Salt Lake City, Utah, May 23, 1892. Presidents Wilford Woodruff, Geo. Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith. Dear Brethren! Having spent now already upwards of one year traveling among the Saints in the different Stakes of Zion in the interest of Church history, since receiving my special appointment in April, 1891, I feel impressed to present you with a brief summary of my labors: During the past twelve or thirteen months—from April 22, 1891, to ...

To reach these settlements, I have traveled 4684 miles, namely 942 miles by rail, 3737 by team and 5 on foot. I have preached 189 times, mostly in special meetings appointed for the purpose; besides meeting with the old settlers and others (in all the settlements visited) in small gatherings to which such parties who were wanted were specially invited. By this means I have been enabled to gather ^successful in obtaining^ the histori- cal information that will enable me to write histories of all the Stakes and ...

In visiting the Stakes I have generally proceeded in the following manner: First I would go directly to the headquarters of the Stake to consult with the members of the Stake Presidency, in connection with whom I would arrange a regular traveling programme and a string of appointments for visiting the several wards and branches. According to this I would generally hold an evening meeting for the general public in which I would give general instructions, and then appoint a special meeting of the old settlers ...

cheerfully when called upon to give infor- mation; and I have also been treated with kindness and hospitality wherever I have been, with one or two exceptions. I have paid my own railway fare, and borne all my traveling expenses, including the purchasing of a new buggy; and in most of the Stakes I have traveled with my own conveyances. After my experience so far ^up to the present^, and after getting thoroughly acquainted with the condition of affairs in all the places I have visited ...

sequently about half the members of the Church are in perfect ignorance to-day as regards the date of their blessings, baptisms, confirmations, ordi- nations, etc., as most of them have relied on the records that are lost for this information In all my travels I have, both in my private and public in- structions, endeavored to empress upon the members of the Church the necessity of keeping track of their own baptisms, ordinations, etc., and have recommended that each family keep a family record of some ...

they never thought of the matter before in the light in which I presented it, and never understood, till their attention was drawn to it, that any such thing was required of them. I have endeavored to follow strictly the instructions I have received from Apostle Richards, the Church historian, but as the memories of most people are in such a condition that only a small portion of what is listened to or learned can be retained for any length of time ...

have a more lasting effect, besides being the means of introducing uni- formity and system in record keeping throughout all the Stakes of Zion. Should you desire a more detailed report of my labors, I am prepared to give such, either verbally or by further communication. In the meantime I remain your earnest co-laborer and brother in the Gospel of Christ, Andrew Jenson. ...