Labors in the Vineyard: Twelfth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-Day Saints. — John Shaqi
Labors in the Vineyard: Twelfth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-Day Saints.Various
Religion
Labors in the Vineyard: Twelfth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-Day Saints.
Various
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Missions
the natural grit inherited from my father and mother, saved my life.
We sold our outfits at Council Bluffs for considerable more than those
we traded for them would have brought us. As we journeyed through
the States the Elders separated to visit relatives, and on the day I
reached Albany, N. Y., I had no companion.
I had acted as cook considerable of the time on the plains; had laid
on the ground, on the brush and in the snow, assisted to wash dishes
and had done my full share of camp duty generally; but in doing this my
clothes had got into a condition that would have been a curiosity at a
dress ball. I wore a cap that many years before (I cannot recollect how
many) had been of fur; it had now got to be what might be called a skin
cap. I had two or three holes cracked through it, out of which my hair
would often be seen.
I went aboard a New York steamer and applied for a ticket for passage
and state room to that city. The agent looked at me from head to foot
and then said that I could not have one, as the boat was chartered by
the State, county, and city authorities for a pleasure trip. On looking
round I saw "U.S. Mail" as a sign on the boat; I laid down the money
before the ticket seller and demanded my ticket. After some squirming
on his part I got it. On this same day I had the "blues" as I hope
never to have them again. I had nearly concluded that there could not
be either sense or inspiration in the authorities of the Church sending
me to England on a mission, and that when I got to New York City I
would go over to my native town where I had some property and quietly
settle among my old friends and relatives. So great was the power that
the devil had over me that when I first stepped on the boat I drew a
chair into the niche by the "figure head" to avoid having conversation
with anyone. I had sat there but a few moments when a person came up
behind me and remarked that it was a pleasant evening. I made no reply.
"Boat making fine time," said he.
Still I did not answer. Soon he spoke again: "Are you traveling far,
young man?"
I jerked my chair around and answered very spitefully, "I
have _come_ a long way and I am _going_ a long way; all the way
from Salt Lake to England. Is there anything else you want?" My abruptness
had sent him back several feet, and he was looking at me with about as much
curiosity as if he were viewing a wild animal.
Very soon he smiled and said, "Yes if you come from Salt Lake there is
a good deal more I want."
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