Eldorado.

Travelling.

at New Orleans.

at Houston Texas.

at Ft. Worth, [Texas]

[at] Dallas [Texas]

[at] Enoch, [Texas]

[at] Kelsey, [Texas]

We went from Kelsey to Dallas & during the night & next morning we went to Wichita, Ks. Thr. Three meetings at Wichita, Ks.

Took train at 11 P.M. at Wichita and arrived in Kansas City next morning at 7:10 A.M. oclock.

Kansas City, Mo. Pres. Bennion & I arrived at 7:10 and at 8:15 my wife arrived at Kansas City. Sister Bennion met us with a car and we were taken to Independence.

When I left Independence on Oct. 28th I by inadvertance left my Journal hence what I have written since Oct. 28th I have written from memory since our return to this place, this date, which is very brief and not very cohesive.

Independence, Mo.

Stormy.

Since I left home we have had good weather, and while it has rained here and at other points of our travel & visit we have escaped it. I am very happy to have my wife with me for the remaining part of my mission.

We have held two lengthy meetings this day with fifty missionaries from the East Kansas & Independence Conferences. I occupied about 70 min. at the Conclusion of the reports by the missionaries. These were spirited and profitable meetings.

The evening was spent in a home made entertainment of high rank. Mother and I are free from colds and are happy together. [page break]

Independence, Mo.

Mother took cold yesterday and is feeling quite poorly to-day.

We have 50 missionaries attending conference from the two districts or conferences of East Kansas & Independence. Three public meetings were held to-day. The house was well filled and we heard from about 44 speakers I spoke at afternoon occupying 30 min with good liberty on a recapitulation of what had been said and the doctrines taught. At the evening, and most largely attended, meeting I occupied about 45 minutes with good liberty. I told briefly of the King Nebuchadnezzar & its interpretation by David and its application. This is the Kingdom. There is no suggestion of a possible reorganization of the Church & Kingdom but the reverse is implied if not definitely stated. There has been a reorganization: repeated six times of the Presidency but not of the church. When the Prophet predicted that the saints would go to the Rocky Mountains, he had in mind the true church. He did not say that some would depart from the church and go to the mountains and become a mighty people. He did say some would apostatize and that they would remain behind goes without saying. Before the Prophet’s martyrdom he rolled off on to the Twelve the responsibility of carrying on this work. The Lord by revelation declared that the Quorum [page break] of the Twelve are equal in Authority to the Quorum of the First Presidency, i.e. where the First Presidency are not and the Prophet declared, where I am not there is no First Presidency. So when he was martyred the Twelve took control and Brigham Young being the President of the Twelve became the President. That he was the rightful successor to the Prophet Joseph, the Lord made known by causing the Mantle of Joseph to fall upon him so that as he stood before the people, he appeared to them as the Prophet and his voice was that of the Prophet. A majority of the Twelve remained true and went to the mountains with the Body of the Saints. The Church records and the records of the Temple were taken by the L.D. Saints to the Valleys of the mountains. The Prediction of the Prophet Joseph has been fulfilled in the building of cities and causing the deserts to blosum as a rose. In the organization of the Church effected under later Presidences & what has been [andr’s?] being accomplished we see the evedences that those who survived to the Presidency of the Church have been sustained by the Last and are Prophets of God. I took up the work of temple building started by the Prophet Joseph and continued by the L.D. Saints all of which is evidence that the L.D.S. are the true church & people. No other church is doing these things. I surely was blessed of the Lord in my talks. [page break]

Independence, Mo.

I am well.

Mother has a severe cold. The weather is cold to-day following a rainy season of several days.

I wrote up my journal for yesterday giving a synopsis of my talk last evening.

Mother & I accompanied Pres. & Mrs. Bennion in their car to Kansas City. We inspected the reorganized church Auditorium now in course of construction, and other places of interest. Pres. Bennion took train at 11: P.M. for Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Weather clear and not so cold.

Pres. Bennion & I arrived here at 6:30 A.M. We went to the Mayo Hotel & got breakfast. Here we met the Elders and made arrangements for holding three meetings this afternoon & evening. Pres Bennion spent most of the forenoon in Consultation with the Elders. I was with them most of the time. When not with the Elders I was writing or studying.

While I have written but little in reporting our conferences, eleven in number, until our return to Independence on account of my not having my Diary with me, yet, the proceedings of these conferences were much the same as those of the Independence Conference. We arrived to have a missionary reporting meeting and two or more public meetings with each [page break] Conference giving all the missionaries an opportunity to speak. We have had good meetings. I think I have spoken at them all and the Lord has helped me wonderfully. Later: we held our three meetings two in a Lodge Hall and the evening meeting in the Court House. I spoke at each. We took train at 10:30 P.M. for Kansas City. Wrote LeGrand.

Came in to Independence this morning from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

At 11:15 A.M. Pres. Bennion, Sister Bennion, my wife and I left in Pres. Bennions New Buic Sedan and going via. Kansas City, to cross the Missouri River on toll bridge we turned north and went to Far West and saw the Temple Site and Corner Stones which were laid under peculiar circumstances. The Church owns the farm on which the lot is situated, I think about 80 acres which is now rented out on an [accecced?] car [to?] rental. We went from there to Gallatin, Mo. where we stayed all night at Hotel Woodruff.

Woodruff Hotel, Gallatin, Mo.

Mother has had quite a cold Since last Sunday.

I am well.

We left Gallatin at 8:00 A.M. and went to Adam On. Di. Amon, thence to Keokuk, Iowa, on the Mississippi River arriving there at 7:00 P.M. The roads were cut up and rough most of the way and the distance covered is 205 miles. We put up at the Grand Hotel. We lost a new spare tire, rim & cover. [page break]

Grand Hotel, Keokuk, Ia.

