He was to be entrusted with great powers, and be made a Lion of the Lord to lead them to their rightful glory.
He was eager to be back to the mountains where he could fitly receive this new power, and becomingly make it known that he had been chosen of Heaven to free them forever from the harassing Gentile.

He felt instinctively that a climax was close at hand--some dread moment of turning that would try the faith of the Saints once for all--try his own faith as well, and at last bring his great Witness before him, if his soul should survive the perilous ordeal.

For he had never ceased to wait for this heavenly Witness--something he needed--he knew not what--some great want of his soul unsatisfied despite all the teachings of the temple priesthood.

The hunger gnawed in his heart,--a hunger that only his Witness could feed.
When the hand-cart party came in across the prairies of Iowa he made all haste to be off with it to the valley of the Lake.

Several such parties had left the Missouri earlier in the season.