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

(Previous installment)

Tuesday, June 1, 1948

We tracted this afternoon on Ripley & Scott Streets. Ripley Street is where Believe It or Not Ripley was born & reared. We had several conversations but only one invitation in. One woman was just going out and we made an appointment to call tomorrow afternoon and explain the Godhead.

This morning Sr. Smith dropped in during study class to say good-by. She was on her way to San Francisco and said she thought she’d fly home tonight. I didn’t get a chance to talk to her. She surely has a good influence and did a lot to give me more enthusiasm for my work and I observed some good points I can use in my work.

We went early to choir practice so we could practice a song we’re to sing Saturday night at the baptism. It takes a lot of practice, too. Pres Johnson thinks we can sing.

We had Primary this afternoon – the Cheneys and Rodney. I teach the older class and had Vonnie and Annette make picture frames for Father’s Day. After Primary we played some games with the children out in front and saw some of the boys who used to come to the one at Bennyhof’s and asked them to come so maybe they will be here next time.

Wednesday, June 2, 1948

We called back on Mrs Russo on Scott St. She was very interested in hearing us explain the Godhead tho she said she had never thought of it that way. We also told her about the restoration. She has just recently become interested in religion and has started to read her Bible. She wants to read it through first so we suggested that she keep on reading it and we would call on her one afternoon a week and discuss some subjects. She said that would be up to us. I know she was interested in what we discussed today and was afraid she’d be taking too much of our time so we said we’d call back next week.

We had some good tracting today with several invitations in. One woman invited us in – she’s a Catholic – and we told her about the Book of Moron and she wants to read it. She’d like to buy it but doesn’t have the money now so we’re going to loan her one. (She surely has some beautiful daughters.)

One man told us he believed in religion but not our line.

We talked for a while to nearly every person we met tho we can’t call back on any of them. Some of them may work into something good.

No cottage meeting tonight so we practiced again on our song. It’s still going to take plenty of practice.

They’re going to have a musical program at the baptism while the people are getting dressed this time and we’re getting some members for it. That’s what our piece is for.

Thursday, June 3, 1948

We had a good morning of tracing. At least we had a lot of conversations – we gave a sermon to everyone who was home, except to one woman who said she was a very good member of the Presbyterian church and wouldn’t be interested, good-by.

At one door we heard a woman call “come in.” There she was, sitting up in bed working and she held her hands out to us and was very friendly. We found out she was the Christian Science practitioner. I don’t see how an intelligent person can believe what she explained to us of their religion. When I asked her how they explained the resurrection she said that because his mind so fully understood the nothingness of death that his body couldn’t stay in the grave. What their idea of God is, is more like the attributes of God. I pointed out some scriptures in the Bible to her and asked some questions that stumped her and she couldn’t answer. Once she said that if it made me happy to believe that way it was all right to believe it. But she’s so mixed up there’s no sense or rhyme or reason to it.

So many people just close their minds to the truth – I talked quite a bit on divine authority to one woman but she was so sure God would recognize anyone she wouldn’t even try to reason.

Another woman we talked quite a while to was very satisfied with her Church. As we were leaving she said – “My church teaches from the Bible.” I told her we took all of our claims from the Bible and could give references for all of them. She said – “Oh, well, you can prove anything you want to from the Bible.” I said, “I don’t believe that” and it really surprised her. I went on and told her how you have to take the Bible as a whole.

The reason I’ve liked tracting so much this week is because we’ve talked so much. We had a cottage meeting with Mrs. Carner in the afternoon. She was quite worried, it seemed, about what to do about going to church. She wants to go to the Mormon but her little boy goes to the Presbyterian and her husband would like her to go to that one, too. We told her to try them both and see which she liked best – Putnam said she would come and get her some morning and take her to Sunday School (after nest week there will be missionaries in Sebastopol) and I think that cinched it because she would really like to go to our meetings and she said she’d go.

She’s such a good contact – I really like her.

