Grandpa Dave's Journal

Missionary Journal of David Dee Phillips - Born January 5, 1882
Woodstock, Cape Colony, South Africa Mission
Includes entries April 5, 1909 - March 29, 1911

Father of Edward Virgil Phillips, and Grandfather of David R. Phillips, David Dee Phillips is also the father of Josephine (Jo) McBride Phillips (spouse: Darvil Burns Mcride) who are the parents of: Darvil David (Mac) McBride, Jon Robert McBride and Sally Jo McBride Porter Butterfield, who are his grandchildren.

From a photocopy of his handwritten journal,

furnished by my Aunt, Josephine Phillips McBride.
(Transcribed by David R. Phillips)

Pages are numbered as found in his journal. Evidently Grandpa Phillips wasn't big on punctuation, using periods or commas, or capitalizing words at the beginning of new sentences, but here I've taken literary license. But what the heck, it was HIS journal and he can write it anyway he wants to!! I am so grateful he kept one.

He was 27 years old when he left on his mission.

------

1. April 5, 1909 - Bid good bye to loved ones and friends, started on my mission to South Africa. Arrived in S.L.C. April 8 about noon. April 9 - Left S.L.C. at 6:15 p.m. over O.S.L. Arrived at Ogden 7:40 p.m. and continued my journey over U.P.R.R. Sat April 10 - Arrived at Rawlins, Wyoming 7:40 a.m. Left for Cheyenne about 8:00 a.m. Sunday, April 11th. Arrived at Omaha, Neb. at 8:00 a.m., had 8-1/2 hours layover. Visited Council Bluffs and South Omaha Stock Yards. Left Omaha at 6:15 p.m. crossing the Mississippi and Missouri rivers the same evening. Monday, April 12, '09 - Arrived in Chicago at 9:30 a.m. stopping at the Majrishi Hotel. Took in a few sights and went to the Majestic Theater a night with Brother F.A. Arnold from Salt Lake City. Thursday, 13th '09, left Chicago from the La Salle St. Station at 2:30 p.m. after a stay of 29 hours.

2. Between Buffalo and Boston went through the Hussack Tunnel, the longest in the world. April 14,'09 - Arrived in Buffalo, N.Y. at 9 p.m. Going from there over the NJ Central R.R. to Niagara Falls. Saw the Falls from both sides of the river, also one of the great power houses, going down to the river bed 210 feet below in an elevator to where it was located. Visited the finest museum I've ever seen in all my life going back to Buffalo. Leaving for Boston at 9 p.m. Thursday April 15,'09 - After traveling through some of the most beautiful country I've ever seen we arrived in Boston at 12:30 p.m. Visited the old North and South churches and Fanure Hall, Boston Common Bunker Hill monument and several old cemeteries and Howard University. They have a total of 106 buildings. Left Boston for Portland, Me. at 6 p.m. stopping at Smith's Hotel.

3. Friday April 16,'09 - Went down to pier to see the SS Dominion, the one I sail on for Liverpool. Visited the birth place of Longfellow. In the evening went to Keith's Theater. Met a cousin whom I had never seen before who was there on a mission, Elder D. M. Layton from Clearfield, Utah. Sat. April 17th, '09 - This is the day we sail. The ship left the pier at 3:05 p.m. amid the cheers of hundreds of people. The ship's cargo consisted of 95 second class passengers, 60 third, 110 hands, 4,500 bushels of grain, 50 cars of provisions, 500 tons of paper;, 25 cars of logs, 20 cars of lumber, 100 tons of flour and oatmeal, 8 cases of acetate of lime, 5 cars of blocks, 5 cars of shooks and splints, 4 cars of leather, 12 cars of sundries. Sunday, April 18, '09 - Weather very foggy, held services

4. in the evening. The speakers were Elders Jas. Thomas, S. Norman --- W. P. Monson and Jas. L. Barker. Monday, April 19,'09 - Nothing unusual happened. Tuesday April 20, '09- Sea is very rough and dense fog. Wed. April 21,'09- Sea very rough, heavy wind, many of company sick. Thursday April 22,'09 - Sea very rough and heavy wind. Friday 23,'09- Sea still very rough and heavy wind. Sat. April 24, '09- Roughest sea and heaviest wind we have had.

