George D. Pyper correspondence, undated

Set of several undated letters to George D. Pyper, many undated. Includes letter; a poem to George from his mother for his birthday in 1910; letter to President Heber J. Grant; 194? Christmas card from John D. Spencer; letter of thanks from Frank Edward Margetts and family for speaking at his wife's funeral (Sept. 1941); letter from nephew George D. Preston, along with his account of his World War I experiences; letter from William Pyper on stationery of Council Bluffs Savings Bank; Note from Mabel Jones on stationery of the LDS Northwestern States mission, Portland, with an article on George Pyper's visit to Portland as Sunday School Superintendent, written by Ione Johnson.

/ - 'N (l f (l could face without a doubt O'l. f ea'l., §od' :s. f2lan:s. a:s. they involve me on my t'l.oubled way. (j f (l could :s.en:s.e that aLL my wound:s. and :s.caH, <We'l.e ble:s.:s.ing:s. (l would hawe:s.t on :s.ome othe'l. day. (l f (l could only know that doubt and f ea'l. c!/!1ight aLL be :s.olved if (l had faith enough :Jo feel no hu'l.fa no'l. wound:s. at aLL, :.But a ca'l.eH in eve'l.y new 'l.ebuff. (l f (l could :s.ay thwugh laughte'l. and thwugh teaH, '.:lhwugh :S-towi and :s.hine, 0 know §od' :s. way i:s. be:s.t. c/fccepting whate' e'l. dfe wilL:s. thwughout the coming yeau . • (}' d find the only way to pnfect 'l.e:s.t. FOR A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR ,. ( You may use only parts of fol l owing which you think ne c e ssa ry . ) ***"'***** On July 19 , 1918 , at Soissons I was sho t th r ough the lower right leg by either a machine - gun or rifle , the bul l e t entering the c a lf almost half way between t h e knee and the ankle and on the ri ght side , ma.Icing exit six or seven inches lower d own and to the bac k , taking a diogona.l course and severi ng the nerves and other cords w ,, ich inte r fer with the f r ee o;peration of the foo t. The l ower ri ght leg is ult r a-sensative and t i res with exc essive u s e . Dur ing the i:ast three ye a r s , my foot has conti n ually bother ed me , tiring e a sily , and at a l l times exceedingly s~nsative . During the operations on the Cha t eau Thierry Front I was sli ghtly ga s s e d w i th mus ta r d ga s , w L i c h a t wh en I pe rspi re. t he pr ·e s e n t t i me ea s i l y . chafe s This was betwe a n June 1 6 , 1 918 and J u ly 14 , Between October l , and October 6 , 1918 on the Champagne 1918 . Se c tor I was slightly w ounded by three small bi ts of shell frag ments. One i n the left jaw, one in the left i n dex finger an d one in t he u pper ri ght leg . I was treated on t h e field for all of these . I wa s hospitalized at Base 6 , Borde aux, France, for s l i