I got my release in the mail today. It was quite a surprise because I hadn’t expected to be going home so soon. I felt rather bad about it for a while but it’s wearing off now. I’m glad this week has been good.

Friday June 4, 1948

Didn’t tract today. I squoze a crate full of oranges, tho, for the barbecue tomorrow while Sr. Putnam went out to Byrne’s to take care of the Primary.

The Branch had a hayride tonight and we went with them. We went in cars up past Gueralwood [?] and then in the wagon to Armstrong Grove for a wiener roast. A good crowd, 44. It was quite late when we got home and the house hadn’t been cleaned so I started sweeping. Stenquist & Cuff went to bed and Putnam was ready for bed when the bell started ringing – about 2:00 a.m. – like something awful was happening. It was Cazier & Johnson, they were staying up all night to heat the rocks for the barbecue and decided if they couldn’t sleep no one else would, and went to where the elders Bennion & Kieler were staying, too. Elder Johnson got a letter saying he’ll be released soon and Elder Beattie will be the new D.P. Before they left they gave us some reports to fill out and we got to bed about four o’clock.

Saturday, June 5, 1948

Mother’s coming today so I left a note telling her how to get to the chapel and we went to report meeting. It was a good meeting, but I had so much I wanted to report on, this week has been so good, but I didn’t say what I wanted to. There were 29 there – four from the office and Mother came when it was about half over – making it 30. She talked, too, and gave a very good talk.

After meeting I only visited her a little while and then she had to go on with Joe & Frank & Etta. We’ll get home about the same time. Then the missionaries went to Armstrong Grove for the barbecue. It was good – especially the orange juice. Some of us went for a climb up the hill & slid down. There was a tap of water there and the elders decided to duck Elder Johnson under it because he wasn’t D.P. anymore and it took six of them to do it.

We went back to Santa Rosa and got cleaned up for the baptism tonight. It was a wonderful meeting – there were 13 baptised, 6 of them adults. Hattie Jane Miller from Ukiah was baptised. Elder Beattie gave the talk and while the people were dressing we had a musical program. Carmen came in late, she had planned to be baptised tonight, and she cried during the meeting. If we had known about it she still could have been baptised and we would have waited. It was a good day.

Afterwards some of us decided to go to a show but we couldn’t find a good one so we went to our apartment and fixed something to eat and then went to a midnight show. Cazier, Park, Johnson and the four lm’s.

Sunday, June 6, 1948

We went over to Sebastopol with Sr. Morris this morning. Stenquist & Cuff went too because they didn’t have a way to Healdsburg. It’s a good Sunday School, I surely hate to leave the younger class, those children are so responsive and anxious to learn. It was Fast Day – Bro. Lohmon bore his testimony said how much he appreciated the brotherly love in this church and how glad he was a member.

Vern Hardisty bore his testimony, too. He was away from home and the church for quite a while and hasn’t been back long and told how much it meant to him and that he was never going to be without it again. He is doing good missionary work. He brings his girl to church and Jack Zellers, too (son of Sr. Poston) and they came on the hayride and Jack is getting interested I the church again. They came to Sac. Meeting & Fireside tonight also and Vern brought another couple. Sten & Cuff had visited the girl & she had been busy but she told them she didn’t know they belonged to Vern’s church and to come back.

Orcutts had invited us to dinner so we spent the afternoon there. The S.S. had charge of the evening meeting and there were some good speakers. Fireside was at Blackners’ and they played teakettle. I didn’t get to talk either place.

When I got my release I didn’t want to go home and even considered calling Pres. Ellsworth to ask if I could stay out two months longer. But after I thought it over I decided he knows what he is doing and I’m ready to go home.

Monday, June 7, 1948

Sr. Ketcherside arrived today from Klamath to be Sr. Putnam’s new companion.

Elders Beattie & Johns came up from San Rafael. Elder Beattie is being transferred to Fresno District to be D.P. there and an Elder Barrus is coming here.