5. Sunday April 25,'09- Sea calm and just a very light wind and blowing. We held services in the evening. The speakers were Elders S. Norman, Jas. L. Barker and W. P. Monson and Jas. Thomas. Monday, April 26 - Sea smoother and fine weather. Held concert in the evening, taking first myself in two double quartets. Sighted land at 3 o'clock p.m., it certainly looking good. Thursday April 27,'09 - Everything pleasant and everybody happy at the thought of landing. We were landed at about 5:00 p.m.

6. April 27 - Sea smoother. Passed along the Irish Coast, arrived at Liverpool 5:30 p.m. Registered at Lord Nelson Hotel. Went to a meeting held at Durham House. Apostle C. W. Penrose gave the missionaries instructions, appointing those who were to labor in Great Britain to their various conferences. Met Gail Pace (Note: Thatcher) April 28,'09- With Elder Pace saw some of the sights and had dinner at the State Restaurant. Went to the Merry Widow show at night. April 29,'09 - Went up to Morrcambe with Elder Pace and spent until the 2nd of May with him at Morrcambe and Lancashire and went to Preston for Priesthood meeting.

7. May 2 - Attended conference held at Preston. Held three meetings, enjoyed them very much. Had lunch with the saints and Elders in their hall. May 3rd - Spent forenoon wandering through the parks in Preston. In the afternoon went back to Liverpool, England. Went to theater in evening. May 4 - Went to Central Station, got my trunk. Visited art gallery and museum of ancient relics. May 5th - Purchased ticket to South Africa, cost $76.65 and purchased my books costing $15.08. Went to theater in evening. During day took my trunks out to Canada Docks. May 6th - Went on board ship at 11:30 a.m. Elders Jos. Y. Card and Earl Jackmann

8. went down to see us off. Went out to ship on tender. Stayed in the river until 6:30 p.m. May 7 - Up at 7:30 - slept well, breakfast at 8:30 - several were sick. Occupied state room #149 on SS Runia. May 8th - Sea smooth in the Bay of Biscay. May 9 - Sea smooth, warm, Church of England held services. May 10 - Sea smooth, saw a great number of shark. May 11th - Sea smoother, saw the game of cricket, England vs. Australia.

9. May 12 - Saw Canary Islands. Passed between two of them. Could see 2 cutters on same. They seemed to be very rough and rugged. May 13 - Sea fair. went to concert given by the Corrick family, it was fair. May 14 - Sea smooth. Sports were egg and spoon race and tug of war. Slept up on deck. May 15 - Sea smooth. Very warm, slept upon deck, rained very hard during night. May 16 - Very warm. Church of England held services; sat up on deck and read all day.

10. May 17 - Still very warm. Crossed the equator about 2 p.m. Great sport today. This was Father Neptune's day. Everyone who has not crossed the equator is suppose to be thrown in the large, canvas, water tank. They threw eight of them in. May 18 - Sea smooth, very warm. Concert by Corrick family in evening. Very good. May 19,'09 - Sea smooth, little cooler. May 20th - Getting cooler. Smooth sea. Elders Chapman and Sagers got 1st and 2nd prizes for jumping. Moving pictures by Mr. Corrick.

11. May 21,'09 - Sea smooth, getting cooler. Tug of war, Scotch tram were Character Ball in evening. May 22 - Sea Smooth. Moving pictures by Mr. Corrick. May 23 - Sea Smooth. Church of England services held on deck. May 24 - Sea smooth - Finished reading Great Truths. May 25 - Smooth sea. Inspected ship and officers quarters. May 26 - Sea a little rough. Can see sea weeds. 117 miles from Cape town at noon. Have passed many large ships on voyage. Can see part of

12. mainland, it certainly looks good. Arrived in the harbor a 9:30 and cast anchor at 10:30. Stayed on ship all night. May 27 - Up early. Passed the Government Integration offices. Landed at 10:30 a.m. Met Pres. H. L. Steed, Mrs. Steed and Elders Thos. R. Wilks. Had dinner with Bro. Porter. Went to bible class at night. May 28 - Went out to Campo Bay on the tram car. Very pretty place. May 29 - Helped clean meeting house. Visited museum and art gallery and park. Went to street meeting 7:30 p.m. and Woodstock. Did my first preaching at street meeting. Went down to

