Evan Call Family - 19330131

Historical Context

This letter, dated January 31, 1933, was written by James Nathan Hale from Sioux Falls, South Dakota where he was serving in the North Central States Mission.

This was during the Great Depression. Nathan mentions he has no "good job waiting" for him and considers hitchhiking home to save money. At the time, unemployment in the U.S. was nearing its peak of 25%.

The "Liahona" referred to by Nathan is the "Liahona: The Elders’ Journal," a publication used by the Church at the time to share news and instructions among missions.

Using sports to build community ties was a common "tracting" (outreach) strategy.

Nathan mentions his companion [Silas Linton Bunting] whose parents were killed. They died in late 1932 in an automobile accident.

Sioux Falls S. D.
Jan. 31 – 1933

Dear companion;

I received your most welcome letter and was sure glad to hear from you. My two years were up on the 18th of this month but I’m still here and hope to be for a month or two longer. I am enjoying my work so much that I don’t like to think of going home. Of course it wouldn’t be so bad if I had a good job waiting for me at home, but I haven’t and I don’t know yet what I am going to do.

From the sound of your letter you are enjoying your work very much. I myself can’t see how it would be otherwise in such a wonderful work.

There are five of us in this district, all Elders, and all working in Sioux Falls. We have organized a Basket Ball team and joined the city league. We are sure making a lot of friends and doing a lot of advertising that way. It has increased the size of our meeting a lot.

So far we have played thirteen games and only lost two. We have averaged 44 points to the game. Last night we played the Y.M.C.A. Dorm. team and beat them 45 to 14. A lot of favorable comment is made about us, concerning our clean fast playing and our good condition. We have had a lot of fellows ask us how we stay in such good shape. “Why” they say, “you never seem to get tired and you run us to death.”

We feel that without the help of the Lord in this as well as in our other work, that we could not accomplish nearly so much. It certainly strengthens our testimony of the Word of Wisdom. They shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint.

Yes, we feel our Basket Ball project is an asset to our missionary work.

The South Dakota Dist. is the newest in the mission and we don’t have so many members in it. There are no organized branches either, however our work is going nicely. New friends and investigators are being made quite fast, and we feel the Lord is blessing our efforts.

I surely hope you get to make the trip you are planning on. It would be a real experience. Conditions are such at home that I won’t get to make any trips, in fact I think I’ll hitch hike home if the weather is good enough. I read in the Liahona where Clifford Johnson had gone home before his time was up, not enough funds I guess. There have been a few in this mission that had to go home for that reason.

I guess you heard of Pauline Bunting’s parents getting killed. Elder Bunting their oldest son was my companion. It was sure a hard blow to him. He had been out about eighteen months.

Success and may the Lord bless you in all your work.

Sincerely your Brother,
Nathan

P.S. About that good time, I’m sure looking forward to it.

N.H.

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