July 9, 1897, at a conference.—Our conference is convening right in the midst of a hostile people. A mob drove Elders Brown and Spencer out of this country not long since, and threatened them if they ever returned … much talk of mobbing us is afloat, and when we got to Brother Moates’ at night, at which place the mob operated before, we hear so much of their threats that we decided not to tempt them. We eat our supper and then with a few quilts and a pair of pillows we wend our way to the woods and make our bed.

August 12, 1897.—Well, today something new. We have not been asked to let anyone wash our clothing, and as they need it, we get the use of the wash outfit and repair to the spring and begin our laundry operations. I tell you it would do you good to have seen us. Elder Benzley tried the club, but I had more respect for mine than that. I don’t know how the ironing will get done. I will have to sit on the shirt and flatten it out, I guess. Well, there is nothing impossible with Mormon Elders.

April 8, 1898.—As we were journeying along, Elder Spencer tells me about his girl, who has fell out with him, mainly on account of a young man from Hyrum, Fred Ralph, paying her his attentions and proposing to be her beau and husband. Well, well, says I, rather remarkable to be sure, but the same identical lad stole my girl from me since I had been in Alabama. We have a good laugh, and think we need to send Mr. Fred our congratulations. We wonder if we can’t get him called on a mission ere he gets away with some other elder’s girl.

January 15, 1898.—We decide there is no need trying to preach further here now, as we were not given a very great amount of encouragement, so we walk five miles to Brother Bud Hammac’s where we also find Brother and Sister Tippins, all together in a little one-room house. We were asked to preach to them, so we stayed there to do so. We expected to get lodging around with the neighbors, but rain prevented many from coming to our meeting or from us going out to any other place. So here we are, us four Elders, Brother Hammac and wife, Brother Tippins and wife, and three or four children all here to lodge in this one room, and only one bed. Well, we whiled the evening away, until we began to feel sleepy, then the bed was separated and being supplemented with all the clothing in the house was arranged into three beds which occupied about all the space on the floor, even to the barricading of the one door, our only exit. We spent the night in peace and rest, and though cold outdoors and the house so open we could see out most anywhere, we fared very well by bringing in a good supply of “lightwood” before going to bed. When I got out in the morning and looked at the size of the hut and thought of the crowd that spent the night there, I was astonished.

February 17, 1898.—Spent part of the day here (Brother McElvin’s), helped lift up an old cow, then a young man (Charles D. Hall) came there hunting a justice of the peace to perform the ceremony necessary to unite him to a young lady and make them man and wife. The time for the wedding was set for tonight, and the bridegroom had shouldered a little musket and set out to hunt an officer to marry them. As no one could be found anywhere near, he importunes us to do the work for him. Elder Jarvis and myself went with him along trails and roads, through the woods, as he with gun on his shoulder led the way (scout fashion); thus we went for seven miles, when we came to the home of A. G. Bush, the bride’s parents, just in time to get in before we got wet in a heavy rain which continued till near the middle of the night. Just a few of her folks were there to witness the affair. His (the groom’s) folks were about all dead. Less than two months ago his mother, two brothers, and two sisters were laid to rest in the silent tomb, victims of that dread disease, typhoid fever.

When we arrived the bride and mother were busy preparing supper. When prepared, all assembled in the big room to be married. The bride was dressed in a clean dress and new slippers; the groom also had new shoes. Elder George E. Jarvis tied the matrimonial knot; then the groom and the menfolks went into supper: greens, boiled pork, cornbread, chicken stew, and pie and syrup cake constituted the bill of fare. As we had fasted all day, we did a good work at the table. We sit by the fire and talked on the gospel while the women eat supper; then all range around the fire while I talk the evening away telling about the Book of Mormon and the Gospel. All seemed to be interested in the narrative we had to tell them. Thus we celebrated their wedding, for them better than they could have done themselves. After we sang a few hymns and prayed with them, we retired to rest, even being favored with a bed in the same room as the newly married couple.

September 19, 1897.—At Widow Math Willis, while enjoying the singing and pleasant conversation, my thought wandered back just one year from the present time, to the dear old meeting house in Newton, several thousand miles away, which one year ago tonight was lighted up and filled with my relatives and friends who had assembled to do me honor and respect, and to bid me farewell ere I left my mountain home. I fancied I was there again in the same old house, hearing the sweet strains of music, while we whirled in happy couples around the room. I even thought of the attempt I made to speak to the people about four minutes and how I felt at the thought of that being my last dance, my last chance to speak to my townsfolk, and my last visit with them for two long years. Then I felt to rejoice as I fancied I had been traveling one year away from home, but now I would soon turn my face homeward and travel back again … I thought of the change one year had produced in me. Oh how scared I was then for fear I would be asked to talk in public, and here I am asking for the privilege to talk, even to lawyers, doctors, and judges. Oh how frightened I would get at the thought of any one hearing me try to make a musical sound with my voice, and now, here I am singing (or shouting) in turn for the entertainment of a group…

January 9, 1896.—On the 9th, Elder Newton and myself by request of Mr. Beaseley went at 7 p.m. 3/4 of a mile to his father’s house and I performed the ceremony that made himself and Miss Clemens man and wife. A new experience indeed…A large crowd was there to behold the operation; after they were hitched, a fiddle was produced and a man played, while one wiped the strings with a straw, or banjoed. To aid in the celebration was a 10 or 15 gallon barrel full of something, laying in the hall.

Another new experience for me also occurred this morning (to Elder Barney and myself) which did me more good than all the weddings in Alabama. Sister Betty Bodiford was feeling very sick and had not been well for several days. She asked us to administer to her which we did. Neither of us had ever had this to do before. She was relieved from her pain immediately and went to sleep which she had not been able to do before. After sleeping for a few hours, she got up all right.