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

(Previous installment)

Tuesday, Sep 30, 1947

Sr. Hammons took us to class in the car this morning and we just had a minute to spare.

We had better tracting today and placed five Book of Mormons. We’re almost through with our district – have only one street left. I wish you could tell when you helped someone. We tracted five and a half hours.

It was wonderful weather, rather cool, but I liked it that way for tracting. We visited with Sr. Middleton a while before we went home. Sr. Hammons had a good meal for us, fried chicken.

We four lm’s staying at Hammons and Elders Johnson and Green were assigned to a group to go to a cottage meeting tonight, but it fell through. The elders came over – Elder Johnson wanted to go to the show – he couldn’t go alone, and Elder Green had seen it twice. So all four of us went with him. It was good. He’s surely a good elder. I’m thankful for the opportunity of associating with so any fine people – lately I don’t think I’ve bene remembering who I am.

Sunday, Oct 26, 1947

We came back to Novato about the 4th of October (from Ukiah) and have spent a good month here.

There has been quite a bit of rain and the countryside is green and beautiful. We’ve been country tracting the last couple of weeks and have enjoyed it.

Two weeks ago we found out our neighbor on the right of us is a Mormon – her house is about a block away on the other side of the road. We met her tracting and stayed a couple of hours with her. She came to S.S. the next Sunday and is anxious to help – said we could hold SS in her home – that she’d take her turn. During the week Markhams bought two beds for Allan and Eddie and it made it so crowded in their home we took her up on it, and held SS there today.

She offered the benediction and thanked God for sending the missionaries to her door and told Him she wanted to help get a church here. I surely appreciate members like her.

And Sr. Baughman and the Markhams – They both offered to help with the Primary Halloween party refreshments and have always been willing to help us.

Yesterday I got a transfer to Klamath Falls Sr. Shumway is coming here and I’ll wait until she comes before I leave I’m always glad and sorry when I get a transfer, but after the first while am anxious to be on my way. The Hawkes had been to the office Saturday and heard about the change and stopped to see us. I’m surely thankful I’ve been able to work with them as long as I have. He would like to be a Seminary teacher and wants to spend his life in church work. He’d be good at it. I think they would be good mission parents.

Today when Sr. Foster heard I was leaving she had all four of us stay to dinner – Elders Hadfield and Durrant came up. It was so sweet of her.

Thursday Elders Durrant, Walker and Stebbing leave for L.A. to sail for N.Z. – the three to Australia left last week and Elder Muir leaves Saturday, so this district will really be different for the next report meeting.

Oct. 27, 1947

This morning I got my box packed to send home and took it down to the Post Office. Also got all of my books packed in a box to take with me. When we got back, we fixed us a good dinner – fried the chicken Sr. Shulsen gave us and asked Mrs. Lundblad to eat with us.

After dinner I was just going to start to pack when Pres. Ellsworth called and told me to stay where I was. So I wrote home and told them to disregard the change of address card I sent. We went to see Mr. Silver, he was to tell us whether we could rent the IDES Hall, but he didn’t go to the meeting Sunday and forgot to tell the other members about us. He said he would get in touch with them and let us known in a few days.

We went to see Mrs. Bertucci – (She’s the only one we’ve had a cottage meeting with & showed her the films) – to see if we could come some night and tell her what the Mormons believe. Tuesday of next week maybe, she’ll let us know.

We went to see Sr. Clark and get the final information for the slips we’ve been given by the UP [?] to fill out on all members we don’t have recommends for.

When we came back home we made favors to give the children for Halloween, had study class, and were reading in bed when the Hawkes came bringing Sr. Shumway. They hadn’t heard any word from Pres. Ellsworth. So we were all surprised. She’s going to stay here with us until we get further notice. She is very nice, I’m going to like her a lot.

Oct. 28, 1947

We had a plentiful supply of California’s liquid sunshine today. We went out in it after study class, however, and tracted a couple of hours. And got soaked, so decided to stay in this afternoon and finish the Halloween favors and make cookies for them.

Srs. Haslam and Winters came up. Sr. H. is transferred to Klamath Falls and Sr. Shumway is to work in San Rafael with Sr. Winters. We made the plans for our Halloween Party Friday night. It’s going to be a very illegal affair – even numbers – Elders Durrant & Walker (& Stebbing) left at noon today – and we got a invitation to a farewell party for the at Carters’ Wednesday night. The girls said to go anyway, they’d be expecting s.