ghtly over six we e ks , returning to the battle fr o nt ab o ut Se pt ,e mber 6, and took active pa rt in the battle of St . Mehiel whic h started midnight , Se p tember 1 2 . I also t o ok pa r t in the last enga g emen t of the war on the Ar go nne For e st fr o nt be i ng i n the f r o nt line on the ~orning of No ve rnb~ r 1 1 , at 11 : 11 o ' clock A . M., 1918 . I was with the 6 th Regime nt , ':16th Company , 2nd Division, u. s . Marines . (I have r ecently undergone an ope r ation on my leg . in an e ffort improve the c cn dit ion . ) to .JOHN G.WOODWARD, PRESIDENT. N. P DODGE,CHAIFU'1AN or BOARD, GEO, A . K EEL I N E,V1CE PRESI DENT. H .W, HAZELT.O N,ASST. CAS HIER . E.P. SCHOENTGEN,V1CE PR!'.S IDENT. H . C.HATTE~ HAU ER,ASST,CASH I EFI. B .A.GR O N STAL,V1CE P FIES!DENT E .H .SPET M / W. M . PYPER ,CASHI E:R . .ASST. CASH I E FI. ,JO HN M . .JU GENS1ASST.CAS HI ER E.R. .JACKSON ,TRUST OrncER . LA.VERNE TOLLIN GER,ASST.TRUST Or I CER, I ? A j TRONG BANK SINCE 185~6 ,l r " STATEMENT Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints NORTHWESTERN STATES MISSION S. E. 30TH AVENUE AND HARRISON STREET PORTLAND, OREGON r -, L ...J C?<Y~~- P ~ f~ If/ ~ ~ .ft .,L.J ~~ ~Jl~!v--~ ~ . rtJ--<.,J ~~~"~ " ~~ ~ . - ~ .,. - -1-./ ~ ~ . ,..__,...__, ~ ~~~~~ ~ ~ ~ ·_;;;t;; - =°~ ~ ~ d... .. ~.Jd(__ ?I~ ~ ~~~~ - J ~ A~~~~ .,d'~ ~~- ~u A ~ dL ~ ,,___,,. ~ 'I ~ .:--1-2. ~ ~ ~ ~ a-d ~ · ~~~ . ! . SUPEf? I NTE NOE NT GEORGE D. PYPER VI S 1rs OUR MIS S I ON WHE~ PRESLDENT NI BLEY RETU RNED FR OM T HE GENERA L CONFE RENCE IN SA LT LAKE CITY, HE S AI D, 11 \/JELL, TH ER E ARE SOME F I NE TR EA TS I N STORE FO R OUR MI SS I ON . BELI EVE IN GETTING TH E BE ST THEflE IS . " TH EN HE EXPL AINE D TH AT HE HAD W1\ NTED SOME ON E TO VI S IT OIJ R MIS S IO N t, ND I NSTRU C,T US. ON TH E SU ND 1W S CHOO LS , SO HE HAD GO NE TO THE BEST, S UPERI NTENDE NT PYP ER , AND. µ( S RE QUES T WAS GRANTE~ . ON MA Y 14 TH BROTHER PYPE R WITH 8 ROTHE R AN D S I STt R WIL L I AM E, SERRiTT OF THE GE~ ER~ L 80ARD , ARRIVEb I~ PORTL AND TO HOL. D CONVENTI O~S WITH OUR S UNDAY SCH OO LS , AN D TO VIS IT OUR BEAUTIFUL NO RTH WEST. FIVE S PL END I D MEETIN GS WERE HELD ON SUN DAY I N PORTL AN D, WITH THE DI STRICT BOAR D, Of FICERS AND T EACHER S , GENERA L PU BLIC, AND IN TH E EVE NING BROTHER PYPE R GA V~ AN IN S PI RIN G LECTURE ON "THE OLD PL AYH OUSE ~" AT EACH 0 F TH ES E MEETIN GS GROTHE ~ PYP ER ANO q RO THER BERRETT GA VE SOME F I NE I NST RUC TI ONS AND ADVICE FO R CARR YI NG ON THE WOR K OF T KE S UN DAY SC HOOLS o AT TH E EVENIN G MEE TI NG AT PORT LAND, BROTH ER PYP ER GA VE A MOST SPLE ND I D TALK ON T ES TI MONY OF TH E P ROPH ETS OF OUR CHU RCH " • WE ARE REP RI NT I NG PAR T OF IT: " WE READ OF T HE