June 17th, 1922

Basel

June 17th, 1922.

Dear Folks:-

I have about 20 minutes to finish this letter and send it off, so you won't get much more.

Trouble is coming up here all the time. You know I told you about Luscher family, where we had to go and settle so many quarrels, and now he is making Hell for us. He is to blame because Bro. Haltinner and Elder Gliech were driven out of Liestal. He is a pretty big man with the police, and he sure has been feeding them not only in Liestal, but here also. I have to register here with the police again, and I fear I will have trouble doing it. they are sure getting to know us "mormons" here now. I think the old man Luscher must of wrote an article in the paper, because everybody are sure against us now. Some of the friends have turned back on us, but it is them to suffer and not me. yesterday Elder Plewe took his watch to a jeweler to get a crystal put in his watch. He never told the jeweler who he was at all, but when he came back to get the watch, the jeweler had a tag on it "a mormon". How he knew is more than I can tell, because we've never been there before. They seem to know us everywhere we go.

I am afraid I will have to have my eyes tested. Every afternoon for the last week I have had a terrible headache, and my eyes also ache. I think I will buy a pair of dark glasses, and try them a while. I blame it on the sun shining on the cement street and glaring up in my eyes.

For the last couple of weeks we've been buying milk from the milk man, and drinking it cold. It hasn't been treating us very good, so we will have the Frau boil it for us. It must be terribly dirty in the barns. Milk costs 7 cents a quart here now.

I expect I will have to go to Germany now to see the Passion Play. I think Elder Snell has ordered my ticket. The trip will cost about 20 dollars but I can save that on a suit of clothes alone, that is if I can get it back again. I must also buy socks, shoes, and shirts. I would never consider going if I thought I couldn't make more money than it cost, by buying my clothes there.

It has been very cold here again for the last two weeks. We have had much more rain, and  I think it will rain more today.

Well I must close, so I can go to the meeting. Hoping you are all well.

Sincerely

LeRoy

P.S. How are the crops looking? Is the stand of beets good?

P.P.S. I am going to start to number the letters and you do the same, because other fellows are losing letters, and I want to see if we do. 

May 18th and 19th, 1922

Basel.

May 18th 1922.

Dear Varwood.

It has been better than a week since I received a letter from home, and also since I wrote I sent "Der Stern" but that wasn't a letter.

I have just been out tracting a couple of hours, and have a little spare time before I go to dinner, so I thought I would tell you of some of the troubles.

we are sure having hard work here in Basel. A good many of the Saints have got the big head because they have a little office, and ever since I and Bro. Hirschi has been here they have been plotting against us. The local missionaries have also had a good hold on it to. Finally Sunday in Priesthood meeting it came to a head, and these "no nothings" took turns standing up and told even a bunch of lies about us, about how we wanted to take his friends away from him, and that we were trying to push him out. I was by that time so mad I was sweating. I ask Pres. Ballif if I could say something, and he said no, you hadn't better. I guess it was a good thing or I am afraid I would say something that wouldn't have pleased them. Then the President of the Branch (also a local man) got up and told more lies. Talk about a church, this is more of a lodge here.

You see they haven't had any American missionaries here since the war began, and they had to put local men in to win things. They can't get into their beans, that we should do anything only tract and that they should tell us how the church should be organized. Because we didn't follow their advice, that has caused the trouble. Won't I be a rich man, when I can get back and work with Americans again. You can't imagine difference in the class of people. Pres. Ballif has to be as wise as a cat, because if he isn't, the whole mission would turn upside down. He is changing the branch, and con. Pres to Americans as fast as he can, but he has to be very careful, or a good many of the Saints would turn against him. A good number here are not worthy to be called saints. There are a few that are good, but that isn't many. Some join the church here because they are poor, and they know that the church will help them. Such is life.

Say if you want some pretty shade trees, get some of those chestnut. They are sure pretty. Half of the trees in Basel are chestnut and if it isn't pretty now. They are all out in bloom now.

Last Monday I went to another funeral. It was the Father of a Saint. The services were Protestandish and if it was dry. The Pastor done everything, read prayer from a book and even read the sermon. He never mentioned resurrection. In the particular graveyard where this man was buried, it is the second time, for people to be buried , it is the second time, for people to be buried in the same place. The ground had all been stirred up, and talk about stink, it was worse than a dozen dead horses.

