Papeete, Tahiti
April 10, 1940

Dear Mother, Dad and All,

There is another French boat coming along abut tomorrow so I'll send another letter via Panama to you. I surely seem to write often but maybe you don't mind.

Our April conference is all over, but contrary to the ideas people at home have in regards to a Conference being a big event in the Missions, ours was no different than any ordinary Sunday meetings except there were six meetings held instead of the usual five. And furthermore, my record of having never given a Conf. talk still holds. One Oct. I was on the water traveling, the following April I was where there were no Saints, this last October I had co-charge of Conf. but had no speech except sort of an introductory thought to give, and now this April there wasn't time for all the Elders and members to talk so only half of us did. It sounds rather odd but that is the way of it. Good speakers surely aren't developed down here.

Work still goes on the same only I've been oficially advanced to editor now. That along with re-typeing the script for the Tahitian Doc. & Cov. to be sent to Salt Lake for correction and publication usually uses up most of the day.

Four of the elders and Pres. and family have been busy around here this past week kind of preparing to go home. Two will leave next ship and Pres. & Family and three of the Elders, including Elder Miller will be leaving, they hope, in June. The house has certainly been stirred up. I'm glad no one uses the office and my desk for packing purposes.

We are all sitting in such a position we don't know whether to pack or not. With the news that Denmark was taken along with the rest of the trouble in the world, it leaves us wondering just how soon we'll be asked home by the Church and (or) ordered home by the F. Gov. We are in pretty hot water I suppose, but we hope for the best and are still remembering our calling. As yet we don't know who Pres.' successor is if there is one. He sent a telegram to S. L. but it hasn't been answered as yet. In order to fill his contract for teaching at the A.C. next year he has to be home at a certain time. I guess he's quite puzzled as to what is going to happen. It would take quite sometime to close up this Mission if it comes to the worse. You see, we too are aware of just what it is all about, to some extent.

We expect mail again about the first of June and not before. That will be quite a long wait but the longer we wait the more we get so don't hesitate to write steady anyway. I will try to get another letter on the ship a week or two away. It may even beat this one there but I doubt it, as all the British line ships go to Vancouver now. It is just about the same distance to Panama from here as it is to Vancouver. Then I won't get to write again until the June boat. So instead of writing around the months of June, July and August I should be receiving mail.

Well, there isn't much more to write about so I'll be saying Goodbye until next week.

Love, Dean