I was married to Miss Phoebe Whitmore Carter, on the 13th of April, 1837, and received my patriarchal blessing under the hands of Father Joseph Smith, the Patriarch, two days after.
I felt impressed by the Spirit of God to take a mission to the Fox Islands, situated east of the Maine shore, a country I knew nothing about. I made my feelings known to the Apostles, and they advised me to go.
Feeling that it was my duty to go upon this mission, I did not tarry at home one year after having married a wife, as the law of Moses would have allowed. On the contrary, I started just one month and one day after that important event, leaving my wife with Sister Hale, with whom she expected to stay for a season.
I left Kirtland in good spirits, in company with Elder Jonathan H. Hale, and walked twelve miles to Fairport, where we were joined by Elder Milton Holmes. There we went aboard the steamer Sandusky, and made our way to Buffalo, and proceeded thence to Syracuse, by way of the Erie Canal. We then walked to Richland, Oswego Co., N. Y., where I met my two brothers, whom I had not seen for several years.
After spending one night there, we continued our journey to Sackett's Harbor, and crossed Lake Ontario on the steamer Oneida, to Kingston, Upper Canada, and from there also by steamer along the canal to Jones' Falls, whence we walked to a place called Bastard, Leeds County.
Here we found a branch of the Church, presided over by John E. Page and James Blakesly. We accompanied them to their place of meeting, and attended a conference with them, at which three hundred members of the Church were represented.
Thirty-two persons presented themselves for ordination, whom I was requested to ordain, in company with Elder Wm. Draper. We ordained seven Elders, nine Priests, eleven Teachers and five Deacons.
We spoke to the people several times during this conference, and at its close we were called upon to administer to a woman who was possessed of the devil. At times she was dumb, and greatly afflicted with the evil spirits that dwelt in her. She believed in Jesus and in us as His servants, and wished us to administer to her. Four of us laid our hands upon her head and commanded the devil, in the name of Jesus Christ, to depart out of her. It was immediately done, and the woman arose with great joy, and gave thanks and praise unto God; for, according to her faith, she was made whole from that hour.
A child, also, that was sick, was healed by the laying on of hands, according to the word of God.
We walked thirty miles to visit another branch of the Saints at Leeds, where we met with John Gordon and John Snider. Here we held a meeting and bore our testimony to the people.