others were soon added to our numbers,
and on the second of January, 1834,
Elder Pulsipher organized a branch of
the Church with twelve members, and
ordained my brother Azmon and Noah
Holten Elders, and myself a Teacher.
This was the commencement of my asso-
ciation with the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints.

From that day I have closely associated
with the leaders of the Church in all their
history, until the present day. I traveled
with Joseph Smith and company known
as Zion's Camp, from Kirtland to Clay
County, Missouri, upwards of one thous-
and miles. I wrote a good portion of
the history of that important event.
The experience gained in traveling with
the Prophet of God in the company of two
hundred and five, mostly young men,
was of great benefit to those who were
disposed to make a right use of their
experience. On my arrival in Clay
County I took up my abode at Lyman
Wight's, with Tilton Hyde, Milton
Holmes, Judge Elias Higbee and some
of the Whitmers. I attended the meet-
tings of the Prophet Joseph while he was
in Clay County, organizing the Presi-
dency of that Stake of Zion and appoint-
ing David Whitmer as President.

I was still holding the office of a Teach-
er, and knowing for myself that the ful-
ness of the Gospel of Christ, which God
had revealed to Joseph Smith, was true,
I had a great desire to preach it to the
inhabitants of the earth, but as a Teacher
I had no authority to preach the gospel
to the world. I went into the forest
near Lyman Wight's, one Sunday evening,
aside from the abodes of men, and made
my desire known unto the Lord. I
prayed that the Lord would open my
way and give me the privilege of preach-
ing the gospel. I did not make my re-
quest expecting any honor from man, for
I knew that the preaching of the gospel
was attended with hard labor and per-
secution. While I was praying, the
spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and
testified to me that my prayer was heard,
and that my request would be granted.
I arose to my feet and walked some three
hundred yards into a broad road rejoic-
ing. As I came into the road I saw Judge
Elias Higbee standing before me. As
I walked up to him he said, "Wilford,
the Lord has revealed to me that it is
your duty to go into the vineyard of the
Lord and preach the gospel." I told him
if that was the will of the Lord I was
ready to go. I did not tell him that I
had been praying for that privilege. I
had been boarding at Lyman Wight's
with Judge Higbee for months and it
was the first time he had ever named
such a thing to me.

At a meeting of the High Council at
Lyman Wight's, Clay County, Missouri,
November 5th, 1834, I was ordained a
Priest, by Elder Simeon Carter and Bishop
Edward Partridge appointed Elder
Henry Brown and myself a mission to
the Southern States. On the thirteenth
of January 1835, I received an honorable
discharge from Lyman Wight, as having
performed my duties faithfully in Zion's
Camp, and Elder Henry Brown and
myself started upon our mission. We
crossed into Jackson County and bowed
our knees upon that land and returned
thanks to the Lord, prayed for His pro-
tection from the hands of wicked men
and mobs, and went on our way re-
joicing. I started upon this my first
mission in life without purse or scrip
to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
We traveled through Jackson County,
living mostly upon parched corn until
we got out of the county. We spent
one night with Mr. Jerew, the Indian
trader, on the Osage river. The next
day we walked sixty miles and lay on
the floor of a house without anything to
eat, and walked next morning twelve miles
before getting breakfast, making
seventy-two miles travel without food.
We passed into Arkansas Territory and
spent several weeks at Petty John Creek,
where we passed through a very singu-
lar experience with Mr. Alexander Ake-
man and others, -[a full statement of
which is published in the eighteenth
number of Vol. eight of the Deseret
News.]- We cut down a cottonwood
tree, and in two days dug out a canoe
four feet wide and twelve feet long, and
rowed down the Arkansas river one

others were soon added to our numbers, and on the second of January, 1834, Elder Pulsipher organized a branch of the Church with twelve members, and ordained my brother Azmon and Noah Holten Elders, and myself a Teacher. This was the commencement of my association with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

From that day I have closely associated with the leaders of the Church in all their history, until the present day. I traveled with Joseph Smith and company known as Zion's Camp, from Kirtland to Clay County, Missouri, upwards of one thousand miles. I wrote a good portion of the history of that important event. The experience gained in traveling with the Prophet of God in the company of two hundred and five, mostly young men, was of great benefit to those who were disposed to make a right use of their experience. On my arrival in Clay County I took up my abode at Lyman Wight's, with Tilton Hyde, Milton Holmes, Judge Elias Higbee and some of the Whitmers. I attended the meettings of the Prophet Joseph while he was in Clay County, organizing the Presidency of that Stake of Zion and appointing David Whitmer as President.

I was still holding the office of a Teacher, and knowing for myself that the fulness of the Gospel of Christ, which God had revealed to Joseph Smith, was true, I had a great desire to preach it to the inhabitants of the earth, but as a Teacher I had no authority to preach the gospel to the world. I went into the forest near Lyman Wight's, one Sunday evening, aside from the abodes of men, and made my desire known unto the Lord. I prayed that the Lord would open my way and give me the privilege of preaching the gospel. I did not make my request expecting any honor from man, for I knew that the preaching of the gospel was attended with hard labor and persecution. While I was praying, the spirit of the Lord rested upon me, and testified to me that my prayer was heard, and that my request would be granted. I arose to my feet and walked some three hundred yards into a broad road rejoicing. As I came into the road I saw Judge Elias Higbee standing before me. As I walked up to him he said, "Wilford, the Lord has revealed to me that it is your duty to go into the vineyard of the Lord and preach the gospel." I told him if that was the will of the Lord I was ready to go. I did not tell him that I had been praying for that privilege. I had been boarding at Lyman Wight's with Judge Higbee for months and it was the first time he had ever named such a thing to me.

At a meeting of the High Council at Lyman Wight's, Clay County, Missouri, November 5th, 1834, I was ordained a Priest, by Elder Simeon Carter and Bishop Edward Partridge appointed Elder Henry Brown and myself a mission to the Southern States. On the thirteenth of January 1835, I received an honorable discharge from Lyman Wight, as having performed my duties faithfully in Zion's Camp, and Elder Henry Brown and myself started upon our mission. We crossed into Jackson County and bowed our knees upon that land and returned thanks to the Lord, prayed for His protection from the hands of wicked men and mobs, and went on our way rejoicing. I started upon this my first mission in life without purse or scrip to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We traveled through Jackson County, living mostly upon parched corn until we got out of the county. We spent one night with Mr. Jerew, the Indian trader, on the Osage river. The next day we walked sixty miles and lay on the floor of a house without anything to eat, and walked next morning twelve miles before getting breakfast, making seventy-two miles travel without food. We passed into Arkansas Territory and spent several weeks at Petty John Creek, where we passed through a very singular experience with Mr. Alexander Akeman and others, [a full statement of which is published in the eighteenth number of Vol. eight of the Deseret News.] We cut down a cottonwood tree, and in two days dug out a canoe four feet wide and twelve feet long, and rowed down the Arkansas river one