Feb. 8th 1922

Feb 8th

Well Dad there isn't much more to write about this morning. I have told you about all the news before.

The worst time of the day for me is in the morning when I first get out of bed. I usually start yelling for Irwin or Merrill. When I don't find them, my heart comes clear out of my mouth. I am getting more used to it now, but can't help wish for the time to come that I may return home with you all. I try and keep going hard enough during the day to forget home for awhile.

Dear Dad it has to happen sometimes to everybody and I am no better than the rest. I have a snap to what most missionaries have who come out here. I can run up to the Bureau and talk English when I get too downhearted. It isn't near so hard for me now as it was the first day or so. I'll be good and sometime I will come back and be a better guy. Well I must close. Praying the blessing of the Lord upon you all.

L.B.

Feb. 7th 1922 Continued...

10:00 PM

Commissioner L. L. Bunnell

Dear Dad :- Do you think I wasn't going to address any mail in your name? I have been answering the letters to the name that have sent them, but I know you would okay them all.

I would give anything if you could or "would" land that county commissioners job. It would do you good, so you wouldn't have to use so much physical exercise and it would be good for the boys to take care of the Farm. It would also add a future or income to Variwood.

I am going to start numbering the letters I send from here. This is the 5th one from Basel. You keep track of them and see if they all come. If they do in a few months I will send some souvenirs or jewelry is less than half here, to what it is there.

Well I had my first missionary work today. I went tracting alone. I delivered 38 tracts. This morning Bro. Haltinner took one side of the street and I took the other. This afternoon I went all alone. Some of them had a hard time understanding me. When I would get through telling them who I was they would say "Verstchen sie nichts." meaning I don't understand you. I would tell them over until they knew what I meant. anyway they said they did. A good many wanted to give me money. Some made me take a little. I got 45 sontiems, which is just 9 cents. I found two places where they were so tickled they didn't know how to act.

I have learned the two quite well now. I have been from one end to the other today. While i was traveling I saw a bath house. It was a large laundry and also shower baths. I was quite dirty so I went in ad took a shower. People don't bathe much over here and it is hard to get a bath. This place was nice and clean. It cost me 70 sontiem, or 14 cents. It was well worth it to me.

I haven't been homesick at all today. I believe I am over the worst. I hope so. It is sure cold here tonight. I believe it will come down below 20 (above). Well I am going to bed now, I will probably send the letter tomorrow. I can't send one everyday.

Feb. 7th 1922

Feb. 7th I ate my first horse meat, it was very tough and juicy.

Feb. 7th, 1922

I thought I would drop you another line this morning. I am feeling fine and are rearing to get out tracting. I am going out and try it alone.

I had a good laugh on myself this morning. Last night I told the landlady to bring my bread and milk in at halbesibenuhr. Which I thought meant half past seven. She came in with it this morning at 6:30. She had to get up an hour earlier. I ask her why she brought is at 6:30. She then explained to me how to tell time. Halbesieben means half of seven. I should have said Halbeacht or half of eight.

It is very cold this morning I haven't any fire here so I have to get my overcoat on. It snowed about three inches the other night from what I understand U.S. has been having some fierce weather it never does get as cold here as it does there.

Ask Merrill to tell Prof. Martin at the B.Y.U. that I did not get to see Rulon Hinckley. He is laboring in the French part of Switzerland. Prof. Martin ask me to remember him to Rulon.

Well I have got to get ready to go out to work so I will close for this time and will try and write more tomorrow and send the letter. Tell Merrill to be sure and let me know of all the B.Y.U. games. Also, Irwin and Vinna of Lincoln. Well be good.  

Jan. 31st 1922

Basel

Dear Folks :- I am in Basel to stay. It is certainly a fine place. They have a very good bunch of church members here. There are about 250 saints. They are very kind indeed. I have already visited a number of them. I feel very much satisfied. If I get real anxious to talk English I can come back to the office here at Leimenstrasse 49. The Ballifs are surely fine people. We have ate most of our meals here since I arrived here in Basel. I have felt more at home since I arrived in Basel then anytime since I left America. The people here are so much better people then any through England or France. If it wasn't for the language it wouldn't be possible that I was so far from home. The only thing it takes letters so long to come. It took the letter I got from Irwin 19 days. I can't help expressing how happy I am that I am going to stay in Basel. I won't have to go out on a train all alone for a day or so. Of course I would have rather gone out into Germany and learned high German. I will demand the best Ger. talk I can get. They talk about medium German here.

