Lorenzo Swensen (1887-1955) and Beatrice Eloise Wride (1893-1979)

Incoming Correspondence, 1942

Paul to Pop, 1942 Feb 15

February 15, 1942

Dear ‘Pop’,

How is everything coming out in ‘Zion’? I am well and very happy right now and have hopes of keeping that way.

We spent yesterday down to Elmira to a missionary meeting. They are really nice for several reasons. There several new missionaries in our district and it gave us a chance to meet them. It certainly seems good to meet with some members once in awhile.

I certainly never appreciated my own church services so much as I have now that I can’t go to them. We go to the ones here but they aren’t very interesting. Last Sunday one of the ministers had a program dissapoint him and he only had about 12 hours to prepare a sermon so he read the whole thing. All of the rest of them are the same. The people don’t even like the services but go just to keep up with the Joneses. We have yet to find anyone who likes their minister or agree with everything he says, except the Catholics, and a lot of them don’t like the priest.

Thank everyone for the cookies and the pictures. They were and are very greatly appreciated. The tripod came O.K. and has been used to a good advantage already.

We finally have some snow and it seems very good for a change. It isn’t very deep but I like it. Elder Fish thinks it is rather cold and not so nice but then he is from Arizona so I guess I can’t blame him very much. It has spoiled the skating, but they will cut more ice so maybe we can get in some more.

I’ve a chance to get a practically new Schick razor from one of the Elders. It is in good shape but he has trouble with his skin so has to use a blade so he wants to sell it. He will sell it for $5.00 which is $7.50 less that it cost. What do you think?

More troubles---the shutter of the camera go so it just wouldn’t work with any accuracy so I sent it up to Rochester to have them look at it. The news wasn’t so good as you can see by the letter theysent me. They won’t do anything to it until I say the word so there is no loss as yet. Do you think it is wroth the expense? I don’t. That new shutter doesn’t interest me at all as I like the one that is on it now. One of the Photographers wants the lens and will probably give about $15,00 for it, maybe. He hasn’t seen it but he wants a lens like your’s for his enlarger. I hate to think of the expense of getting a new one but I’d certainly like to have some kind of a camera to take a few pictures with. The large one at home would be O.K. but it is so large that I’d soon be broke just by buying film.

I suppose I should maybe change my ideas of a good camera but I think I’d like a roll film job. The 35mm are nice but it takes a long time to use up a roll. They have the advantage of being used for color and you can make slides of them. I really can’t decide at all. There several good buys in the inclosed catalog. They are all up in price and may go higher. I’d like to get someplace where there is a good second hand store. With all of the Aliens turning in their cameras, I’d imagine there would be some very good buys in that line. The shutter is the most important thing as far as I’m concerned. I’d like one with a compur Rapid shutter. They have a very good range of speeds, they are very accurate and they have delayed action which allows you to get into the picture yourself. On page 7, at the bottom, is a very nice one, at a very nice price. The difference in the various ones is due to the quality of the lens. The 2.9 is very good and the whole thing would be ideal, but too expensive. The Perfex is still nice but just look at the price. The Argus has come up but is highly recommended by camera men. On page 10 are several nice ones. Two in Compur and the Foth Derby with focal plane. The range finder wouldn’t be at all necessary but just hands. One can be purchased for much less than the difference. The Gewirette on page 11 is a nice one. The pictures are small but when they are developed they are enlarged so a good size so they wouldn’t be so bad. The Prontor shutter is good but can’t compare with the Compur, but then I can’t afford to be fussy. I should say ‘I can’t afford.!’ The ones on the following pages are very nice but expensive. The Dollina 0 is a nice job, especially the 2.9.

I realize that I am speaking of a lot of money but I would just like to have your opinion of the subject. I’d like to have the catalog back when you you are through with it.

Would you send me your line of authority, please. I’d like to chart it out like you have yours. I’d also like you to get Bishop Perkin’s line. He ordained me a Teacher and a Priest. Tell Royal that you ordained me an Elder on July 20, 1941. Have you ever come across my certificate of Ordination for a Deacon. I hunted before I left home but couldn’t find it. I have the rest of them but couldn’t find the other one. I’d like to have it just to keep.

Are you using your book “Priesthood and Church Government” by Widtsoe. I’d like to have the use of one. I can get one cheaper that you can ($1.35) so what do you think.

I had a letter last week from President Iverson and he said that he had an assignment for me which will make for a change. He didn’t say what it would be like or when it would come except that it would be ‘in the near future’. He wrote in answer to a letter of mine in which I told him how little work we get done. I have tried every way I know how to encourage getting a lot done but we get started late and quit early. Wehaven’t gone tracting for so long I’ve about forgotten what it is like. The D.P. says it isn’t the position of the Junior Elder to be the boss so I don’t, and as a result, Elder Fish doesn’t get up till 8:00 and it is usually after 10:00 when we go out, if we do. The President was very encouraging in his letter so I feel better than I did. I hope he gives me a job which will really make me work to fill it. This work is fascinating when we are busy but very tiring when we just sit around all day.

We have met two men who are part Indian, and they seem very interested in the Book of Mormon. One of the is reading it and likes it very much. They both have had the feeling that the were descendents of the Children of Israel even if they didn’t know how or why. When we told them for sure that they had Hebrew blood in them, they were very glad to hear more about it.

We helped with the Brotherhood supper last Wednesday night and had a good time. The supper was really a feed and they all enjoyed it, so they said. We have been invited to go back anytime we wish so I supposed we will go once in awhile. We are going to try and get them to let us show them our pictures some night as part of their program.

I suppose I should close for now and give you a rest. Who will be the new President in the Seventy’s quorum? Or is it any of my business? Give my love and best regards to everyone.

Love and with it,

Paul