Letter from Orson Pratt, 29 October 1840
Dear Brethren Woodruff & Smith
Yours of this
week came to hand this morning I was highly
pleased with the news with the exception
of the loss which Elder Woodruff has sustained
with him I feel to mourn for it brought forcibly
to my mind the death of my little daughter Lydia
Sister Woodruff must feel disconsolate I cannot but
sympathise with her as she is now left entirely
alone. It is cheering to hear of the prosperity of
Nauvoo. It forcibly reminds me of the vision of
Esdras in which he suddenly saw a woman in great
trouble weeping with great lamentation but sud-
denly there appe^a^red in her stead a great city. It will
not take the Jews long to build Jerusalem at that
rate. I think that the sin of laziness & indolence
will not be imputed to the saints much longer
for they seem to build cities with almost as much dex-
terity as children build cob houses & I presume they are
