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-1888-

April 11th. I can now sit in my room and look through the window upon the green meadows. They look beautiful clothed in their mantles of spring and the air begins to be fresh with verdure while the birds are singing so sweetly. My mind reverts to the springtimes at home for this time of the year always had many charms for me.

I have read the conference minutes. Some very good discourses were delivered. They are all feeling quite well spiritually, and exhort the saints to be more faithful. Apostle Richards gave a striking illustration of the condition of the saints as follows: "When a ship is at sea, and it is calm, they speed along easily; but when the storm comes up, it begins to test the people's powers of endurance, and their management of the vessel." Apostle J. W. Taylor, and others spoke well. Bishop O. T. Whitney read the Epistle and spoke awhile after. In reference to parents, he said, "If their children take the downward course through their neglect, they will surely have to go to hell to get them, for the ties of fathers and children are not easily severed."

Uncle Edward Stevenson came up Sunday morning April 15th. He says that in three years the Savior will have made a visit to the earth. He will not come then to reign, but he thinks there will be some great changes in the times by then. He is an exile and is as cheerful, apparently, as if he had all the liberties lavished upon him. He is sure he will be free by the time he is seventy, which is two years from the first of May. He is so sure of it that he has engaged the hall and invited some of the guests, to celebrate that birthday.

April 17th. I received a letter from New Zealand from Joseph. He enjoys good health and gets along quite well. We began housecleaning, and by the 20th we have it most done--prepared for the visitors to the Relief Society conference held at Farmington on the 20th. We had Sisters Horn and Wells from Salt Lake and Sister Brown from Bountiful here to dine with us, but what made the day more remarkable for me, I veiled myself and went to meeting, it being the first Society meeting I had attended since I left home. I enjoyed it very much. It was a good meeting. Sister Horn in speaking of the magnitude of the mission of a mother in Zion said: "Joseph Smith, the prophet said the mission of a mother is equal to, if not greater than that of apostles and prophets, for she makes the first impressions on their tender minds. She wields an influence with them from their early infancy." So this is the opinion of the prophet in the last days. It struck me very forcibly. I thought though the cares and responsibilities of mothers are so great, how minor they are compared with the honor of the calling, and how diligent we should be in order to be worthy of noble children.

Sunday, April 22nd. I went to the first Sacrament meeting since I left home, and had the privilege of partaking of those holy emblems again. I thought it is indeed true that we do not know how to appreciate a blessing until we are deprived of it. The instructions were very good. Brother Frank Miller was the speaker. He has heard the grasping of the things of the world in preference to those of eternal life, compared with the losing the whole world to grasp a handful of dirt. This, he thinks, is a goo comparison, and it is likely that it is, when we seriously reflect on the greatness of our spiritual salvation.