William James Barratt: The First Latter-day Saint Missionary to Australia (c. 1840s)

William James Barratt was an English convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who has been called 'the first Mormon down under.' Ordained an elder at only seventeen, he was commissioned to preach the restored gospel in South Australia—the first Latter-day Saint missionary to that land. BYU Studies has told his story as the seed from which the Australian Church grew. Brother Barratt's life is a faith-promoting witness of the young missionaries of the Restoration who carried the gospel, often quite alone, to the ends of the earth.

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

Extract of a Letter from Elder William Barratt. Marden, South Australia, May 12, 1841. Dear Brother Smith: I write to inform you of my arrival in this colony. I arrived in Adelaide on the 18th of November, 1840, after a voyage of four months. I have been endeavoring to preach the gospel since my arrival, but have met with much opposition. The people here are very much prejudiced against the truth, and I have not been able to baptize any as yet. I have distributed some tracts, and have had some conversation with the people, but they seem to be very indifferent to the things of God. I am the only member of the Church in this part of the world, and I feel very lonely at times. I have been trying to get a hearing, but the people are so much taken up with the things of this world that they have no time to attend to the salvation of their souls. I have been working for my living, as I have no means of support, and I find it very hard to get along. I hope you will remember me in your prayers, that I may be enabled to do some good in this land.