On 5 September 1840, and wrote from , England, to the in , Illinois, regarding the apostles’ mission to . Richards had been serving there since he arrived with fellow apostle in July 1837, and Young had arrived only five months before writing this letter, on 6 April 1840. One of their responsibilities was editing the ’s recently established monthly periodical, the Latter-day Saints’ Millennial Star—often referred to as the Millennial Star or simply the Star.

In the letter, and reported on their missionary labors and requested instruction on some practical aspects of their work. They devoted the majority of the letter to describing from their American perspective, writing of British culture, society, education, industry, and economy. In particular, Young and Richards wrote at length about the destitute circumstances of much of the populace, including the majority of those converting to the church. During the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Britain’s agricultural and industrial revolutions resulted in numerous social and economic disruptions for millions of British citizens. Parliamentary enclosure laws meant that common rights to land were replaced by enclosed and controlled land and that small, individual farms were consolidated into larger, legally owned commercial farms. Elimination of many personal farms, concurrent with the growth of factories, left much of Britain’s population impoverished and led many to relocate to urban centers. Young and Richards focused much of their letter on the effects of this social and economic upheaval. They concluded by asking a series of specific questions on subjects such as the anticipated duration of their mission assignments, the propriety of printing church publications in England, and the emigration of British converts.

The version of the letter featured here was inscribed by , but , as the senior apostle and first signatory, may have been the primary author. The style of direct questions in quick succession is reminiscent of Young’s April and May 1840 letters to JS and the First Presidency, and the expression of desires to be back with friends in likewise mirrors earlier statements by Young. The letter’s emphasis on the foreignness of English society and culture may also reflect Young’s curiosity as a recent arrival in , whereas Richards had been in the country for three years by this time. It was also reasonable that Richards, who had more clerical capability than Young, would serve as a scribe for him.

A later docket on the address panel, in ’s handwriting, reads: “Copy of a Letter to Joseph Smith Junr & others.” The version featured here, however, appears to be the original sent letter. The text contains edits throughout that would have been atypical in a later copy. Richards also added a notation “By Turly or Benbow” on the address panel of the letter, indicating that he intended to have the letter hand carried by one of these men. led a company of Latter-day Saints—including —that departed from on 8 September and arrived in on 24 November. Although this version of the letter may have been a draft, the fold lines, the adhesive wafer, the addressing, the note about who was to carry it, and the soiled exterior panels that would have formed the envelope all indicate this was the sent letter. On 15 December 1840, JS responded to this letter, giving instruction on many of the issues raised by and Richards.