I have re-
ceived two letters from you
of January 7th & 9, but I have
not been able before now
to answer them. I have
spent only about one Sun-
day per month for the last
two months in Salt Lake.
I left here Dec. 6th and re-
turned Jany 1st; and since
my return I have atten-
ded Conferences in Nephi,
Salt Lake, Box Elder, Logan,
and expect to be in Manti
on the 16th inst. In connec-
tion with my travels I have
had to attend Councils
and keep up my journal
and historical matters, so
it has been hard work
Page 2
to do justice to my correspon-
dence but I will do the
best I can. I mention this
so you may not think that
I intentionally neglected to
answer your letters, for I
am deeply interested in your
letters and mission.
I received a letter a few
days since from Br. Mc
Donald and one from Jesse
N. Smith—both were inter-
esting.
I am pleased to hear
of the young men who are
willing to prepare themsel-
ves for a mission to the
Lamanites; for personally
I would much prefer to
go on a mission among
them than to the Gentiles.
to the gates of death but
when he got there he en-
tered a large room where Joseph and Hyrum Smith
and the Apostles who have
died in this generation
were all gathered around
a large table in Council
and Joseph told him that
he desired to live and build
him a home in Provo, and
that he might go back
and build it he began to
recover from that hour very
slowly however, and he ex-
pects to get well. He is still
very feeble—not able to stand
on his feet. Br. Martin H.
Peck is not expected to live,
having a cancer in the
mouth. The Presidency
and Twelve are all well
as usual. F. D. Richards is
appointed assistant Historian
in laboring with me on
historical matters. Geo. Q. Can-
non started for New York
Our Legislature is grinding
away but does not get out
much flour yet. We have
had a two days snow
storm which left some four
inches of [s]now; we have had
a very mild winter so far.
It is a general time
of health in the City and county for the season.
We held a meeting
in the Temple in Logan;
Br: Angel had got his plat-
form built on the south side
of the font with the recorder
witness and confirmer all
together on the south-east side
of the font so situated that
the man who baptizes would
stand with his back to them
so he could not hear what
the recorder said. So I