Today has been very busy and so much to get ready for the Conference especially the Programs are late and as Annie was secretary of the program Committee and she lives out of the way, naturally it means more to me and tomorrow our Relief Society Conference commences, every little detail has to be seen to yet it is provided for. Counselor Annie T. Hyde is very ill– it would seem impossible for her to make her speech yet she intends to do so and she has great determination so she probably will succeed even if it should be her last. {p. 305}

Conference opened this morning with a fairly good attendance, I had been chosen to make the opening prayer or invocation, we had fine music Sister Lizzie Thomas Edward leading & President Bathsheba W. Smith made her address of welcome which was responded to by Sister Layton of Arizona. Annie had her subject well in hand and all the Board did very well indeed. Counselor Hyde saved herself for the afternoon I run over to Clarissa’s at noon for a few minutes Sister Hyde did well and was I believe heard all through the building {p. 306}

<Belle & Annie both came tho Belle only stayed a few minutes> Second day of Conference the weather is rather cool & not very fine, we got through the day well, had a very fine piano performance by J. J. McLelland [McClellan] and an accompaniment by Weighe [Willard E. Weihe] which was up to date musical treat and must have pleased the sisters who do not have as many opportunities as we do The Conference altogether was about the best we have had and Sister Smith our President spoke more freely and more at length than usual and I had the closing up of the Conference at the last– the reception in the evening was not so well attended as we had hoped and it rather dragged, finally we got Prest. Winder to offer prayer and we sung a hymn, George A. Smith closed with a benediction. {p. 307}

Conference opened this morning with the largest attendance we have had for a morning session Sister Theobald came up to attend her examination of medical studies and brought her baby, and came here to the house, President Smith spoke freely and forcibly and made a good impression or a strong one and an earnest appeal to the Saints to stand for truth and righteousness Sister Hyde was in the meeting– In the afternoon meetings were held in the Assembly Hall, Barratt Hall and on the grounds outside the Tabernacle crowds everywhere Sunday School Union in the evening {p. 308}

Today again crowded meetings and preaching mostly from the Apostles, and at the noon hour and afterwards at the close of meetings many callers at the office on business and for information until one gets so weary and yet I am very anxious to do all the good possible At 4. p.m. we held a business meeting in the Assembly Hall although we made it brief so as to let the sisters get ready for Tuesday– {p. 309}

This is the Anniversary and the day to sustain the authorities of the Church and we all look upon the 6th as the ultimatum of the Conference teachings and out-pourings of the Holy Spirit. This time Heber J. Grant who is now third in the quorum of the Twelve presented the authortities of the Church– our officers and board were presented as they stand– Sister Rebecca E. Little who is very ill and not in her right mind is causing us some anxiety, yet we hope she will eventually recover.¹ We held our <semi annual> meeting a few minutes and left businss for Friday– {p. 310}

There was a sort of Committee meeting of the Utah Council of women to get something done for the Buffalo affair² Lucy Clark is wild to go but it is not possible to get money enough– she is so persistent that one can be almost furious when she has just recently been to Chicago and had such honors paid her, we all thought it would be satisfying but it only makes her more dissatisfied & restless It will assuredly be quite impossible, I feel we have tried every means in our power to {p. 311}

We are beginning to feel the need of an emegency call for help in securing the election of the Republican Ticket and some literature has been prepared for us to distribute and I feel that we must do our best to protect ourselves. {p. 312}

This is the anniversary of my marriage to Daniel H. Wells who was not then in any high position in the Church and I was still teaching in the 12th. Ward school house– we were married about 6. p.m. in the old house on South Temple behind the wall– Pres. Brigham Young officiating {p. 313}

The anniversary of little Winnie [Winnifred Woods]’s birth born in 1875– it scarcely seems possible {p. 314}

Dot’s birthday gave her a book of poems, she is a very bright young woman a most affectionate mother had supper up there, she feels Marian’s death more on days like these {p. 315}

This is little John Q.’s birthday and I gave him [2 lines blank] Went down there to dinner, the dear little fellow wanted his father to ask the blessing, he is a wonderfully bright boy {p. 316}

This is Vilate Groo [Taylor]’s birthday and I have thought all day long of sending her a message but have not succeeded in getting time to do it, so many coming and going and I am trying so hard to get my mailing done and it is such a difficult problem with such poor help– Betsy is very good but does not comprehend the need of its being done on time Vilate Kimballs death occurred Oct. 23. [1867] the year Vilate Groo was born. How many chang[e]s there have been since then and of all the wives about 20 only Lucy Walker Kimball remains. {p. 317}

I have been trying my best today to put things in place and arrange for going North, and yet I find I cannot until after election, so much depends upon our exertions among the women voters to get them registered and to vote right {p. 318}

I fully expected to leave today but now I am so in with the election that I cannot possibly go it would look as if I were running from duty, and so much depends upon this office being the headquarters for the literature– {p. 319}

This is President Wells anniversary and we have been busy getting ready for it, dear little Katharine was in it after all though she had no practise as she expected to have been with me at her Aunt Mell’s in Idaho. June is not at home, but Belle and Dot and Will were there and little Lucile & Herman and naturally I was very glad. Annie and the children went home before me, but I was all right and came on 12. M. car. Betsy was here and I was all right, Very tired however Daniel H. Wells would have been 94 years old– the children did fine especially the girls Richard & Louise came, his first time {p. 320}

Today has been a full day of work for the election men and women are wild with the excitement and our side ar[e] working hard to oppose the Americans who seem to summon all their forces to oppose and overcome us. Surely the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth and we shall be triumphant, unless we need a scourging. The women who are distributing our literature seem quite hopeful of results and are quite pleased with the little episodes and occurrences they meet with in going round– the weather is very fine. I am so glad the birthday was as successful as it proved to be {p. 321}

<Today Thursday Oct. 29. 1908 Isabel was endowed for Sister Lucy [Woodward Hewlings]>³ This morning rose early after being up until 2 p.M. and after– I had been much worried and felt greatly depressed, with many sorrows Isabel went to the Temple today and acted for and in behalf of my sister Lucy who has now been dead a long time. She had not been through the ordinances since she was a child about 14. perhaps not quite it has been a great joy to me that this work has been done and that my daughter could officiate I have so much to do and get so little time even though I should love it so very much {p. 322}

Today was rather stormy Lucile Sears came home from Los Angelos [Los Angeles], it is Lucile Buchholz’s birthday I took her a book also one for Miss L. Sears– had supper there– tonight is the opening of Hallowe’en such noises and shouting and shooting etc. All around the neighborhood the boys were yelling until past midnight it is almost fiendish {p. 323}

This is the anniversary of the organization of the Utah Woman’s Press Club and Sister Ellis R. Shipp M.D. who has been President the past year had invited all the old members and friends to meet at her home to celebrate the event of 17 years. It proved pleasant and very entertaining– new officers were installed Florence Snow Critchlow President, Sister Annie Widtsoe first and Mary A. Freeze 2nd Vice Prests. Emma Jenson Vice President at large, Secretary Maria Francis & Treasurer– [blank] Dr. Shipp was elegantly dressed as [blank] and Mrs. F. J. Critchlow as Judith Mary Freeze as Sister Burnham Maria Francis a chef {p. 324}