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President's Office G. S. L. City
Dec 31st /64.
Elder Charles S. Kimball,
Dear Brother:
Your favor of the 7th of Oct., written from London, came safely to hand and has been perused with interest. I am pleased to learn that your health is good, and that you feel well in spirit and in discharging the duties of your calling and ministry among the people. There is no position which a man can occupy in which he can learn faster, and gain a knowledge and understanding of principles of life and salvation, as well as of the world and their customes and views, better than in the position which you now fill, namely, that of an Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on a mission to the nations. If you are faithful while on your mission, you will arrive at an experience which you could not so well obtain under other circumstances, and which your father and his brethren have gained. There are many allurements which you may have to resist while away from home; but, if you are faithful to your covenants and the priesthood you have received, and deny yourself all worldly pleasures, and take up your cross, you will be able to return and meet your relatives and friends and the servants of God with joy and gladness; Your conscience will be void of offence towards God and man; and will not this be happiness and a cause of constant pleasure to you throughout your future life to reflect upon? I feel a great interest in yourself and all the young men who have gone on missions to the nations of the earth, and my constant prayers and desires are that they may magnify and honor their holy priesthood while away, and return pure and holy and free from the blood of this generation and the sins of the wicked world to enjoy the society of the saints in the home which God has provided for us.
Your father's health is tolerably good. The changes of weather affect him in the winter time, and he has to be very careful not to expose himself;---but he is able to be around all the time. Your wife and the rest of your relations are well, so far as I know. Since your wife met with such a lamentable missfortune in losing her child every pains and care have been taken to make her feel well and she now appears as well and as cheerful as I ever saw her.
There is no news of special importance that I can allude to that you do not have in the papers which are sent from here to England. The winter has been thus far, a mild one. We have had heavy falls of rain and snow, and the snow in the mountains is now deeper than it was at any time last winter. According to present appearances, we are not likely to be in want of water for our cro next season.
We have a good many Gentiles here this winter; but our arrangements are such that they cannot carry out their evil schemes against us. The Lord sits in the heavens and laughs at man's puny efforts to thwart his purposes and to render His word and promises of non-effect, and He will visit them with fierce indignation in His own due time.
Accept my love, in which your father joins, and remember me to all the Elders and the brethren and Sisters who may be near you. That the Lord may bless you, and pour out His Spirit upon you and preserve you in health and safety to return hom is the prayer of
Your Brother in the Lord,
Brigham Young