Friday, Dec 1st/65. At the Endowment House to-day. Bro. Heber C. Kimball sealed 3 couple and myself 35 couple. It commenced storming heavily.

Saturday, 2nd/65. do. do. Bro’s Heber and Woodruff sealed [blank] couple and I one couple.

Sunday, Dec. 3/65. Attended meeting to-day at the Tabernacle. Bro’s. John Van Colt [John Van Cott] and E. L. Sloan spoke in the forenoon, and Elder John Taylor with great power in the afternoon. Attended quorum meeting[.] Bro’s Wells, Taylor, Woodruff, G. A. Smith, Joseph F. Smith and myself were present. In evening attended meeting at the 15th Ward and spoke to the people.

Monday, Dec. 4/65 The weather is very clear and cold. Busy at the Office.

Tuesday, 5th/65 do. do. do

Wednesday, 6, 1865 do. do. do.

Thursday, 7/65 do. do. do My wife Elizabeth was taken with labor pains this evening before I reached home. She sent for her Mother and Sister Emily and Sister Harrington, the midwife. My Sister Mary Alice and her husband, Charles Lambert also dropped in. The pains passed off for awhile and I persuaded all the women to go to bed and I sat up. I awakened them about one on the morning of Friday, Dec. 8th/1865. At [blank] minutes before 2 o’clock she was safely delivered of a daughter. The two last throes were very severe. The delivery was a good one; but longer than is usual with her. The midwife said that the cord was round the neck of the child three times and this was the cause of the delivery being longer. At the Office yesterday and at the Endowment House. Bro’s. Kimball and Woodruff sealed 10 couple and I sealed 22 couple. In the evening there was an opening Ball at the Social Hall, to which I was invited. I took my second wife, Sarah Jane, there, and remained until about half past ten. Besides the First Presidency and <several of the > Twelve and the company usually invited to the Hall, there was Governor Durkee and his Secretary, Mr. Head, Mr. Perry, the Artist, Mrs. Hayne, <actress,> Mr. and Mrs. Leslie, <the actors,> Mr. and Mrs Jones, Mr. Halsey, Mr. Waldon, the actor.

Saturday, Dec. 9/65. At the Endowment House. Bro. Woodruff sealed 19 couple and I 11 couple.

Sunday, Dec 10/65. Cold, stormy morning . Attended meeting[.] Bro. David Evans, Bishop of Lehi, spoke and I followed. The congregation was small, the smallest I have ever seen in the Tabernacle; but there was an excellent spirit and I felt very free. With the President all afternoon. Attended quorum meeting: Bro’s Woodruff, G. A. Smith, Ezra T. Benson, Joseph F. Smith and myself were present. Bro. C. C. Rich and Joseph C. Rich, his son, came in this evening from Bear Lake Valley. It was snowed heavily. Monday, 11th To-day is the Anniversary of my first wedding, with my wife Elizabeth. Eleven years to-day we were married.

Monday, Dec. 11/65. The Legislature convened to-day. I have been elected a Member of the Council. The Council organized and <the Members> were sworn by Secretary Reed. Bro. Geo. A. Smith was elected President and Patrick Lynch and Samuel Pitchforth, Secretary and Assistant; John Smith Serjeant-at-Arms; W^m Dan. Brown, Messenger; Joseph Busby, Foreman; Joseph Young, Chaplain. A few items of business were attended to and the Council adjourned. At the Office the remainder of the day. Eleven years to-day on my return from <my mission to> the Sandwich Islands I was elected Messenger to the House; Bro. Jedediah M. Grant, Speaker.

Tuesday, Decr. 12/65. Bro. John W. Young’s only son died suddenly last night. He is also sick. I visited him and with Joseph A. administered to Sister Young[,] Joseph and John’s mother. The Governor’s Message was read by Tho^s Bullock, to the Joint Session Chief Clerk of the House, to the Joint Session, Governor Cha’s. Durkee and Secretary Reed being present, having been introduced to the Assembly by a Committee of Members. The Message was a good document to have been written by a Governor who was is not of us. Bro. Amasa M. Lyman and his son Lorenzo and Bro. Cha’s. C. Rich and his son Joseph C. stopped at my house, intending to remain during the Legislative Session.

