DEDICATED BY ORSON PRATT JANUARY 9, 1880.
To my Decendants who may live in the land of Zion in April, 1930.
When this letter comes to light it is expected there will have been great changes wrought upon the face of the land. The Great Nations who have oppressed the Saints will most probably have passed away, or if they still remain, there power to afflict, <pencil writing in margin: Zion is Broken.> Zion will stand independent of all her enemies. The City of New Jerusalem will be partially built and the Temple reared to the Most High<God>. You will have seen the Glory of God rest upon the Temple and the Power of his arm in your Redemption. I expect that my Decendants will have an inheritance in that Holy City and perhaps also an inheritance near the borders of the same. The first resurrection if not then already taken place, will be very near.
Then my dear Children and friends I hope to be with you and visit you often, that we may rejoice together and be glorified in one. God will greatly multiply you upon the Land and you will be abundantly satisfied with the good things of the earth and the fatness thereof. Oh what a change will be wrought upon the Lamanites, when these few lines shall come to you. They will indeed be a Branch of the Lord’s Beautiful and Glorious. The ten tribes of the North will probably be with you being located not very far from the New Jerusalem.
You my Children will be most interested in reading their ancient records, for they will be translated and printed in the English Language. Many ancient records of the Jaredites will be thoroughly versed in all these ancient things, when these few <pencil writing in margin: line left out> humble lines shall meet your vision.
This sheet containing the foregoing letter was presented me by Elder John A. Teerlink, June 22, 1928.
Milando Pratt:
Son of Orson Pratt.
[transcribed by Dorrie Lee and Suzanne Taysom, Mar. 2014]
Orson Pratt, letter to descendants; “Mary Wood Pratt Collection,” MS 25036, file 1, p. 25-26. (https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE2207536&usedforsort=MS_25036_f0001 : Retrieved January 2014) Church History Library, Salt Lake City.