In 1897, Andrew undertook very long sales trips. In April he went again to Ontario, Oregon, on the Idaho–Oregon border. In May he penetrated Oregon all the way to Baker and Sumpter, nearly five hundred miles from home, farther than he had ever gone on a selling trip. Going south in August he reached St. George, his farthest south destination, 350 miles from Salt Lake City. In a ward fast meeting in Richmond, Utah, Andrew spoke for about fifteen minutes. When he finished the bishop commented that people should not take a long time in that sort of meeting. People apologized to Andrew for the bishop’s “incourteous” remarks.276
On November 15, 1897, Andrew, selling in Sevier County, attended Sevier Stake Conference in Richfield.
Prest. Seigmiller invited me on the stand. Elder A. Owen Woodruff, the youngest apostle, was present. He took his seat by me and asked if I had been home lately. I told him not. He then told me the First Presidency and Apostles had decided to send me to Arizona. President Layton had been released from the St. Joseph Stake and I was called to take his place. The surprise was great, for I had no thought of such a thing. Went home with him, where he stayed with Bro. Horne. We ate apples and talked for some time. He talked very kindly respecting my new calling and his Father and all present were united on the proposition. Each present felt that I was the right man.
As soon as Andrew got back a week later, he met with Church President Wilford Woodruff at the president’s office.
I reported that I was willing to do all the authorities wanted of me, on inquiry as to my circumstances, I related to Prest. Woodruff my situation. I owe the ZBB Society 450.00 and the WL&B Co. 515.00 on which monthly dues and interest I had to pay 28.00 a month besides this I owed private parties upwards of 500.00 making in all my obligations over 1500.00 besides I would have to borrow money to get to my field of labor. Obliged to pay regularly 28.00 per month, I told him if I discontinued my payments I would loose my property. President Woodruff was moved to compassion and told his counselors they needed to consider my situation to see if anything could be done. Prest. Geo. Q. Cannon had to go away. I waited till about 3 P.M. and could not get a counsel with the three. At 3 P.M. I attended Sunday School Union Board meeting. Prest. Cannon was present and presided. After meeting had talk with Prest. Cannon. He said, “we want you to go as soon as you can get ready.” I told him of Prest Woodruffs wish to investigate my situation. He then asked me if I was in debt. I assured him as I did the other two I was not weakening.277
J. Golden Kimball’s journal for Wednesday, November 24, 1897, reads: “Bro [George] Reynolds informed me that my brother Andrew Kimball was chosen to be President of the St. Joseph Stake of Zion. My surprise was so great, that I exclaimed, ‘The h – – l he is’ and then [I] apologized.”278 Of all Andrew’s forty-four brothers, he felt closest to Golden.
Arizona had no appeal. Golden wrote again, “Called to see my brother Andrew and wife. . . . I comforted Andrew and wife regarding their going to St. Joseph Stake Arizona to preside.”279
On Thursday, Ollie and Andrew had Thanksgiving dinner at Alice’s. “Our talk of course was Arizona. We had some hopes of the call being revoked.”
[On Friday,] in constant suspense and worried I anxiously awaited the promised [meeting] with the First Presidency. After going to the cracker factory and making my troubles known I went to Presidents office and after some time got the three First Presidency, as they squared themselves around me. Prest. Woodruff said: Now we want to consider Bro. K’s position and circumstances. I don’t much like to see him loose his property, etc. etc. I could see that it was a settled matter. I was to go, and naturally accepted the conditions. When Prest Cannon asked me what I thought of it, he said you have got this to think out. I told him the only way I could see out was to borrow money, all of one party and left the Building Society’s mortgage and then pay off the interest only. I told them we had not been exgtravigant, we had built our home and a tenement house on the installment plan and had we been let alone three years we would be out of debt. No aid was suggested, no sympathy offered except from Prest. Woodruff. On parting I said, I accept the conditions. When I left the office I was under a gloomy cloud, dark and heavy. I had been called on a mission and to me there was but one answer, and that was to go, and to go was a separation from the ties of a lifetime. A financial sacrifice of a home and comforts which took me and my faithful wife with the blessings of the Lord 15 years to build, during which time I had performed 12½ years missionary work, two and a quarter years in the field and a visit once a year for three years at my own expense and loss of time. We were called to leave all behind. At the time of my call I was receiving $90.00 cash per mt. and making some little otherwise. Our children were in good schools, all in good health. We had established ourselves. So we were enjoying the blessings of the Lord. I am at this time senior Pres. Of the 109 Quorum of 70, member of the D.S.U. Board280 and secretary of my Father’s family, as also chairman of Indian Territory Mission reunion. My business and missionary work went well together and all was favorable with us. So full I could hardly speak I hurried home to relieve my dear wife from suspense. I could not speak. I bubbled over and told the decision by my feelings. One of the first things we did was to retire with Ollie and pray to the Lord to help us and reconcile our feelings. Though I may some day be ashamed of my weakness, had some one chanced to have seen that couple bowed before God trying to pray while their hearts were so swoolen with grief they bubbled over with scalding tears and after a long and a bad struggle, a petition was made to the throne of grace while a flood of tears gushed fourth. This over, nothing remained but to go to work and feel my way respecting the necessary means to enable us to accomplish our mission. I felt worse of all for Ollie. I could stand it but to her more than my self it would be a great trial. What ever may be the outcome we have determined to obey the wish of God, expressed through his servants.281
Not only was Ollie being asked to leave friends and family, but also to leave “civilization” for frontier life and pioneering.
On Sunday, Andrew wrote: “I went up in 18th Wd to see about some money. By this time I have called on four only to meet with disapointment.” He asked his prayer circle to pray for him.282
Joseph S. Hyde, a dear friend of mine, son of apostle Orson Hyde, came . . . saying I want to speak to my friend Andrew. Said he I am not a prophet but am the son of a prophet and I want to Prophecy. Andrew you will be worth more in ten years in that country and calling than you would be in twenty years if you remained here. I answered by saying, “Bro. Joe I would rather have you prophecy good than evil. I have that much confidence in your prediction.” I thanked him and hoped it might be so.
Andrew continued to travel as a salesman until the end of the year. At that point he gave up his employment with American Biscuit. His last trip, to the eastern edge of Oregon, brought him home on December 22.
A review of his last year as a traveling salesman shows he made 15 trips involving 175 days, or 48 percent of the days. In addition, he also made his last trip to the Indian Territory Mission. It involved 65 days. Taking these absences all together, Andrew was away from home 66 percent of the time in 1897. Aside from his employment to support his family, his one great interest was Church.
In 1898 the focus of Andrew’s life for the next twenty-six years would shift to Arizona.
