<​17​> On receiving the foregoing letters <​and having entered <​for the copy Right of​> a map of the city of . for Joseph Smith, <​in the clerks office of the, <​District of ,​>​>​> the brethern left for ,

<​20​> Tuesday 20th. Chopping & drawing wood, with my own hands & team just as I had done mostly since the 9th. continued very sick. This PM. the brethern arrived from , & presented me with Messrs ’s, ’s, & letters and general history of their proceedings, which was highly satisfactory. Elder died this morning at a <​quarter past 3 oclock at Bradford, England. he is the first Elder who has fallen in foreign land in these last days. He had been (M.S. 159) day.​>

<​21​> Wednesday 21. At home transacting a variety of business, gave instructions about a letter to Gen — & made a special request of <​I appointed​> that he should devote his time <​wholly​> to my employ, to which he consented. & appointed him my private secretary & Historian. & he immediately entered on the duties of his Calling. Elder , had previously been appointed Temple Recorder, and continued to be my general business clerk in my temporal business as he had been since went East in the summer. He is a faithful Man <​see margin *​> <​and called on me with the Temple Committee for some advice, concerning their laying by provisions.— stone cutting &c after listening to their complaints business I wrote the following, (“ Dec 21, 1842 To the hands in the stone shop (s Journal, page 27 &c) church”​>

<​22​> Thursday 22. I was about home; Read correspondence between & Gen . & Read German with Elder . inquired the meaning of the “little leaven <​which a woman​> hid in 3 Measures of Meal.” I replied, it alluded expressly to the last days when there should be <​but​> little faith on the earth and it should leaven the whole world; also, there shall be safety in Zion & Jerusalem, & in the Remnants whom the Lord our god shall call. The 3 measures refer directly to the Priesthood; truth springing up on a fixed principle, to the 3 in the grand presidency, confining the oracles to a certain head on the principle of 3.

<​23​> <​Friday 23​> Wrote. Esqr. , that I would accept the proposals of John C. Walsh, & give him $2500 for the N. W. Qr of Sec 8, 6 N. 8 W. <​said land​> lying between my & the .

<​24​> Saturday 24th. At home P.M. Read & reviewed my history with , & walked with him to see Sister [Sylvia Sessions] Lyon who was sick, her babe died a few minutes before our arrival. From there we went to Bro Sabins to get <​complet expense​> money for our journey to having just borrowed $100 for that purpose. while there [p. 19]