Insight from the Letters

by Ellie Hancock, Historian

A beautiful part of reading Wilford Woodruff’s writings is seeing how he cherished his relationships with his family. In his letters, Wilford would often impart advice to his children or grandchildren. One such instance is in a letter that he wrote to his 18-year-old granddaughter, Lucy Emily Woodruff. He gave her advice on courtship and finding a righteous, worthy companion. Wilford also emphasized the importance of living a virtuous life, stating, “If it was the last words I was to say to you on Earth I would say live and die Virtuous.” Wilford also expressed to Lucy that “virtue, honesty, integrity, industry and faith in God with truthfulness should be written upon the tablets of your heart.” From Lucy’s own life it is apparent that she took her grandfather’s advice to heart. Lucy married George Albert Smith, the eighth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and they were able to fulfill many Church assignments together. May we all follow Wilford’s advice to “live and die virtuous.”

Insight from the Journals

by Braeden Dyer, Senior Editorial Assistant

Sometimes, while reading in the scriptures, we encounter faithful men and women exhibiting astounding faith, resulting in grand miracles. Undoubtedly, the relatively few precious pages of the Standard Works are host to some of the most faith-building histories ever written—the messages God knew we needed above the countless other histories of His followers. 

With that in mind, one reason I love working in Wilford Woodruff’s journals is because I have the opportunity to read other histories from a magnificent prophet that are not found in the scriptures. Recently, in his journal entry from December 31, 1881, I read a stream of Wilford’s thoughts that taught me an important lesson on faith. In speaking of his friend and one of the original members of the Quorum of the Twelve, Wilford said: “I cannot mourn over Apostles, Prophets or inspired men, who have died in the faith of the Gospel of Christ. Any Man or woman who has kept the Celestial law of God on the Earth and have died in the faith, will open their Eyes to a scene of Glory and Blessings and Eternal Life that man cannot obtain upon any other principle.”

Upon reflecting on these words, it is the faith required to write them which I find memorable. These are the words of someone who knows, not just believes, the truthfulness of the plan of salvation. These are the words of a man who has experienced the blessings of living worthy to stand before God and knows beyond question where such a life will lead him and all of the faithful, so much so that he feels he can not mourn the earthly loss of a righteous soul. These are the words of one who has no fear for the pains of the natural man because he knows that he is entirely in God’s hands. 

We experience many other burdens in this life on top of mourning our lost loved ones. While we remain imperfect and will continue to struggle, I do know and testify that we are in God’s hands, and the more we can remember and internalize that truth with its implications, the more the weight of our burdens will be lightened through Jesus Christ. 

Insight from the Discourses

by Miriam Foulke, Editorial Assistant

Wilford Woodruff shared some interesting insights on death in a discourse he delivered on October 8, 1881. Many valiant men in the faith had passed recently, and Wilford said he believed it was because they were needed to carry on the work beyond the veil. He shared the experience of a bishop from Smithfield, Utah. Bishop Samuel Roskelley had suddenly become sick and was at death’s door. While in this state, Peter Maughan, a faithful Church member who had died 10 years earlier, came to Samuel and said, “Brother Roskelley, we held a council on the other side of the veil. I have had a great deal to do, and I have the privilege of coming here to appoint one man to come and help. I have had three names given to me in council, and you are one of them. I want to inquire into your circumstances.” Bishop Roskelley shared his situation and Brother Maughan decided that Samuel was still needed on earth. Samuel recovered from his illness soon after and lived another 33 years. Later, Wilford learned of two other men who suddenly became ill; one recovered, and one passed on. Of this, Wilford Woodruff said, “They have work on the other side of the veil; and they want men, and they call them.”

Recently, both of my paternal grandparents passed rather suddenly. This discourse was a great comfort to me. After reading it, I felt that they had been called to the spirit world to assist in the work taking place there. I’m sure that many of us have had similar experiences in losing loved ones. It can be difficult to deal with death, even though we as Latter-day Saints know where our loved ones go. But we have purpose beyond this life. Wilford Woodruff devoted his life to the gospel, and he clearly viewed death as a continuation of life, not an end. He shared his knowledge of life and death freely in the documents he left behind and that knowledge is a great blessing to us. His influence and testimony are still felt today through his words.

Insight from People and Places Research Team

by Hannah Taylor, Research Coordinator

Our Research Assistants usually stick to researching individuals from a specific geographic region, but we encourage them to try and find their own ancestors in the Papers as well. I have been working with the Wilford Woodruff Papers Project since January of 2021 and just recently had the opportunity to research some of my own ancestors, several of whom wrote to Wilford Woodruff to accept mission calls when he was President of the Church. It made Wilford Woodruff’s writings come to life for me in a personal way. 

To discover your own ancestors in the Wilford Woodruff Papers, search for their names in our database: wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/people. You might also consider using the new “Show My Ancestors” function on the Church History Biographical Database to find your pioneer and missionary ancestors, and then try searching for those individuals in our database as well. Thousands of people played a role in the Restoration during the nineteenth century and Wilford Woodruff’s records contain information on over 14,000 of them! 

Insight from the Content Team

by Shauna Horne, Content Team Lead

This month in the letters, I had the privilege of reading an “Epistle of the Twelve.” The Apostles sent out a letter full of encouragement and inspiration for the brethren throughout the kingdom. While reading it, I came across this advice that I felt so drawn to: “Therefore, beloved brethren, deal justly, love mercy, walk humbly before God, and whatever your hands find to do, do it with your might, keeping all the commandments, and then, whether in life or in death, all things will be yours, whether they be temples or lands, houses or vineyards, baptisms or endowments, revelations or healings, all things will be yours, for you will be Christ’s and Christ is God’s.”

This led me to Matthew 22:37–39 when Jesus was asked, “Master, which is the great commandment in the law?” He taught that the first commandment is to love the Lord and the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves. We love God when we keep His commandments and care for others. This letter reminds us that whatever we find ourselves a part of, we should throw our whole selves into it. We are also promised that all things would be ours because we are Christ’s. An incredible promise!

Insight from the Additional Documents

by Miriam Foulke, Editorial Assistant

It’s interesting to think about how Wilford Woodruff’s life lines up with the history of the United States of America. Wilford was born in 1807, just 24 years after the end of the Revolutionary War. The United States was still a new country then; patriotism coursed through the veins of each citizen, and those passionate feelings about freedom were passed down to each generation. Wilford shared with us his gratitude for the sacrifice of our Founding Fathers in one such document, his “Composition on Patriotism.” Though “they were signing their death warrant,” these men “pledged their fortunes, liberties and lives to maintain the liberties which we now enjoy and by the help of God they succeeded in . . . the emancipation of America.” Wilford went on to say that “patriotism and religion bid them rise and they did arise and secure to America those rights and privileges which the God of nations designed for all his nations.” 

Much like the Founding Fathers, who held firmly to their beliefs in the face of war with England, the leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have always fought to uphold the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our ancestors clung to the gospel even through persecution from those who did not understand our beliefs. Many of us still face that persecution to some degree today. But in this composition, Wilford reminded us of the blessed time that we live in. “May our hearts be raised in thanksgiving to God that he has seen fit to give us a birth in such an enlightened part of the Globe.” Wilford knew how blessed he was to be a part of the gospel of Christ. God prepared the way for the gospel to return to the earth in its fullness. Though we face trials and tribulations, we know God, and we know His Son, Jesus Christ. Wilford’s heart constantly sang a song of gratitude for this knowledge, and that song can be seen throughout his records.