Kirtland Geauga County Ohio

March 3th 1831

Brother Hyram [Hyrum Smith]

we arived here safe and are all well I hav[e] been ingageed in regulating the Churches here as the deciples are numerous and the devil had made many attempts to over throw them it has been a Serious job but the Lord is with us and we have overcome and have all things regular the work is brakeing forth on the <​right​> hand and on the left and there is a great Call for Elders in this place we hav[e] recieved a leter from Olover [Oliver Cowdery] dated independence Jackson County Missouri January the 29th 1831 these are the words which he has written saying—

My dealy dearly beloved bretheren after a considerable lengthy journy I arived avail myself of the first opertunity of communicating to you a knowledge of our situation that you may be priviledged of writing to us for we have not heard any thing from you since we left you last fall we arived here at this place a few days since which is about 25 miles from this the Shawney indians on the south Side of the Kansas River at its mouth & delewares on the north I have had two interviews with the Chief of that that the delewares who is <​a​> very old & venerable looking man after haveing laying before him & eighteen of or twenty of the Council of that nation the truth he said that <​he he​> and they he and thy they were very glad for what I their Brother had told them and they had recived it in their hearts &c— But how the matter will go with this tribe to me is uncirtain nether Can I at present Conclude mutch about it the wether is mtch is quite Severe and the snow is Considerable deep which makes it at present quite dificcult traveling about I have but a short time to write to you my b[e]loved Bretheren as the mail leves thi[s] place in the morning but I wish some of you to write <​to​> me immediately a full letter of all your affairs and then I I will write to you the situation of all the western tribes &c thus reads most of the letter Saying to us the god of my father Jacob be with you all amen I remain in Christ your Brother forever

Oliver

My Dearly Beloved Brother Hyrum

I <​have​> had much Concirn about you but I always remember you in your <​my​> prayers Calling upon god to keep <​you​> Safe in spite <​of​> men or devils I think <​you​> had better Come into this Country immediately for the Lord has Commanded us that we Should Call the Elders of the this Chursh to gether unto this plase as soon as possable

March forth this morning after being Colled out of my bed in the night to go a small distance I went and had and an awful strugle with satan <​but​> being armed with the power of God he was cast out and the woman is Clothed in hir right mind the Lord worketh wonders in this land

I want to see you all may the grace of God be and abide with you all

even so Amen

your Brother forever

Joseph Smith Jr

PS if you want to to write Oliver direct your letter direct your to independence Jackson County misouri

Harrison [Samuel Harrison Smith] and Oson prat [Orson Pratt] arrived here on Feb 27th they left our folks well David Jackways has threatened to take father with a supreme writ in the spring you had <​beter​> Come to fayette and take father along with you Come in a one horse wagon if if you Can do not Come threw Bufalo for th[e]y will lie in wait for you God protect you I am Joseph