There are a lot of releases just now – The Hawkes, Pres. Johnson, Elders Burton and Hadfield, Srs. Knudsen & Hansen and myself. And others I don’t know.

Putam & Johnson & I went to Carmen’s for a cottage meeting. We talked about what is expected of someone who joins the church and the Book of Mormon. She wanted to be baptised while I was still here.

Her neighbor, who has been saved, has been trying to save her and comes and talks to her all of the time. During the week she had Carmen go over to her place, she was going to prove to her that the Mormons are wrong. Carmen took her Bible and some tracts she had and as she went was thinking of some of the members she could call to help her out, and she prayed before she left. But when she got there she didn’t need to call anyone – the other woman had no argument at all, she couldn’t even answer her questions, all Carmen had to do was point out a few scriptures.

Tuesday, June 8, 1948

The three lm’s and Elder Johnson saw me off on the bus this morning. I went out and got the street car (No. 7) for the Mission Office and rode and rode so far I wondered if I’d got on it going the wrong way. I must have done because it took nearly an hour to get there and only fifteen minutes to get back.

I talked to Pres Ellsworth for a few minutes. He said someone had told him I didn’t have to go home yet so I told him how I felt about it now and said – “That’s the reason I didn’t call you.” He answered, “That’s why I didn’t call you. I nearly called you to tell you to stay and then decided my first inspiration was right!”

Then he said I could go up and see Sr. Ellsworth for a few minutes. She was sitting up but looked tired. They’re surely wonderful people, the Ellsworths, and are both inspired. I wanted to talk to Pres Ellsworth but stayed upstairs talking to the lm’s & Bessie too long and had to leave right away to catch my bus.

Wednesday, June 9, 1948

I got in Salt Lake about 11:00. It looks good. The last 30 miles went so slow, about the time we got to Saltair.

I started talking to the taxi driver on the way home and found out he had been in the California Mission in 1938 and his brother was there when it was divided. He had worked in Fresno and I told him what they were doing there now.

When we got home he said – “It’s on me.” Mormons are the best people.

Friday, June 11, 1948

I went to report to the General Authorities today. Everyone up there is surely grand to you. Joseph F. Merrill interviewed me. He talked to me for half an hour and said some very good things.

He was asking me how I liked my mission and I said I liked it very much and would like to go back. He said – “They won’t be calling you right away or they wouldn’t have sent you home now.”

He said the gospel would not be easy to live and there were three reasons why. First – because everyone is selfish. It’s a good thing to be selfish, and we have to be to some extent. For example – when you were in the mission field you prayed for more knowledge, and for direction. These things are all for yourself but it’s to help others so you should be selfish to the extent that you live the golden rule.

It’s also hard to live because we live in a sinful world and are influenced by the actions of those around us. He asked why I was wearing a short dress. He didn’t mean that was sinful but everyone else wore them that way and it used to be the girls wore them down to their ankles and two inches longer than that if they were married.

Another reason is because we are human and have weaknesses. “Have you ever smoked a cigarette?”

“No.”

“Satan wouldn’t think of tempting you to go buy a cigar and come out on the street and smoke it. It isn’t hard for you not to smoke. He finds out where you are weak and tempts you that way. Do you know who Satan is?”

“He’s my brother.”

“Yes, and there were one third of all the spirit children who were cast out – of all the millions of people who have lived on the earth there are one-third that are here to tempt us. There may have been fifty assigned to get you. And they’ll succeed. Now you finish the sentence. They’ll succeed unless —”

“Unless I’m prayerful and live the principles of the gospel.”

“They’ll succeed unless you have the help of the Lord.”

He also told me I would be asked to speak in my ward and when I did I should do so with the idea in mind to give the girls who would hear me the desire to go on a mission. I’ll try to. I wish they all could go, for me I gained the most valuable thing I have – a real testimony of the truth of this church.

(Conclusion)