It is raining again today for a change. It never goes a week here without rain. Pres. Ballif just came back from Ger. last Saturday and he said there they have had so much rain and snow, and it has been so cold, that the farmers hadn't yet done anything on the farms.

May 19th 1922.

I didn't finish yesterday so I will just add a few lines now. Bro. Hirschi, my good old American companion goes to Liestal Schwiez today, with Bro. Haltinner. They are going to open up a new branch. I have got to stay here in Basel, and work with Bro. Brunner, a local bird, that kept saying, when tracting that I was extra from America, until I put him on the right path. He is a fine fellow (for local man). I am either going to have a little better order here or I will pick up a walk out.

There is a ten day forlough from July 1st-10th given to all missionaries who want to go and see the Passion play in Germany. I believe I explained it before to you. It is considered the best in the world, and only plays every 10 years. It has been played for hundreds of years. There is people coming from all over the world to see it. The only trouble is for us missionaries from Schweiz to go over it would cost us $10 for a visa to get into Germany. That would cost more than all other expenses there together. President Ballif was pricing field glasses in Germany last week. He can get a pair of the best for $12 or $13. they would probably cost $60 or $75 in America. Should i get a pair?

Well I just received three letters from home. One from Merrill, one from Vinna and one from Grandma. I am glad you are all well, and think that I am learning the language so fast. Maybe if you heard me talk you wouldn't think so. Forgive the way I have wrote but I haven't told it all. I am sure hoping we can make it better.

you are not the only ones that have the Spring fever. I would like to get out on the farm myself. How happy I would be when I can get there once more, and especially in good old U.S.A.

April 5th, 1922

Kybeckstrasse 78

Basel, Schweiz

April 5th 1922.

Honorable Irwin Grant Bunnell.

Dear Brother:- I got your very welcome letter this morning. I don't understand why you have any reason to be discouraged there. I suppose that letter I wrote made you all discouraged and cross. But nevertheless I am not that way all the time. I know you haven't anyone there to chum with, but I didn't either. I have had to fight here like sixty three, to get to work and not always be discouraged. You will all have to do the same there and bear the hardships of this old world and smile it off. At home sometimes I used to feel like the whole world was against me and everything I done was upside down, but we all have faults and it never and it never helps one to think of the dark side of everything that happens. Forget that, and always do everything with a smile, pass everything that is said against you with a smile and soon you will all be smiles and have know feelings. Excuse what I have said, but a missionary gets so used to giving advice, it seems thats all we are. But listen, Satan's time is near its end and he is working very, very hard to caues the down fall of everybody. Cast him out, live the cleanest, sweetest, purest life a man can live. Make everything bright for yourself and others, and never miss your prayers, both secretly, and always have the family prayer.

Perhaps when you wrote that letter, you were having your first spring day. If it has been anything there like it is here, it was your last also. This morning at seven o'clock, there wasn't a cloud in the sky. It is the first morning for about 17 days. But ---- at ten o'clock it was raining pitch forks and grindstones. It has had several turns at it during the day. Three weeks ago the leaves on the trees just started to come out. It has been so cold since that, they have stood still. Sniff-sniff-sniff. I have a slight cold.

I got a letter from Samy this morning. Tell him I got it and appreciated it very much tell him & Marley to, that as soon as I get time I will answer. It is very hard to find time to do such things as write letters any more. Now that Jim and Leona are in town I suppose they hear from you real often. I owe them a letter, but as I said before where comes the time. I hate to steal it from study period. It is nearly always after ten o'clock when I come in at night, and sometimes nearly midnight.

Yesterday I watched part of a marriage ceremony here. The Priest married them, then there was about twenty of these carriages, (like was out on Jim's farm,) to take the bride and groom, and they witnesses for a ride. Those carriages are all the style over here.

This morning while I was tracting I found a Frau from Brazil. We had a fine time talking three languages. I found another frau, that wanted to know about polygamy. I told her, and she said that is perfectly all right. She asked me if I had time to come some evening next week, and teach her and her husband the principles of the gospel. I told her sure, so next Monday night Bro. Hirschi and I are going to make the visit. We found a couple yesterday that seemed to be willing to study our gospel.

I think I will soon have some Deutch books now. I got after President Ballif yesterday, and he has wrote to Ger. and ordered a Bible sent to Lorrach Ger. just over the line from Schweiz. The mission has an office there. Evelyn, President Ballif's daughter is going to Lorrach tomorrow and she promised me she would bring a Doctrine and Covenants to me. She will have to write my name in it before she can bring it across the line then maybe she will not be able to do it. They won't let her bring two books at a time. They are very, very strict what they let one bring over the line from Germany, because things are so cheap there and so high here. It is certainly different than living in America.