P ROPHE TS OF OLD~ BUT I WONDER IF WE REAL I ZE T HAT WE AR E L IVIN G TOD AY IN TH E DA YS OF P ROP HETS . I WONDER IF AN Y OF YOU HAVE HAD T HE EXPE RI ENC E OF LIVING WITH ALL THE P ROPHETS 0 F OUR CHUR(H EXCEPT ONE? ~ XCE PT FOR THE P ROPHET J OS EPH SM ITH, I HAVE KNOWN P~RSO NALLY EV ER Y ONE OF THE M, AND I FEEL THA T I HAVE KNOW N TH E PR OPHE T J OSEP H SM I TH , BE CAUSE MY MOTHE R SA T ON H1S LAP ANO HEA RD A TES TI MONY FRO M HIS LIP S, AN D SO I FEE L I HAVE KN OWN HI M. MY FATHE ~ HAPP EN ED TO BE t HE MA~AGER FOR 8k ( GH AM YO UNG , AND A~ A YOUNGSTER I WEN T AROUND WITH HI M, FELT THE INFLU ENCE CF HI S SP I R IT , FOR HE LOVED BO YS AN D WOR KE D WITH T H~M CONSTAN TLY. I KNOW HE WAS A PROP HET OF ~0~. F OLL OW ING HI M ChM E J OHN TA YL OR , A,NOT HER WOND EfffUL MAN . J ' REME MB ER HI M AS HE WALKED UP THE ST f<EET WITH /1, CAP E O ~J . HE WAS A ' Mi\N OF Mt,N I FEST PF,E SE NCE AND PEf, SON ALITY, AND I OFTE N W,\S PRES ENT V/ H Ei'J HE SPO KE 9 ·f.1 s S U J H/WE I N MY SO UL A BUR NI NG TESTIMON Y TH AT HE WAS IN DEED A PROP HET OF T HE L I VI NG Goo. AND TH EN CA Mt T HAT WONDE RFU L, VER Y HU MB LE M~N, ~ ILF ORD WOODR UFF. REMEMBER ONC E TH AT M6T HER SEN T ME DOW N T U HI S PLAC E AND I F OUND HI M ST AND I NG I N WA TER WITH A HOE IN HI S HAND~ . AND AS HE ST OOD T HERE - A MA N OF QOci 1 A MAN OF SOU L, AND A MAN OF SP I R IT, I TES TIFY TH ,H I BE L I EV E IT TO TH E BOTTOM OF MY HEA RT THAT H~ WA~ INDEED A P ROP HET ~F Goo. THEN f OLL OW,NG HI M CAME ANOTHER WON DE RFUL MAN - LORENZ O S NOW, A PROPHE T OF TITHIN G, A WONQER F UL MA N - A MAN OF Sao, AN D A MAN OF T HE OR I G~N ATOR OF TH E PH RASE , "A s. MA N I S Goo ONC E WAS , AND /1S GuD I S l:l {;N flMI Y BEC OME ." AN D so KN OWI NG HI M, I C.AN TES T I FY. THA T HE IS A PR OPH ET OF THE LIVI NG Goo . J OS EPH F. SM ITH HAD A LONG BEAR D, AN D AS HE STOOD UP THA T BE ARD OF HI S S HOO K t,S HE Sf, I D, "IF T HE VISI ONS AND REV ELATI O-N.S ,~R E NOT TR UE , MORMO NI SM HASN 1 T GO T A LEG T O ST AND ON.n I KNOW , AND I CA N TE STIFY HE IS A P RO PH ET OF GOD. F ORTY YEAR S AGO I WAS c 6N NECT ED WITH P RE SIDE NT HEBE R J . GRANT I N HIS ~E I S A MA N OF T RUTH, A MAN BUS IN ES S , ANb WITH TH E OLD SA LT LAKE T HEAT RE . WHOS E HE ART I S WI DE OPE N~ P RES I DENT GR ANT KEEPS NOTHI NG FROM THE WOR LD, AND WHEN HE COMES T O THE J UOGMEN t S EA T YOU WI LL KN OW HI M JU ST AS YLU KN OW HI M I N LI FE. AN D SO J WANT T O T ES TI FY THAT IN MY CONNECT I ON WITH HIM I HAV E FOUN D HIM TU BE A TRUE PRO PHET OF Goo . I HAVE THE TES TI MONY IN MY HEA RT TH AT ALL . TH ES E MEN WERE DEFI NITELY l CALLE D OF Goo, AN D I WA NT T O TE ST IFY TO YOU TH AT I KNOW TH AT Goo LIV ES . KN OW TH AT J ES US I S TH