Show FROM ALABAMA ELDER ED BENZLEY OF RANDOl Lm GIVES AN interesting ACCOUNT OP OF HIS TRIP AND LABORS editor BOUND round UP 1 I suppose you yon remember that I 1 promised to write to you von occasionally and let your readers know how I 1 was getting along and I 1 expect by this time you have concluded that I 1 bad forgotten all about it but I 1 and if i you keep this letter out of the waste basket I 1 may write again again I 1 left salt lake city january 11 14 1 1 1897 by way of the rio ric grande western railway thera was 12 elders all told in the company that I 1 was with and 14 went vent over the union pacific ry at the same timo we passed through colorado where we saw some grand mountain scenery and at reubio colo took tile the missouri pacific ry RV we passed agh kansas city find then through st louis at hoth both of which places I 1 and some ol of tin thi other elders laid over all night at st louis we crossed the mississippi river and then sped on southward to nashville tenn and from there to chattanooga teun tenn wo all stopped a couple of days here to get instructions and fit out and then I 1 and elder amos cook jr were sent down into south SouthA latama we arrived at it our destination alright and were met by elder W if redd of bluff utah and later by elder goo geo E jarvis of bloomington Blooming toa idaho atler after being together for a few days elder jarvis and myself started for our field of labor some miles away and you vou may imagine that I 1 had some very peculiar feelings as I 1 started away anav with my satchel on my back and my umbrella in my hand band and not a cent of money in my pocket for in this mission the elders travel entirely wiell without ut purse or scrip well we arrived at our destination alright and have been laboring in this county ever so far we have not found any saints in this county and have not converted any as yet but we have held quite a number of meetings and have made many friends in the short time that we have been here and we hope to be able to do some rood good and here lot lat me say that so far arasI as I 1 have met them the southern people are very hospitable and when they take a et stranger ranger in they treat him royally well I 1 will try and tell you something of the country it is made up of level plains intermixed with low rolling hills bills and in most places except where it has been cleared up is covered with a heavy growth of pine pill oak and many other varieties of timber farming is is the principal industry and cotton and corn are tho the principal crops most of the plowing that I 1 have thus far seen is done with one horse or a mule and a plow that cuts about eight inches of land they plow around among the stumps of nt the trees that havo have been cut down and burned up one man and a horse usually cultivates about 25 acres oi land excepting in hoeing timo time when they have to hire additional help there has not been an any y snow scow down here since I 1 came down and but very little cold weather there has however been a great deal of rain in the last month it t usually coming in very heavy showers about two or throe three times a week tho the farmers down here are now planting their corn irish potatoes and garden vegetables are up and doing very nicely most of the fruit trees are out in blossom and everything is nice and green well most missionaries usually wind up by giving the boys at homo home some advice in relation to what to do so 80 1 I expect ill take a turn I 1 heartily agree with friend wiley in in relation to walking fence rails and also as to singing the first is necessary be causo canso most of the tha bridges are made of a tree cut down and felt fell across a creek and I 1 tell you its anything but pleasant when you happen to slide off and the other is in needed not only at your meetings but around the fireside for they have an idea that all the eldera can sing and there is no usa excusing yourself fur fr th thy they y wont listen to it so sing we must 1 I have developed l into quite a fine singer maseli by this time and tile the other essential is posting your yourself stif on the scriptures for almast everyone in this country reads their bible we are going to have a conference on the ath cf may and then I 1 expect to see sea friend robert spencer and to have a right good time As I 1 may be taking up too much space I 1 will stop with wilh best wis wishes lies to the ROUNDUP ROUND UP which in making its weekly visit is always welcome ELDER rd FD BENZLEY DENzL ry cuba alabama march |