The Rhine is better than five feet higher today than yesterday on account of so much rain, and a much warmer wind blowing.

Well I think I will stop for tonight and go to bed, before I lose my nose, because it is running so fast. May God bless you all.

With Love,

LeRoy

Klybeckstrasse 78

Basel.

I suppose just now you are all sleeping to beat the band. It is eight o'clock here, and I thought I would write another line or two before sending the letter...

I sure have got fat over here. You should see my double chin. People here can't find me on that picture you sent me because I am so much fatter now. President Ballif said he was going to take my picture and send it homoe for an example of a missionary. Every place I go, my how fat you are getting. My face is as round as a bowl. I haven't gained any pounds in the last three weeks. it doesn't seem to me like I am getting fatter but they tell me I am always.

Well it is snowing like sixty again this morning. It is always too dark to take a picture.

It is time now for me to go to other work so - Auf Wieder Sehen Frosch.

p.s. My cold is much better this morning.

P.P. S. Thank Bro. Sumsion for the dollar for me and tell all hello.

Well I could write lots more but I haven't time now. It is time that I am going to the Pastor, and see how he is feeling. May God bless you all.

LeRoy

Klybeckst. 78.

P.S. I just received word that the Pastor hasn't time this week to talk with us. 

March 20th, 1922

Mar. 20th 1922.

Dear Folks.

I suppose I was mistaken about those castles being so old. I was told yesterday they were from 1000 to 1500 years old. There is a Roman amphitheater about ten miles from here that was built before Christ. They say it is in good condition.

I am afraid I have got myself into trouble with one of the Saints here. Some time ago I ask him how many friends they had in meeting. He wouldn't tell us, because he said he had some friends, and we had nothing to do with them, that he was the missionary for them. Last night I was called on to speak again, and I took the subject the war in heaven. I explained that Satan wanted the honor for doing Gods work. I told them for that Lucifer was cast out. then for a example I told that when a friend was found that was interested in the church, not to hold to him for yourself, and hunt for the honor to baptize or bring that person into the church. I talked better than ten minutes. It was terribly broken but they said they understood me. I can't understand but very little or speak very little but every day it comes just a little better. I hope that inside of a year I can do all of my studying in Deutch.

Well, it would sure be easier if I could learn to preach in English. It is very, very hard to memorize or do anything in Deutch. I suppose when it is necessary I can talk a little better. It is time for me to study now so I will close for this time. May God bless you all.

Yours truly,

LeRoy

Klybeckstrasse 78

March 10th and 11th

March 10th 1922.

Mrs. L.L. Bunnell.

Dear Mother :- I aimed this letter at you so you would get it April 3rd 1922. I sure wish you many happy returns for the day. I hope you are perfectly well and will continue so for sometime yet. I was going to buy you a present and send, but I couldn't find what I wanted. You can look for it later. I am sending you a birthday card. I guess you don't understand the reading on it. "It is best wishes for your birthday." Well Mother, enjoy yourself and don't worry over me. Does 52 seem any older than 51. The years keep creeping along with all of us.

I hate to ask for it, but you will have to send me about $1,000. I have grown so fat over here, I have to buy all new clothes. I weigh just exactly---take a guess, 198 lbs. What do you think of that. You wouldn't know I was the same man. I pulled the scale a little that time but my true weight is 176 lbs. My clothes sure fit me snug. You remember how loose my new trousers were around my b-b-be-bel- stomach. Well now I have to wear my belt so tight I am misery to keep from bursting the buttons off. My vest and coat is the same way. With my old suit, my trousers come almost to the top of my socks, and oh how tight they fit. My face is as round as a pumpkin. I also have a double chin. And my calves have grown so fast they don't bellow for more milk. They will soon be ready for market. There is an inch of fat on my chest. I believe I weigh more than 176. Scales are very irregular over here. Everybody laughs at me because I am so sloppy.

