A Missionary in France

The ocean voyage to France seemed to last forever, but it was uneventful. During the trip John practiced his French so when he got to Boulogne-sur-Mer he was able to greet the mayor in halting, but understandable French. The mayor was charmed that John spoke to him in his native tongue and replied in broken English. He gave John permission to preach in the city. That night John and Elders Bolton and Pack walked along the sea shore and thanked the Lord for preserving them, dedicating themselves to His service.⁴

            While John was in France, he organized several branches of the Church, including one in Paris, oversaw the translation of the Book of Mormon into French, and established a Mormon newspaper, The Star of Deseret. Next john traveled to Germans where he spent time organizing the translation of the Book of Mormon into German and started a newspaper called Zion’s Banner.

r horse- � r w @n �[o ws and cocked their rifles as if to shoot. With a prayer in their hearts and faith in the Lord, the missionaries stood firm.

            Soon the chief urged his horse forward. He handed the missionaries a letter saying the Indians were peaceful members of the Cheyenne tribe. John shifted in his saddle, wiping the sweat from his forehead and offering a silent prayer of gratitude for safety.

The missionaries invited the Indians to feast with them on dried meat and crackers. That evening John and a few of the others visited the Indians’ camp. The tribe seemed friendly but a little embarrassed because their plan to frighten the group hadn’t worked.²