[Rudger Clawson speaking:] Related a circumstance which occurred in the St. John [Arizona/New Mexico] Stake which had made quite an impression upon his mind. A very interesting and impressive conversation had been had by Bro[ther]. [Joseph W.] McMurrin with a very intelligent, pretty young lady of eighteen or nineteen years of age, who was coming to Utah to attend one of the Church Colleges. The conversation drifted upon the subject of plural marriage and this young lady assured Bro[ther]. McMurrin that she and her associates had been talking over the principle of plural marriage and they had unanimously agreed that they would prefer, providing the privilege were given to them, to marry a man who had one or more wives and who had proven himself to be a faithful husband than to marry a young man who was not married and had not been tested, as they felt they would be taking greater chances by marrying the latter. Bro[ther]. McMurrin said to the young lady, I am afraid you do not know what you are talking about. You certainly have not taken into account the fact that you would be looked down upon and ostracized from the world, would be called upon to make very many sacrifices and have to go perhaps to a foreig[n] land and might not see your husband only once in a very great while. The young lady answered that she and her friends had thought of all this and not with standing the trial incident to plural marriage, if they could become the wife of a tried and true Latter-day Saint they would be glad to do so. Brother Clawson rejoiced to find this spirit among the young ladies in Arizona and felt that such a spirit would bring the people nearer to the Lord.
[Heber J. Grant, Diary, second entry]
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