Episode 123: The Gold Mission

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (0:15)
It's 1848, Salt Lake City, spring. Popcorn will be popping on the trees in just a few years after apple blossoms are planted there. But for now, if you're lucky enough to leave swampy winter quarters to come across, your prize is to live in the crappy Fort Utah, packed in tight with your stinky neighbors who you wanted to choke out on the trail because you're sick of their snoring and same old boring stories about oxen and hickory pants.

**Bryan Buchanan** (0:44)
That's right, it's time to celebrate because if you're one of the 1,671 people that made it alive to Utah by this time, you were rewarded by hearing sermons each week at the Liberty Pole in the center of the fort.
Or maybe you got to help build a bridge over Mill Creek or the Jordan River with the Gardner boys. They're definitely worth their weight in cracker soup. Maybe you get to go make some roads. Brigham Young, of course, didn't stick around long enough to live in a crappy fort. He's headed back to winter quarters. He'll come back a year later with most of the brethren though.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (1:11)
A story I always liked hearing was when the mail first came that year. Did you ever hear this in primary?

**Bryan Buchanan** (1:17)
I don't think I heard this one.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (1:19)
I think it's like exactly a year after Brigham arrives, he comes back, right? And here's how Bancroft describes it, quote, The first letters received at Great Salt Lake City from Brigham came 12 months after his departure from the valley and were sent on in advance from the encampments. The excitement was great as Taylor and Greene rode into the city and distributed the letters without envelopes tied round and round with buckskin thongs and bearing the cheering news that a large body of brethren was on the way and bringing plenty of food.

**Bryan Buchanan** (1:49)
Yeah, they were gonna need that food because like we've talked about in past episodes, things are rough in the GSL. People are starving and they're struggling. They're not eating the crickets all around them. They're poor as dirt.
If only they had a chance to change their fortunes. If only they could spin some of that Sigill Lillie strong to go.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (2:11)
Hi, this is Lindsay Hansen Park.

**Bryan Buchanan** (2:14)
And this is Bryan Buchanan.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (2:15)
Bringing you the story of Mormonism from the shadow of the everlasting hills, straight out of Zion. This isn't your grandpa's Mormon history.

**Bryan Buchanan** (2:42)
This is the tale of Mormon saints and sinners from our roots until present day.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (2:47)
Gird your loins, lock your hearts, and pay your tithing, because we're bringing you the story of Mormonism in all its paradisiacal glory.

**Bryan Buchanan** (2:56)
It's the Sunstone History Podcast.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (3:21)
We've talked a lot this season about Sam Brannan. Once one of our Smash brothers, and now totally metal over there on the West Coast, hopefully our listeners are starting to realize what a big deal he is by now. How he took a bunch of Mormons to California before Brigham Young went to the Salt Lake City. How he was in California at Sutter's Fort when gold on the Gold Coast was discovered.
How Brannan tried to get Brigham to move the Saints just a skoosh further West to take advantage of all of that gold and how Brigham Young did not appreciate being told what to do. How Sam Brannan eventually apostatizes and goes into the ways of the world.

**Bryan Buchanan** (4:00)
It's crazy when it's pointed out to you, Sam Brannan is in California almost a full year before the gold rush started. Mormons could have had a year's head start on the gold rush if Brigham's pride hadn't gotten in the way. But gold on tight there, Sammy Brannan, because Brother Brigham not gonna allow the Mormons to get rich quick, just yet.

**Lindsay Hansen Park** (4:19)
Well, according to Brigham, his pride wasn't the problem. He was worried about the pride cycle of his adherents. Remember, the saints that had left with Brannan a year earlier and were panning for gold on Mormon Island after the Sutter discovery were apostatizing out there left and right. Brigham Young was almost immediately resentful of the gold discovery and constantly told his people that the Lord would bless and prosper them, if they will get cured of their California fevers as quick as they can.
I mean, this is the most hipster thing about Mormons in 1847 that they had gold fever before it was a thing.

**Bryan Buchanan** (4:53)