Yesterday I received two letters and the dictionary from home. That dictionary is much better than I can buy here. I was sure glad to hear from Irwin, Karl, and Elvin. I will try to answer them now if I can. Don't worry over those homesick letters if you get them I change back and forth everyday (but not so bad.). Those two concerts is the only ones I have been too. I have saw one since. Nobody knows when the boats leave, just send the letters I do the same. I am sure glad they take those young fellows to preach. I hope they take Irwin every Sunday. I am glad to hear of the good luck to Spens, how are they now. Karl is next; well Karl continue that scout work, by fall I want you to be a first class scout. Remember that. Be sure and pass that signaling good, and do it quick. Don't expect the lake to break up with two feet of ice. Leave the ducks alone. Are all three pigs alive. Don't get too sassy with Mr. Lows there over in school. Why why do want to know what I thought when Charley Nelson fell out of the buggy. I thought that he ought to have better sense than die that way. Why don't you go tell him not to do that again. Ha ha. I won't talk Swiss I will talk Duetch. Say Karl, what do you mean by old pigs has a sore big, and old young sheep is getting sore and old Maude has lost a front leg. How did Maude loss that leg and where is it. How much do you weigh. Skinny comes next :-. I am as fat as a pig. I can talk a little bit but not much. Do you take the bottle instead of the land. How many did it take to kill Friday's calf. You had better hurry up and get some eggs. Don't you kick Torcks while I am around. What is coming winter or Messiah.

I am in Basel. Pet all the cats good and hard for me, and talk to them, play them, feed them and all. Sometime I'll help you.

March 11th 1922 1/4

It was so late last night I had to quit writing and go to bed. Brother Hirschi won't let me pray in English anymore. I don't know whether anyone can understand me or not. Bro. Hirschi said he could. I will now kuss Irwin a little.

Shut up and quit calling me homesick. I know it without you telling me. I think just after you wrote that letter to me you had about 18 inches of snow. How about it. Has the spring opened there when you get this letter. I bet you can't work the ground until the middle of April. I'll think with you that Lincoln hasn't got any team. I see they got scooped the last game. How did you come out in your opposite play. Say don't you quit school. I advise you to stay out of a couple of weeks and help, but don't quit and lose a years work. It won't hurt you to step out a few women just so you take the right kind. Don't be so dead headed as I was. Does Merrill step the same one all the time or a night Della-Oneda-Uleada. Tell him to begin thinking about that five pound box of chocolates. Your gab doesn't bother me. It is all interesting. If you do weigh 170 lbs, I have you beat now.

Well I have answered all four letters so now I will try and tell a little Schweiz news. There isn't much interesting but I can tell a little.

I understand why the Kaiser said, "Theund Goth." the talk of God like a child. They have a higher language for themselves.

Say take lots of pictures around home. Take one of the house, so I can show these people what a good house looks like. Also send me some of the Fordson working. They can't understand, a machine working the ground. I would sure like to have either old pet Friday or hind over here. You could sell them for a thousand dollars each in no time. The champion cow of Shweiz gave 53 lbs in one day. I'll bet it don't test 3%. All the milk is very skim.

That fast nack or masquarade isn't last over with. There sure was some hideous looking boobs. If that had been in America it all would have been over it two hours. Here they use two days. All it was, was parades of the masked bandits. They throwed out some poems and stuff, but it all was dialect. I am sending you one. They also had flowers, oranges, and all to throw at people just for fun. Many spent so much money for that, they are starving now. They certainly don't understand how to have a good time. They have no more order to a parade than a bunch of cattle. I also have a few flowers they threw out. I don't care to see more of those. There was sure thousands of thousands of people saw it. I never saw so many people in my life.

This afternoon I am going out and play football with some mormon boys. It isn't real football but girls football. They just kick it back and forth. I sure got terribly insulted last Monday. A women came up to me and began talking. She thought I was her brother in law. I should think that I was no Scwizer, i al most booted her.

Well we are going to have a Elders meeting now so I had better cut off for a while. Say, I was told Sunday that Olga Wunderley would leave Provo March 13th. I was going to write to her, but now it is of now use. If she doesn't go let me know.

Brother Hirschi is put in conference President of the Basler conference. He has two other missionaries to take care of . We hope to soon have more. We are going to do a little traveling in other towns and try to start another branch.

Well it is time for me to cut off. I wish Mother many happy returns for her birthday. May God bless you all, I remain.

With Love,

LeRoy

P.S. I can't get a Gillete blade sharpener here for $1.50. I can get the best of blade razors here for .75 cents shall send you some.

P.P.S. Say Irwin all of you add up those milk seconds for 1921 and send me the totals. Also tell me how the cows are doing.

P.P.P.P.S. (Otee) Is a Schwiz name.

P.P.P.S. Howis Roy Hodson.

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.