March 4, 1947

Tuesday evening 4 March 1947

Dear Mom,

“And all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer believing, ye shall receive.” Matthew 21:22

If I were only a worthy person of prayer, having a greater faith that our heavenly father could do all things how much more happier would I be. But in spite of my innumerable frailities, God does bless and I surely thank Him for it in my unworthy ways. I should take to heart more of what Christ said in Matthew 19:26 – “And Jesus looking upon them said to them – with men this is impossible but with God all things are possible.”

Nevertheless, here I am sitting through my second day in CTO school with my mouth wide open, never realizing things could come out so quickly. It is quite an abrupt change to me who thought he was working so hard but never really knew what hard work was. I really had it soft! Personally, I like being a student! Believe it or not, it’s nearly easier than being an instructor.

Things have been coming awfully fast in these last two days. We’ve had history of this and history of that, clouds and radios..OH! I could go on for days! Our instructor sure does! It seems my brain is very dull to really soaking in things; it never was too hot but I did notice today was a lot easier than yesterday. I truly praise the Lord even though some of the things are quite beyond me and I feel that I have reached my saturation point when I sincerely recognize the fact how weak I really am, I find real comfort in the Savior’s eyes. Today after school was over I went over to my old teaching room, got out my old guitar and went over few wonderful Rodeheaver hymns. My but the Lord just spoke right to me and even though I was rather disappointed in my ability the Lord gave me a real promise and my spirit leaped from the shadowy bounds.

You might be wondering how the CTO deal came about so quickly. I wonder too but I will give you a fairly good account of it. Remember I put in my first request just after I applied for NACP and the fellow that I had talked about it with went first. After he finished I was supposed to start but that was about Christmas time and the division didn’t want to begin any new men until after the first of the year. At the first of the year we got our first scare of instructors being shipped out, and that slowed down the issue quite a bit. I let it ride because I had other things to do. About that time we got a few extra instructors on hand and so I asked casually if I might start school now that we were ahead a bit. A try went forth but dropped short because they weren’t sending anymore temporary duty men through. The man I spoke with said to put a special request that I be sent to school and they would put it into the main office pre-requesting that upon graduation I would be sent back to TAF to Math as the only reason I was going was to get a rate so I could stay in the department. I put the slip in Monday, the same day I began Seaman school, hardly even expecting any results from it for weeks, having known I though, the general routine of the Navy. When I brought up the idea of the Lord sending me to Seaman school, and then to CTO, thinking I still am as far as NACP is concerned but late Thursday evening I found out that I was going to check out of ships company and back into student’s division so that I could attend CTO school.

As I told dad this was about the most unusual birthday I have ever spent but it was the one that I surely was happy about. Friday it rained all day, and the other two boys that I checked in with weren’t like me one bit (gave me two more boys to pray for though) I never noticed a thing for pure bliss and joy in my own heart. I didn’t receive the idea that I had only a 50-50 chance of getting back into TAF, when I was talking to our school officer who had gotten me in so well. But I do know that I’m in the most capable hands of humanity – the Lord’s!!

Whether I come out high man I can’t say. From the looks of things and the course, I’d say lowest man. The Lord would have me set my goal there high and keep it to myself and I know that if I fully yield myself to Him we can do all things to glorify Christ. Along I am nothing but in Him I can do all things.

I surely had a wonderful birthday. I think every time I turned around the Lord blessed me. There wasn’t an empty spot anywhere. I got the cake (what a delicious morsel that was) Friday evening. It came through in one piece and tasted like you had just cooked it. We had it Saturday night at the home plus a bit of sampling the night before. All day long I was with these two boys – one is about 29 or 30 so I can’t say he was a kid, and the other was about the same age as I was.

I surely flowed over at getting your card and I got the card from the school tonight (yours). I surely do thank you all because it surely made my birthday wonderful.
I am contemplating staying on the base for the six weeks that I will be in school for a study and drawing nearer to the Lord as motive and aim. I’m praying about it as I don’t want to leave those at the home without any support after what they have done for me. Most likely I will for YFC Rally , get my washing done, go to church Sunday morning and come back out. I hate to leave all that wonderful fellowship but I have depended upon it too much and should get into some study on my own. I think I will abandon choir but leaving my heart open so that the Lord can speak to me and make me feel out of place if it is His will in any other place on Sunday morning.

I have oodles of notes to copy out. This typewriter is really efficient in that respect and is a lot easier on the eyes too! Oh Yes…The Lord answered more prayer. Ed Bundy was contacted out in California and was broken before the Lord. He has stopped ministry, starting a new, and wrote me just last week for forgiveness. Who says our Lord isn’t wonderful?!

Write when you can. I’ll try to make my next letter a little more CTO’ish.
May the Lord bless thee and keep thee in His abundant love.

In Him
Love, your son,
Stephen