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

(Previous installment)

Monday, March 22, 1948

Our meeting tonight was wonderful. Only two of the daughters were there, his wife and other daughter had a meeting to go to. They’re lovely girls – 13 and 14, the other one is 16. We showed “In the Tops of the Mountains.”

Afterwards we talked to Mr. Smith and discovered he didn’t have a clear understanding of the Godhead after all. He still said there should be just one God. He read us scripture out of the Book of Mormon to prove it – he believes it from beginning to end and has since he finished reading it. We went over the first part of the 5th Ch of Mosiah and the 11th Ch of Alma where Zeezrom is questioning Amulek. As we talked I could see we were getting closer and closer together. He finally conceded that they could be three different forms and if they weren’t one in form what then were they one in? We explained why Jesus Christ is called both the Father and the Son and now we are one on the Godhead.

I’m so thankful I was here to be able to meet with him – he has surely been seeking for the truth. We told him he was on the right track and he said he believed it. He doesn’t drink coffee and smokes only a pipe when he is home and said he could quit that any time. He asked what he would have to do to be baptised and when we told him a few of the things that were necessary he said – “Get your questions ready” and he really believes it is the true church and wants to be baptised. He asked about Sunday School and if it was the same time for the children, so I guess he wants to bring his girls too. He said you can read and read and it wouldn’t do too much, what he wanted [was] to be baptised and to do some work.

About the Book of Mormon he said – “Any honest and sincere minister who reads it with an open mind would be converted to (united in) Mormonism.”

When he was in Dallas there was a Sunday school teacher who taught only from the Bible. He didn’t use the periodicals and said the Bible was all he needed. He really had those boys studying. The Minister called him in one day and told him he would have to quit. It was because he wasn’t using the lesson material prepared and it had come to his ears some of the doctrine he was teaching. The man opened his Bible, gave it to the minister and told him to read it. He made a pretense of reading a few words, then said – “I know what it says. But I’m a member of the Southern Baptist Convention, I have to use the material they send me, I’ve got a wife and children to support.” The teacher was told either to teach the periodicals or turn his class over, and he gave up the class.

Later, Mr. Smith was living in another place, teaching in the Baptist church, and had the same kind of run-in with his minister. He was told to stop teaching the things he was. Mr. Smith said it was all in the Bible and gave his book to the minister to read who pushed it away and said – “You’re supposed to come to me and let me interpret it for you – you’re supposed to ask me what it means.” Mr. Smith was told not to continue preaching as he was and he said he would have to because that was what he believed. And he was told in substance, the same thing his former teacher was told, that the minister was a member of the Southern Baptist Convention and owed them an obligation. Mr. Smith gave up his class and since that time, seven years ago, has not been associated with any church as a member. He soon will be, tho, and this time it will be the right one.

Tuesday, March 23, 1948

We went to see Learnards today. They were baptized on the 6th of March. There is Mr & Mrs Learnard and their daughter, Sharon. Seen or eight months ago their 15 year old son was killed in an accident. They are friends of Dr. Ranker’s and he told the mission office about them so they could hold meetings with them. Sr. Learnard says the missionaries saved her from going out of her mind.

They will make good members and are very serious about their obligations. They told us about a month before they were baptised they wanted to thank all of the missionaries who had met with them for their patience. They think it took them a long time to be converted.

We went down in the car with them when they were baptised. They have a good spirit. They said when they first knew Morons they thought them clannish and over-bearing but when they understood they saw it was because they knew where they were going and why and didn’t have to take the time to speculate on the subject.

They both had the habit of smoking to give up. We went to see them three days after they were baptised. It hadn’t bothered him very much but she was very nervous. I had the idea to call in on them for a few minutes every day as moral support but Johnson was in town right afterwards and went to see them and we had a cottage meeting with them a couple of days later and she seemed better then and I sort of dropped the idea – I guess I thought she was all over it so soon. We had a cottage meeting the next week but the other two lm’s and Elder Hoffman who stopped here overnight on his way to Eureka were there and the subject wasn’t mentioned.

