President's Office,
Gt. Salt Lake City,
Aug. 17th/66.
Mrs. E. McMahon,
City.
Dear Sister:
I have received your favor, with the accompanying testimonials, and have perused it with care.
To speak candidly to you, dear Sister, I think that you should make up your mind to stop here, and get your endowments and turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart and obtain the Spirit of your religion. You have a Spirit now that causes you to look with gloom and dissatisfaction upon everything that surrounds you, and to be suspicious of those with whom you are brought in contact. You should humble yourself before the Lord and repent of your sins and obtain the Spirit of the gospel which you have embraced. That Spirit would make a dungeon a happy dwelling for one who possessed it. Afflictions and privations can be endured with patience, and even with joy, by those who have received the Spirit of the Lord. A true Saint, in view of the glory to be obtained through faithfulness and enduring to the end, prefers to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Every one who attains unto Celestial glory must pass through afflictions and endure trials. No time should be spent in repining; but if there by any time to spare, let <it> be spent in prayer to the Lord for grace and strength to endure patiently unto the end. Others who have gathered here have been equally unprepared with yourself to cope with the difficulties and hardships of a residence here; but by the exercise of faith and perseverance, they have gradually become accustomed to their circumstances, and are very contented and rejoice that they are here among the Saints and in the place where the Lord has commanded His people to be.
If you <should> return to England or to Calcutta, you would find that you have left your friends here. By staying here, you will find that you are in the midst of your friends and that will understand you better than any other people can, and be willing to do more for you in every way than you can have done elsewhere. You should make up your mind to live and die here, and use every exertion to reach that haven of rest for which you started in the beginning. If you remain here, we will try and help you as we do others.
In relation to the settlement between Bro. Taylor and yourself I cannot see how he could do much better than he has done. He was and still is heavily in debt for means advanced to the Saints to assist them in their emigration, and he could <not,> in justice to his creditors, be as liberal as he otherwise might be. I notice in his note at the foot of your bill that he allows $150 for the wagon, without the cover and bows which you had kept. I suppose that at the rate at which such articles sell at the Frontiers, $30.00 was not too high a price to charge for the cover and bows. The watch, as a memento, would be <of> more value to you than to any body else; but of course you could scarcely expect others, under the circumstances, to attach the same value to it that you do.
Your certificates convey no stronger idea of your worth to my mind than did the testimony of the Elders who visited you in your own land. They admired and respected you. But since you left your home, you have permitted the difficulties and trials that you have had to meet <with> to sour your mind, and is a Spirit of dissatisfaction and murmuring has taken the place of the Spirit of the Lord.
Now, do not suppose that in writing thus plainly to you I am your enemy; if I took no interest in your welfare, and were not your friend, I would not take these pains to inform you what is right. Still, if you are determined to go back, of course it is your right to do so and none can prevent.
With love I remain
Your Brother,
Brigham Young