A lady of wealth, baptized by Elder Woodruff in 1840, died recently in this place. On her death-bed, she sent a message to me, requesting to be sealed to Brother Woodruff.
It is strange how principles of truth spread. A daughter of that woman is now seeking information in regard to the Gospel, the effect of her mother's dying words. The daughter's husband is a wealthy, worldly man, and will not let his wife attend our meetings. I earnestly seek for wisdom to guide me in all my movements; for while I sympathize with the oppressed, or those barred of Gospel privileges, yet I have no desire to give the wicked an occasion or opportunity to destroy my life and usefulness.
The farmers are beginning to weed and hoe the fields. Many women engage in this labor; and yesterday I stopped to witness the working of a threshing machine. It was driven by steam. The foreman, feeder, and two other hands were men; the pitching, band-cutting, and sacking were done by women. It was a sight that I had never seen in Utah; yet, out in the world I hear much about the slavery of Mormon women.
Tuesday, April 16th, at midnight, I baptized an old man by the name of Waradell. He was among the first to embrace the gospel on these islands. He went to Nauvoo, worked as a carpenter on the temple, crossed the Mississippi river to go west with the Saints in 1846, with Charles Shumway. At Sugar Creek his heart failed. He apostatized, and returned to England, and now, old and penniless, he comes back into the Church to die.
During the clay I baptized three of Brother Bishop's children. I am proud of this; to me they are a lovable family.
"Oft have I wandered, weary and alone,
To gather flowers, by mortal hand unsown,
In shady nook or dell; and sometimes find,
Hidden from view, blossoms of rarest kind.
And thus in life, the good, and pure, and true
Are often hid, by circumstance, from view.
Happy the man who brings the treasures forth,
And gains, for recompense, a gem of priceless worth."
April 18th, I walked twelve miles in rain and mud, and stayed over night with Heber White, at Ryeford. I suffered all day with sick headache. The next day, though still feeling poorly, I started to walk to Nailsworth. The weather was damp, and the roads bad. After going about three miles, I fainted. When I came to myself, I knelt down and prayed. In a short time, a gentleman came by in a buggy, and invited me to ride. In Utah this would not seem strange, but here it is like a miracle. When he learned who I was, he took pains to carry me to George White's, the presiding elder at Nailsworth. I truly thanked the gentleman and praised my Heavenly Father for the blessing given me.
April 20, 1878. One year from home; a damp, wet day, and I was confined to the house, for this damp weather affects my lungs. I wrote the following letter:
"Dear Brother Lorenzo: On the 30th of this month, if spared till then, I shall be forty-one years of age. As a birthday present, I send you my photo, and a Bible card to each one of your family.
"I feel grateful for the blessings and mercies bestowed so graciously by the Father upon me. True there are times, when in sorrow, I may feel for a few moments, that my lot is hard, and my labors poorly recompensed. You know how much I have been a wanderer for the Gospel's sake, but you do not know how many weary steps I take, and how sadly I am tempted. Out of all, so far, I have been delivered, my weak body strengthened, and my heart comforted. In this I have great joy; and I trust this, my joy, will continue until the end of my pilgrimage in this life, which I now consider more than half completed.