I can't write on both sides of the paper because it is too thin.

Yesterday we went to the zoo garden of Basel. They had all sorts of animals and birds from Europe and Africa. They had a few from America but not many. They had even a pelican there.

Last night five of us went down to (Schwester). Vrecks. They are very good singers . They sang German to some of the songs of Zion and we sang English (I tried to). It certainly seemed at home. It certainly gives one a spirit to visit these saints. If one gets a little homesick the saints will ease our feelings. I am getting to feel perfectly at home at the saints. Of course I don't know what they say about me, but I feel like it is all for the good.

Most of the Elders are staying in Switz. Seven stay here and one goes to Dresedenger. I am the only one in Basel.

I don't think it will cost me over $15 a month. It will be very few meals we will have to buy.

Well I will close for this time. I sure feel like the work will be fine after I get started. I expect the time to fly like everything after I get the language. Well take good care of yourselves and God bless you at all times.

Yours Truly.

Le Roy

January 29th, 1922

Jan. 29th 1922.

Lskimenstrasse 49

Basel, Switz

Jan. 29, 1922

Dear Irwin:- Say kid you know if I got a letter like you wrote Jan. 10th everyday I would be preaching German before very long.

The last letter I wrote was very discouraging to you all I guess. Just burn it up and forget "all that in there is." It was just yesterday I wrote it but that doesn't matter. I feel so awakened today all the friends want to know what has happened to me. I am as a wild as a goose.

Say you just quit wondering where you want to go on your mission. Myself I did not want to learn a foreign language. You see what I got. If you do actually want to; look out you will be called down in Sanpete County. Right now I don't care because here I am. and am sure enjoying the present. You will be called where it is most fit for you. I didn't know i would make a Swiss out of myself.

Don't worry about me getting seasick, homesick, or a cold like you have. I am in the best of health and have been all the way over. Everybody has attacks of discouragements, but it takes those to make men, and that is what we are all after. A person has got to get to the point in life where there are discouragements, then overcome them. Thats what is happening to me.

I am answering your letter right in its order, so you can remember just what you wrote.

I suppose by the time you get this letter you will have about thirty five full grown lambs. I suppose it keeps you choring to take care of them all. What about it, do you notice any difference around home doing chores and such things since I left? I'll bet Karl is glad I am gone so I can't tell him what to do. I guess you all are glad I am out of the watch for a while, even if you do have to pay for my board. ????

Say go skating on the lake for me (but don't fall in) and just set things up. There is know skating here now. Spring is opening up. Say we wasn't so terribly crazy for going swimming New Years. There were a couple of fools went swimming in the Rhine today. The Rhine runs right through Basel. There is still snow on the ground. (Be jabbers it just started to rain). It is a very pretty river.

Did you get the drain ditch dug? How deep was it? I'll bet Meith was tired when he got through digging drain. You won't get him to again. When you get a goose eat two pieces for me. But please don't chase any geese in that old row boat.

Don't worry about that reading you are supposed to give a month ago. You'll get your turn. Take every chance you get, and talk straight from the shoulders. I got Mama's letter when I got here. I sure appreciated it. I will do my best as a missionary old top. I believe that the language is coming my way. You just keep your prayers in the same direction old top as they were when you wrote because we all need them.

I haven't any other paper with me tonight except this concert. While I'm in the hunger of writing I will write on that.   

I guess you will read and understand all that is on the other side. If you can, you are lucky. I can read and understand part of it. I have learned a few words today. It sure is a mix up to hear a German talk. It sounds like it is all one word. I can pick out a few words now. That's the way we will have to learn.

Basel has about 250 church members. There were close to 200 to Sunday school this morning, and meeting tonight. They are sure fine people. They will do anything they possibly can for an Elder from Utah. It is very few meals we have to buy. They take turns in asking you to lunch. I am sleeping at Sister Niederhauser's. Her husband is out in Ger. on a mission and she is here with the five kinders. This is my third night here and all I have seen them eat is bread, a little honey or jelly, and very little milk and cocoa. I do not eat here because it would be too much of an imposition.

