The Brigham Young Center

President's Office
Gt. Salt Lake City
March 20, 1867

President George Nebeker,
Laiea, Oahu
Sandwich Islands.

Dear Bro;

Your favor of the 11th of January to Bro. G.Q. Cannon, and of the 16th to myself, came to hand yesterday, and from them we are pleased to hear of your receiving the advices of the money and that you had drawn on Donohoe, Kelly & Co. in favor of Mr. Doherty for the amount due him. 

These letters have been detained through heavy snows in the Sierra Nevada. We understand there has been a total suspension of travel for some little time back across the mountains in consequence of the deep snows. We are expecting a letter from you soon, informing us of your having taken up the mortgage, which you state is left in the hands of your lawyers.

My letters written to you on the subject of assisting the Elders, will answer the inquiry in your last on this subject, and will relieve you from all dubiety in the matter. I am glad to hear that you are all tolerably well, and I trust your wife will soon recover from her nervous affection. You speak of a prospect of many failures on the Islands; after the crisis has passed, probably business will be better than it has been. We are passing through a dull time here at present, as I wrote you a few days ago. There is nothing of any special importance transpired since. The weather is moderating and we hope that Spring has fairly opened, though the mountains are still draped in snow to their bases.

Enclosed I forward a deed which I wish Elder Alma L. Smith to sign. The Lot is in his name, but it is occupied by his mother, who has sold this strip off the west side of Thomas A Lyne. I consented to the sale on one condition that he deed it to his wife; to this he demurred and the matter has been in abeyance for some months till at last he consented, and is the cause of the deed being in her name. The deed should be acknowledged before some duly authorised Notary Public and returned to me.

I wish the farm to be used for the benefit of the Elders so that they can labor in their ministry. The elders who can preach the gospel should not work at days' works; but should travel among the people all the time.

You speak about a mill for grinding sugar cane, &c., costing Three thousand dollars ($3,000.00); that sounds right, and very different from the Twenty to a Hundred thousand dollars, which have been spoken about as the amount needed for a Sugar Mill. If the farm will do better in cane than anything else, it will be better to work it into cane as early as possible, then get a cheap mill.

We would like you to write as often as once in two weeks so, as to know how you get along. Your family and friends, so far as known, are all well.

Bro. Wm. W. Riter is now in my employ attending to the business of the Telegraph Line.

With love, in which the brethren here join, to yourself and the rest of the Elders, and to your families, and praying the Lord to bless you, and to control your labors so that they may redound to His glory and the salvation of the honest I am your Brother

Brigham Young