Two months after his marriage his wife started on a trip to England, which she had contemplated long before her marriage, and for which she had money of her own to pay. She also made a subsequent trip to England two years later, to visit relatives. On the last day of 1905, Brother Briggs entered in his diary the following summary of his spiritual work for the year--blessed twenty-six children, gave thirty-four patriarchal blessings, attended eleven funerals, administered one hundred and ninety-four times to the sick (and adds his testimony that the Lord had heard his prayers;) also had done or caused to be done in the Temple in Salt Lake City one hundred and thirty-three baptisms, seventy-seven endowments and one hundred and twenty-four sealings. This year's work was not thus summarized because the showing was in excess of any previous year, but rather because he had never previously thought of totaling up his year's doings. In addition to the foregoing, he mentioned in his diary that during the year he had dedicated a number of newly erected homes and settled differences between several of the brethren. In January, 1906, Thomas records in his diary that his eyes were very bad, and he made it a subject of fervent prayer to the Lord that his eyes might be strengthened and his sight preserved for a few more years. He arose the next morning with his eyesight greatly improved, and was grateful beyond his power to express therefor. On the 24th of May, 1906, Thomas recorded in his diary that he was called to administer to Sister Mark Waddoups, whom he found to be suffering from intense pain. He earnestly besought the Lord to ease her pain, and He did so; but while his hands were still upon her head the Spirit made it known to him that she would die that day. He confidentially informed the nurse of the fact, and when he called later in the day he found she had passed away. This was in contradistinction to the positive impression he frequently received, when administering to a sick person, that he would recover. In the latter part of September, 1906, according to a casual entry in his diary, he and a number of other brethren were called to the home of Sister McNiel, in Bountiful, to administer to a very sick child who seemed to be dying. The doctor who had been treating the case was present, and afterwards admitted that he really supposed every breath the child drew, before it was administered to, would be its last, but, to his great surprise, the child immediately afterwards fell asleep, and the next morning was well. The doctor declared it the greatest manifestation of the power of God he had ever witnessed.