Today when we visited them they were pretty low in spirit. It has been very hard on her nervous system. She needs help, something active she can do to look forward to. His attitude has changed, he cares about many things he didn’t particularly care about before and is trying to make himself better. The last few days things have gone badly at work, too. They say instead of joining the Church being the joy they thought it would be, it has been just the opposite. They are being sorely tempted – they haven’t turned against the faith, but are wondering right now (a little) if it is worth it. I believe we did help them by our visit. They were waiting for us – but they want to talk to someone who can give them more help than we can and believe Pres & Sr Hawkes are the ones. They will go to the Gold and Green Ball Friday night to see them.

I feel like we have let them down and I’m going to make it a point to drop in for a few minutes at least every day. I guess she was counting on baptism and confirmation to change her – she didn’t realize she would be the same person. I won’t let anyone else down that way.

Sunday, April 4, 1948

Friday night we went to see Mr. Smith again. We had a very good meeting discussing tithing, fast offering, latter-day revelation and other things that are expected of members of the church. We still haven’t talked to his wife and don’t know what she thinks but I have had the feeling all along that she could be converted and he said Friday night that he had the feeling she had been waiting all of these years for him to make up his mind and that she would come with him.

This morning he and Jane (the youngest daughter) were to Sunday School again. (They came last week and she came to Mutual). It is Fast Sunday and we had a very good Testimony meeting. It was a rainy day but there were 70 (about) there and quite a few of them bore their testimonies. The Spirit of the Lord was there in abundance.

Mr Smith asked to be baptised. I just feel so good about it. He said – I noticed you didn’t ask anyone to come forward and join the church. What do I have to do to be baptised? So I explained it to him, told him that Pres. Call would accept our recommendation of him and that I thought he was ready. I thought we had explained how we did it Friday night but I guess we didn’t make it very clear – if we had I feel sure he would have gone to Santa Rosa yesterday for baptism, but maybe it’s just as well. We hope to have the wife and three daughters baptised too, next month.

During the testimonies several people mentioned the conference in Salt Lake City and he wanted to know where he could get a coy of the conference message and is going to subscribe to the Church News.

He said Friday night he believed this was the true church. He had noticed when he attended meetings that the speakers said they knew it and that they knew God lived. He said he couldn’t do that because he hadn’t had that experience, but he wanted it. During the Sunday School lesson Pres Davis had mentioned that belief was an emotion and Mr Smith repeated this and added that knowledge was experience. He realizes hat baptism and the laying on of hands isn’t going to change him. He’s going to make a wonderful, a sincere and conscientious member.

We’re going to San Rafael a week from today to begin work on a city directory there but are going to come back on week-ends to see if we can’t visit with him – or rather, with all of them, we hope, and with Hattie Jane Miller – Mrs. Shober, the Smelty [?], and Mrs Way, if we can.

We’re about through the Doctrine and Covenants with Hattie Jane and when she heard we were leaving she expressed her disappointment and said – We are nearly through and I was just about ready.” She told Sr. Leroy before that when we finished reading it if there wasn’t anything in it she couldn’t accept she would be baptised. She will make a good member, too.

I didn’t get a chance to talk to Sr. Learnard today but Sr Rasmussen did and she said that things had improved. I was surely glad to hear that and we’re going to keep seeing them.

Don Myers asked for Pres Johnson’s address. He wants to look him up sometimes when he is in Santa Rosa. He thinks a great deal of him. He has been studying Church History with Renee and he always comes to meeting and helps put away chairs with all the rest of them. Pres. Call told us last week he wanted to be baptised. We haven’t been able to meet with him, but he thinks a lot of the elders, especially Johnson, so he’ll get together with them in Santa Rosa.

Yesterday was report meeting. It was a good one but everyone laughed quite a bit. There wasn’t a discouraged feeling but everyone was repentant. I know I received inspiration from it. In the afternoon we went to Bodega Bay for a wiener roast. I twas a beautiful warm day and the ocean was pretty with the sun shining on it. I surely o like the ocean.

In the evening there was the baptism. There was a good crowd – Joe Teribiline was baptised. Elders Park, Johnson and Beattie spoke, all gave good talks. Pres Cheney conducted, and did it very good. I surely do like the Cheneys, they’re tops.