E CHRI S T BE CAUSE I HAV!:: F ELT TH E WA RMTH /\ND POWER OF fVlAY GOD HELP US TO RET AI N OUfi TE.S T I MON I ES /\N D GI VE THE M. TU T HOSE HI S LOVE. WHO DO NOT HAVE TH EM , I HU MB LY Pf(A Y IN TH E, NA~1E OF J 'ES US CHR I ST , AMEN .II ON TU ES DAY AFTERNOO N BROTH ER PYPER GA VE HI S °F I LM SL i DE ANci L~CTU RE ON OL D P LAYHOU SE !! TO TH E CENTRAL 8 RAN~ H RELIEF SOC IE1Y. ti, LAR GE GR\)IJP OF LADI ES S AT IN RA PT ATT EN T ION AS HE TOLD THE T ALES Of DRA ~ A I N THE VAL LEY . OF 11 THE P r., GE 5 UTAH. Hi s s t 6RIES AND PICTU~E S OF TH E GREAT " CATHED RAL OF TH E DES ERT" TH R ILL ED OUR HEA RTS WITH PRIDE AN D J OY AT TKE ACCOMP LI S HME NT S ANO P ROGRESS .l ~E I DEA LS OF OUR FO REF ATH ERS. T HE 0 Lb PLA YHOUS E IS GO NE NOW , BUT AS BROTH ER PYPE R SAYS , "YOU MA Y S HATTER THE VASE IF YOU WILL, BUT THE S CENT OF THE ROSES WILL HAN G ROUND IT STILL. 11 ON THUR S DAY MA Y 19TH, TH RE E MEETI NG~ WERE HEL D I N _SPOK AN E , WA S H I NGTON WITH THE ' Mf SS I ONA RIE S , T HE OFFIC tRS AND TE AC HER S OF T HE S UNDAY S CHOO L, AND T HE GE NERAL PUBLIC • . AN OPEN DI S CUS S I ON WITH TH E OFFIC ERS AND TEACHERS PROV ED TO BE OF MUCH ASS ISTAN CE T O TH EM I N TH EI R WORK . , ENR OUTE TO S EATTLE, BRO TH ER PYP ER AND BROTH ER AND S I STER BERRETT VI SI TED THE GRAN D COULEE DAM . AND WE RE T HR I LLED AT TH E MASS I VE STRUC T URE. LAT ER I N THE MI SS ION ARY ME ETING 1N S EATTLE, BROTH ER PYPE R SPOKE OF T HE GRE AT AMOU NT OF PREPARA T IO N TH AT WAS BE I NG MAD E BEFORE THE DAM COU LD BEG I N TO BE 0sEF UL. HE ; COMPA RE O T HI S TO OUR WORK AS MI SS I ONAR I ES , I~ TH AT WE NE ED MUC H PREPARATI ON BY STUDY AND PRA YER BEFORE THE LOR D CAN US E US AS I NS T RUMENTS IN H I S HA NDS TO FURT HER H IS WORK . F OUR WELL- ATTEND ED MEETI NGS WERE HELD I N SE ATTLE ON SUNDA Y, MA ~ 22ND , AND AGAIN MAN Y IN SP I RED WORDS;OF IN STRUC TI ON WERE GI VE N THE SA I NTS ANO I N~ES T I GA TO RS WHO HAD GAT HERE D TO HEA~ THE WORDS OF THE LORD 1 S CHOSEN SE~VANTS o PROTH ER BERRETT GA VE A MOS T I NTERESTI NG AND HELPFU L DI SCU S S I ON ON "'TE ACHING" , SOME OF WH ICH WE REPR INT HERE : "I HO PE YOU REA LI ZE TO THE FULLEST EXTEN T, THE RESP01JS I B I L ITY TH t, T ! S XOUF<:' /',S A TEACHER, FOR SURELY ?\S _T HE Urno L I VES HE WI LI _ HOLD YO U RESPO NS I BLE .FOf, THE ID EA LS Y OU I NS TILL : I NTO--_T HE· CH I L 0f/E N1 S ,s'J I NDS . TH E VER Y F I RST REQ_U I S I T I ON IN TEAC: : UJ G, AS I SEE IT, !S PREPA RA TI O.N. AM REM ! NDED OF · THE STOf? Y I N THE EA f? LY D/\YS OF 0 UR CHUR CH WHE :., 1-I YRUM SM ITH, TH E BROTH ER OF TH E P ROP HET J OS EPH WANTED TO GO ON A MI SS I ON, SO HE CAM E TO HJ S BRO THE R AN D f, SK ED HI M TO APPE t.L TO T HE LOR D, r, Sl< J NG I F HE CO ULD Go ,_ r,Np THE L ORD ANSWER ED, " SE EK NOT TO DECLARE MY WOR D, BUT F IR ST SEEK TO OBTAI ~ MY WORD, AND TH EN S HAL L YOUR TONG UE BE LOOSED AFTER- YOU HAVE LEARNED OF Go o ." . E VEN THE SO N OF Goo S PEN T THI RTY YEARS I N P REPARI NG FOR T HRE E YEAR S OF TEA CHI N~ . MO SES HAD 80 YEARS CF PREP ARA TI ON BEFORE HE WAS ABLE ! 