Dear Mother and Dad,
This is my fifth day aboard ship and we have just left Plymouth, England where a few of the Elders left us. It will be a couple more days before we reach Germany. So far the voyage has been great. A ride on this big tub is certainly something that you can't imagine unless you've really had the experience of being on it. Every convenience in the world is obtainable on this boat. This makes my fifth day on the ocean and I haven't found a dry or monotonous moment yet. There is everything from picture shows, dancing, deck games, and beer to indulge in. Even a swimming pool. The beer and dancing are rather passe with the missionaries though.
Yesterday we held services on board ship and it proved to be quite a success. By the way, we found Bishop Price from Mesa aboard when we left New York. He was a great hep with the meeting. I sang a hymn for the special number. I also sang a couple of Sea songs on a [?] program last night. I kinda made a big hit on board. The officials said that the missionaries always entertain when they cross on the Leviathan so we rigged them up about 30 minutes of program.
As yet, I've been able to hold my own pretty well. I haven't missed a meal yet. Though some of the boys have. At times, I have gotten pretty dizzy but tat seems to be as far as it goes. During our entire trip across, there has been a doctor and scientist posing as a Catholic who has been lying into us about our religion. Being a well educated man, he has been able to deal us some pretty mean questions and we've never been able to tie him down to anything. So last night, we gave him a special invite to hold a big session in a private room and expound some of his evasive doctrine to us. After the meeting had grown about 2 hours old, he finally came out and confessed that he was a Mormon himself. He said he had made it a point to get on this boat because there were some new missionaries crossing on it. He had been having a lot of fun himself and at the same time giving us something to look up and think about.
Well, I'm almost there and I can say that this trip has certainly been an experience to me. At times, I can't quite comprehend my position, because so far everything has been a lazy man's job. I'm even getting anxious to get to work I believe. I haven't been able to get used to doing nothing. When I get to thinking where the money came from to put me on this voyage, I feel somewhat as if I were letting my part down. Anyway here's hoping everything is as good at home as it is here with me.
Love,
Clarence
Being the 4th of July, they are holding a Masked Ball on deck tonight.
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