| Show ITHE MISSION IN THE ORIENT having been called by the dency to assist in proclaiming tho the principles of the gospel to the people of turkey I 1 took leave of friends in this city and started for the orient on ai april ril 1889 in company with elder elder E D simmons Bim mone our journey eastward through the states across the atlantic and over the continent of europe was both interesting and instructive tive to these two utah boys after six weeks traveling and visit ing in the grandest cities of the world viz new york london paris vienna and others we arrived at constantinople which though not su flourishing artificial in grandeur was of greater moment to u there thare being spread before us a new scene of the panorama of our lives it ves preaching the gospel to a nation whose language and every custom were foreign to us at the call of elder hintze who was then president of the mission I 1 left constantinople on the of august and journeyed eastward to a city in the eastern stern part of asia minor where I 1 toot up my abode with a family of saints being thus left alone among the natives I 1 found it necessary to acquire their language during the fall and winter of 1889 90 I 1 learned sufficient to carry on a conversation on biblical subjects in april 1890 1 called a native elder to accompany me aud and commenced traveling and teaching the first principles of the gospel to the armenians Armen ians and greeks it being forbidden to teach christianity ty to the Mohammedan siu various towns and cities of 0 central asis asia minor although we always met with multitudes of investigators we had bad not the privilege of adding any members to the church in the latter part of july we returned to somewhat discouraged at the condition of things there in the meantime sickness death and releases of elders had left the mission without elders except myself the branch being the most promising and there being some applicants for baptism and no one holding authority to officiate in that ordinance there it was decided that I 1 should there take up my labors for which purpose I 1 took leave of the saints in and commenced my journey thither on september 11 1890 arriving at my destination on october in connection with brothers and baruj whom I 1 ordained elders I 1 began to labor among the armenians Armen ians of that palace during th e winter about twelve souls were added to the church and we became regular ly organized as a branch enjoying the comforts of the spirit and much satis faction in our labors notwithstanding ding the opposition that we met iu in the various protestant sects having no printed ante I 1 matter to distri distribute bute the people it was decided that I 1 should go to constantinople to attend to the matter of getting printing done accordingly after having appointed el der to preside over the branch I 1 started for constantinople on the of march spent six weeks in visiting with the salute in syria and palestine thence to constantinople where I 1 arrived on the of may and immediately commenced my labors with the government in trying to obtain permission to print and publish tracts in the empire I 1 was still working with considerable success when on october ath elders J F schoenfeld and A herrman arrived inthe in the field A after fter staying with them a month they were left in charge of the work while 1 I by permission of president young went to switzerland to visit relatives a few days while there I 1 was honorably rs released leased from my labors to return home embarked on the 8 8 S 11 wyoming on december fth with four returning elders arrived in this thia city on the dinst iu in the enjoyment of good health though I 1 many hardships I 1 enjoyed my mission better than any othey other period of my life As regarding the mission minion in the orient I 1 have many reasons 0 o believe that much good will result from the work that has been commenced if properly carried on in the future FRED STAUFFER |
