John Taylor, Missionary

I rejoice in proclaiming this glorious gospel, because it takes root in the hearts of the children of men, and they rejoice . . . in the blessings of the Kingdom of God.¹

            At the October conference of 1849 Brigham Young called John on a mission to France along with Elders Bolton and Pack. Leaving the Salt Lake Valley with them were Lorenzo Snow, going to Italy; Erastus Snow, traveling to Denmark; Franklin D. Richards on his way to England and others who would preach in the Eastern States.

            As they crossed the plains, the brethren scanned the horizon, looking for Indians. They met a group of men carrying mail who told them they’d been attacked by Indians and robbed (or ‘tithed’ as John called it) of supplies, including blankets and clothing. The missionary party grew anxious and searched the landscape for signs of war paint and horses. 

John also built the first boat to sail on Utah Lake. He used a net that his wives made to catch fish – a tasty change from tough beef through the long winter.¹³

The next summer crickets came in hoards thick as black clouds, devouring the sparse crops of the Saints. John prayed, along with everyone else, for a miracle. The seagulls came and stuffed themselves with crickets and spewed them out in the Great Salt Lake – over and over again. A miracle!

The life of the pioneers was hard. John worked alongside the Saints to turn discouragement into hope. His trust in God blessed others because they leaned on his faith until their own became strong. Because of John’s unwavering testimony and faith, the Saints loved him. 

Burned Cricket Paste. Yuck!

Brother George Bean came to visit John with an old Goshute Indian who called himself a medicine man. The Indian told John that many of his tribe were dying of the white man’s disease of measles. He asked for a blessing for Yellow Bird, the twelve-year-old son of Chief Little Face. John and Brother Bean went with the medicine man and blessed Yellow Bird. The boy recovered.

The grateful Indians brought gifts of moccasins and gloves along with sego lily and camus bulbs, thistle roots, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, and wild honey. The Indians told John where to gather more. John’s prayers were answered. There was also a bag of meal that his family liked. John wanted to know how to make it, and the Indians showed him. They encircled a field with fire and burned the brush along with lots and lots of crickets. As the crickets roasted in the fire, the Indians gathered them and then ground them up, mixing them with honey for a delectable meal that could be made into cakes.
This is not delectable meal in my book!

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865568837/Book-review-Texting-through-Time-John-Taylor-and-the-Mystery-Puzzle-will-delight-young-readers.html

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 5^th. 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. 

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

Here's the Deseret News Review of Texting Through Time, John Taylor and The Mystery Puzzle

Hope you like it.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865568837/Book-review-Texting-through-Time-John-Taylor-and-the-Mystery-Puzzle-will-delight-young-readers.html

"TEXTING THROUGH TIME: John Taylor and the Mystery Puzzle," by Christy Monson, Bonneville Books, $12.99, 176 pages (f) (ages 8 and up)

A new book by Christy Monson is a wonderful piece of fiction for young children. “Texting through Time: John Taylor and the Mystery Puzzle” is also a useful tool for parents who want to teach their youngsters about the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the sacrifices of the early Mormon pioneers.

Alicia and Micah are young children with a fascination for church history. Their father recently developed a cell phone that allows people to travel through time. The children have already used this tool to visit Brigham Young in the first book it the series, and they tell their father they would like to use the phone this time to visit the prophet and third president of the LDS Church, President John Taylor.

Their father is skeptical at first because he has learned of a few glitches the phone has. He tells his kids he will go with them. But when the phone is activated, it only takes Alicia and Micah to England, the place where John Taylor was born.

Alicia and Micah meet John Taylor as a child. After playing war games with him and his friends, Alicia and Micah decide they should go home and see their father. The phone will not transport the children back home, however, until they finish a puzzle.

The puzzle makes the children travel throughout the entirety of President Taylor’s life. They go with him to Canada where he was a Methodist preacher. They also go to Nauvoo, Ill., after he was shot in Carthage Jail.

The most poignant part of the book comes when President Taylor describes the death of the Prophet Joseph Smith to Micah and Alicia. Children reading the book will not only understand the gravity of the situation, but they will appreciate Joseph Smith and his sacrifices on a much higher level.

The combination of time travel, cell phones and church history makes this book appealing to young children.

Monson does an excellent job intertwining scriptures into the book as well. The scriptures are placed in such a context that children will be able to understand them easily.

Monson is also the author of “Texting Through Time: A Trek with Brigham Young.” Her works have been published in multiple church magazines, as well.

Shelby Scoffield has a bachelor's in English from Brigham Young University and a master's in rhetoric and composition from Stanislaus State University. She is currently working on her teaching credentials so she can teach high school English.

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.