April 1916

Meting at eleven A.M. in regard to Conference subject of Temple donton [donation] submitted to the [Pre]sident¹ and Br. rose [Penrose] brought up & thoroughly discuss it pro and con finally [t]hat it be left to th[e] Presidents to do as seemed expedient in the several Stakes² {p. 122}

I have not been well but rose early and wnt to the Temple Fast meeting without eating at all very good meeting all th[e] First Presidnecy and several Ap[o]stlees present wnt to Sister Jennings then to 18th Ward & aftrwards to see Emmiee came back late to Utah Hote[l] {p. 123}

Today there has been very much confusion and anoyance, and I am so weary of it all the sisters are too persistent in having n[e]w measures and so are all meeting am am weary. We held a meeting early and many wanted to have n[e]w measures imtrodu◊ced which would be inju[r]ious to the work at present but we must be wise in voting in n[e]w measures³ {p. 124}

Today our General Relieef Society convened in Conference in the Assembly Hall I presided with the help of my Counselors and we had an excellent Confernce in many respects a good congregation and attntive ma[n]y suggestins were made and much good instructin given, Annie was present at both sessions Isabel in the morning Flowers came for me frm Mar[i]copa Stake {p. 125}

Today has been very busy and Julina askd me to come and go with thm to the President and the fmily to Granite Stake I went up in t[i]me and rode with them but Julina had gone with David [Smith]– evening very good entertainment was called on the stage etc came home after mdnight with Pres. Smith & family {p. 126}

Tod[a]y Co[n]fernce op[e]ned Pres. Smith occupied most of the mo[r]ning Clarisa & Julina we[re] both present Martha [Smith] Harris Presidnt Smth’s sister came from Provo we had a fine Confrence I enjoyed it very m[u]ch indeed am verry weary to night and hope to rest & refresh myself for tomorrw presune it will be of great interest tomorrow concert in evenn [evening] {p. 127}

There has been confusion and G[e]nealogical meeting– and a visit to the University I went with Clarisa in the Auto and was not well at all but felt better after being out in the fresh air, and th[e]re really are so ma[n]y thngs to do and to see to that one does not know which is of the most [illegible] {p. 128}

This is the anniversary of the demise of our beloved Emme [Emeline Whitney Wells] and as the years roll on we miss herr more and more & seem to have a greaeter longing to attain to her excellence so that we may dwell together in the futuree {p. 129}

One of the saddest days of anniversary, the day on whch our beloved Emmaie died so mny years ago 1877, 24 years old Pres, [Brigham] Young died in 187[7] in August, our beloved in April at Confrence time the darkest shadow fell on my life⁴ {p. 130}

These remniscencees of dark days feel heavily up[o]n me in my extrene age, so many Longfellow said⁵ So m◊◊ ghosts are in the wooded plaine I fain would turn away with⁶ noiseless tread but we have to face these terrible calamities in life with what couraeg possible {p. 131}

The Ap[r]il days each year are filld with⁷ pain and sadness and regrets that we were not nicer and better, this yearr b[r]ings ma[n]y blessings into our lives more than we could have anticcipated and yet there are still grieefs {p. 132}

Today is anniversary of happier things and yet I am still thinking of mny April days that bore bitter fruit we should rejoice that we have so many blessings and comfort while still here on the dear old Earth Loving and t[e]nderr friends and oth[e]r comforts & joys {p. 133}

This is Emeline Wells birthday– she was born in [1857] all the Wells children are g[r]owing old and it sems quite sad in a way because there is so much to be done and the next generatin will not be as brave in respect to religion as the children of such a man as Gen. [General] Wells and th[e]y will not have so great a man for father as he wass however they will fulfill their own desti[n]y {p. 134}

April 14 is quite [s]ignificant in and will be as April itself is a remarkable month for many re[a]sons. It is the budding tine [time] and is very enjoyablee a strikingly p[r]olific month for births of great men and it is a pleasant month because of great events that have tran[s]pired and for the buds & bloom {p. 135}

This is my brother Hiram [Clark]’s birthday annversary he is 81. today the baby of the family I am surre he will be surrounded with family & friends and we in the West are all thinking of him and wishing him all the joy that life blessing⁸ and we too are all confortable {p. 136}

This is a [illegible] the birthday of some old and dear friends and indeed every day is sonebody’s birthday April is a very del[i]ghtful time of year but all days are good that bring peace and love⁹ to us and good will to all the hum[a]n race but with war and bloodshd and we are so sorrowful that we are not happy {p. 137}

This is a very fine¹⁰ day and the spring comes near and all things look towards prosperity and comfort but the war in other are very lam[e]ntable we cannot rest as we wou[l]dd because of the sorrow and mourning and loss of life and missing & death {p. 138} But we must strive

John Q.s birthday & the battle of Lexington and we are all busy and cannot be there because of bad roads It is a ve[r]y significant d[a]y the D.R.¹¹ Socieety celebrated with a luncheon of the N[e]wHouse Hotel and the[n] after I went to a party at Sister Fancis [Francis]’s home with mny old friends {p. 139}

Tody we had lunch at Hot[e]l Utah for th[e] Gnral Boa[r]d and als[o] held a sort of Convntion in the Building which was quite significnt and very effective because the Board is soon to go out to attend conference– and intr[o]ducee {p. 140} n[e]w lessons

Tody we are meeting foreno[o]n and aft[er]noon and rather serious questins of importance I am so weary tonight {p. 141}

My brother Mnson [Manson J. Woodward] was born on April 21. in the year 1821. he was a fin[e] man and has l[e]ft quite a number of childrn and grndchildren and also another generation are coming forward he was quite refin[e]d in his tastees and mannerrs April sems a fine month to be born in precious little Percival [Woods] was bo[r]n in that month {p. 142}

Yestrday went to three meetings– today have felt lon[e]ly Isabel is sick and cannot come up so I shall go down to see Emm and baby, took her some candy and {p. 143}

Rose early after staying all night at Emn’s in Emerson Ward and having had a good n[i]ght comparatively speaking Went to the L.D.S. Hospital to see Mrs. Libby [Ann Riter] Young– felt very much exhausted & faint, do not mean to go there agaiin it [i]s too deprssing for me tonight Pioneerr Meetig {p. 144}

Last night was the meting of the Daughters of the Pioneerrs and Annie pr[e]sided at the meeting in the Bishops building up stairs & we h[a]d a very fine address fron Levi Edgar Young & other nunbers in music etc Quite a goodly nunber of people but not as many as the occasion dserved Our young people of today know very little of what transpird in the early days in this valley and by and by all the original p[i]onieers will be gone {p. 145}

Dr. [Albert E.] Winship is herre on his tour of schools¹² I was late going over to the office Alice Reeynolds and m◊yself talkd very late and I did not feel very well my going to the L.D.S. Hospital to see Libby Young had made m[e] quite [illegible] Visited and our [illegible]¹³ was very wakeful in raising old tim[e] incidents and memories {p. 146}