Continuing the missionary diary of Evelyn Taylor, of Salt Lake City, serving in the California North Mission —

(Previous installment)

Sunday, Sep 21, 1947

Today was a long day. We went to Petaluma for Sunday School and were invited to Mae Norton’s wedding at 9:30 p.m. so decided to spend the day there. After Sunday School we went with Conrads to their apartment and talked with them about the Branch. We had some grapes but haven’t been feeling well so didn’t want anything much to eat.

About 2:00 we went to see the Francolis. Oh, it was a hot day, so sultry. We visited with them for an hour and then went to Youngs and from there to Smiths. But Smiths weren’t home – it was 4:00 and we were supposed to be back at Conrads at 6:00 to go with them to Sacrament Meeting in Santa Rosa.

It was still hot and we were tired so sat on their porch for about an hour. By that time a little breeze came up and it wasn’t so bad. We went downtown and window shopped and then to the Conrads.

We picked up Audrey and Sharon Ferris on the way and got there in plenty of time, it wasn’t open yet. We surely got a surprise, there are six new elders in Santa Rosa. They are waiting passage – three to New Zealand and three to Australia, and will leave the middle of October. They’re all tall, which is different.

During the meeting they called on two of them to speak – Elder Ellison from SLC and Stebbins from Baltimore. Elder Ellison was very humble and sincere – Stebbins seemed more accustomed to speaking and is also sincere. Elder Green played the piano. He’s from Canada The others are Elder Card from Canada and a nephew of O.R. Card and Elders Durant and Walker. I’ve met so many clean, high class elders since I’ve been out – the sister missionaries are too, of course, but I was well acquainted with good girls at home – it surely makes me glad to be a Mormon. Most of the people I know are good and I’m thankful for the privilege I have of associating with the highest type of people. It’s a great help to strengthen a person in better living to be counted as one of them, and to feel worthy to be so counted. It’s hard to believe they’re just a small handful in the world instead of being the whole world. I don’t appreciate my blessings or I would make ore of them. I guess a blessing is only valuable as such when it is used – just as faith without works is dead. It’s good to ponder in your heart what life has given you and what you have given life. I guess it is good that we can’t remain always on the heights but it is the brief glimpse we get from there that swells our hearts and gives us the resolve to get nearer to it.

Elder Wright was the principle speaker and gave a very good talk. It was a spiritual meeting.

Conrads took us back to Petaluma and we went to Mae’s wedding, arriving there at just the right time. It was in the Church of God and we had to wait outside for a few minutes until they were finished. The congregation stayed and took the back seats and the wedding guests took the front ones. The lights were turned off and candles lit in the windows and in the front. A girl who had a very beautiful voice sang “I Love You Truly” and “Oh Promise Me.” The only thing I didn’t like was that she was in the back and I couldn’t see her.

Then the wedding party came in, down the two aisles. Three attendants for each and two darling flower girls – Captollas’ Susie and another little girl. Then Mae and Toby came in. When they repeated the words after the minister you could hardly hear Mae.

The minister didn’t have the proper spirit – he seemed to be trying to impress people and had his authority from the State of California.

We went through the reception line as we passed out of the church and went downstairs to where they had long tables set. Mae and Toby and the rest of the reception line followed after and they opened all their gifts. Neither one was very excited, but they were a little thin. Toby was cute the way he held up the gifts. Then they cut the wedding cake and began to serve. The minister offered a blessing on the food. They served us a piece of cake, a big dish of ice cream, and punch (or coffee) and we each got a piece of the wedding cake

It was a nice wedding – but it didn’t have the sacredness of a temple wedding – words can’t make it so, it’s the sure knowledge we have behind the words that makes you know. People want so desperately to be happy. I wish they’d let us tell them how. I could tell it better if I lived it better. I guess I want it as badly as they do – the difference is – I know what makes it. I thank God for the faith I have and hope I can make it strong enough to endure to the end.

Monday, Sep 22, 1947

After class this morning we made the plans for Sunday School net Sunday. Sr. Stenquist will take the adult class and give them the “Articles of Faith” by Talmage as the text and I will take the children’s class.

We went to find Mr. Tuckett that Mr. Thompson told us was a member this afternoon. We found him all right – we met his wife first. She was very nice to us and invited us to come and see them. They have just finished building a new home and haven’t moved in yet. He’s a Priest but hasn’t been to church much since he left Utah. He’s been in Novato 30 yrs, and is Bro. Wentz’s (Sleepy) uncle. He didn’t make any promises about coming to Sunday School but they were both friendly to us and you never can tell what will happen.