Today Elder Butikofer and myself went over to Sister Urecks for dinner. She has three daughters in America, and another going in June. The man doesn't believe in Mormonism. They are better to do.

Friday night I went to a musical concert. There were about one hundred violins, besides choir and vocalists. It was certainly good. I had a program and could follow the words as they were sang. It was worth a good many lessons in Ger. to me. This afternoon Sister Urecks took us to another musical concert. It was practically all violin. They sure have some good musicians here. I never heard better playing. this paper has the program on for this afternoon, I'll bet you would enjoy it if you heard it.

I am almost sure I will labor in Switz. Pres. Ballif will be here tomorrow night to assign us. Sister Ballif told us this was where we are wanted.

I finish my days work just as you start. I am just even eight hours ahead of mountain time. You see by that how slow you all are????

Well I am not going to send this for a day or two because it might beat the other letter. I will try and write more then if it doesn't make the letter too heavy. There is lots of news if I had room to put it all on.

Jan. 14th 1922.
Mr Elvin Bunnell.
Dear Skinny :- No doubt you will be surprised to hear from the hotel again.  Well you are not, I am out on the Atlantic feeling fine.  I got this stationary at the hotel when I left.
If you can't read this I can't help it, because between the boat and me together, I am lucky to be able to hold the pen at all.
The ocean isn't rough yet.  I would not be afraid on it here with a row boat.  But all the same it has a continual swing back and forth, up and down from the dead swells from the storm the other day.  The water is sure pretty as it rolls away from the boat.
There are a block of seagulls still following us.  There are probably 500 of them flying over the boat most of the time.  we have been traveling about 15 hours.  We are not only but a few miles out in the ocean because we are following up the shore to Halifax, where they are going to take on more stuff. We will be there about a day. That is the reason I am writing this letter, so they will mail it at Halifax.
They have not yet permitted us to go through the ship. That is on top, down in the engine room, in front, or the back down the sides, etc. etc. etc. etc.  Probably they will after we are all seasick.
Every one of the sixteen of us are feeling a little lacking in the upper story, and like we will probably be lacking in the center story.  I feel so lazy I hate to move.  I am still able to eat heartily, and get around.  I think I feel about as fresh as any of them.  A few have gone to bed already.  It is just 11:30.
I am sending you a post card of the ship. Notice the dimensions on the back.  They have a capacity of about 2,000 but there are only about 700 on.  There are but few accomodations to pass away the time.  There is no gym, or anything to do any physical exercise.  They have a bookstore, smoking room and card room.  It is very clean, that is a very good thing.  We can act here just like some rich bug.  We can tell the steward anything we want and he will try and do what he can for us.
The third class passengers are loaded on the back end of the boat.  Is is all clean back there but it isn't near as safe or well protected as it is here.  They haven't any accomodations at all like a lobby or things like we "should" have.
We are going to land at Halifax about 5: o'clock.  We are likely to be on the trip from Halifax about 8 days to Liverpool.  I sure wish I could hurry up and get over there and get to work.  I am tired of traveling. Believe me I don't see where people like to travel, for me, I would rather pitch hay than travel on such a long trip.  I hope that when I get there I can stay at one place and let that be in the country. City life gets my goat.
Well I will close again, hoping you are well, and remain so.
Yours Truly.
Le Roy Bunnell
P.S. Do you eat any potatoes or mush yet.  Eat a little bit for me, because things you buy aren't as good as those at home.
Do  you still call "Old Toig."

January 13th, 1922

January 13th, 1922
Mr. Irwin G. Bunnell,
Dear Irwin:- I am just on the train ready to go to the boat. Don't be surprised if you don't get a letter for three weeks or a month, because I expect to be on the boat from 8 to 12 days.
It is quite a bit below zero in St. John here this morning. It sure is cold. 
Well I haven't had time to write much so I will close until I get to Eng. Don't worry because I sure feel fine. 
Yours Truly, 
LeRoy