Elder Wm. Brown of Bountiful, Davis Co., Utah, returned to his home from a mission to Europe. Under date of Feb. 26, 1859, he reported his mission to Geo. A. Smith as follows.
I left him on the 10th of September, 1856, crossed the plains in company of Elder Parley P. Pratt and about 20 other missionaries for different parts of the world. Had a fine journey across the plains. When we arrived at the Missouri river (old Winter Quarters) all the missionaries except Bro. Pratt and myself took boat for St. Louis. I accompanied him as far as Oscalusa, Iowa, about 200 miles from Winter Quarters. When about leaving him he said he wished that he had as pleasant a journey before him as I had “but,” said he, “this is my last mission.” I supposed he had a promise from the President that he need not travel any more, but time soon proved that it was his last mission in mortality….
[Journal History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, June 21, 1858, 1]
[transcribed and proofread by David Grow, July 2006]