A LETTER FROM GWILYM DDU
Great Salt
Lake City,
June 26, 1856
Dear Brother Daniels—I was promising to myself much
rejoicing and mental pleasure this coming autumn, inasmuch as we were expecting
your return home from your mission; but when we heard the story from the “Star”
we were disappointed in our expectation; but inasmuch as your mission will
continue and it is unlikely that we shall have your association this season,
yet we rejoice together as Welsh brothers and sisters, that it has fallen your
lot to be the President over our fellow-nation in the country of our birth. May
the gracious Lord keep you and impart to you the Spirit of your holy calling is
my sincere and constant prayer, yea, I dare say, the prayers of all your
acquaintances from among the Welsh, together with other nations in Zion.
I shall not
take it upon myself in this letter to write about much of the news to you, since
Sister Daniels will wrote that. There are better signs
for sustenance of men and animals this year than there was last year, since we
are not troubled by crickets so frequently, although they have destroyed some
few in some places of the Territory this year, but nothing in comparison to
last year.
I am a bit
concerned about my daughter, Mary, at present, since she has revealed in a
letter to me her wish to come away. And I answered her that I would pay her
expense as I did with Henry; but the way appears to be closed at present, since
the Public Works have been idle since the last of last year, which was brought
about by the scarcity because of the crickets and the drought. If the work had
continued I would have paid into the Fund before now, and then I could send for
her by next season. Also the rules of the Fund are more
strict now than they were; one must pay in full now before sending [for
someone]. I do not know how things will turn next fall; it is said that the
Public Works will begin after the harvest, but it will be late at that time to
send [for her] by the next season. I wish for you, dear brother, if you see any
chance to send her as a servant to someone, that is, if that is not a trouble
and a hindrance to you, for I consider that the weight of your calling is
already great without anyone burdening you with some errands like this. I have
paid Capt. Davies and Brother Sykes; I built a house for each of them last
year, and I am willing to do my best for Mary’s part yet.
The Neff
family mentions you frequently and they send their regards. Ann and I were glad
to see your letter and to learn that you have seen her mother. May the Lord
bless your effort to bring some of them if not all, to gain salvation.
Dear brother, I long to see you and have your association.
Your loving brother,
Wm. Lewis
[Translated from the Welsh original printed in Udgorn Seion (Zion’s Trumpet), for 13
Sep 1856, p. 291-2.]
