-3-

-1886 -

and making covenants with my Father In Heaven--so solemn and beautiful, and I knew that I was taking a course that the Lord was please to acknowledge if I could only endure the sacrifice, for such it certainly was, with fortitude, which I had fully resolved to try to do. God, binding ourselves to live his laws and all was so quiet and orderly until at last the time arrived for us to kneel over the alter of the Lord and be sealed for time and all eternity which was done, and this finished the object of our visit up there.

Now what a change! All in a few days, what a responsible position we were both placed in. There were now three of us who had to work together hanroniously and study each other's natures, extending charity; for we knew we all were imperfect and subject to jealousy. Sister Emma, his wife, had, previous to this time, all the devotion and love of her husband, and although she knew that this step would soon be taken, it struck her almost like a bayonet piercing her body, for she knew he would think of another as his wife, holding the same relation as she did, and perhaps would be just as dear to him; but she had nobly consented for him to do so, and she tried to be reconciled and look at it as it is designed the daughters of Zion should do. I sympathized with her for I know the experience was a hard one, and that she as well as myself was making a great sacrifice; one that involved many pangs that were not transient but will last while we sojourn in the flesh. Then we shall lay down these bodies, and when we can see things with a spiritual eye, all will be well.

Our lots are now cast together and if we can always look at things with an eye of faith, we can labor harmoniously for our own elevation and progression in connection with our husband who is a faithful one, and an indulgent father. He appreciates the honor of being a father and tries to be a worthy one which I think he is. They have at this period only one child, a little boy Marian. He is everything that a child could be--so smart and intelligent--and he has one of the best of mothers to train him. Misfortune overtook her or she would have another, a little girl. This caused her great sorrow. She could not forget it, and her health was debilitated; anyhow, so all together her trouble was very great, looking at it with our natural mind. This I am thankful to say, I realized and I aimed to try to make the trial as light as it was possible, that is, I desired to do my duty, and be governed by principal. This was all that I could do for there are trials for each one of us and we can only sympathize with each other.

Well, we arrived home alright and the next consideration was what we were going to do, for as I have described before, we were not permitted to live that law openly, for the wicked forbade. They have made it a matter of law. They have legislated against it. Congress has enacted laws to obliterate the principal regardless of its divine origin and they appoint officers and send them here to execute the laws. In some cases they are men of little judgement and not principal and they construe the laws to suit themselves and it is permitted by the general government because it is the L.D.S. They refuse to extend the hand of protection to this people. We have been fought from the beginning of the church and they have said, "Your cause is just but we can do nothing for you."