Doctrine and Covenants 30:5–7

President Joseph Fielding Smith:

“Peter [Whitmer Jr.] was informed that there was none appointed to be Oliver’s counselor, except Joseph Smith. Thus Peter understood that it was his duty to take, not to give, counsel while on this journey. The fact that Oliver Cowdery had shared with Joseph Smith in the conferring of Priesthood and authority on all occasions naturally gave to him the authority to stand second in the Church to Joseph Smith in the government of the Church” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 2 vols. [1953], 1:146–47).

Doctrine and Covenants 31:3–4

President Gordon B. Hinckley:

“You will bless the lives of those you teach, and their posterity after them. You will bless your own life. You will bless the lives of your family, who will sustain you and pray for you” (“Of Missions, Temples, and Stewardship,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 52).

Doctrine and Covenants 31:2, 5–8

President Thomas S. Monson:

“There sat in my office one day a newly arrived missionary. He was bright, strong, filled with enthusiasm and a desire to serve, happy and grateful to be a missionary. As I spoke with him I said, ‘Elder, I imagine that your father and mother wholeheartedly support you in your mission call.’ He lowered his head and replied, ‘Well, not quite. You see, President, my father is not a member of the Church. He doesn’t believe as we believe, so he cannot fully appreciate the importance of my assignment.’ Without hesitating and prompted by a source not my own, I said to him, ‘Elder, if you will honestly and diligently serve God in proclaiming his message, your father will join the Church before your mission is concluded.’ He clasped my hand in a viselike grip, the tears welled up in his eyes and began to roll forth down his cheeks, and he declared, ‘To see my father accept the truth would be the greatest blessing that could come into my life.’

“This young man did not sit idly by, hoping and wishing that the promise would be fulfilled, but rather he followed the example of Abraham Lincoln, of whom it has been said, ‘When he prayed, he prayed as though everything depended upon God, and then he worked as though everything depended upon him.’ Such was the missionary service of this young man.

“At every missionary conference I would seek him out before the meetings would ever commence and ask, ‘Elder, how’s dad progressing?’

“His reply would invariably be, ‘No progress, President, but I know the Lord will fulfil the promise given to me through you as my mission president.’ The days turned to weeks and the weeks to months and finally, just two weeks before we ourselves left the mission field to return home, I received a letter from the father of this missionary. I would like to share it with you today.

“‘Dear Brother Monson:

“‘I wish to thank you so much for taking such good care of my son who recently completed a mission in Canada.

“‘He has been an inspiration to us.

“‘My son was promised when he left on his mission that I would become a member of the Church before his return. This promise was, I believe, made to him by you, unknown to me.

“‘I am happy to report that I was baptized into the Church one week before he completed his mission. …

“‘… His younger brother was also recently baptized and confirmed a member of the Church.

“‘May I again thank you for all the kindness and love bestowed upon my son by his brothers in the mission field during the past two years.

“‘Yours very truly,

“‘A grateful father.’

“The humble prayer of faith had once again been answered” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1964, 131–32).

Doctrine and Covenants 32

President Joseph Fielding Smith:

“The journey of nearly fifteen hundred miles, through wilderness much of the way, and in inclement weather much of the time, consumed some four months time. It was, however, a very profitable journey, as many embraced the Gospel along the way and substantial branches were raised in Kirtland and other parts, and many stalwart men came into the Church. This was the first missionary journey west of the state of New York, and its results were to prove to be incalculable in the benefits to the Church” (Church History and Modern Revelation, 2 vols. [1953], 1:150).

Doctrine and Covenants 32:1–3

Parley P. Pratt:

“I read all day; eating was a burden, I had no desire for food; sleep was a burden when the night came, for I preferred reading to sleep.

“As I read, the spirit of the Lord was upon me, and I knew and comprehended that the book was true” (Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, ed. Parley P. Pratt [1938], 20).

Doctrine and Covenants 32:3

The following account is an example of how the Lord blessed Parley P. Pratt as he fulfilled his mission:

Fifty miles west of Kirtland, Parley was arrested on a “frivolous charge,” tried, and “ordered to prison” or to pay a fine (Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, ed. Parley P. Pratt [1938], 36). Because he could not pay, Parley spent the night locked in a public inn. The next morning, he was visited briefly by his companions and urged them to move ahead on their journey, promising to soon catch up with them. Parley reported: “After sitting awhile by the fire in charge of the officer, I requested to step out. I walked out into the public square accompanied by him. Said I, ‘Mr. Peabody, are you good at a race?’ ‘No,’ said he, ‘but my big bull dog is, and he has been trained to assist me in my office these several years; he will take any man down at my bidding.’ ‘Well, Mr. Peabody, you compelled me to go a mile, I have gone with you two miles. You have given me an opportunity to preach, sing, and have also entertained me with lodging and breakfast. I must now go on my journey; if you are good at a race you can accompany me. I thank you for all your kindness—good day, sir.’

“I then started on my journey, while he stood amazed and not able to step one foot before the other. … He did not awake from his astonishment sufficiently to start in pursuit till I had gained, perhaps, two hundred yards. … He now came hallooing after me, and shouting to his dog to seize me. The dog, being one of the largest I ever saw, came close on my footsteps with all his fury; the officer behind still in pursuit, clapping his hands and hallooing, ‘stu-boy, stu-boy—take him—watch—lay hold of him, I say—down with him,’ and pointing his finger in the direction I was running. The dog was fast overtaking me, and in the act of leaping upon me, when, quick as lightning, the thought struck me, to assist the officer, in sending the dog with all fury to the forest a little distance before me. I pointed my finger in that direction, clapped my hands, and shouted in imitation of the officer. The dog hastened past me with redoubled speed towards the forest; being urged by the officer and myself, and both of us running in the same direction.”

Having eluded both the dog and the officer, Elder Pratt joined his companions via an alternate route. Parley later learned that Simeon Carter, whom he had left a Book of Mormon with, along with about sixty others in that area, joined the Church (see Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, 38–39).