11 Jun 1928
John Griffin to Mother / Grenoble, France
As you know by the card I arrived in Grenoble last Friday night late. I had a most wonderful trip up here. Grenoble is right almost among the Alps so after we left the Rhone river, all the rest of the way was up through fresh green valleys with big tall mountains on each side. Here in Grenoble we are surrounded with mountains. Those to the north of us are covered with snow the year around. So you see in many respects I am quite at home. I like Grenoble very much. It is about the cleanest city I have ever seen. The city has big wide boulevards paved with real pavement.
When I arrived here I went up to where the Elders are supposed to have lived. I got their address and after some hunting I found the house. They were not at home so I had to wait outside until the Madame with whom they stay came and let me in. The Elders came home late that night. The next day we saw the city, went to visit a saint, and to a bath. We went to a show that night. Sunday was quite the hectic day. Of course I had to speak at meeting and I wanted to make a good first impression. Frere Bigham is still here and wont leave until tomorrow.
I was quite nerves all day yesterday and to add to it, it rained all day long. So we just sat around and studied. I didn't write because I was too ill at ease and had too much on my mind. Well 8:15 came at last. We had 23 out to meeting; 6 saints and the rest friends and investigators. I made my debut and though I thought I did pretty well I didn't seem to go over so powerfully well. The saints regret very much to lose Frere Bigham, and you can't blame them. He has been here about 30 months and so he knows a little about missionary work as well as the language. he is quite likable and the saints here think the world of him. So of course that makes it hard for me.
I certainly like the branch. They have about 8 saints here, 6 of whom are real active. They also have lots of friends and investigators. The saints here just adore the missionaries and take their word as law. The investigators are just as nice, and as a whole it is a wonderful branch. I don't see how it was I was ever sent here. There are two missionaries older than I am in the mission that are yet junior Elders. There is another that is over 4 months older than I that is senior Elder under the branch president at Lyon, so you see it is quite strange that I was sent up here to a branch as prosperous. I only hope that I can continue as well as it has been started.
Today we have been visiting all day long. At one place some investigators gave us our dinner and they surely treated us great. The only reason they don't join the church is on account of the Word of Wisdom. Tonight we held a class or what you call a cottage meeting. I am afraid it is going to be mighty hard to fill Frere Bigham's place.
Yesterday I received a letter written the 20th. It surely takes a long time to reach me now, because you see it goes to Montpellier first. I hope I didn't hurt your feelings when I spoke about not being able to get so many things to bring home. Nothing would make me happier than to be able to bring home a trunk full of wonderful things, but I can't buy them without money. I expect to bring some little thing home to everyone, but I am sure it won't be many trunks full. As for the testimony of the Gospel, I have already received that and it grows stronger each day, so I have already gained the greatest I should gain.
You are mistaken about Frere Nelson being married. He has not been home for more than a few weeks. You see he took a two-month trip. I am sure he is not married. As for the shoes, I have never received any yet. You did right by sending them with Charles. I will probably get them quicker than the ones you mailed. I think there is more truth than poetry about mailing letters on time. You see most of the boats leave on Friday and if (a letter) doesn't make New York and get put on the boat by Friday then it has to wait over until the next Friday. Of course this does not always hold good, but you see the letters can not cross without a boat to carry them.
I think that the idea of giving Mable Reynolds that scholarship was absolutely poor. But my ideas on scholarships and especially around high school (sic) have always been awful, so I guess I should not judge. But there are so may girls so much more capable of going on than her, and with much more brains and intelligence. I know one quite personally.
I think it would do Ben a lot more good to go up and work on the ranch than to idle off down into California with Cassen Clark. Seeing he is bent on going somewhere, he will have plenty of chance to see oceans, and the rest of the world when he goes on his mission. Anyway I think he should be earning money rather than spending it. The ranch work would also be mighty good discipline for him. I suppose though that now I have said that he will surely go down to California if he hasn't already gone.
Don't worry about my health. It is most perfect. All I can hope is that yours is as good. Now it is starting to get awful hot during the daytime, but I am glad I am up here in the Alps rather than down in the old Midi sun. Now I have a full-going branch to worry about, and I am quite a young missionary to take over a branch, so I ask especially now your faith and prayers to help me. I did not realize before how much responsibility a branch president had. I am sure that I can not do justice to the world without the aid of the Lord. But I hope that with his aid I will be able to get along all right.
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