I am well.

Mothers cold some better. We left Keokuk at about 10:00 A.M. and took the road up the south side of the Mississippi River about twelve miles to Nauvoo. We called at W. C. Reimbold; Hotel and got Mr Reinbold to go with us and show us the places of interest. We saw the homes of the first four Presidents of the Church and the homes of a number of prominent men of the Church. The home of Willard Richards had been torn down and Mr. Reinbold’s grand-father built a house in its place. In removing some sand which had been washed in about the house they found the stone slab which had been placed on the grave of Jennett Richards’ grave. She is Heber John’s & Rhoda Ann’s mother. The[y] removed her remains to a remote corner of the lot where the slab now lies. This removal was made in 1867. The inscription on the stone slab is as follows: “Jennett Richards, born at wakesfield, England. Married to Willard Richards Sep. 24, 1838. Died July 9, 1843. Burried in Lot 1, Block 103 where they lived in Nauvoo at time of her death.”

I could not read the inscription very well as I had to kick about the snow & dirt to find the slab, and Mr. Reinhold said he had the wording of the inscription at home and I obtained it from him there. I saw enough of the inscription on the stone slab to know that it was Jeannetta’s tomb stone. [page break]

We went from Nauvoo to Carthage about 16 miles. Here we visited the jail where Joseph & Hyrum Smith were shot to death June 27, 1844. The bullet hole is still in the door where it is supposed the bullet entered which Killed the Patriarch Hyrum Smith. The rug was thrown back showing some stains on the floor of the room in which Hyrum met death and it is supposed to be the blood stains. Some one has cut out some of the wood evidently as souvenirs.

While at Nauvoo we visited the Nauvoo House which is near the Mississippi River since it has been backed up by the Keokuk Dam. We also visited the Mansion House, the home of the Prophet Joseph. A Mrs Layton showed us through the house. A place of consealment was revealed to us in a closet with a blind door and a wall ladder leading to an attic above.

We drove from Carthage to Rushville via Macomb, & Industry. The snow had drifted into the road until it was three feet deep in places and the ruts were deep and crooked though on hard roads. We came but about 103 miles to-day. At Rushville we stayed at Schuyler Hotel. We are bound for St. Louis where conference is to be held Sunday.

Schnyler Hotel, Rushville. Ill.

All usually well.

We left for St. Louis about 166 miles [page break] distant at 7:45 A.M. We went via Ashland, Springfield, Ill. to St. Louis Mo. arriving there at 6:30 P.M. The roads were bad most of the way being drifted full of snow. At St. Louis we put up at the Hotel Claridge.

Hotel Claridge, St. Louis, Mo.

Pres. & Sister Bennion and my wife & I left Independence last Wed. at 11:15 A.M. and arrived here by auto having visited Far West and the temple site there; Adom-on-Diamon, Nauvoo, Carthage and other places of interest as shown above. The weather has been cold, and the roads bad most of the way but we have not suffered with the cold. I attended and spoke at three public meetings and a meeting of the missionaries this day Pres Bennion and about 23 others spoke. the attendance was 128 in the forenoon and 170 in the evening and about the same in the evening and about the same in the afternoon as in the morning. The Lord helped us and we had a good conference. Eatables were served in the basement of the Church.

St. Louis, Missouri.

Pres. & Sis. Bennion & Mother & I left St. Louis at 7:15 A.M. in Buic Car for Independence, and without mishap arrived at 3:30 P.M. the distance is about 250 miles. Mother & I took 10:00 o’clock train for home & saw Kansas City, Mo. [page break]

On train from Kansas City to Salt Lake.

Mother & I arrived in Salt Lake at 8:15 A.M. from the East. We are well and have had an enjoyable trip. We were met at the depot by our Sons Oliver & Ray and our Daughters Edna & Estella and the latter’s husband. Mother and I took the Franklin and went down to Sugar House and called on Nina & family, Mamie, Lucena and Nerva at their homes. Returning I looked over my mail &c.

Thanksgiving Day. I attended the foot ball game between the U of U & the U A C teams. The former won by a score of 34 to 0. Mother & I and other members of the family took dinner with Clarence & Mamie. Mother went to bed sick as a result of a bad cold which has been affecting her for nearly two weeks.

I spent some time with the First Presidency considering important questions. Attended to the sealing of eight or ten living couples & some children to parents &c Spent the evening at home. Jack & Ruby took supper with us and stayed the night. We listened to a splendid radio program in the evening. Mother remained in bed until about seven & was better. [page break]

Stormy.

I took 7:20 A.M. train accompanied by Bp. John Wells, for Greenwood, thence 5 miles by Auto to Holden Millard Stake where we arrived in time for the opening of the conference, the 10:00 A.M. session was a priesthood meeting. I spoke at the afternoon meeting and after meeting, met with the Stake Presidency for an hour. I stayed at the home of Bp. Poulsen.

Holden, Utah.

Attended both sessions of conference and spoke at the afternoon session. Subj: History Repeats Itself, &c.

Bro. Nixon took Bro Wells & me to Delta after meeting and we took 4:08 P.M. train for home. Arrived in Salt Lake at 8:30 P.M.

Home.

I had some slight repairs made to my car, and then went to the Temple and was busy at my desk. Attended in important business with the Temple recorder &c. Mother gave a dinner for all the married folks of the family. I think there were 22 of us together.

We were in the temple at 7:00 A.M. I made the talk in the Temple meeting. Told of my visit to Independence, Far West, Nauvoo Adam on Diamon, &c.

Attended to my work at the temple as usual. Had my Car front fender straightened and painted with spray paint [page break]