"As to matters at home, things are going on in peace, with the exception of the disturbances with some of the Utes. They have killed eight of our brethren in Utah, and drove away many cattle and horses.
"The times are said to be more close this season than they have ever been in the valleys; and this is universal through all the settlements. There are not more than one-half of the people that have bread, and they have not more than one-half or one-quarter of a pound a day to a person. A great portion of the people are digging roots, and hundreds and thousands, their teams being dead, are under the necessity of spading their ground to put in their grain. There is a pretty universal break with our merchants, as there is no one to buy their goods, and their stock are mostly dead. My family, with yours, have only one-half a pound of bread-stuff to a person, a day. We have vegetables and a little meat. We are doing first rate, and have no cause but to be very thankful; still I feed hundreds of others, a little, or they must suffer. Brother Brigham, myself, and others have been crying unto this people for more than three years, to lay up their grain for a time when they would have much need of it. My family, with yours, I can say with propriety, look more healthy, and fair, and rugged, and athletic, than they did when they had plenty to eat. * *
"I shall be very glad when you return home to take a little of my burden off my shoulders, for it has been extremely hard for me and your mother to calculate, devise and administer to near one hundred that are dependent on us, besides hundreds of others that are teasing us constantly for something to eat; still your father has got a spirit in him that is like an old lion, that endures by the help of the Almighty; but your mother is very sympathetic, and it gives her much sorrow, not because your children and mine cry for bread, but because of others. There was no need of my rationing my family, but I did it for the sake of keeping hundreds of others alive. I foresaw these times more than three years ago, and prepared myself, more or less, for it.
* * * * * *
"This people have been told to build forts around their cities, and gather up together and be one, and to build store-houses and lay up grain to last seven years, and hundreds of other things. Have they done it? No. What is the consequence? Eight more of our brethren slain! No bread! No clothing except what we buy of the ungodly, when they are universally taught to make their clothing, so that we may be independent of any of the nations; for the connection between us and the world will be closed, in a measure. This you and your brethren in the old world can see through a glass clearly, not darkly. War, death, desolation of nations, famine and desolating sickness, are becoming prevalent throughout the old world, and in the United States it will be more so, and that soon, and they (the United States) will have all they can do to attend to their own concerns at home, without troubling themselves about the Mormons.
"At our April conference there were about three hundred missionaries selected for different missions; some thirty or forty to go to Europe and the United States, and about one hundred to Carson Valley, to try to sustain that place; a large company to Green River, another to Los Vegas and another to Salmon River. All business is given up for the present on the public works. Not much of any building is going on in the city, as all mechanics are advised to go to tilling the earth. The majority of the people feel well; your mother's health is rather poor, still she is about. I see Mary and Melissa and the children every day. Helen, your sister, has just come in with the little Vilate—well, Heber, David and all the boys, with all the family, are well, and say, 'Give my kind love to brother William, and all the faithful Elders.' I am still continuing my own improvements, making good rock fence and setting out many fruit trees.
"Now I will come to a close by saying, God bless you and Franklin,
Daniel and all in that land, and all that believe on your words.
Even so, amen.
"HEBER C. KIMBALL."
And thus did this father in Israel not only give to the people the word of the Lord in time for a general provision against the day of famine, but when it came, his patriarchal care and benevolence were the means of preserving many from absolute want, and some perhaps from starvation.