13. Cape Town and held another street meeting. Here we distributed 1160 tracts. Visited Toots Schoors during the day. May 30th. Fasted, went down to prayer meeting and Sunday School. After Sunday school went with Bro. Rackstraw to ---- and visited his brother. Went to Y.M.C.A.. Heard the Rev. Mr. Baker lecture on the Holy Ghost. Went back and had supper with Bro. Rackstraw and accompanied them to meeting where all we new Elders spoke. Held Sacramental services. After, came home and wrote letters. May 31,'09 - Arose early and started over Table Mountain. Arrived at top about 1:30 p.m. after a very hard climb. Looking from

14. the top, one sees a most beautiful sight, the bay and Cape Town and suburbs. It is certainly grand. Ate lunch and started on over for Clairmont. Saw the anvil rock and had our pictures taken on same. Saw the larger reservoir 4,000 feet above sea level where Cape Town gets its water. Went on down Skeleton Gorge, reaching bottom at 5:30 after going down one of the steepest mts. I ever went down. June 1st,'09 - Been at the house all day fixing up things and helping boys. June 2nd and 3rd - Went down to Cape Town and changed my money and came back. Studied 2 hours, went out in evening and visited a family of investigators. They were

15. Mrs. Harris, 3 sons and one daughter. They tracted us fine, served cocoa and cakes. Sang songs and played the phonograph after a very pleasant evening. June 4,'09 - Fine day. Helped Elders John S. Sagers and Lide Chapman get their trunks and books down to R.R. station - Went back up to dinner, then went down to station to see Elders off. Elder Sagers going to Port Elizabeth and Chapman to East London at 8:00 p.m. June 5,'09 - Helped Elder A. F. Murdock get off for Kimberly, leaving Cape Town at 11:30 a.m.. Came back, had dinner and went down and cleaned up the church, ready for Sunday. Came back and stamped 500 tracts. In evening, went down to Woodstock. Held street meeting,

16. and from there, down to Cape town and held another street meeting. Came home and ate supper. Very tired. It is now 11:30 p.m. - Feel pretty lonesome without the other boys. Sunday June 6,'09 - Fast day. Went to Sunday School until 12 o'clock. From 2 until 3 o'clock went and administered to little Margie Jenkins. At 3 o'clock held fast meeting until 5 o'clock - Went up to Bro. Wilson's for supper and visited until 7 o'clock and went to church at 7:30 and came home at 9 o'clock. Monday June 7,'09 - Has been raining nearly all day. Pressed one pair pants before noon. Afternoon visited Mrs. Harris and Bro. Solano. In the evening held

17. cottage meeting at Brother Rackstraw's, getting home at 10:15 p.m. June 8,'09 - Nice, clear day but cold. Had my first experience tracting from door to door. Visited 27 different homes, distributed 52 tracts. Had the door slammed in my face once. Came home feeling good. Had lunch. This is my second mail day. Was very much disappointed in not receiving any mail, so laid down and went to sleep until supper time. After supper, went down to Mrs. Oret's and held a cottage meeting, returning at 9:20 p.m. Sat down and wrote a letter home and one to mother. Walked about 9 miles today. My feet are very sore and tired.

18. Wed. June 9,'09 - Rained all day so I couldn't go out to tract. Have wrote two letters and studied the rest of the day. Have been to our regular meeting tonight at the Hall, and practiced a quartet after for our social in honor of Elder Grow who is on his way home. June 10,'09 - Pleasant day but rather cold. Went out tracting in forenoon, 2nd day at it. Met with good success. Studied in afternoon. Went to bible class in evening and practiced a quartet after. June 11,'09 - Pleasant day, went out tracting from 10 o'clock until 1 p.m. Distributed 100 tracts. Had 3 persons refuse tracts. Been over spending evening with Mr. and Mrs. Cray Thomas, talking on the principles of the gospel.

