7 February 1947

Friday morning
7 February 1947

Dear Mom,
“But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to wrath:”
James 1:19

Of anything, I’m slow to speak, and I doubt whether the Lord would admire my swiftness or commend my spirit for writing to you this week! My policy has been to wait for you letter and then write but it seems I never received your letter until last nite and as a result you probably won’t get this until Monday. One thing I do promise though and that is to revise again unto my Monday night habit of writing you, even if I don’t hear from you that evening. I realize your Saturdays are alot fuller than they used to be, but perhaps if you get my letter earlier in the week you may find time to write before Saturday. I always have alot to write about after my weekend. The blessings of the past week added to wonderful services and rallys and fellowship over the weekend.

I truly thank God for that first Youth for Christ Rally at Home. It’s an answer to prayer, but I wish I had been alot more faithful at it. Matthew 18:19 is our faith! You know Mom when any of us have prayer request about persons or other things, we should mention them to one another, because even though the Lord attends all sincere prayer, a united prayer sends up more force. Right? I’ve come to enjoy and appreciate YC but I realize too that duly important is the “follow up” of that yielded life. I truly wish more ministers would give it a real chance, not a “one rally judgement” and weigh it for its value to the Kingdom. I truly wish Chaplain Andrews would do that. He totally is Lutheran and appears to be separated from all other faiths. I pray a little closer, and with patience and tolerance alike, inspection will reveal the real Chaplain, and not a hasty opinion’s result.

We (Joe Manuel and I) had a good Bible Class with the Chaplain Wednesday night. He truly knows his word from a solid study and it appears to be for the Kingdom too. I let what I feel a man’s faults to be, condemn him, which I have no right to do that, but Paul says, let no man do that which would cause a brother to stumble, and many surely have fallen to Satan because of drink and smoking, dances and movies! I’ve talked to alot of fellows who excused their smoking through Chaplains on this Base! Well, it is an issue which God will square away ‘cause the Word doesn’t say “don’t drink, or smoke.” I do know it harms the body and wastes money. Why! The Army Air Corps advises their night fliers against smoking before flights because as few as two cigarettes impairs and slows down night vision for a number of hours.

I’m sorry about forgetting when your birthday was. I’m writing it down in my noggin and on paper too this year! Last year I made a guess! I do hope I didn’t embarrass you- I wanted it secure because I forgot at t what date I’d guessed. I’ve been so busy all week I haven’t had a chance to look around much, and besides I wanted to get something you could use. As a result tomorrow, Saturday, I’ve decided as “look day!” I hope you will pardon my tardiness- I keep hoping to do better next time but I’ve still alot to learn about punctuality- I was just searching into my thought chain- I hope you’re home Tuesday night or let me know where you will be?- near a phone?

I was thinking about dad’s pen t’other day. Ask a jeweler in town about it but best yet the pen’s guaranteed and nothing accidentally has happened to it so just send it in. After all, it can be used then, not laying idle if repaired by the Company.

Did I tell you Mrs. Kibben told me Jim was going to marry Alice Huber- I mean’t to but I guess it slipped away! At least I could have eased the surprise or did someone else inform you prior to the date?

Thanks for Carol’s and Ellen’s letters- what is their address in case I should want to, or better yet find opportunity to write them? They seem to be quite the kids! I might want to greet Mr. + Mrs. Sometime too?

I asked Norm about the world’s time or age and he had studied that the first evidences of man were either four or six thousand years ago and that earth origin is not stated set. He felt Dr. Talbot was speaking in reference to man’s first appearing. Did it seem that way to you? Incidentally, Chaplain Andrew’s heard Talbot once, “very unscriptural.”

Tomorrow, I think I’ll go out and look for a reasonable priced portable typewriter- Royal if possible. I’m discovering I can really use it to an advantage not only on letters but also school work here. It will be a good investment especially if I get NACP and even if I don’t. I could use one of the building’s some but when I really need it, so does someone else! We’re starting to teach Trig Monday and our course is ten weeks, eight hours aday. It seems (?) we’re going to stay here and me stay Seaman first, but I really don’t care! What do you think about a “typerite?”

Hi Dad!

I have class in a few minutes but I do pray that, our gracious Lord Jesus, and our heirship to the Trinity (Romans 8: 16, 18) will bless you throughout the week and guide you always.

In Him,
your son Stephen

P.S. “Happy Birthday!”- through Christ.