Wednesday, Dec. 13/65. At the Endowment House. Bro. Woodruff sealed [blank] couple and I sealed 7 couple. Afterwards repaired to the Council. Busy at Office during remainder of the day.

Thursday, Dec. 14/65. Busy at Office and at the Legislative Council. Writing instructions on behalf of the President to Hon. W^m H Hooper.

Friday, 15th/65. We have had very cold weather for several days. It is snowing again this morning. At Office and afterwards at Legislative Council. I had a number of friends at my house to dinner intending to have a blessing meeting. My little daughter was named Elizabeth Hoagland Cannon after her mother. Uncle John Taylor was mouth by direction of Bishop Hoagland, my Father-in-law, who thought that being Bishop of the Ward it was his right to take the child in his arms and either bless it himself or call upon any other person to do so. The Bishop, Uncle Taylor and Bro’s. Amasa M. Lyman and Chas. C. Rich join with me in blessing the child. I was not aware that the Bishop was going to take this course until he called upon Bro. Taylor. After the company had withdrawn I blessed the child myself. Sister Bull was present and she had a daughter blessed, I being mouth.

Saturday, Dec. 16th/65. Snowing heavily. At the Endowment House. Bro. Heber C. Kimball sealed 3 couple and I sealed 24 sealed couples.

Sunday, 17th/65. The snow fell very deep last night—being the heaviest fall of snow we have ever had a one time since we settled the Valley. In afternoon attended Meeting; Bros. Hy. Walters, Hy. C. Fowler, Hogsted and Kemp all spoke; the two last are Scandinavians. Attended Quorum meeting. Bro’s Wells, Hyde, Woodruff, <Geo A. S> L. Snow, E. Snow, Joseph F. Smith and myself were present.

Monday, Dec. 18th/65. At Office and Legislative council.

Tuesday, 19th. do. do

Wednesday, 20th do. do

Thursday, 21st do. do My wife, Eliza L. Tinney, started on a visit this morning to her mother’s at Payson.

Friday, 22nd. Busy at Office and at Legislative Council. Wrote a Biographical Sketch of the Prophet Joseph Smith for the “Juvenile Instructor” also a Salutatory for that paper. My wife, Eliza, returned this evening; the snow was so deep they could not proceed around the Point of the Mountain South.

Saturday, Dec. 23/65. At the Endowment House. I sealed 12 couple and Bro. Woodruff 2[.] At the Office during remainder of day.

Sunday, Dec. 24. Snowing heavily all day; excessively disagreeable. I stopped at home all day in company with Bro. C. C Rich.

Monday, 25th. The children were up early in search of their Christmas gifts. At the Office part of the day. We had a Christmas diner, at which all the family were present and Bro’s Lyman & Rich and their sons, Joseph C. and Lorenzo. In evening I attended the Theatre.

Tuesday, Dec. 26/65. Busy at Office all day. Snowed again during evening. We have had more snow this winter, thus far, than we ever had here since our Settlement.

Wednesday, 27/65. At Office and at the Territorial Council. The day is fine

Thursday, 28th/65. At Office and at Council. Sat for my portrait to Mr. E. W Perry.

Friday, 29th/65. do. do.

Saturday, 30th. At Endowment House; Bro. Heber C. Kimball sealed 3 couples and Bro. W. Woodruff 2 couples.

Sat again for Mr. Perry to paint my portrait.

Sunday, 31st. Attended meeting at Tabernacle; Bro. Jacob Gates spoke in the morning and Bro. Amasa M. Lyman in the afternoon. The latter’s remarks on the education <& training> of children were very excellent. Attended Quorum meeting; Bro’s. Hyde, Taylor, Woodruff, G. A. Smith, Lyman, Benson and Jno. W. Young and myself were present. In evening Bro. Lyman and myself attended meeting in the 14th Ward School House; the Bishop called upon me to speak, which I did, and was followed by Bro. Woodruff.