0 LEAD THE CH I LDR EN .OF ! SRAE L OUT OF BONDA GE. .' TH E SE COND P EQU I RE ME NT OF T HE TE,, CHEF, I S TH E M,, TTER OF SP ( fi lTUf,.L ITY. ,... Tf;:S TIM ONY CON CER NI NG TH E WO RK IN WHIC H THE TEACH ER I S ENGAGED . You CAN NOT TEA CH IN THI S CKU RCH T HA T WHI CH YOU DO NOT BELI EVE . '~HEN AN I ND IVI DUA L KNO~S TK: T Goo: LIV ES , WHE N HE HAS A FI RM CONVICT I ON TH .", T JES US I S THE CHfl l ST , TH ERE _JS A CONT AG I GUS EL EMEN T T HERE WHI CH I S GO IN G TO EFF EC T THE L I VES OF BO YS AND G.J RLS . EVEN WHEN THE Ff,CTS AR E FORG OTT EN . I F T HE RE . I S . ONE TH I NG T HA T ATT RAC TED PEO,PL'E . -, TO ,JES US :IT WA S · TH E CE RT AINTY W'ITH WH I CH JESUS SP OKE. 'r./E WI LL NE VE f( BE S UC,CESS FUL IN o u r. TEI\ Cl:IIN'G WITH OUT THE SP I R IT OF. Goo , t, ND WE WILL NEV ER HAVE THE S P I RIT OF Goo- EXC.E[~ T WE K,EEP T HE COMMA.NDME·NT'.3 ,OF G,.:: D. A TEACHER TH EN NEED S AN UNDER~ 1AND 1N G OF HOW TO GO ABOUT TRANS FERRING THE KN OW LED GE AND T ES TI MONY TO THE CHI LDR EN . Wt CAN ' T POUR KN OW LEDGE I NTO OTH ER PEOP LE 1 S MIN DS , WE CAN 'T HAMMER I T I NTO THE I R MI NDS , WE 6A N1 T T RA~S F ER OUR TES TI MCN! ES L IK E WE T RANSFER CHATTE LS AND GOODS . IT I S ONLY AS WE CA USE TKE I NDJVID UAL TO START THI NK I NG , ONL Y AS WE S EE THEM GR OW ? THAT WE ARE TEACH I NG . " ' WE FE C: L VERY F ORT Ull ATE I N HAV I NG H,\D P,;W THER PYi0 ER, SUf0 EF< JN TENDENT CF ALL TH E SUN DA Y SC HOO LS IN TH E WO RL D, , VI S IT WITH US AND HELP US I N OUR Mt SS JON. IT HA S BEEN t, PR IVIL EG .E T O SEE t, ND EN J OY. .H i S LECTUR E CN THE OLD PLAYHOUSE , F CR HI S P.ER SONA LITY HAS ..MA DE US FEEL THE HE,\RT BEf,T OF TH E T HEAT,IE AND TH E I NF LU ENCE; ' t T lvl UST HA VE Hf,D ON THE DEVE LOPMENT OF OUfi EAtiLY P I ONEE fiS . WE M,E' HAP f; Y T O HAV E Ht1D 8f,OT HER BERR ETT WHO HA$ BEEN S O ,C~O S ELY CON NECT ED WITl-j, .T HE. Ml,SS J.clNAR I ES I N TH E MI SS LON H,j ME AT SALT LAK E C ITY, V( S l ,T WIT H u s .A ND WE ,St,i ALL . i\ LW1IYS . RE:MEMBER .THE . SP M<l<L t i•JG. PERS OI~ "'.:' . ALITY AN D EVER .PL EASANT s flil ! LE .OF ,S l s TE,R B rnf,ETT . : .. '1/E IJR,W ..F 0 R TH_E !fi c:J NTIN UED suc6 Es i I N TH E WO RK OF TH E LiJRD ~ AND WI S H TO I NV ITE TH EM T O f'; ETU fi~ 'A ND~ VI S IT;: S AG AI N. , P AGE 6 ..c-:::::X trru. SUNDAY SCHO O SUP ER VI SOR 0 0 o-/i,,,v~ //