After the meeting we went to a show and then came home – arriving about 2:00. Poor Lake Co. elders, it seems they always get the short end, they still had a long ways to go.

San Rafael is a larger town than Ukiah – 13000 instead of 6,000, and the directory there will be a big job. The town is laid out so funny. They say it will take three weeks but I believe it will be longer than that. Some of the elders are going to be there this week selling ads.

Srs Rasmussen and Larsen left today for Fairfield. They will be there this week to finish the work on the Ashland directory.

I forgot to mention about Mr. Smith that when we first met him he was very worried and looked as tho he had a great burden to bear. It showed up even in his talk, which was jerking-ly. Now we have noticed how free and easy he talks and acts. He is like a new person.

Wednesday, April 7, 1948

Mr. and Mrs. Gus Martons were contacted at the time the information for the directory was gathered and have since been baptised. However, it seems they were baptised without really being converted as they do not understand even the first principles and are not prepared to live the gospel standards – such as tithing, observing the Sabbath Day. They don’t have a very high opinion of the Branch Pres and he un-meaningly (but un-thoughtfully, too) turned them against himself and for a time the church.

But all along they have been kind to the missionaries and have received us kindly in their home. We have been contacting them regularly and are now holding cottage meetings. We have been able to improve their feeling toward the church – at first she said she was through with the church and would never go back, but last night she started talking about seeing us in church. She is quite a rough talker and takes the Lord’s name in vain, but she is getting better. They are kind hearted and enjoy the missionaries. In the prayer Sr. Stenquist offered she asked the Lord to bless them and he asked her why. Then he said we didn’t have to thank anyone for coming there, that we were welcome any time. They are good people and listen very attentively while we expound the gospel.

Last Monday night we met with Mr. and Mrs. Snelty. He has spent his life studying human character and it is very interesting to hear him talk about traits – she is a cousin of Heber J. Grant’s and thinks he is a wonderful man. They told us we were welcome to come into their home anytime. They like us and they like the Mormon teachings. She served us refreshments and once before they served us dinner and want us to come again to dinner. They are intelligent people and should be able to see the gospel.

Thursday, April 8, 1948

And the rains came. Steady for a couple of weeks, or nearly so. We wet to relief Society today. Sr. Porter gave a very good lesson on Jesus the Christ. It was testimony day. I’m surely glad we went. this has been a long week and it was what we needed. I am coming to see more and more how wonderful it is to stand on your feet and thank the Lord for the blessings he has given you and to hear others do the same. I have felt rebellious about attending them some times and like I was being compelled to do something and so haven’t stood up because I know that isn’t the proper spirit. But the last few I have attended have filled a very definite need and it is now a privilege to attend them. I want to do as Alma advises – pray God continually that I will not be tempted above that which I am able to bear – and then accept the help when it is offered me. There is so much to learn and it takes more than desire to do good.

Monday, May 31, 1948

We’re in Santa Rosa, now. Sisters Putnam and Cuff arrived on April 23rd to be our new companions and we were all transferred down to Santa Rosa.

Mr. Smith has been baptised since we left – I hear the elders are doing a good work in Ukiah.

Sister Smith has been released and has bee in Santa Rosa a couple of days – she stayed with us one night. I’m glad to see her again – she is surely full of enthusiasm.

We are waiting now for Louis Blackner to come and pick us up. We have been invited to have dinner with them and afterwards Putnam, Smith and I are going to Carner White’s for a cottage meeting. Both she and Whitey are interested in the church – missionaries have been holding cottage meetings with them since February. They like Mormonism and I think they believe it’s true. She’s been coming to all the meetings and he comes too, when he can.

Santa Rosa has grown. last year at Mother’s Day there were 100 present at meeting and they were thrilled – this year there were 225 and since that time there was a branch organized in Sonoma.

There is a branch in Lake County now, too. The work in this mission is growing being left in this district all of the time I have been able to watch the progress. It is a good district. I’ve been out 18 months now. I’d like to stay out a while longer, at least until the chapel is dedicated if they will let me.