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Strangers in a Strange Land:Heber J. Grant and the Opening of the Japan Mission

When Heber J. Grant returned from a two-week vacation in Pacific Grove, California, in February 1901 , the news he heard atfirst seemed favorable. One of his associates in the Quorum of the Twelve, Francis M. Lyman, had been asked to preside over the Church's European Mission. Elder Grant congratulated himself that "missionary lightning had once more escaped me," "heaved a sigh of relief," and embraced Lyman in mock celebration. ¡

Since Grant's appointment as a General Authority almost two years earlier, rumors had often circulated about a forthcoming proselytizing mission. Each time, however, the reports died stillborn. During the 1880s, the Church and its opponents warred relentlessly on theological, political, and even commercial terrain, and Elder Grant's business acumen was repeatedly deemed too important to the Utah scene to allow a foreign assignment.

The repose given to Elder Grant by Lyman's assignment to the Liverpool office was short-lived. Two days after his return from California, during the General Authorities' regular temple meeting, he heard George Q. Cannon, First Counselor in the First Presidency, announce the decision to open a new mission in Japan. "The moment he made this remark," Grant later recalled, "I felt impressed that I would be called to open up this mission." This prescience, however, brought aflood of reasons why he should reject the call. The Panic of 1893 and its subsequent depression had crippled hisfinances. He calculated his net worth to be a negative $ 30 , 000 . Moreover, he had co-signedfinancial notes making him responsible for another $ 100 , 000 in nonpersonal debt. Because of his strained circumstance, neither of his wives had a home of her own, while his mother's house was mortgaged to assist with his obligations. "

As President Cannon continued for twenty-five minutes, Grant quietly weighedfinancial and religious commitments. Then came the call he expected from Cannon: "We hear that Brother Grant has overcome all his greatfinancial difficulties and has announced that he is going to take a trip around the world to celebrate hisfinancial freedom, and we have decided to stop him half way around at Japan, to preside." £

Having extended a call to Grant, President Cannon yielded to President Lorenzo Snow, who, since becoming the Church's prophet , seer, and revelator in 1898 , had slashed at every unnecessary expenditure to save money. Fearing that Elder Grant's precariousfinances might somehow encumber the Church, President Snow had some specific questions in mind. ¢ First he wanted to know whether President Cannon had accurately quoted the Apostle about touring the world.

"Heber, did you make that statement?"

"Yes, I did, but there was an extra word in it, and the word was 'if.'" Grant had no plans to leave if he was unable to retire the rest of his debt.