TO SALLY PHELPS
1835 JULY 20

ALS. Joseph Smith, Kirtland, Ohio to Sally Phelps, Liberty, Clay County, Missouri, 20 July 1835, 1 p., appended to letter of William W. Phelps, Kirtland, to Sally Phelps, Liberty, 20 July 1835. The original of this letter has not been found. The source here is the facsimile publication in Leah Y. Phelps, "Letters of Faith from Kirtland," Improvement Era 45 (August 1942): 529. The LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City has a microfilm containing letters of William W. Phelps to his wife, Sally, which includes part of a letter dated 20 July 1835. This holograph may have been part of that letter, but it does not appear on the film.

[Kirtland, Ohio, July 20, 1835]

D Sister phelps as Brother phelps has given me an oportunity in his paper letter, I gladly improve it, how far it may be to your edifycation I know not, but trust you will receive it in a manner that shall answer my intention in doing so for my intention is to give you a word of consolation to streng[th]en you in the absence of your most worthy Companion, and husband whose Merits and exper<i>ance and acquirements, but few can compete with in this generation and fewer I fear will ever appretiate the worth of such men; men upon whom God is his wi[s]dom hath bestowed gifts, that duly q<u>alify them to lead men in the way of life and salvation. I consider in some degree how great a trial you muste have in this sepiration, but I think I may safely say, that you may rest with a firm reliance that God will so order it that you may not be seperated only but for a short season, and then <your Joy will be full> and if faithful <he will> return and teach you things that have been hid from the wise and prudent, hiden things of old times as Moses said in Deut. 33d <chap> 19th verse for they shall suck of the abundance of t[he] [se]as and of the tre[as]ures hid in the sand. Some of these things have begun [to] come forth therefore Lift up your heart and be glad; be comforted be faithful: pray in faith; and in fine say to all the saints in Zion as the Lord God livith the [re]demtion of Zion is nigh at hand, and we shall live to see it

J. Smith Jr.