Thistle,
17th August 1913
My dearest Martha,
I have received the little package you send and thank you very much for it. It is sad that most of the fruit was spoiled, I could only eat about four pieces; the rest was mush. Please don’t send any more. You paid 22 cents for postage and that is quite a lot. I can buy an entire paper sack of fruit here for 10 cents which is much less. But it was wonderful that you thought about me. You are so good and have a good heart. Please don’t be offended about what I wrote. See, the fruit here comes from Provo and Springville. I am not very fond of fruit; however it would be of interest and joy for me to see one of those fruit farms.
I have read your dear letter. I could tell it was so hard for you to have to wait so long for a letter from me. I was not sick, thank heavens, however we were gone and that was the reason for me not writing earlier. I ask for forgiveness. You know the saying “and please don’t eat me" (because she was upset about him not writing).
No, Martha, I will never leave you alone, because I love you with all my heart. You mean everything to me, you are so good and I hope you will always be good to me; that would be so great. If you love me as much as I love you, it will be wonderful to be together, my dear Martha. I wished for that time to arrive soon, my Schnugerli (sweetheart). God may lead and guide all and that means all will be well. What was that bad dream you had all about? Forget about it, it is nonsense. Just remain true to all your beliefs and to your associations, that is most important. I do the same. I am healthy and I am getting fatter. It is quite boring here.
Marie wrote me a letter and she complained that I don’t write a lot. It looks as if I don’t think that much about my relatives, but that is not true. Sometimes I wished I could be in their presence. I have answered Marie right away, I also wrote to Aunt Friede? and to the Guttmann’s. Everyone seems to complain that I don’t write enough. But I write to all those that mean a lot to me in this life. Now I will also write to the friends in the ward, which might hopefully do some good. Marie wrote that our Pappa (father) has been active and has improved much. He raises pigeons again and the cat is trying to eat the pigeons. All seems to go okay, according to Marie, but Pappa needs to be more knowledgeable in the Gospel. Now he has done things that no one expected! He is preaching and correcting the members, which shows that he must have been quite upset. It does however take courage and nothing gets people more upset or wound up than religion. I have experienced it here, especially with jack Mormons.
I know I can deal with everything and have to deal with things, however it is sometimes hard. But we have to experience everything for a purpose.
I have been thinking about how I would react if I would accept my father if he would come into my presence. I am ashamed of how my father treated your parents. Wonder what they think about me now? I will write to them. I am sorry that things happened between our parents. I am still wondering how things could have progressed so fast. I am a little hurt about Marie's letter to me. I know that we will be able to start our own family and get our own home. All beginnings are hard but it can only be better from now on.
I received your letter on the 17th. I was so happy and your wise words have thrilled me. You are wonderful and good, and I, your Walter, will always be good to you. You don’t have to be worried, my loyalty and my love will shield you and keep us together, my dear Martha. While we are far apart right now, our love is strong and keeps us together. I have learned to value and appreciate you more than ever before. You are so very good and I know you will remain that way, dear Martha.
Thank you also for forwarding the greetings of your parents to me. How do they feel now that you and I live so far apart? It is too bad that your family can’t be here with you also. If we are patient time will work for us. Patience will award you with roses; first buds are growing and then grow the blossoms. We just can’t get offended and have to endure in love. There are many who are suffering like we are and who are going through trials.
We now have to learn the language and that is very hard. But each day we are progressing with the language. We are many people sitting at the table. They always ask me something in English. Since they are aware that I am just learning to speak the language, they think I will answer something stupid and are ready to laugh. But I am not upset about it at all. I always seem to answer somehow and I know I have to keep on learning the language. It is all okay and we don’t have to be afraid, we just have to watch and study. Talk as much as possible with your relatives.
Today is Friday evening the 22nd and I have not yet received my vacation pass. I have reported it to my superiors. They promised they would call the office in Salt Lake City. Only with that official pass can I leave here and come and see you. I sure hope that it will work out and that the superiors will really follow up with this and that I will have the pass by Saturday. I can’t wait to see you again. It will be a wonderful reunion for us, I am sure about that. It is often times so hard to be without you. You are my chosen one. Please send the mail only to the postal office.
I wished we could be together already.
Kiss and greetings, your loyal Walter
Walter Hanni,
Thistle Utah
Greetings to the Woodruff family
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