“You were annoyed with the ungodly conversation and filthy deeds of your neighbors, your peace was destroyed, and you could not enjoy that happiness held out to you in the Gospel; yet you felt the influence of the spirit of truth burning in your heart, which kindled in you a longing desire to mingle with the Saints; you would exclaim…’Oh! that I had means to gather up my little family, and journey to the place of the gathering of the Saints of the Most High.’ This was your feeling, and this your prayer. You anticipated deliverance from hell, to find a heaven with the Saints; you expected to exchange confusion for a Zion of order and beauty… starvation for plenty…. I think I have drawn a faithful picture of what were the thoughts of the majority of this people, before they were gathered to the body of the Church.”
– Brigham Young, 2/20/1853