Sept 26th I rode to Elder James Townsend. I procured a two horse waggon of Mr William Harmon {for Sister Sarah Foss} & drew it to Sister Sarah Foss's Elder Townsend returned with me distance of the day 20 m[iles]
~ Thursday
27th It is a dark cold rainy day & gloomy also, & what makes it more so the camp of the Saints do not get
a long from the east yet, & I have not herd any thing from them for several days. But may the Lord give me
patience that I may be resigned in all things. Notwithstanding the cold rain I harnessed up my horse & carri-
ed Brother Townsend home, & assisted him in packing up his houshold goods to the amount of about 600 lbs
I took the goods in my waggon & carried them to Sister Sarah Foss's house that we might be ready when the camp
came along: Elder Townsend has been cast down in his mind for several days & could scarcely get faith enough to
prepare himself & family to start for Zion thinking the way did not look as clear & bright as he wished to see it.
But I have encouraged him from day to day; as we must walk by faith not by sight, untill he is now preparing him-
self & family to go, may the Lord bless him. [2 Corinthians 5:7] We must all have our faith tried before we are prepared for a celestial
kingdom & "faith without works is dead being alone" [James 2:17] I do not know when my faith will begin to be tried if it has
not already been esspecially of late; But I thank the LORD that HE has thus far enabled me to keep the faith & withs-
tand every opposition. I desire to be humble unto the end. I spent the night at father Carters. Phebe appears resign-
ed to the will of the Lord in all her troubles & tribulations. It is great consolation to my soul to see her determined to
maintain her integrity unto the end. How good it is to have a help meet in every time of need. Distance 20 mil
~ Friday
28th Glory to God I have this morning taken a letter out of the office from our Beloved Brother Nathaniel Thomas in Camden
the letter was Dated Camden Sept 26. he says "we are almost ready we shall start tomorrow morning. tell
Brother Townsend to hold himself ready to go with us &c" May the Lord bless them & hasten them on their journey I
pray. Their is more lying reports & stories in circulation against the Sainst to day when will the gentiles scease lying about us
~ Saturday
29 I rode to Brother Townsend's & assisted him in packing up the rest of his goods & took them & the rest of
his family & brought them to Sister Sarah Foss's house 20 miles
~ Sunday
30 Sunday Mr Whitley arived at Scarborough from Camden this day he had been one week on the
way. his waggon cover was not in order for travling we went to work & nailed it down all around &
painted it thoroughly & put it in good order. We are waiting for the rest to come. I did not sleep much at night
~ Wednesday
Sept 26th I rode to Elder James Townsend. I procured a two horse waggon of Mr William Harmon {for Sister
Sarah Foss} & drew it to sister Sarah Foss's Elder Townsend returned with me distance of the day 20 m
~ Thursday
27th It is a dark cold rainy day & gloomy also, & what makes it more so the Camp of the Saints do not get
a long from the east yet, & I have not herd any thing from them for several days. But may the Lord give me
patience that I may be resigned in all things. Notwithstanding the cold rain I harnessed up my horse & carri
ed Brother Townsend home, & assisted him in packing up his houshold goods to the amount of about 600 lbs
I took the goods in my waggon & carried them to Sister Sarah Foss's house that we might be ready when the camp
came along: Elder Townsend has been cast down in his mind for several days & could scarcely get faith enough to
prepare himself & family to start for Zion thinking the way did not look as clear & bright as he wished to see it.
But I have encouraged him from day to day; as we must walk by faith not by sight, untill he is now preparing him
-self & family to go, may the Lord bless him. We must all have our faith tried before we are prepared for a celestial
kingdom & "faith without works is dead being alone." I do not know when my faith will begin to be tried if it has
not already been esspecially of late, But I thank the LORD that HE has thus far enabled me to keep the faith & withs-tand every opposition. I desire to be humble unto the end. I spent the night at father Carters. Phebe appears resign
-ed to the will of the Lord in all her troubles & tribulations. It is great consolation to my soul to see her determined to
maintain her integrity unto the end. How good it is to have a help meet in every time of need. Distance 20 mil
~ Friday
28th Glory to God I have this morning taken a letter out of the office from our Beloved Brother Nathaniel Thomas in Camden
the letter was [FIGURE] Dated Camden Sept 26. he says "We are almost ready we shall start tomorrow morning, tell
Brother Townsend to hold himself ready to go with us &c" May the Lord bless them & hasten them on their journey I
pray. Their is more lying reports & stories in circulation against the sainst today When will the gentiles scease lying about us
~ Saturday
29 I rode to Brother Townsend's & assisted him in packing up the rest of his goods & took them & the rest of
his family & brought them to sister Sarah Foss's house 20 miles
~ Sunday
30 Sunday Mr Whitley arived at Scarborough from Camden this day he had been one week on the
way. his waggon cover was not in order for travling we went to work & nailed it down all around &
painted it thoroughly & put it in good order. We are waiting for the rest to come. I did not sleep much at night
"Journal (January 1, 1838 – December 31, 1839)," September 26, 1838 - September 30, 1838, The Wilford Woodruff Papers, accessed December 27, 2024, https://wilfordwoodruffpapers.org/p/vym