by brother Hyde - they are much company - for me wish you could see
them a while I kiss them every day for their pa. My dear Willford did
you know that 11 long months has passed away and you have not said one word
about comeing home in your letters - is seames almost an age, do tell me
something about it in your next letter - may the will of the Lord be done
but I hope that it will be to send you home this fall is not pray the Lord
that I may have patience and grace to bear it for it is all that I can be most
more than I can bear, to think of spending another cold long winter with
out you - If you could send the children some red flannel for winter
it would be verry acceptable - and my every day clothes are getting quite poor
as I have been out of health ever since you left home but am quite smart now
have not had a chill for 3 weeks - will you not bring your son a cap when
you come home, however I suppose that you do not have much meanes to do with
we are poor but how can we help, it if it could be your privilege to stay at home
and we both labour hard I should think litely of it for the sake of your society - but
to be poor and alone to[o] is rather hard. and no prospect of its being different
is rather discourageing is it not Willford. - Brother Joseph says that it is the
elders privilege to spend half of their time with their families will you not
remember that Willford. If you do not I shall be apt to remind you of it. -
I suppose that you will remember it much as you did staying at home 3
yeares after we were married - I think if you do not stay at home home a while
the next time you come we will put on the big pot and all go for I am quite
tired of liveing alone - perhapes you may think that I have got to scolding but
you knowe me and therefore must not mind small things. Brother Taylor has
sent for sister Taylor to come to him in Liverpool without delay but brother
Joseph thought it not wisdom for her to go therefore she has given it up. I
heard [page torn] br he said that he and Hiram should go to England next season [page torn]
gathe[r] [page torn] the saints and the work would be finised there also that t[page torn]
wou[ld] [page torn] [b]egin to behead the saints within 2 years in England, [page torn]
Joseph [page torn] [h]as been advanceing new things to the church and publick [page torn]
late says that this earth was the largest ^panat [planet]^ that ever was made and that there
has been parts taken from it several times and at the time the 10 tribes
were lost there was a part taken from it and that that they would all come
back and be joined to it again and that would be the realing to & fro like
a drunken man &c &c There has been some strange things taking place here of late
2 weeks since there was 2 horses seen to cross the Missisipi river one red and
the other white, the red one landed about opposite Josep’s house the other went
father down, it was seen by 4 persons in a boat crossing the river they were
so near that they could see the water slop under their feet and distinguish the
colour of the cloths that the rider's had on - when the red horse moved his tail
there would be fire fly from it. and Joseph Sidney and Hiram ^have^ gone
to Quincy to hold a debate with the Governor and a presbeterian minister
have not heard the result. I suppose that you have learned the defeat of the
brethren at Washington from the papers as brother Robinson to^ld^ me he sent
them to you. I hear that 10 of the 70 are about starting for England, I should
think you would need assistance according to your preaching places; brother
Hale I hear is one of the number and I think if Bates Nobles was to go somewhere
on a mission it would do him good. - It is not so sickly in Montrose
or Commerce yet as last season. Please give my respects to the brethren
and tell them that went with you that I have lately seen sister Taylor
Young Kimbal Pratt Hyde Clark Turley & Hadlock. they were well & their
families. Dear Willford I want to see you so much but I believe that I can say upon
serious reflection that I have not wished you back once untill you have filled your
mission although I have had many trials since you left but I find God to be my
friend, I feel your absence to be a greate privation and sacrifice for me to make but
I hope and trust that you will be the means of doing much good and fill you mis
sion in the love and fear of God as soon as possible and come home to me and our
little ones as soon as possible with the smiles of heaven resting on you. Phebe W. Woodruff