Day in the Life

Aug 8, 1839

Journal Entry

August 08, 1839 ~ Thursday

Oct ^Aug^ 8th 1839 [FIGURES] Early on this important morning I
took my departure from the embraces of my companion to go on my mission She parted
with me with that fortitude that becometh a Saint realizing the call & responsibility of her comp-
anion. Phebe farewell. Be of good cheer Remember me in your prayers esspecially as the
sun sets in the western horizon I leave these pages for your careful perusal while I am
gone. I shall see thy face again in the flesh. I am gone to obey the command of JESUS CHRIST

The time had come for me to take my departure from my family to carry the gospel of Jesus
Christ to the nations of Europe in fulfillment of the commands of God. Accordingly I left a parting
blessing with my wife & took my fare well of her & other Saints on the morn of the 8th day
of Oct ^Aug^ 1839 & left Montrose & crossed the Missisippi river for the purpose of commencing
my mishsion of about six thousand miles & I started without purs or scrip and that to with
the fever & ague resting upon me every other day. I left in company with Elder John
Taylor. we were the first of the quorum of the Twelve that left Nauvoo on this important
but the rest expect to follow us immediately. we rode from Commerce across a 16 mile
prairie & spent the night at Br Merills distance of the day 18 m[iles]

People

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4 mentions
Host
Taylor, John, b. 1808
1 Nov 1808 - 25 Jul 1887
1947 mentions
Apostle
Woodruff, Phebe Whittemore Carter
8 Mar 1807 - 10 Nov 1885
1580 mentions
Family

Places

Browse places mentioned in Wilford Woodruff's journal entry on this day. Click on the place names to view other pages where they are mentioned.

Commerce, Hancock County, Illinois
Europe
Mississippi River, United States
Montrose, Lee County, Iowa Territory
Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois

Related Documents

Browse other documents with this same date. These could include pages from Wilford Woodruff's autobiographies, daybooks, letters, histories, and personal papers. Click on the document titles to view the full document.

Autobiography 1882 Leaves from My Journal

EARLY upon the morning of the , 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

Autobiography 1882 Leaves from My Journal Notes 1

Early on this important morning I arose from my sick bed, laid my hands upon the head of my wife Phebe and blessed her and departed from her ^the^ embrace of my companion and left her almost without food or raiment the necessaries of life she parted with me with this fortitude that becomes a Saint realizing the responsibility of her compan- ion. Phebe farewell, be of good chear, 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 command of Jesus Christ. Although feeble I walked to the Bank of the Mississippi River there President Brigham Young took me in a canoe (having no other conveyance) & paddled me across the river I lay down on a side of sole leather by the post office to rest some Br Joseph the prophet of God came along & looked at me Well Br Woodruff says he you have started on your Mission yes says I but I feel & look more like a subject for the

Autobiography 1857 Draft 2

On the Octr. I laid my hands upon my wife and children, blessed them, committed them into the hands of God, and started upon my English mission, leaving my family sick, and with not more than 4 days provisions. Bro. Brigham Young rowed me across the river ^Mississippi^ in a boat; I was sick and feeble; when I landed I laid down upon the bank of the river on a side of Sole leather; the Prophet Joseph came along and looked at me and said, "You are starting on your mission"; I said yes, but I look like a poor instrument for a missionary, I look more fit for a hospital or dis^s^ecting room than a mission; he replied "what do you say that for, go ahead in the name of the Lord, and you shall be healed and blessed

Autobiography 1892 Deseret News Notes

started on mission to England, though sick and feeble, from chills & fever.

Autobiography 1883 Tullidge's Quarterly Magazine

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 without food or the necessaries of life. She parted from me with the fortitude that becomes a Saint, realizing the re- sponsibilities 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 Young took me in a canoe (having no other conveyance) and pad- dled 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 mis-

