Sunday, February 23. At a meeting held in the President’s office in the evening a number of brethren were blessed and set apart by Pres. Brigham Young and his counselors for missions. Elder Parley P. Pratt was set apart to a mission to open the door and proclaim the Gospel in the Pacific Islands, in Lower California and in South America. Elder Amasa M. Lyman was also set apart to take a company with Elder Charles C. Rich to Southern California, to preside over the affairs of the Church in that land and to establish a strong hold for the gathering of the Saints.
[History of Brigham Young, 1851:9]
[Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Feb. 23, 1851, 1]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, June 2006]
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Sunday, March 2. At 11 a.m. a meeting was held in the Bowery in G.S.L. City. Parley P. Pratt preached a farewell sermon, followed by Pres. Young who made some practicable remarks.
[Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mar. 2, 1851, 1]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, June 2006]
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Sunday, March 9. At 4 p.m. Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards, Parley P. Pratt, Ezra T. Benson, Charles C. Rich, Wilford Woodruff, Thomas Bullock, Jedediah M. Grant, Daniel H. Wells, Truman O. Angel, and John Murdock met and prayed; afterward they blessed and set apart John Murdock, William H. Perkins, and Rufus C. Allen for missions to the Pacific Islands.
[Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mar. 9, 1851, 1]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, June 2006]
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Sunday, March 16. On this day Elder Parley P. Pratt left G.S.L. City on his mission to the Pacific Islands.
[History of Brigham Young, 1851:12]
[Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Mar. 16, 1851, 1]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, June 2006]
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Letter from George A. Smith
Cedar City, Iron county
April 29, 1851
To the Editor of the News.
Dear Sir:
The mail not having arrived to this date, and an opportunity presenting, I send you a few lines regarding the progress of our subduing the elements in this quarter of the country, the travel through and place, &c. The company of P.P. Pratt and Gen. Rich’s division arrived at this point on Friday, the 11th inst., and they kept arriving until the 19th in companies of different sizes, and camped in this vicinity (some companies departing in the mean time, however,) until yesterday, when the last company left L____ creek. None could be induced to remain at this point, though the circumstances of some regarding health and the state of teams would seem to warrant such a course. Some children had been born on the way, and some after their arrival; the health of the parents would not justify pursuing the journey at the moment, but the anxiety (I presume) of persons to taste the fruits of the sunny climes of California, was so great that not a moment was to be lost. Health, happiness, and every other consideration to a reasonable man, was to be sacrificed to obtain these much desired blessings; and if they should be as eager to follow the counsel of those appointed to lead them hereafter, as they pretended they were in passing this place by counsel, much good will result from their operations….
Four individuals, identified with our company in coming to this point, have left us for California with the company passing; they did well while here, but were gold diggers and pursued their way. Bro. Philip B. Lewis is left us with Br. Parley to go to the islands; he was in fine spirits, and seemed to enjoy the prospect before him very much. Nothing further at present.
Respectfully, I remain yours, &c.,
George A. Smith
[Deseret News, 1:259]
[Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Apr. 29, 1851, 1]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, June 2006]