“We have travelled a long distance from towards the rising sun to bring you glad news; we have travelled the wilderness, crossed the deep and wide rivers, and waded in the deep snows, and in the face of the storms of winter, to communicate to you great knowledge which has lately come to our ears and hearts.” —Oliver Cowdery¹

In 1830, Oliver Cowdery, Peter Whitmer Jr., Parley P. Pratt, and Ziba Peterson were called to preach the restored gospel to the Native Americans, referred to as Lamanites, nearly a thousand miles west, at the edge of the United States.² The missionaries found great success preaching in the town of Kirtland, Ohio, baptizing many future church leaders, including Sidney Rigdon, Edward Partridge, and Frederick G. Williams. Williams, a physician, went with the missionaries on their mission to the Native Americans.³ They traveled through challenging winter conditions to reach Independence, Missouri, and shared their message first with the Shawnee and then the Delaware, also known as the Lenape.⁴ Delaware chief Kikthawenund and many of his tribe showed great interest in the Book of Mormon, but the preaching among the Native Americans was halted by a government agent because the missionaries did not have the required authorization.⁵

1. The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt, Chapter VIII, 57, archive.org

2. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 9, 98

3. “A Mission to the Lamanites,” Revelations in Context, churchofjesuschrist.org

4. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 10, 105-106; Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 11, 115-117

5. Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 11, 115-117; Saints, Volume 1, Chapter 11, 124-125; Historical Introduction, Letter from Oliver Cowdery, 7 May 1831, josephsmithpapers.org