Wednesday, 8.—The Twelve who attended the Ramus conference on the 4th instant returned with nearly a thousand dollars worth of property, consisting of horses, wagons, provisions, clothing, etc., for the Temple, which had been donated by the Saints at Ramus.

Friday 10.—I wrote to Horace R. Hotchkiss, Esq.

The Prophet's Letter to Mr. Hotchkiss—Commerce Lands.

Dear Sir:—Your letters, dated October, 11th and November 9th, 1841, have both been received, and that of the 9th of November is now before me. I am glad that you are pleased with the proceedings of our last conference relative to "Mr. Hotchkiss purchase," concerning which there had been some unpleasant feeling which had originated partly from a misunderstanding between us, and partly through the inefficiency, neglect or sickness of Dr. Galland. I wrote a letter to your friend and partner, Esquire Tuttle, some time since, which no doubt you have seen before now, and with which I hope you are also satisfied. I have handed your request to the editor of the Times and Seasons, who will forward you the desired papers. I am glad that James Ivins settled with you the $2,500 note, but sorry that you suffered yourself to lose in the sale of the land you had of him. As regards the Cook's Mill Tavern stand, and the one hundred and thirty-seven acres of pine land, which you propose to allow the Church three thousand dollars for, I have to say in reply, that I have consulted, not only my own feelings as sole Trustee in Trust for the Church; but also the feelings of those of the Church whose opinions I can always rely upon in such matters, and the conclusion is that thirty-two hundred dollars is the least the property ought to be sold for. You can, therefore, have it for three thousand two hundred, which is considerably less than it cost the Church; we are willing to make a partial sacrifice in the property, but under the circumstances, think that you can afford to give us two hundred dollars more than you proposed. The health of our place is at this time pretty good, and we hope it may continue to improve, with the improvements of the city.

I remain very respectfully yours, &c.,

Joseph Smith.

Saturday, 11.—Late this evening, while sitting in council with the Twelve in my new store on Water street, I directed Brigham Young, President of the Twelve Apostles, to go immediately and instruct the building committee in their duty, and forbid them receiving any more property for the building of the Temple, until they received it from the Trustee in Trust, and if the committee did not give heed to the instruction, and attend to their duty, to put them in the way so to do.

Elder Willard Richards has left Warsaw for Nauvoo, it being considered unnecessary for him to tarry there any longer.

The Prophet's Difficulties in Writing the Annals of the Church.

Since I have been engaged in laying the foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I have been prevented in various ways from continuing my journal and history in a manner satisfactory to myself or in justice to the cause. Long imprisonments, vexatious and long-continued law-suits, the treachery of some of my clerks, the death of others, and the poverty of myself and brethren from continued plunder and driving, have prevented my handing down to posterity a connected memorandum of events desirable to all lovers of truth; yet I have continued to keep up a journal in the best manner my circumstances would allow, and dictate for my history from time to time, as I have had opportunity so that the labors and suffering of the first Elders and Saints of this last kingdom might not wholly be lost to the world.

Sunday, 12.—I preached in the morning at Snyder's Hotel.

In the evening, the Twelve met in council at Brother Heber C. Kimball's.

Monday, 13.—I appointed Willard Richards recorder for the Temple, and my private Secretary and general Clerk, and he commenced his labors in my new office in the brick store.