from there evils, and the Lord has given his angels charge
concering us, and they do all they can for our salvation
but yet we have all have our agency to chuse the good &
refuse the evil, or chuse the evil & refuse the good. The Lord
forces no man to heaven, neither does the Lord tempt any
man to do evil, when a man is tempted to do evil it is
by the power of the Devil, who is an enemy to all rightousness [Alma 34:23]
I feel very annxious to lure our boys & girls our young men and
maidens to seek for that which is good whenever you are tempted
to do evil turn from it never make light of any of the
commandments or ordinances of the Gospel of Christ, and when you
meet with any company who do it shun their society avoid the
use of tobaco & strong drink for they lead to evil, you are
laying a foundation while in the days of your youth for a
character which will decide your destiny through all time
and throughout all eternity either for Good or Evil. The
Lord has told us by revelation "^see D&.C. sec 130^ that whatever knowledge
or principle of intelligens we attain to in this life it will rise
with us in the resurrection, and any person who gains more
knowledge and intelligence in this life through his dilligence & obedience
than another will have so much the advantage in the world to come"
Therefore we should all strive to be diligent in obt[ain]ing intelligence
and bring to pass righteousness upon our agency & not wait to
be commanded in all things and great will be your reward for
so doing
from there evils, and the Lord has given his angels charge
concering us, and they do all they can for our salvation
but yet we all have our agency to chuse the good &
refuse the evil, or chuse the evil & refuse the good. The Lord
forces no man to heaven, neither does the Lord tempt any
man to do evil, when a man is tempted to do evil it is
by the power of the ]]Devil]], who is an enemy to all rightousness
I feel very annxious to lure our boys & girls our young men and
maidens to seek for that which is good whenever you are tempted
to do evil turn from it never make light of any of the
commandments or ordinances of the Gospel of Christ, and when you
meet with any company who do it shun their society avoid the
use of tobaco & strong drink for they lead to evil, you are
laying a foundation while in the days of your youth for a
character which will decide your destiny through all time
and throughout all eternity either for Good or Evil. The
Lord has told us by revelation "see D&.C. sec 130 that whatever knowledge
or principle of intelligens we attain to in this life it will rise
with us in the resurrection, and any person who gains more
knowledge and intelligence in this life through his dilligence & obedience
than another will have so much the advantage in the world to come"
Therefore we should all strive to be diligent in obtaining intelligence
and bring to pass righteousness upon our agency & not wait to
be commanded in all things and great will be your reward for
so doing
"Autobiography 1882 Leaves from My Journal Notes 3," p. 4, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed September 1, 2024, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/BO0X