In the month of September, 1830, a young man came to the house of Joseph
Smith, at Fayette, and asked to see the prophet. As Joseph was absent, he
was referred to his brother Hyrum who explained to him what he wanted to
know about the Book of Mormon, the revelations of the Lord to his brother,
and the establishing of the Church. The young man was a preacher of the
sect called Campbellites, and his name was Parley P. Pratt. On his journey
from his home in Ohio to New York he had obtained a copy of the Book of
Mormon, had read it, and had been deeply impressed with its beautiful
truths. Wishing to know more about this new revelation of God, he had
sought out Joseph.

Parley P. Pratt joined the Church and soon became one of its leading men,
working with Joseph and his brethren with great energy. He became one of
the Twelve Apostles, traveled in many parts of the earth preaching the
gospel, wrote many fine books, and at last was killed by a wicked man in
the state of Arkansas.

Some day you will want to read a full account of this great man's history
as he wrote it himself, but here I will give you but a few of these
interesting events, because they have much to do with the Church at this
point of our history.

You will remember that the Book of Mormon tells about the early history of
the Indians. In this book it is predicted that some day the gospel should
be preached to them, and the record of their forefathers should also be
brought to their knowledge. At the second conference of the Church held in
Fayette, September 1st, Oliver Cowdery, Parley P. Pratt, Ziba Peterson and
Peter Whitmer, Jr., were called to go on a mission to the Indians. They