Salt Lake City
Oct 22. 1868.
Elder Heber Young,
Zurich, Switzerland.
My dear son,
The perusal of your letters always affords me great pleasure, manifesting as they do, by the Spirit in which they are written, that you realize the importance and sacredness of your calling as an Elder in Israel, sent to bear the glad tidings of the Gospel of Salvation to the Nations who sit in darkness and unbelief. If there is anything that gives joy to the hearts of the fathers in this Kingdom, it is the knowledge that their sons prize the holy principles for which they have so long labored in the Name of Jesus, and that their children are preparing themselves by faith and good works to bear off the Kingdom triumphant, and accomplish the work their fathers have commenced. Be prayerful to the Lord continually and humble in His hands, trust in him for His Holy Spirit and in every circumstance, remember how great is the responsibility placed upon you to set an example amongst Saints and Strangers worthy to be copied by all men, that the cause of God may be honored in your life, and His name glorified by your good deeds.
I wrote to you on the 3rd of last month. I hope my letter has reached you safely before this; yesterday I read your letter to your mother of the Sept: I was pleased to hear you were well and enjoying your Mission.
Myself, your mother, and your brothers and sisters are well. Exactly at twelve o'clock last night, Fanny had a fine girl, mother and daughter are both doing well. Earnest is now on the road having gone to meet the last of the immigration, those who were detained at New York through sickness; they will be here, the day after tomorrow; they compose the last company, I anticipate we shall have to send out to meet, as before another immigration season comes around we have every reason to believe the railroad will be running through Joseph A. Brigham Jun. and John W. are busily engaged on my grading contract; Joseph A. is associated with Bro. John Sharp in a large contract in Weber Canon, they have some very heavy work to do including two tunnels; John W. has a contract also, his is a heavy piece of work in Echo; while Brigham is engaged in superintending the whole of the work as my representative.
The brethren have now got used to the labor and can work to much greater advantage than when they first started; a great portion of the earth work is now finished, but there is a large fill at the head of Echo, which we are now crowding with all our might. The tracklayers are advancing with giant strides already they have passed Brian, 18 Miles, this side of Green River and they intend to make a temporary track round the tunnels and heavy work that may not be finished in time. Dr. Durant the vice-president of the road was here a few weeks ago, he talks of getting the road through to this valley in sixty days. He has not yet learned what it is to crowd travel through our canons in mid winter.
Hyrum, Orta and several of the other boys are attending the classes at the Commercial Department of the university of Deseret, under the care of Elder David O. Calder; they are there practically taught in the various branches of a business education by actual business transactions, which familiarizes them with the practice as well as the theory of commerce.
Caroline and Tina have been married within the last few weeks, Tina to Bro. Thomas Williams, and Caroline to Mark Croxall. At our last conference the vacancy caused in the quorum of the First Presidency by the departure to another sphere of usefulness of Bro. H.C. Kimball, was filled by the appointment of Elder Geo. A. Smith. Brigham Jun. being called to be a member of the Quorum of the twelve to fill the vacancy caused by Elder Smith's removal. About one hundred and sixty Elders were also then called to strengthen the Mission on the Muddy; the majority being residents of this City, but quite a number also from American Fork, Pleasant Grove, Farmington and other Settlements; they are most of them men of weight in the places in which they have lived, and <I> expect to see the Southern Mission greatly benefitted Remember me most kindly to Elders Maeser, Ursenbach, Richards and the other Elders associated with you in the Swiss and German Missions, and to the Saints.
May God our Heavenly Father continue to bless you and give you the wisdom of His Spirit and power to do much good, that you may return home when the time comes, full of joy and gladness, is the prayer of Your affectionate Father.
Brigham Young
P.S.
You need not marvel to see some of the boys with you next summer I rather think I shall send James Little. I wrote to Bro. Maeser yesterday; he will no doubt show you his letter & from it you will be able to learn the steps we are taking to build up Zion in our deal and trading.
B.Y.