“Some people talk about doing great things; but it is not a great thing to travel a little, or to preach a little.” JoD 1:20

Read it here

I thought this was an interesting quote.

The context of this quote is John Taylor, the next prophet, was giving his missionary homecoming talk; he had just returned from Europe. Several times he talks about how missionary work isn’t that glorious and shouldn’t be that revered. He essentially says that any idiot can preach.

He talks much more favorably about how well building Zion was going. He clearly loves his people and all the efforts they were making to make a homeland for themselves.

I didn’t go on a mission, and had never heard this quote before. It would have meant a lot to me when I was 18 to hear a prophet disparage the importance of a mission in favor of building a home (which is what I did for myself).

Anyway, thought that was a fun little tidbit from the Journal of Discourses.