Marokau, Tua.
Sept. 6, 1939

Dear Bishop ma,

The heading of your letter states that it was written on Jan. 16 ... surely you meant June 16. Don't try to rub it in! I know it takes a long while to get a letter down here, but it could walk in less time than that. Besides that, all that news you told me about wasn't taking place last winter. Even at that, June 16 until Aug. 28, the day I received your letter, is quite a stretch of days. And yet, how time does fly! Can it be possible I've been down here a year and a half or has it been longer than that?

Surely good news to learn more Missionaries are going out. Probably Jack, Elden, Blair, .... have gone by now, I hope. Where have Earl (Elder Read) and Elder Terry been transfered to? The latest war news we've heared leads me to ask that question. If war breaks, we're pretty well assured of being stranded on one of these Islands according to ship captains. Nice future .. igora, nounou, komo viavia and dough po'e as long as the flour holds out. Oh well, a better chance to show the powers of the Priesthood through constant activities. And a few less maybe to convert on the other side.

Surely glad to learn for a fact that our work will be among those of this generation. I'm certainly looking forward to the day when I can meet some of these Catholics on the "other side". Whew! I'm glad my destiny isn't in their hands ... or my heart in their church.

Your letter was surely more interesting written in pencil than when it comes through a secretary. You can write in pencil any time and I won't care.

Work is getting much more interesting now that I know what I am saying, though often I wonder if I do know what I'm saying or listening to. I'm still learning this language. I can say I have a testimony of the Gospel now, and that's a comfort! I have also seen the powers of the Priesthood in healing and other instances.

I'm surely slow in writing this letter. It has been written (or is being written) while I am lying down. I've been under the weather the past few days with a "cooking" fever. Today I feel better and even got up ambition to try a letter. I wrote to Elden, though I have no idea where he is. That's pretty good for one day; I couldn't raise my head yesterday only long enough to get up, dressed, and lay down. Tomorrow I hope to be moving again.

Conference is coming off soon. That is the reason my companion and I are out here. We left our Catholic stronghold a few days ago with one victim less but we hope to save more when we go back. Our prospects look pretty bright here for one or two converts at Conference time. Both Catholics now.

Well, I've run out of push for now. A ship should be in soon going to Tahiti but when one goes to the States is uncertain.

For Bro. Compton's information ... I have been working on Anaa the past two months. He perhaps knows a Protestant by the name of Tuomea â Temehameha. Hikueru. He is in Anaa at this time. Our very good friend Gauta â Fatupua is surely a help to us.

Well, my pals are heading next door to meeting and taking the lamp so I better call it a day. This meeting tonight is just a lesson given by a member of the branch. I'll have to listen to it from the house though I feel good enough to go for a little while.

Until I hear from you again I'll say "Ia orana".

Sincerely,
Elder Allred

P.S. Sept. 9. Feel fine again; eating coconuts again so I must be O.K.