Day in the Life

Jul 2, 1839

Journal Entry

July 02, 1839 ~ Tuesday

2nd THIS was an interesting day. The first Presidency Joseph & his council came across the river to
Montrose to spend the day with the Twelve to bless them & their families before they left for other
Nations. In the fore part of the day we rode four miles down the river to see the place called Blesens
point whare the Saints expected to build a town. Joseph pronounced it good & we returned. the whole
company dined at my dwelling consisting of about Twelve persons after dinner we all assembled at

Elder Brigham Young house for meeting. President Hiram Smith opened the meeting by prayer after
which the Presidency lade their hands upon mey head & sealed a blessing upon me President Rigdon being
speaker they also sealed a blessing upon the head of Elder's George A Smith & Turley. Also upon the head
of Sister Young Sister Tailor & my wife. If we were faithful we had the promise of again returning to the
bosom of our families & being blesed on our mission & having many souls as seals of our ministry. After
the blessings were bestowed Brother Hiram Smith arose & gave The Twelve some interesting advice
and council considering it best to say nothing but repentance to this generation or at least to preach the first
principles of the gospel
as that was as much as this generation could endure & many other things he said of
interest.

Then Joseph arose & presented some precious things of the kingdom unto us in the power of the
Holy Ghost
, yea precious principles that ought to be engraven upon our hearts & practiced in our lives, some of which
are as follows. Ever keep in exercise the principles of mercy & be ready to forgive our brother on the first
intimations of repentance & asking forgiveness & should we even forgive our brother or our enemy before
they ask it our heavenly father would be equally as merciful unto us, & also we ought to be willing to
repent of & confess all of our own sins & keep nothing back, & let the Twelve be humble & not be exalted
& beware of pride & not seek to excell one above another but act for each others good & honerably make
mention of each other's name in our prayrs before the Lord & before our fellow men, & not backbite & devour
our brother. Why will not mam [man] learn wisdom by precept & example at this late age of the world & not be
oblieged to learn every thing we know by sad experiance. Must the new ones that are chosen to fill the
places of those that are fallen of the quorum of the Twelve, begin to exhalt themselves untill they get so high
that they will tumble over & have a great fall & go wallowing through the mud, mire, & darkness Judas
like to the buffating's of Satan as several of the Twelve have done, or will they learn wisdom & be wise. (O
God give them wisder [wisdom] & keep them humble I pray). When the Twelve or any other witness of Jesus Christ
stands befor the congregations of the earth & they preach in the power & demonstration of the Holy Ghsost &
the people are asstonished & confounded at the doctrin & say that that man has preached a powerful discours
a great sermon then let that man or those men take care that they do not asscribe the glory unto themselves
but be careful that they are humble & asscribe the praise & glory to God & the Lamb for it is by the power of the

Holy priesthood & the Holy Ghost that they have power thus to speak. What art thou O man but dust & from
wholm dost thou received thy power & blessings but from God, then O ye Twelve notice this [FIGURE] key & be wise
for Christ sake & your own souls sake. Ye are not sent out to be taught but to teach let every man be sober
be vigilent & let all his words be seasoned with grace & keep in mind that it is a day of warning & not of many
words. Act honest before God & man beware of gentile sophestry such as bowing & scraping unto men in wholm
you have no confidence. be honest open & frank in all your intercourse with mankind

O ye Twelve and all Saints, profit by this important key [FIGURE] that in all your trials, troubles, &
temptations, afflictions bonds imprisionment & death see to it that you do not betray heaven, that
you do not betray Jesus Christ, that you do not betray your Brethren, & that you do not betray the revela
tions
of God whether in the bible, Book of Mormon, or Doctrine & Covenants or any of the word of God.
yea in all your kicking, & floundering see to it that you do not this thing lest innocent blood be found
in your skirts & you go down to hell. We may ever know by this sign that there is danger of our
being led to a fall & aposticy, when we give way to the devil so as to neglect the first known duty
but whatever you do do not betray your Friend

People

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Young, Brigham
1 Jun 1801 - 29 Aug 1877
3407 mentions
Apostle, Family
Smith, George Albert
26 Jun 1817 - 1 Sep 1875
1424 mentions
Apostle, Missionary
Smith, Hyrum
9 Feb 1800 - 27 Jun 1844
420 mentions
Apostle
Smith, Joseph (Jr.)
23 Dec 1805 - 27 Jun 1844
14 mentions
Scriptural Figure
Taylor, Leonora Cannon
6 Oct 1796 - 9 Dec 1868
Young, Mary Ann Angell
8 Jun 1803 - 27 Jun 1882
Woodruff, Phebe Whittemore Carter
8 Mar 1807 - 10 Nov 1885
1577 mentions
Family
Rigdon, Sidney
19 Feb 1793 - 14 Jul 1876
Turley, Theodore
10 Apr 1801 - 12 Aug 1871

Places

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Quotes

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Ever keep in exercise the principles of mercy & be ready to forgive our brother on the first intimations of repentance & asking forgiveness & should we even forgive our brother or our enemy before they ask it our heavenly father would be equally as merciful unto us, & also we ought to be willing to repent of & confess all of our own sins & keep nothing back
~ Joseph Smith
Why will not man learn wisdom by precept & example at this late age of the world & not be oblieged to learn every thing we know by sad experiance.
~ Joseph Smith
When the Twelve or any other witness of Jesus Christ stands befor the congregations of the earth & they preach in the power & demonstration of the Holy Ghost & the people are asstonished & confounded at the doctrin & say that that man has preached a powerful discours a great sermon then let that man or those men take care that they do not asscribe the glory unto themselves but be careful that they are humble & asscribe the praise & glory to God & the Lamb for it is by the power of the
~ Joseph Smith
Holy Priesthood & the Holy Ghost that they have power thus to speak.
~ Wilford Woodruff
O ye Twelve and all saints, profit by this important key [FIGURE] that in all your trials, troubles, & temptations, afflictions bonds imprisionment & death see to it that you do not betray heaven, that you do not betray Jesus Christ, that you do not betray your Brethren, & that you do not betray the revela tions of God whether in the bible, Book of Mormon, or Doctrine & Covenants or any of the word of God. yea in all your kicking, & floundering see to it that you do not this thing lest innocent blood be found in your skirts & you go down to hell. We may ever know by this sign that there is danger of our being led to a fall & aposticy, when we give way to the devil so as to neglect the first known duty but whatever you do do not betray your Friend
~ Joseph Smith

Related Documents

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Autobiography Volume 1 circa 1842-1865
On the the Presidency—Joseph and his Council came across the river to Montrose to spend the day with the Twelve to bless them and their families before they left for other nations. In the forepart of the day we rode four miles down the river to see the place called Blesens-point where the Saints were expecting to build Joseph pronounced it good and we returned and the whole company dined at my dwelling consisting of about twelve persons. After dinner we all assembled for meeting at the house of Brigham Young. Hyrum Smith having opened the meeting by prayer the Presidency laid their hands upon my head and sealed a blessing upon me. President Rigdon was the speaker in setting apart and blessing me. They also set apart and blessed Elders George A Smith and Turley Sisters Young and Taylor with my wife were likewise blessed In our blessings for our mission to Europe we received the promise that if we were faithful we should

Events

View selected events in the two months surrounding this date in Wilford Woodruff's life. Click on the dates to jump to that day in Wilford Woodruff's journal.

Wilford receives the official call to serve his third mission.

Jul 2, 1839