| Show FLORIDA conference SANDERSON baker county fla april nth ilith 1897 I 1 received army call january 1895 0 too to the southern states mission I 1 got permission n to precede the company a week in in order to visit relatives and places of inhere st en toute route I 1 leit left my home rexburg Rex burg idaho february lath visited my old home south weber bavis davis county utah spent two days with friends Iri ends proceeded to salt lake was set apart february irth and took the eastbound rio grande western train rain i at p m passed through the mountains viewing the beautiful scenery for which this route is celebrated celebrate di called at denver and kansas city arriving at cairo mo on the aoth where I 1 spent four days with relatives and friends returned to kansas city on the took dummy and street car lines twelve miles to independence strolled over ever temple site attended two meetings 0 of the reorganized church and returned to kansas city expecting to meet a company compan of elders they did not arrive and I 1 I 1 continued my journey via memphis to chattanooga arriving on the aith I 1 met the company ot of elders next day where soldiers erp are buried we visited national cemetery and lookout mountain ascending and descending on OB cable cars ne me received instructions concerning our duties and I 1 was assigned to lab labor in the sc sauth uth alabama conference of which joseph S geddes was president I 1 took train to the old spanish city of pensacola fla arriving march and visited the harbor where many ships were anchored they represented many nations having their national colors ho hoisted j s t ed making remembert a picturesque ic tur esque scenes scene long to be remembered on march ath I 1 was met by elder joseph larson of pleasant grove utah who ho proved to be a most efficient missionary sio nary our lot was cast to travel in escambia county fla and we proceeded with our canvass repairing to the country pensacola having been finished by elder geddes and companions we made a house to house canvass making a great many frends and finding the people kind and hospitable we held many meetings and succeeded eded in baptizing four honest souls into the fold ot of christ during our sojourn we aisted the navy yards at warington at the mouth of the ards cola harbor the yard was very much dilapidated and the mason work X crumbled there was a great deal of old time artillery and stacks of cannon balls of all sizes and shapes to be seen on either side of the walks which were about thirty feet wide they were so arranged that they were easily got at without any overhauling ing we went to fort barrancas Barr ancas also visited the lighthouse and were granted the privilege of ascending the stairs feet where we could get a good P view of the gulf of mexico and the country in the rear t south alabama conference was held in clenahan Cle nshan county r july aoth 1895 had a most enjoyable time we met with many friends of elder P flaw flam of rex burg I 1 idaho who had labored there some six fix years previously and who spoke very highly of him as a messenger of the gospel I 1 returned to my old field accompanied by elder frank smith of meadows utah where we continued until the con ference was divided and florida conference organized with elder joseph A west of salt lake as president I 1 was then assigned to labor in the south half of madison county with elder wooton wooten and later with elder W criddle and other companions we canvassed and preached breached ton ten months during which time we were visited twice by elder west elder chris J brown of ogden and elders IF cutler and W H summer bays making several tours of the coun ty myself and companions baptized twenty two people s we attended the first florida conference held in suwanee county may aoth and sast 1896 enjoyed a rich outpouring of the spirit and listened to the An instructions given by elder liias kimball the elders were as signed to their new fields of labor I 1 returned to madison county continuing until august irth when I 1 was called to labor in baker county with elder smith and later with elder criddle and elder joseph facer of willard who arrived here march m in i company with elder james H alien of lewiston elders criddle and auen allen were sent into charlton county ga in our travels we came to the little town of olustee noted for a battle fou fought ht there also for the mammoth sawmills ME owned by epinger russel company we had a pleasant interview with edth mr epinger whose resi residence deuce is in new hew york he crossed the plains in 2850 1850 en route to california stopped in salt lake two weeks and was kindly treated by our people since which time he has always stood up for them we have been successful in obtaining many churches schoolhouses and dwellings in which to hold meetings among others who have opened their doors is ld mr robert rRobert rogers who visited utah and worked for hon D H peery and and who always has words of praise for utah atah and her people we were accorded a pleasant visit irom from elders brown and gee who assisted in holding meetings and leaving appointments for elder cutler and companion who are now with us in the past three weeks we have held 38 meetings and baptized two members from elder cutler our president we learn that good reports are coming in from all parts the health of the el ders is good conference will convene in jefferson county on may and 2nd and w when h en w we e e expect x hect to have a spiritual least feast and nother another visit by elder E S kimball who no doubt will have much timely counsel to impart to elders saints and friends the harvest truly is great but the laborers are few 11 f there is a great demand tor for good elders those who have availed themselves of the opportunities afforded them and have prepared themselves on the first principles of the gospel and learned to sing the inspiring songs of zion brethren do not think when called that you are too tco young or too old to fill an honorable missions mission 1 any elder hav ing the privilege of laboring in the southern states should think himself highly honored especially should he be accorded a place in the florida conference since traveling in this county I 1 met with an aged gentleman mr charles sap who refused to take up arms against his country and concealed himself in swamps the authorities determined to press him into service set hounds on his trail and in order to evade the hounds he mounted an old ox he had owned years a ao 0 thus he threw them off the scent and escaped his pursuers and the confederate service the storm of september aith passed through this county it did much damage to timber and turpentine farms and demolished fences churches schoolhouses and dwellings the roads were logged up so they were impassable until cut out much cotton was blown away and wasted the peoples lives were miraculously preserved as many buildings were thrown down over their heads my labors have been of the most pleasant kind and a source of much joy to me I 1 am becoming more and more interested each day when I 1 am released it will be a trial to leave the good saints and kind and hospitable friends of the south I 1 am on con my twenty sixth month and have no desire of returning home until the lord says enough we note with pleasure the warm reception given president woodruff on the anniversary of his ninetieth birthday may he live to pass the hundredth milepost mile post yea more if it be the lords will the is always a welcome vis visitor and its pages are eagerly perused by kuders elders and friends JOHN WATTS |
