START ON A MISSION.

CHAPTER XXI.

LEAVE MY FAMILY—START UPON MY MISSION—OUR CON-
DITION—ELDER TAYLOR THE ONLY ONE NOT SICK—
REPROOF FROM THE PROPHET—INCIDENTS UPON THE
JOURNEY—ELDER TAYLOR STRICKEN—I LEAVE HIM SICK.

EARLY upon the morning of the 8th of August, I arose
from my bed of sickness, laid my hands upon the head
of my sick wife, Phoebe, and blessed her. I then departed
from the embrace of my companion, and left her almost with-
out food or the necessaries of life.

She parted from me with the fortitude that becomes a
Saint, realizing the responsibilities of her companion. I
quote from my journal:

"Phoebe, farewell! Be of good cheer; remember me in
your prayers. I leave these pages for your perusal when I
am gone. I shall see thy face again in the flesh. I go to
obey the commands of Jesus Christ."

Although feeble, I walked to the banks of the Mississippi
river. There President Brigham Young took me in a canoe
(having no other conveyance) and paddled me across the river.

When we landed, I lay down on a side of sole leather, by
the post office, to rest.

Brother Joseph, the Prophet of God, came along and looked
at me.

"Well, Brother Woodruff," said he, "you have started
upon your mission."

"Yes," said I, "but I feel and look more like a subject for
the dissecting room than a missionary.”

Joseph replied: "What did you say that for? Get up, and
go along; all will be right with you!"

I name these incidents that the reader may know how the
brethren of the Twelve Apostles started upon their missions
to England, in 1839.

Elder John Taylor was going with me, and we were the first
two of the quorum of the Twelve who started on their mission.