ESLTRS-1851-01-16-From,SnowErastus,DenmarkCopenhagen-To,SnowFamilyofErastus,UtahGreatSaltLakeCity

ESLTRS-1851-01-16-From,SnowErastus,DenmarkCopenhagen-To,SnowFamilyofErastus,UtahGreatSaltLakeCity

196 Norgesgade Copenhagen Den [Copenhagen, Denmark] Jan 16th1851 [16 Jan 1851]


My dearly Beloved family - I learn that in one hour a mail will leave here for England & so on to America and by the mail I may possible get a letter to Independence Mo [Missouri] by the 1stMarch. And I have heard that a monthly Government mail will run between Independence & G.S.L. City [Great Salt Lake City], leaving the 1stof each month - if it starts as soon as the lst March. A few lines may reach you earlier by that than by any other means. I have however written by Brother Pratt’s family who are to leave England the last of this month I will also if the Lord will write you more fully by mail soon. I have only time to send a few words which if they shall reach you a month or two earlier will be valuable to you & a relief to my feelings and a forerunner of more that is to come. I hope also you may get some other news of me through the “Star” [Millenial Start] or “Guardian” [Frontier Guardian] Your letters of last April came to me Sept. 12thto late to return an answer as I supposed. I had however previously sent you one from England & two for this place which I hope you have received. I was of course much afflicted with a portion of the inteligenge [intelligence] received by that mail, but your last letters of September were altogether so excellent & full of goodness tenderness and interesting items that my heart has praised the Lord all the time since for his goodness to you and me. Though I mourn for Bro. Lorenzo Snows loss of his Charlotte & for the loss of Bishop Whitney, Bro. Flake and such old & tried friends & fellow servants.

I thank Bro. Willard most cordially for his excellent letter of Sept 19th& the items it contained I hope he will do so many times I thank Bro. Charles Westover for his and ask pardon that I have not written to him personally but he must take his share out of each letter that I send and I wish him & Eliza much Joy for the ofspring [offspring] - as to temporal business I will say God bless you - and I shall be satisfied with what Charles & Artimesia does. I have not time to write about those things. Bro. Charles be faithfull [faithful] & you shall not lose your reward. I hope you will not have so much to do another year else that you may be able to hire help. If you & Artimesia [Artimesia Beman Snow 1819-1882]

disagree (which I trust will not be) let the Bishop or another friend arbitrate between you.

My kind hearted Elisabeth I have not written much to you directly but I feel the more. I receive your words with much Joy & comfort and cease not to pray for you. Time flies quick and shortly if the Lord will, we shall see each other again & rejoice more abundently [abundantly] together. Continue to write by ever [every] mail. My love to your mother & family to Bro. & Sister Stringham. I wish Elisabeth [Elizabeth Rebecca Ashby Snow] that you should read as much as possible and all of you but not so much light reading but Bible, Book of Mormon, Covenants [Doctrine and Covenants], History, science,etc.

Your last letters reached me January 5th the mail which left G.S.L. City [Great Salt Lake City] the last of July brought me nothing though nearly all the other elders in Crofe? received letters. I will forgive you but if you were once placed here in my stead you would never be so negligent again. I went to England last October (was gone about a month and obtained means to publish the Book of Mormon & some other necessary works in the Danish. I have commenced its publication & the saints are rejoicing in the perusal of the first part of it. I circulate among the believers 150 copies weekly as the sheets are issued. It will engage my attention very strickly [strictly] till about the first April. I am issuing 3000 copies. I have presented the King & some of his Cabinet with the Book of Mormon in English (as they can read English) and also the small work which I had published in Danish upon our Doctrine & the rise of the church. Bro. Hansen and myself are a work constantly upon the Book of Mormon revising the translation (with the help of another learned Danish scholar) & correcting proof sheets etc.. My health has been good all the time with slight exceptions. The weather here has been very mild for so high latitude. Not colder than New York. Bro. Forsgren is labouring [laboring] here with us. He is well & wishes to be remembered to his wife & friends. He has received no letters, but learned from Bro. Isaac Hote that his wife was alive & had a heir. He wished to hear from them. Bro. Dykes is labouring [laboring] in the province of Jutland 140 miles from here. He has baptised [baptized] about 30 there & a good prospect. We have had much to contend with here but the Lord God of Israel has opened our door before us & none can shut it. Truly the Lord has worked with us by the Holy Ghost by Healings, by casting out Devils, by visions & dreams & the power of the Holy Ghost upon us and those that have received our witness.

There have been some over 100 baptised [baptized] in the city and a fair prospect. We have ordained several Elders Priest etc. The first Baptist Minister which I wrote about has become our enemy but the Lord has raised up other friends.

I have not yet received the Conference minutes of last Sept. Bro. Taylor has organized a church in Paris. Artimesia & Minerva have written you several times. I hope you will get them all. I sent by sister Pratt presents to you all and by Bro. Cummings a cloak to each. God bless you all. Your letters were excellent let me have more such & every month. Kiss all the little ones a thousand times for me. My little Sarah I hope is baptised. [baptized] Do write about it. Be a good girl Sarah & learn at school. I will endeavor to come & see you & Mahonri & little sister & Bro. Erastus soon. Yours forever

E. Snow


In the margins

Jacob was in good health & spirits & doing a good work in England when I hear from him a few weeks since.

My love to all my friends Brethren & relatives. To Mother in Particular - and the rest universally.

Continue to direct to the care of F. [Franklin D.] D. Richards 15 Wilton St. Liverpool.

Bro. Zerubbabel [Zerubabbel Snow 1806-1888] & family were well the last of Nov. they intend to be in the valley early next summer.