FW

Saints prepare to leave Navoo

The people of Illinois have had it with the saints, they will not even live with them anymore they just want the Mormons gone. The Mormons try to work something out with the people of Illinois but they say that the only way to establish peace is by having them leave. Brigham Young agrees with them, he does not really have a choice. Brigham says that they will leave at the first sign of next spring. The saints start to devote all of their time building the temple now that they have to leave so soon. They needed to finish the temple to get the most saints as possible through to get their endowments. They start the endowments Dec. 10, 1845 even though the temple is not finished and they do them only until early Feb. They were able to get 5,615 endowments done at this time. The temple is finished by the end of April, but by the time it is dedicated most of the saints have left.
With the plans that Brigham Young makes, many problems start to arise. The original plan was to have a group go out early to Winter Quarters and plant crops then come back to Navoo and then have everyone head out to Winter Quarters when it is warm enough to go. This plan never goes through because Brigham and the 12 were being charged with counterfeiting charges, which were false. Brigham then has to go into hiding. Another problem that comes up is that there is going to be a war in Mexico and the govt. thinks that the Mormons will join them because they have been treated so badly by everyone in the US. It was also looking like there was going to be a war with Britain and the govt also thought that they might even join them as well. Financing the trek across the US is also another problem that arises. The saints are having problems making money off their land because everyone knows that they are leaving. Wilford Woodruff was so mad about the disrespect for the lack of money that was being offered for his expensive, land that he just end up walking away from his house with the front door open taking no money for it.