During the autumn of 1868 and the following spring, I assisted in building the great trans-continental railway; and during the summer of 1869, studied in the University of Deseret, under Prof. J. R. Park. In May, 1870, at a General Conference of the Church (held in May, awaiting President Young's return from St. George), by communication from my father, I was notified of my appointment as missionary to Europe, to come immediately to Salt Lake, to be set apart by the proper authorities for said mission. Not having the slightest previous intimation, I was taken by surprise, yet most gladly responded to the call; went to Salt Lake City, was set apart by my father and others, returned to Brigham City to bid adieu to friends and relatives, and within five days from the first announcement, I was on board the train _en route_ for Great Britain. On reaching Ogden I had the pleasure of meeting a goodly number of Elders destined to the same point; and in each other's society our five days' transit across the continent to New York was very pleasant. There we were detained one week, waiting for the steamer, which afforded a fine opportunity for sight-seeing, which was a genuine treat to those born and raised in the Great American Desert, beneath the towering cliffs, "crowned with eternal snows." Arriving at New York, I was not only surprised but almost bewildered by the confusing jargon of the cab drivers, hooting and wrangling to secure passengers for the hotels. Two of them had a serious confab about which was entitled to me, when I took my valise, engaged another cab and left them to fight it out. On the twenty-fifth of May we embarked on the beautiful steamer Minnesota, and after an uneventful voyage of eleven days, landed in Liverpool, where we were met and cordially greeted by President A. Carrington, at Islington, for many years the headquarters of the European mission. I soon received an appointment as traveling Elder in the Manchester Conference, with President David Brinton. Being an entire stranger, entirely ignorant of the locations of branches and residences of the Saints, as my predecessor was about to make a farewell visit through the conference, I accompanied him on a general tour.