Elder Lawrence Squires, a missionary serving in Geneva, Switzerland in 1908, wrote:

I am thankful that I was chosen to work among these people and in this country. Though the people do not seem ready for the gospel, and our success is not very great, as far as baptisms are concerned, we have a fine climate to work in, and we are allaying a great deal of prejudice whenever we can get the people to hear us. Indifference and prejudice are naturally the greatest obstacles in our way.

We have about seventeen elders in the French conference at present, and we are all interested in the work and united for its advancement. One does not hear a great deal about this French mission, but we all think that it is the best there is, and are all thankful at being called to it. We have some of the most beautiful scenery in the world.

There are not any large branches, as the Saints get the emigration spirit, and as soon as it is possible go to Utah to rejoice with the Saints there. We have now a very good edition of the Book of Mormon. It is placed in the book stores of most all the cities, and I think it will do a great deal of good. We also have a part of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Voice of Warning, Talmage’s Lectures on the Book of Mormon and several other smaller tracts. The language is rather hard for some of us, but, as a rule, elders are able to make themselves understood pretty well in nine or ten months, and before leaving are pretty good Frenchmen.

Except for the bit about emigration, this pretty much sums up the same mission I knew 75 years later …