8 Jul 1928
John Griffin to Mother / Grenoble, France
Everything is going fine here in the branch and the attendance at meetings is good considering that it is summer, hot and that many people are away on vacations. The heat hinders our work somewhat, making both us and the people in a disagreeable mood. However we have a relief from the heat every few days so we can endure it.
I was glad to get the letter from Dad and was glad to hear that everything is going all right at the store. I hope that the investment in the water tank works out all right. It seems that after all these years of struggle something ought to come our way. Nobody wishes more that I do that I could tour Egypt, Palistine, etc. with Mother and Dot after my mission, but when we stop to think what it would cost - nearly $500 per person from here, besides the crossing and return voyage on the ocean, making another $500 a person, things like that are out of our realm of life. I think I should be quite satisfied if I have the opportunity of seeing Europe before I come home. Most of the missionaries take a trip about Europe, but this costs from $150 to $300, so you see how hard it will be. But that is so far in the future now that we shan't think about it yet for a while.
Right now Chuck and Rulon are sailing the deep blue. They land at Cherbourg sometime about the middle of next week. thank you so much for all you sent with Charles. If you sent another pair of shoes with Chuck I think I will have about all I need for a while...
I suppose you passed a very enjoyable 4th of July. We took a day off up here and went up to Aix les Baines, a very popular health resort not far from here. There are hundreds of Americans up there and so on the 4th they had a big celebration. The morning of the 4th we rented a motor boat and crossed the lake, situated close by and visited an ancient castle which is now a monastery. At the time when that part of France belonged to Italy this castle was habited by the King and Queen of Italy. We visited the King's apartment and also the church there. It is about the most beautiful church I have ever seen.
As I told you, Aix is a health resort and there are big health baths there. That is a big building where people go to take their baths. The water seems just like the water at the municipal baths in Salt Lake City. We got quite a kick out of watching all the old millionaires drive up in their limosines to go to the bath house, and the funny pyjamas they wore. I took some pictures and if they are good I'll send them. At night the Americans threw a big dinner and dance. But because it cost $4.00 a plate and you had to have a dress suit we decided to content ourselves with watching. It was held in an open-air hall. We saw the big fireworks, the entertainers and we reamined until 11:30 listening to an American jazz orchestra 'whine out' the popular jazz pieces and we watched them dance. It made us quite homesick, but the 4th only comes once a year so we managed to stand it. Aix is surely a wonderful town situated right in the middle of the Alps next to a pretty silvery mountain lake. I might add that the full moon the night of the 4th didn't help matters out very much. We left Aix the next morning and by noon we were back in our old fighting togs, hard at it again.
President Rossiter has given us all a vacation this summer to take a trip somewhere. The Midi Elders are all going down into Italy. In this district I don't know where they are going. They havn't decided yet. I don't know whether I will be able to go or not. It will cost as high as $40 and right now I am broke. At one time down in Montpellier I had as high as $45 saved up but with that trip around the district down there and the move up here, that is all gone. So I suppose that I and perhaps two or three others who are broke will content ourselves with a rest out in the mountains around here. And if the majority are broke, maybe that's what we will all do.
I am glad to hear that you have installed a Fridgedair. All we lack now is a radio to be right modern. I wish I could taste some of your keen homemade ice cream, or even some of the boughten ice cream. Over here they don't seem to know how to make ice cream, so we content ourselves with sherbet and poor imitations...
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