19. June 12,'09 - Slept until 9 o'clock this morning, then had breakfast and went down to Hall to help clean it up and when we got there, Elder Wilks had it all done. Came back and went down to Cape Town and took a good sweat bath, came back and had lunch. Studied until 6 o'clock, had supper and went to street meetings. Spoke at one, got home at 10 o'clock p.m. Sunday, June 13,'09 - Very pleasant day. Arose at 15 minutes to nine and fasted, went to Sunday School and from there up to Bro. Wilson's for dinner and music practice. Came home at 5 o'clock and tried to go to sleep but couldn't. Have

20. had a genuine old case of the blurs today. I think if I had of had money enough and there had been a boat sailing, I would of quit the job. We have just come home from evening church. Had a fine talk on the personality of God by Pres. H.L.Steed, and a good turnout, several investigators. I have the itch until it is almost sending me crazy. June 14,'09 - Nice day, didn't go tracting. Elder Gil Grow came in before we were through eating breakfast. He had come from Bloemfontaine on the SS Britian on his way home. After dinner we walked down and saw the SS Britian, went on board. Came home, had supper, then

21. went down to Bro. Martin's and met Mr. Goodham and Mr. Hunt. They are the gentlemen who are distributing the tracts against us. June 15,'09 - Nice day, went out tracting this morning. Came back at noon. Received our mail today, 3 letters and 5 newspapers and have certainly enjoyed them. Tonight we have had Elder Grow's farewell, songs, recitations, and speeches. Had a very nice time. June 16,'09 - First thing this morning after breakfast, Elder Grow and I went down to Wynberg and Claremont on the train. Visited the old gentleman Ruck, the oldest member of the church in South Africa; was

22. baptized into the church in 1853. Came back home at 1 o'clock, making a ride of about 24 miles. Hurried around and went down to see Elder Grow and Brother Rackstraw to London. Came home, had supper and went to our regular night meeting at hall. June 17, '09 - Pleasant day. Spent forenoon out tracting. Came home, had dinner and studied a while. Went downtown, came back and had my first experience developing photographs; developed 20. Studied about 1 hour, had supper and went down to Bible class at the hall. Came home at half past nine o'clock.

23. June 18, '09 - Nice day. Went out tracting, had very good success. Was run off once. Came home at one o'clock, had dinner and developed and printed my first pictures and studied until evening. Then out to cottage meeting at Mr. Orr's. Spoke in meeting, came home at 9:30 very tired. Saturday, June 19,'09 - Very pleasant day. Stayed at home this morning and pressed suits of clothes and shaved. Had dinner, stamped 500 tracts, went downtown, came back and went down to Woodstock. Held street meeting and spoke. Went down to Cape Town and held another street meeting. Had several ministers opposing us and -- --- distributing dirty literature.

24. Stopped and talked with them a few minutes and the police came along and moved us along. Came home about 11 o'clock. Sunday-June 20 - Pleasant day. Went to Sunday School in morning and went over to Bro. Porter's and administered to him. From there up to Bro. Wilson's for dinner. After dinner, sang a few songs and came home. Studied a few minutes and went to sleep a while. Arose and studied a while. Had supper, went to meeting, held two meetings. Went down to Bro. Martin's for an hour. Monday, June 21,'09 - Nice day. Went our tracting this morning, meeting with good success.

25. Came home with an awful headache. Couldn't study so I laid down and went to sleep for about an hour. Woke up and went downtown for a while. Came home, had supper, didn't feel well enough to go out to cottage meeting. June 22, '09 - Nice day. Went out visiting friends this morning, and down to the docks. Met two of Elder Wilk's friends on board S.S.Galeka. Came home at one o'clock and was very much disappointed at not receiving any mail from home. Spent the evening with Mr. and Mrs. Watson. Came home about 11 o'clock.

26. June 23,'09 - Arose at 5:00 a.m. and had breakfast. Went down to docks to meet Elders Nelson and Mack from Safford and Pima. Spent most of the day there but they did not arrive. Came home, had supper and went to meeting and choir practice until 10 o'clock. Went down to Bro. Martin's and administered to his little girl. June 24, '09 - Arose at 15 minutes to 6 o'clock. Had breakfast and went down to the docks again to meet the Elders. Took a lunch and went out to the S.S. Medic, but the boys were not on board. Came home and spent the afternoon in studying and a short sleep. Attended Bible class at night.

27. June 25,'09 - Very pleasant day. Went out tracting until one o'clock. Had dinner and studied until 3 o'clock and then went out to observation and visited Sister Murphy, Mrs. Rigby, and spent the evening with Bro. Sundstrom having supper and singing the songs of Zion, coming home about 10 o'clock. June 26,'09 - Went down to the hall and cleaned it up. Came back and had dinner. Studied a while, then went down to Cape Town and went to the Matinee at the Theatre Tivoli. Came home, showered, had supper and went down and held street meeting down at Woodstock.