In 1861 they moved in St. George, Utah, as part of the original settling party for that city.

He later served on the St. George city council and as a prosecuting attorney for Washington County, Utah.

[4] After a mission to Mexico City, Ivins served as Mohave County Assessor, as special Indian Agent for the Shivwits band of Southern Paiutes, and as a delegate to the 1895 Utah State Constitutional Convention.

In 1875, Ivins was part of an exploratory mission that found many sites in New Mexico and Arizona which were later colonized by the Mormons.

In 1877, he served a mission to New Mexico, where he focused much of his attention on the Native Americans, but also preached to people of Mexican descent.

In the years immediately after his marriage, he served as a member of the stake high council in St. George.