21 March 1874
Salt Lake City Sixteenth Ward Relief Society; Sixteenth Ward Schoolhouse, Salt Lake City, Utah Territory
[. . .] Sister Eliza. R. Snow said They that feard the Lord spake often one to an other [another] & the Lord harkened & herd & a book of rememberance was kept I some times think & reflect upon the very many precious blessing the Latterday Saints enjoy I do not know that we are capable of appreciating the gifts of the gospel while sit[t]ing here I asked my self what manner of people ought we to be if we have met in the name of Jesus do we realize the gifts of the holy Spirit but in order to enjoy the Holy Spirit we must live in obediance to the requairments [requirements] of the Gospel he does not force his blessings on us I feel this is to the young men & Ladies [p. 291] those that are born in the Gospel they are to fill high & holy places in this Kingdom & in this nation those blessing[s] are for them if rightly traind & cultivated we are trying to arouse the young to there [their] privelages & duties for very soon they will have to fill the places of there [their] parents if they neglect there [their] duties they will meet with a loss it is truly gratifying to see that the young are being waked up to a sence of there [their] duties if we have an inheritance we will have to work for it & it will have to be beautified & kept in order that it may be pleasant and delightful I would say to my young friends how much time do you spend for our food & to decorate our persons Should we not work to educate our minds for Eternal Glory Seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and all things shal be added ther[e] to these young Ladies now before we can qualify your selves to be us[e]ful in this Kingdom Some speak very lightly of the young speaking in preying in there [their] meetings it humbles them & they gain confidence in in God it is the order of God and if you want to become ornaments in Society you must improve upon every principal [principle] & privelag in the Gospel we want every father Mother brother and sister to take hold and help them to be noble mothers in this kingdom will our young men ever be qualified to fill high and holy places in this kingdom. I often meet our young men coming out of saloons with cigars in their mouths do not be keke [like?] the gentiles but set good examples before the young and rising generation. I do not believe their is a majority that trifles with the gospel. I wish our young ladies would not imitate the world. but, be zealous of good works. I am proud of these young ladies they will be noble women of God. and go forth and admi[ni]ster to the sick and acomplish much good, you know this my sisters we want our pure minds stired up to remembrance we want to meet often what a privilege it is to meet and speak of His goodness. what a blessing it will be to meet with the angels and have the sweet spirit of God. we have this it helps us in our toil and work. this life is the kitchen, let us roll up our sleeves and work by and by our Father is going [p. 292] to divide His inheritance among the saints. do not work for nor imitate Babylon, if we wish to become heirs and joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Sister [Lydia H] Gibson died at our house. before dying she wished to see her burial suit, she looked at it and said I am prouder of this suit than of anything that was ever before prepared for me. a vision of the future was opened to her and she said is all this for me, what have I done to be worthy of all this. I must wait for my esent [ascent] to go. she then r[e]ceived two letters from her husband who was on a mission to England and heard them read, in two hours she expired. I want to do all the good I can for the rising generation. they will be the ones that will beautify Zion. let us not be weary in well doing let us be active members in the kingdom of God. is my prayer in the name of Jesus Amen.
[. . .] [p. 293] [. . .]
Sister [Ann] Agatha Pratt then Said. I was thinking when Sister Snow asked so many questions, do we as mothers realize how careful we should of our children and set good examples before them, what profit if we gain the whole world and lose our own soul. [. . .] I wish I was a good speaker it takes time and practice. it takes faith to call down the spirit of God. when sister Snow was speaking I realized for one I have need of more light to make me a partaker of the blessings of heaven [. . .] [p 294]