Early in March, 1886, he received a bill from the hospital for $85.00 and one from the doctor for $100.00, but had no money with which to pay either. Besides, the Spirit told him to get an artificial leg as soon as he could, and that would cost $100.00, if paid in advance. Money was very scarce at the time, and loans hard to obtain; but after praying to the Lord to direct him where to go to get some money, he had his son take him out with a horse and buggy for the purpose of borrowing some, without having any definite idea where to go to.

They had only driven a short distance when they saw some one coming towards them with a horse and buggy, and Thomas asked his son to stop his horse when they met. It proved to be Ether Coltrin, and Thomas told him he would like to borrow a little money. Brother Coltrin immediately asked if he could get along with $100.00, and was told that he could. The loan was immediately arranged for, and part of it paid to the hospital and the balance to the doctor.

Thomas then appealed to the Lord to know where he could go to obtain the price of the artificial leg, and a few days later Daniel Davis came to him and said: "Thomas, if you want to get a little money, I can let you have some." When told that he needed $100.00, he said he could have it.

He had the stump of the limb measured and the limb ordered in April, and in due time received, and the delay predicted occurred while the train bearing it was on the way. He was able to wear it immediately, and during the latter part of the year he and his family were laboring in the Logan Temple (which had just been dedicated) for the living and the dead.

Brother Briggs has recorded in his diary this circumstance, which occurred in the Temple while he was present: As a great many persons were on the stairs of the assembly room, President Taylor discerned in the multitude a woman unworthy of admission. He did not know her, but he said to President Card, "Turn that woman back." He afterwards explained that the Spirit had told him that she had no business there. It was subsequently discovered that she had a forged recommend.

Being unable to cultivate his land that year, Thomas let it out on shares to his sons, who planted it to tomatoes and cucumbers. Just as they had made sufficient growth to be looking fine, a terrific hail and wind storm occurred, one of the worst ever known in that region, but, although nearly all the surrounding crops were destroyed, those in Thomas' field were not injured—which he naturally considered very providential, and thanked the Lord for favoring him.

With the advent of 1888, Thomas was strongly impressed with the fact that it was his duty to go to England and seek genealogical information; in fact, this feeling had been with him ever since he was in the hospital, at the time his leg was amputated, and when many regarded his recovery as very doubtful. The Spirit of the Lord had said to him then, "Prepare to go to England in 1888, and hunt up your genealogy."

He was in poor health and without funds, but didn't feel that those facts would excuse him from complying with the requirement of the Lord, if he could borrow the funds, for whenever he had borrowed anything in the past because duty required it, the Lord had afterwards provided a way for repaying the loan. With a desire in his heart that the Lord would enable him to obtain the necessary funds, he attended the April Conference, and as he entered the Temple Block gate he saw a man standing there whom he was prompted to apply to for a loan. He explained the purpose for which he wanted it, and obtained the desired amount without hesitation.

He went to England, traveled 1800 miles after he arrived there, met many relatives, was kindly received, collected two hundred names of his kindred dead, and arrived home seventeen weeks after he started.

In the spring of 1889 prospects indicated a great scarcity of water to irrigate with, and Thomas was worried as a consequence. Besides, he found himself burdened with a heavy indebtedness as a result of his trip to England, but, by cultivating four acres of land in addition to his own, he paid off all his indebtedness and had enough left to keep his family well provided, so that he felt that the Lord had blessed him for following the promptings of His Spirit.