Report on the Panguitch Stake

My brethren and sisters, I feel highly honored in having this privilege, although very weak. I desire that the Spirit of the Lord may be with me in the few remarks I may make, that I may speak those things that will be for our mutual good. ¶

The Panguitch Stake of Zion is located in the southern part of this state. We are in a high altitude, ranging from 5,000 feet to 8,000 feet above sea level; consequently we have all kinds of climate. For the last four months the valley in which the town of Panguitch is situated has been covered with snow, and the only bare ground to be seen was where the streets had been worn by travel. Such a condition has not been known there before. Consequently we feel that we will be blessed of the Lord in the supply of water for the coming year. Some wards in our Stake have neglected putting in grain during the last year, on account of the scarcity of water, realizing that if they put it in it would perish for want of moisture. There are ten wards in our Stake, and upwards of 3,600 inhabitants. We have a good people in that Stake, who are trying to serve the Lord and keep His commandments, although we have those that do not take much interest in the work. The presidency of the Stake are in harmony; also the High Council of the Stake. The presidency meet together once a week, except on rare occasions when they are not at home, to talk over matters pertaining to the Stake; and they meet once a month with the High Council. The High Council are given to understand that the presidency of the Stake do not expect to carry the responsibilities of the Stake alone, but that they expect the High Council to help them. We have many children in our Stake. Last Fourth of July was celebrated in Panguitch, and there was a Washington official present. After it Was over, he asked me about the population of Panguitch. I told him it was somewhere between 800 and 1,000. Well, said he, about three-fourths of them I suppose are children, there was such a turnout of them. We have about 1,400 children of school age in the Stake. We have 1,100 in Garfield county. The Stake takes in Garfield county and a part of Piute county. Last year we had in the neighborhood of seventy going to the Beaver Branch of the Brigham Young Academy. Our organizations are in tolerably good condition. The religion class, however, is not worked up very well. It is running in some of our wards. We hops it will be better in the future. ¶

I know the Gospel is true. I know this is the Church of God; and inasmuch as we will observe the commandments of the Lord we will be blessed, and His Spirit will be with us to help ut in all our endeavors to do right. We have before us the Presidency of the Church. The Lord has said that He reveals His mind and will, for the people, to none save His servants the Prophets. This is one thing we should look to, that we should give heed to the counsels of the Prophets of the Lord, and to the things that President Smith has stated during this Conference. While he was speaking in regard to the law of Tithing and the obligations of debt, I thought that many of the brethren are not as careful in paying their tithing as they are in meeting their obligations to individuals. Many do not come to settle their tithing with the Bishop. They pay what they choose as tithing and they never go to the Bishop to find out whether they have paid their tithing or not. They do not know whether the Bishop has sent dn their names as full tithepayers or part tithepayers. Every individual should be as careful in settling his account with the Lord as he is with his brothers and sisters. ¶

I pray that the Lord may bless us, and let His Spirit be with us today as it has been in the past, that we may be instructed and built up in our faith, and be encouraged to go from this Conference to do better in the future than we have in the past. May the Lord bless us to this end, is my prayer. Amen. ¶