During one of the many amazing zone conferences that I sat through on my mission Sister Swinton talked about Zion's Camp.. and how those men in that camp were in the hands of the Lord, but also how they were prepared to become the future leaders of our church during their time. She compared that experience for them to our experience as missionaries.
Not all missionaries are sent to missions were they will baptize every week, or month, some wont see anyone baptized their whole mission. That was not the case in my mission, but being in Europe it was not the easiest thing to find those who would listen. But the moral of this story is that each individual mission, each experience that missionaries have, good or bad, is shaping them. Turning them into the person, mother, father, church leader that our Heavenly Father needs and wants them to be.
I learned that day that even though some experience that we go through in life seem pointless, like Zion's Camp could be viewed, but they are not. The Lord prepared the men in that group to be leaders, future prophets of our church, and in leading the Saints across the plains. My training began when I was little, it took a huge leap when I was on my mission, and it will continue throughout my life as I strive to do what the Lord asks of me.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks stated:
“According to its ostensible purpose, [Zion’s Camp] was a failure. But most of the men who were to lead the Church for the next half-century, including those who would take the Saints across the plains and colonize the Intermountain West, came to know the Prophet Joseph and received their formative leadership training in the march of Zion’s Camp”
http://seminary.lds.org/manuals/doctrine-and-covenants-and-church-history-video-guide/dc-vid-2-15.asp
