"We may ever know by this sign that there is danger of
our being led to a fall and apostasy when we give way to the devil, so as to neglect the first known duty; but whatever you
do, do not betray your friend."
The foregoing are some of the instructions given to the
Twelve by the Prophet Joseph, before they started upon their
missions.
Inasmuch as the devil had been in a measure thwarted by
the Twelve going to Far West, and returning without harm,
it seemed as though the destroyer was determined to make
some other attempt upon us to hinder us from performing
our missions; for it seemed that as soon as any one of the
Apostles began to prepare for starting, he was smitten with
chills and fever or sickness of some kind.
Nearly all of the quorum of the Twelve or their families
began to be sick, so it still required the exercise of a good deal
of faith and perseverance to start off on a mission.
On the , for the first time in my life, I was
attacked with chills and fever; and this I had every other
day, and, whenever attacked, I was laid prostrate.
My wife, Phoebe, was also soon taken down with the chills
and fever, as were quite a number of the Twelve.
I passed thirteen days in Montrose with my family, after I
was taken sick, before I started on my mission.
The was the last day I spent at home in Mon-
trose, and although sick with the chills and fever the most of
the day, I made what preparations I could to start on the mor-
row on a mission of four thousand miles, to preach the gospel
to the nations of the earth, and this, too, without purse or
scrip, with disease resting upon me, and a stroke of fever and
ague once every two days.
Yet I did this freely, for Christ's sake, trusting in Him for
the recompense or reward. My prayer was: "May the Lord
give me grace according to my day and souls for my hire, and
a safe return to my family and friends, which favor I ask in
the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL.
"We may ever know by this sign that there is danger of
our being led to a fall and apostasy when we give way to the
devil, so as to neglect the first known duty; but whatever you
do, do not betray your friend."
The foregoing are some of the instructions given to the
Twelve by the Prophet Joseph, before they started upon their
missions.
Inasmuch as the devil had been in a measure thwarted by
the Twelve going to Far West, and returning without harm,
it seemed as though the destroyer was determined to make
some other attempt upon us to hinder us from performing
our missions; for it seemed that as soon as any one of the
Apostles began to prepare for starting, he was smitten with
chills and fever or sickness of some kind.
Nearly all of the quorum of the Twelve or their families
began to be sick, so it still required the exercise of a good deal
of faith and perseverance to start off on a mission.
On the , for the first time in my life, I was
attacked with chills and fever; and this I had every other
day, and, whenever attacked, I was laid prostrate.
My wife, Phoebe, was also soon taken down with the chills
and fever, as were quite a number of the Twelve.
I passed thirteen days in Montrose with my family, after I
was taken sick, before I started on my mission.
The was the last day I spent at home in Montrose, and although sick with the chills and fever the most of
the day, I made what preparations I could to start on the morrow on a mission of four thousand miles, to preach the gospel
to the nations of the earth, and this, too, without purse or
scrip, with disease resting upon me, and a stroke of fever and
ague once every two days.
Yet I did this freely, for Christ's sake, trusting in Him for
the recompense or reward. My prayer was: "May the Lord
give me grace according to my day and souls for my hire, and
a safe return to my family and friends, which favor I ask in
the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”
