35. Honor the laws of the country in which you labor. 36. Observe strictly the rules of the Mission and Conference Presidents. 37. Be punctual, that the Spirit of the Lord may not be grieved by the unseemliness of tardy attendance. 38. Your lives are precious; care well for your health. Excesses are wrong and bring disaster. You should not walk too much, talk too much, fast too much, eat or drink too much, or attempt too much to do without needful things. Wisdom is one of the greater gifts. 39. Your ambition to make converts should not lead you to baptize those who are unworthy. Never baptize a married woman without the consent of her husband, or children under age without their parents' consent. FRANCIS M. LYMAN, In behalf of the Council of Twelve Apostles. {11} THE PROPHET JOSEPH SMITH TELLS HIS OWN STORY. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE EARLY VISIONS OF THE PROPHET AND THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS. BY JOSEPH SMITH, HIMSELF. WRITTEN IN 1838. "1. Owing to the many reports which have been put in circulation by evil-disposed and designing persons, in relation to the rise and progress of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, all of which have been designed by the authors thereof to militate against its character as a Church and its progress in the world--I have been induced to write this history, to disabuse the public mind, and put all inquiries after truth in possession of the facts, as they have transpired, in relation both to myself and to the Church, so far as I have such facts in my possession. "2. In this history I shall present the various events in relation to this Church, in truth and righteousness, as they have transpired, or as they at present exist, being now the eighth year since the organization of the said Church. "3. I was born in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and five, on the twenty third day of December, in the town of Sharon, Windsor county, State of Vermont. My father, Joseph Smith, Senior, left the State of Vermont and moved to Palmyra, Ontario (now Wayne) county, in the State of New York, when I was in my tenth year, or thereabouts. In about four years after my father's arrival in Palmyra, he moved with his family into Manchester, in the same county of Ontario. "4. His family consisted of eleven souls, namely--my father, Joseph Smith; my mother, Lucy Smith (whose name, previous to her marriage, was Mack, daughter of Solomon Mack); my brothers, Alvin (who died November 19th, 1824, in the 27th year of his age), Hyrum, myself, Samuel Harrison, William, Don Carlos; and my sisters, Sophronia, Catherine, and Lucy.