Diary Of A Mormon Missionary - Louisiana, December 1898

The following is a transcript from the diary of an LDS missionary from December 22, 1898.

"Girard, La             December 22nd 1898

Thursday

Stayed at Depot and occupied a bench which we laid on with quilt which the young man (the agent), gave us, but we did not sleep much, but were thankful for his kindness to us.  Elder Raymond wrote some Gospel letters to his friends, and after mailing them with some papers, we started out without any breakfast, expecting to go about eight miles south.  After walking down a short distance, ate some cake which Elder Raymond had on hand, it was very nice and so rich that we discovered two more pieces of silver in it making forty cents in all.  We then walked on our way.  I was not feeling well, stopped occasionally to rest short time.  We called at the home of Mr. John Young.  He invited us in, and the time was taken up in chatting and conversing upon the gospel until night having walked about 8 miles.  The weather was clear and warm for this time of year.  After eating supper, then conversed some time, sang a few songs and Elder Raymond read chapter in bible explaining the organization of the church.  Mr. Young and family are a going away to the southern part of this state in a short time to make them a new home with some other persons.  After speaking upon the way the church is organized, with Apostles, Seventy, Elders, Etc.  Then explained some other principles of the Gospel.  The day being passed again, all retired, after offering prayers with the family."

This LDS missionary was my great great grandfather Lewis Albert Warren.  He had just turned 32 years old, and was only six months into his mission.  He left a wife and six year-old son behind in Price, Utah.  Lewis Albert Warren was born in Spanish Fork, Utah and had never left Utah before starting on this mission.  

During this time, Mormon missionaries had to rely on "the kindness of strangers" to provide them with a place to sleep and food to eat.  This was usually done in exchange for sharing Mormon doctrine with the people they met, and helping out with chores.

It was not uncommon for my grandfather and his companion to walk many miles each day.  They were unaccustomed to the wet, humid weather of Louisiana, and it took its' toll.   Two months after this diary entry, Lewis Albert Warren had died from pneumonia.