Autobiography 1857 Draft 1

first time in my life. I had a chill every other day and was very sick. On the of I laid hands upon my wife and children blessed then committed them into the hands of God and started upon my English mission ^leaving my family sick and with not more than 4 days provision^ Brother Brigham Young rowed me across the river in a boat, I was sick and feeble, when I landed I laid down upon the bank of the river on a side of soal leather, the prophet Joseph came along and looked at me and said you are starting on your mission, I said yes, but I look like a poor instrument for a missionary I look more fit for the hospital or desecting room, ^than a missionary^ he replyed what do you say that for, go ahead in the name of the Lord and you shall be healed and blessed on your mission I thanked him A brother came along with a waggon I got and took me to carried me along a few miles on my road, I started without purse or scrip I passed by Parley ^P^ Pratt who was hewing house logs for a house barefoot, bareheaded, without coat or jaket on, he came to me and said I have no money but I have got an empty purse. I will give you that. I went a few rods and found Elder H. C. Kimball in nearly the same position, that Parley was, building a log cabin also he crossed to me and ^said^ I have one dollar I will give you that to put in your purse. He blessed me and I went along my way accompanied by Elder John Taylor I had a shake of the ague every other day and lay on the bottom of the waggon while I travelled over the ^a^ stubs and stones we stoped with Samuel and Carlos Smith at McComb held a meeting with the Saints

Autobiography Volume 1 circa 1842-1865

of her and other Saints on the morning of the . We left Montrose and crossed the Mis^sissippi^ for the purpose of commencing a journey of about six thousand miles to preach the Gospel in Europe. We started without purse or scrip^t^ and that too with the fever and ague resting upon me every other day. I left ^started^ in company of Elder John Taylor and we were the first of the Twelve who left Nauvoo on this important mission. The rest expected to follow us immediately On the second day of our journey we passed through Carthage and arrived at brother Perkin's where we stoped until 12 o'clock during which I was suffering under powerful ague and fever. We continued in the afternoon and rode in a wagon with brother Perkins 25 miles to bro. Carlos Smith's. It was over a rough road and I suffered much this day. The fever was all the time heavy upon me and it seemed that I should shake to piceces in the wagon. We tarried in this region some days and the Saints contribited a little means to help us on our

Daybook (8 August 1839 - 12 January 1840)

The time had come for me to take my departure from my family to carry the gospel of Jesus Christ to the nations of Europe in fulfill ment of the commandment of God accordingly I left a parting blessing with my wife & took my fare well of her & other Saints on the morn of the 8th Day of OctAug 1839 & left Montrose & crossed the Missisippi River for the purpose of commencing my mission of of four about six thousand miles & I started without purs or scrip & that to with the fever & ague rest- ing upon me every other day. I left in company with Elder John Taylor. We were the first of the quorum of the Twelve that started out on this important mission but the rest expect to follow us immediately we rode from Commerce across a 16 mile prairie & spent the night at Brother Merils distance of the day 18 [miles]

Autobiography 1865 Millennial Star

—I laid my hands upon my wife and children, blessed them, committed them into the hands of God, and started upon my English mission, leaving my family sick, and with not more than four days' pro- visions. Brother Brigham Young rowed me across the Mississippi in a boat; I was sick and feeble. When

Autobiography 1858 Deseret News

— I laid my hands upon my wife and children, blessed them, committed them into the hands of God, and started upon my Eng- lish mission, leaving my family sick, and with not more than four days' provisions. Br. Brig- ham Young rowed me across the Mississippi in a boat; I was sick and feeble. When I landed I laid down upon the bank of the river on a side of sole leather. The Prophet Joseph came along and looked at me and said, "You are starting on your mission." I said yes, but I look like a poor instrument for a missionary; I look more fit for a hospital or dissecting room than a mission. He replied, "What do you say that for? Go ahead in the name of the Lord, and you shall be healed and blessed on your mission." I thanked him. A brother came along with a wagon and carried me a few miles on my road. I started without purse or scrip, and passed by Parley P. Pratt, who was hewing logs for a house; he was bare- footed, bare-headed, without coat or vest on. He said, "I have no money, but I have an empty purse; I will give you that." I went a few rods and found Elder H. C. Kimball build- ing a log cabin; he said, "I have one dollar; I will give you that to put in your purse." He blessed me and I went my way, accompanied by Elder John Taylor. I had a shake of the ague every other day and lay on the bottom of the wagon while I traveled. We staid with Samuel H. and Don Carlos Smith at Macomb, and held a meeting with the Saints, who contributed $9 to our neces- sities, and George Miller gave us a horse. Father Coltrin was going east; he took us into his wagon to help up us along. We spent five days in Springfield, where Elder Taylor print- ed fifteen hundred copies of a pamphlet upon the Missouri persecution. We sold our horse,

Events

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Aug 8, 1839