_Friday, 25th_.--Spent the day with my family, and in a meeting with a chartered company, called the Deseret Road and Express Company, of which I was a member. _Saturday, 26th_, and from thence to February 14th was spent with my family, and in preaching occasionally in the Tabernacle and in the different wards in the city. Also in the office of juryman on the Grand Jury of the United States Court. _Tuesday, March 4th_.--Attended at the President's office in the duty as a Regent of the University. Next day attended at the President's office as a Committee of the Regency in raising school books. _Thursday, 6th_.--Myself and family fasted and attended meeting in the Fourteenth ward school-house, and at evening visited at Brother Southworth's, and attended another meeting in the ward. Having been elected a delegate of Salt Lake County to a Convention called by the people of the Territory of Utah, to form a Constitution for the State of Deseret, I attended the daily sessions of the Convention for ten days, ending March 27, 1856. My time, after the adjournment of said Convention, was devoted to laboring on the farm, garden, and administering in the various duties of my calling, writing history, etc., until the Annual Conference, which convened April 6th and closed on the 8th. This Conference was held under a bowery adjoining the Tabernacle, and was attended by six or eight thousand people. At this Conference several hundred persons were called to go on missions to the United States, England, Australia, the Sandwich Islands and other parts of the earth. The Presidency enjoined upon me the duty of setting apart and ordaining those who were called for their several missions, in which I was assisted by the rest of the Twelve and some of the Presidents of Seventies. About this period, or immediately after Conference, I was taken sick with a fever and came nigh unto death, which sickness continued about two weeks. _May 26th_.--Accompanied by Elder Gates I started on a mission of preaching, visiting and instructing the Saints in the southern part of the Territory; during which tour we held meetings at Union Fort, American Fork, Pleasant Grove, Provo, Payson, Summit, Nephi, Fillmore, Beaver, Paragona, Parowan, Cedar City and Harmony. On my return to Salt Lake City called and preached at the different towns and settlements on the route, arriving home June 27, 1856. While at home my time was occupied in attending meetings, instructing and speaking words of comfort and encouragement to the Saints, and writing my history, assisted by my wife Kezia, as copyist. CHAPTER LIII. ------------------------ JOURNAL OF EASTERN MISSION. During the summer, after my return from the South, I performed several home missions or preaching tours through Davis, Weber and Box Elder Counties, and in September received an appointment to take a mission to the States, for which I received the following letter of appointment: