Oliver Cowdery - Missionary Journey to the Lamanites and Divine Guidance of the Lord's Work

Oliver Cowdery, as part of the 'Lamanite Missionaries,' was called to travel westward to share the gospel with Native American tribes. In a letter dated 1831, after a considerable lengthy journey of some 25 miles from the Shawnee Indians on the south side of the Kansas River at its mouth, Oliver reported his arrival and recounted his miraculous experiences. He wrote: 'I have had two interviews with the Chief of the Delawares who is a very old & venerable looking man after laying before him & eighteen to twenty of the Council of that nation the truth he said that he and they were very glad for what I their Brother had told them and they had received it in their hearts.' Despite severe weather with considerable snow making travel difficult, Oliver was guided by the Lord to successfully present the gospel to this nation's council. Though he noted uncertainty about how the matter would progress with the tribe, he trusted in God's providence to guide this missionary work. This demonstrated divine direction in the early missionary efforts to bring the gospel to all nations.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

I have had two interviews with the Chief of the Delawares who is a very old & venerable looking man after laying before him & eighteen to twenty of the Council of that nation the truth he said that he and they were very glad for what I their Brother had told them and they had received it in their hearts. We have had a considerable snow and the weather has been very cold but we have been preserved by the Lord and have been enabled to present the gospel to this nation's council. I do not know how the matter will progress but I trust in God's providence to guide this missionary work.

Fuller account of this event (in the witness’s own words):

I have had two interviews with the Chief of the Delawares who is a very old & venerable looking man after laying before him & eighteen to twenty of the Council of that nation the truth he said that he and they were very glad for what I their Brother had told them and they had received it in their hearts. We have had a considerable snow and the weather has been very cold but we have been preserved by the Lord and have been enabled to present the gospel to this nation's council. I do not know how the matter will progress but I trust in God's providence to guide this missionary work.