Lorenzo Swensen (1887-1955) and Beatrice Eloise Wride (1893-1979)
Incoming Correspondence, 1941
Geraldine to Family, 1941 May 1
May 1, 1941P.B.O. 5:10
Dear Family:
May I take this opportunity of wishing you a very merry May Day? It has certainly been a beautiful day here with the trees luscious green and the flowers so colorful. The Temple block is just a picture.
This noon I went over and practiced on the Assembly Hall organ for Sunday night. Mabel Jones, Bishop Richards’ secretary and a member of the Mutual Stake Board, is giving a reading that she wrote for the occasion and I am to play the music for it. They are calling it Youth Conference and is part of the stake honor night. Tuesday night is also stake honor night in the 17th ward. Our Gleaner chorus is singing the theme set to music by Brother Durham and also giving the Lord’s Prayer as a reading choir. I am singing in a double mixed quartet that is sing three numbers. Last Tuesday night was ward honor night. The Gleaners sang and all the officers and teachers received a gardenia. Then sister Moore, our teacher gave all the Gleaners with a perfect attendance a gardenia so I received two. The dance after was a lot of fun what with Luther and Duane, the two best dancers in the ward to dance with, also Earl Olson who is good too. Duane brought me home.
Last Sunday night class was to Billie’s. After class, four of us stayed and listened to records and had a round table discussion. (We didn’t have the round table, however). Tomorrow night several of us are meeting to have a music club. Ward had the idea and we decided to really learn something about music.
Saturday night was our board party with Dora and I in charge. We worked so hard and were so tired, but everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Even some of the fussy ones let down and enjoyed it. We served hamburgers and all that goes with it in buffet style.
Sunday is our last Union Meeting for three months and it will seem good. That will leave the first Sunday in June free and that means I am going to try to come home for the week-end as we have Decoration Day off, I think, and I am going to try to take Saturday morning off. Wish I could come for Mother’s Day, but I don’t see how I can as I don’t have a way.
Last Friday was the wedding I had to play for. Tilly and I went and wore our formals. She looked lovely, he was handsome, everything went smoothly, but that is not the kind I have in mind. It was all over in 10 minutes.
Today was Bishop Wirthlin’s father’s funeral. Mabel, Ione, and I went. The chapel was crowded and the flowers were lovely.
At our devotional this morning with Presidents Clark and McKay present they showed us films of the beautification program in the Church. It is really a marvelous thing and the things they have accomplished are surprising. We asked Brother Gulbrandsen’s son who has just returned from a mission to sing Trees and Bless This House. He is tall dark and handsome and has a beautiful baritone voice. I played for him.
Thanks so much for the box of fruit. It tastes so good. It was June’s week to cook last week and we didn’t have fruit at all and it is embarrassing to ahead and buy stuff for fear of hurting feelings. And thanks for the picture of Barbara. It is just darling–I mean she is just darling. I would surely liked to have been to hear the music for the contest. Guess Brother Palmer saw you all and I will hear about it next week. Tomorrow is the big Rich day I guess. Did you mean she is getting married in the church or just the receiption? Yes, Bishop Ashton’s son is married.
Tell Mary Lou they called yesterday and said what I ordered was here so I went to get it and it was the wrong thing, so they will rush another through, I hope. Glad she had a nice birthday. I thought about her all day and wished I could see her. By your letter, Zion is surely growing in that neck of the woods. Maybe I should come home. Did you know that Sister McKay is very sick. They are quite worried about her. Last week I made a portfolio of all the material Bishop Ashton collected on his trip to Hawaii and he is so proud of it, I am quite thrilled.
Well, I am tired and hungry so will close this for now.
Love
Geraldine