He told us the girl next door was a Mormon so we went over to see her – we’ve found more members than we ever expected to. Her name is Mrs. Brasher – her husband is a non-member. Sr. Brasher has two girls – 6 and 2. The younger hasn’t been blessed yet so we’ll have a baby to be blessed our first Fast Sunday. Sr. Brasher was glad to hear about Primary and will send her little girl to them. I hope she comes with her husband to Sunday School, too.

In the evening we showed Mrs. Lundblad “In the Tops of the Mountains”

Tuesday, Sep 23, 1947

This morning we ate and had study class before getting dressed and then were getting our lessons in our pajamas when the Hawkes drove up. Sr Stenquist saw them out of the window so we began throwing our clothes on but didn’t quite make it – Sr. Hawkes came in before we had finished. She talked to Sr. Stenquist a while about her condition – then we went out to the car for a minute and talked to Pres. Hawkes and Elders Day, Durant, and Walker. There is going to be four elders in San Rafael, Elder Hadfield is the other. He has requested regular field work as an elder and not as a member of the mission presidency. We’ll have some Priesthood now to help us with our Sunday School.

At noon we went to Petaluma to introduce the Conrads to some of the members and show them where some lived who were hard to find. We didn’t stop at many places, just a couple and they weren’t home – mostly we showed them where they were. Then we went to Valley Ford to see Sr. Cunningham. It’s 18 miles towards the coast. It’s quite a nice drive over there – still the rolling hills of California. It is thinly populated being mostly large farms. I liked the drive, and tho I don’t particularly like the brown hills it is rather pretty and towards the coast it seemed greener.

Valley Ford is just a few stores and houses and we found Cunningham’s without any trouble. Her mother, Sr. Passey, is visiting her. They’re really nice people and she really appreciated our coming to see her. We visited for an hour and as we left Elder Conrad said he would take us to Bodego Bay as we were just ten miles from it and neither of us had seen the ocean.

It was rather a foggy day and we were afraid we wouldn’t see much, but it turned out all right. We stopped to see Franciscos who live at the farther end of the settlement of Bodego Bay. They are members and I’ve heard the Conrads talk of them often. They are an elderly couple and her sister and mother are living with them. Their home is on the edge of the coast overlooking the bay – on a clear day you can see the ocean but today we saw fog. It is surrounded by a green hedge and inside of it they have a lovely flower garden.

There were fishing boats in the harbor and we could just barely see the land on the other side of the bay through the fog.

Elder Conrad drove up the coast and it was clearer, the fog lifted. I love the ocean, and to watch the waves come rolling in. It is a rocky coast. It was a windy day and it felt so good to stand in the wind and watch the ocean. It was so clean and so good. We climbed down the cliff to the beach and chased the waves. One almost caught us once – in fact it did catch Elder Conrad.

We walked along the shore picking up sea weed and shells. I wanted to keep some of the shells and wanted to wash them off so went out on a rock to wash them when the tide came up. It came up two or three times, but not far enough and then the next wave was bigger and looked like it would come farther, and it surely did. I stayed on the rock until the water started splashing on my shoes and then I ran for it.

There’s just something about it that gets ahold of you. It’s so exhilarating and you feel so healthy. I’d like to get a chance to live on the coast. Some Saturday when we don’t have anything to do we’re going to take a lunch and spend a day there. Elder Conrad sure likes the ocean, he’s just like a youngster.

He drove us home through Sebastopol – it was much greener that way – almost like driving to a canyon in Utah. Sister Conrad is cute, she worries and Elder Conrad likes to tease her.

Wednesday, Sep 24, 1947

We had heard there was a Mrs. Potter in town who was a member. We contacted two of them, but neither one was a member. We hear there is another one out in Black Point. She may be the one.

Mrs. LUndblad had company fro San Francisco this afternoon and they took her for a drive along the Redwood Highway and will be gone overnight. So she showed us how to feed the chickens and dog and cats and how to turn the wind mill on.

We went to Primary in Petaluma. There were 12 children there, all members except three. We had a good class.

When we came home we cooked us a good meal – finally have an oven so I can have cornbread again.

Mom sent some good Utah peaches so we’ve been enjoying then the last few days.

We got a card from Sr. Hawkes saying we’d be in Ukiah next week. Report Meeting is Saturday in Santa Rosa.