January 15, 1934
Handwritten letter of Nephi from Mannheim to his aunt and uncle, Maria Galka Scheffler -- sister of Nephi's mother Carolina Galka Hachen -- and her husband Friedrich Scheffler in Elbing, East Prussia. Nephi was on a mission in Germany at the time, and this appears to be his first letter to his German relatives. He relates his arrival and first impressions of Germany.

Mannheim K - 2 - 24 III
15 January 1934

Dear Aunt and Uncle --

 

I'm very happy to be able to write you a few lines from Mannheim. As you already know, I am on a mission in Germany right now, working in Mannheim at the moment. Though we've never had the opportunity to get to know each other personally, I've heard a lot about you from my parents. That's why I took it upon me to write you this letter.
I'm doing very well at the present time in lovely Germany. I hope you're doing as well, too.
I'm extremely pleased with Germany up to now. I traveled to Hamburg on the steamship "Washington." From there I came to Cologne on the Rhine, where I visited a missionary school for six weeks. I liked Cologne very well, with its old churches and narrow streets. It was actually here that I got my first impression of Germany.
After six weeks I was transferred to Durlach, near Karlsruhe. I made the trip from Cologne to Durlach by train and saw the entire Rhine region from Cologne to Karlsruhe. The Rhine is really wonderful, with its old castles and forts and vineyards. I was active in Durlach for two months. We were assigned to administer over the branches in Durlach and Karlsruhe.
From Durlach I was transferred to Mannheim, where I am now doing my work. Mannheim is a lovely city and I like it very well, too.
My parents wrote me that Gertrude is sick. That is really too bad. I hope that things are going better for her now, though, and that she will soon be healthy again. As for myself, I've been rather healthy and I hope that I can keep my health until I've finished my mission.
It would certainly make me happy if I could hear something about yourselves as well. But I hope that we'll have an opportunity to get to know each other -- personally. It is my plan to visit you sometime, but I can't give you an exact date just yet.
I await a letter from you in the near future.

Very cordial greetings to you from

Your nephew
Nephi Rudolph Hacken
Mannheim - K - 2 - 24 III