt were in charge of reached the Salt Lake Valley on October 5th. By Christmas John had built housing, barns, and corrals and laid out a garden spot. The Saints had very little to eat that winter besides corn meal, flour, and tough beef. They needed better nourishment. John prayed that he would know how to find more food for his family. 

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Horse and Hide


About this same time news came from England that the men who were to collect passage for the poor British Saints to come to America had squandered all the money. Brigham Young asked John, Parley P. Pratt and Orson Hyde to go to England to solve the problem.
Before he left, John made arrangements for his family to be taken care of until he could return. He would never forget how ill Leonora had been when he came back from his last mission.
When John arrived in Great Britain, one of the offenders fled to London; and the other men were severely reprimanded. John visited the Saints throughout the land and restored confidence in the Church. The people welcomed him with open arms, and the Saints in Wales gave him an ovation.8
John and Orson Hyde published the Millennial Star while in England. John had a wonderful sense of humor and there were times when he and Brother Hyde had a good laugh as they collected money for the paper. John knew that at times the British dropped or added an ‘h’ to a word, so he was not surprised when they had difficulty understanding how to spell ‘Orson Hyde.’ John and Brother Hyde ran a small notice in the Millennial Star, stating that some orders for the paper came addressed to “Horse and Hide,” or Horson Ide.” ‘Orson Hyde’ was spelled correctly so everyone would know how to address their subscriptions.9