Empty afternoon – rained most of the time. We wet out to buy some groceries, but that’s all.

Wednesday, Oct 29, 1947

We went tracting two hours this morning – to four houses. Of course in country tracting there is a lot of walking but we were invited in two places and talked a while to the third – the fourth wasn’t home.

One man (Sprague) had spent 14 months at Bushnell and his brother is a Mormon. He was interested to know that we were here and wanted to know where our church was. We have met several that we’ve invited out. I wish we had a hall to meet in.

One woman is o the committee that rents the Community House – at first we just talked outside – then she invited us in – we didn’t talk much Gospel, but I believe we did leave a good impression.

We went early to Petaluma so we could decorate for the Halloween Party. It looks pretty nice, and we had all the blinds pulled so it would be a little dark. Sis was a pirate and I was a witch. We played games and told a couple o stories and served refreshments. There were twenty there – just four non-members. I hope they had a good time – it was so crowded we didn’t do it as good as we should have. Most of them were in costume and looked cute.

The Hawkes came to see Conrads as it was over. Between the two of them, they’ll pick us all up Saturday for our report meeting in San Francisco.

After that we caught the bus for Carters’. The elders were still there. We were late, but it was a good dinner. After dinner we punched stunts out of a punch board and acted them out. It was fun, only I didn’t do mine so good. Then we did dishes and came home.

Bro & Sis Carter gave Elders Durrant & Walker a tie – they’re so good. Sr. Carter is a good sport, too.

I’ve been in the mission field eleven months today.

Thursday, Oct. 30, 1947

We tracted in the afternoon. We put out one Book of Mormon – Mrs. Askim. She invited us in and we had a good conversation. It was my door and I started by talking about the pre-existence. She seemed very interested in what we told her.

At one door a man said – “We’re all Roman Catholic here but you’re welcome to come in.” They were from the East and had a lovely home. They’re Spanish and seem to have a close family unit. We talked about religion for a while – he had known Mormons in the army and asked whether Joseph Smith had written a book or found one. So we had a good opening.

In the evening I decided to write some epitaphs – the San Rafael missionaries are going to have a Halloween Party tomorrow night. We thought of the ideas and then I wrote then, and put them on paper shaped like headstones. Here they are –

All that remains of Elder Hawkins
Is his yellow tie and pretty stockings.
We miss the dear lad and must confess
Since he has gone our grammar’s a mess.
The cause of his accident’s a mystery to us.
He was kicked off a street car – poor little cuss.

Here lies the remains of Elder Day,
Alas, poor boy, he has wasted away.
He is here in body as we all know
But his spirit was taken away, and so –
When body and spirit you dis-connect
The common result is a corpse, correct?

Here lies Elder Johns in who we are well proud.
He has left this earthly life to go walking on a cloud.
(At least we know his spirit has gone away out yonder
But whether up or down, you all should not wonder).
He has left us in a muddle and I hold my aching head,
For I know I want the promise – should I do or do not what has been said.

Here lies Sister Winters, cold and pale,
I’ll tell you about her sad, sad tale
She had us in circles and cycles and such
With a story of magazines we didn’t like much.
She told I too often – and this is no bluff –
That’s life – Ah, but it’s life no longer. That’s tough.

The earthly remains of Elder Hadfield lies here,
A-mouldering away in its cedar-lined bier.
But we’ll remember hi and the steps he has climbed
To convert the girls he left behind.
He loved to push buttons, and I surmise
That was the cause of his early demise.

Here lies Sr. Shumway, under this heap.
She has fallen into a deep, deep sleep.
She travels so light we could hardly believe it
‘Til she had gone – we found if she can’t pack it she’ll leave it,
And now for this cause it is my contention
That she deserves anything you can mention.

Here lies Sr. Stenquist, breathless and still,
With less life and color than Carter’s famed pill.
With a tract in her hand she would sally forth
And attract everyone from the east to the north.
But I know she’ll be happy wherever she’s at,
Any name you can mention – she’ll say “I know someone named that.”

Hope I remember why we thought they were funny.