John Lyman Smith was called by the Presidency of the LDS Church to enter the Swiss-German mission at a time when he had been ill with inflammatory-rheumatism (what is now known as rheumatic fever).  He had been bedfast for several weeks and seemed unable to regain his strength.  President Brigham Young and George A. Smith came to his home to release him from the mission call.  John refused the release, stating, “The Lord called me to this mission and I will fulfill it.  Seeing his determination, the brethren laid their hands upon his head and blessed him, giving John Lyman the promise that with every step he went toward the fulfillment of his mission, his health would improve.

When the day of departure came, John Lyman was still bedfast.  Some of the brethren prepared a stretcher bed, and he was placed in the covered wagon.  As the party progressed eastward up the canyon, a cloudburst struck, washing out the primitive road, and throwing the wagon and helpless invalid to the bottom of the canyon.

The brethren carried John Lyman tenderly up the incline, and were forced to bring the wagon back to the trail in pieces, where they reassembled the conveyance, facing it toward Salt Lake City.  Observing the intentions of the company, John refused to permit a return to the city.  “Turn the wagon around and head east”, he commanded. “I intend to fill the mission to which the Lord has called me.”

“But Brother Smith,” the brethren objected, “there is no road left on which to travel.”  “Make one.” was the reply.  A road was improvised and the journey continued.

As the party progressed,  John Lyman’s condition improved, so by the time the company reached the Mississippi River, he was walking.  Each night he was better able to move and when he embarked at New York for the voyage to Europe, he was able to care for himself.  When he reached the mission home his health was so improved that he could immediately assume his mission duties.