December 13, 1949
Handwritten letter of Nephi to Aunt Maria and her daughter Ella from Sacramento in California. It has been over a decade since the last letter: he is now married with three children. The winter of 1948-1949 has been especially hard. The children have been sick from time to time, but "now they're just as wild as before." The little girl (Joan) can already walk and is trying to say a few words. Nephi talks of his love for German literature, but he is forgetting the language. He hopes to travel the West Coast as far as Canada the coming summer. Automobiles are a topic again, and he has been keeping the car that he bought in 1942. Greetings from Leola and the children: Robert, Richard and Joan.
[stamp in upper left-hand corner: "Austrian Censor Board 173"]
Sacramento, California
5 April 1949
Dear Ella and Aunt Maria:
Many thanks for your letter. Yes, it really has been a long time since we've heard from you. We're thankful, Ella, that you're healthy again to some extent. We also wish the same for Aunt Maria.
The winter here has been very cold. Where we usually don't have any frost, it's been frosty for a long time. Many of the orange and citrus trees have frozen. But here in California it's still been warm compared to other parts of the country. Snow and cold to the point where the trains couldn't travel through the mountains anymore. The cattle and the wild animals also froze to death. They say this has been the heaviest winter for a number of years. Snow in our mountains at the border of California has often been five meters deep [16 feet]. But nevertheless, we are all healthy and happy.
The children have been sick from time to time, but now they're all just as wild as ever again.
I feel very neglectful since I haven't written to Hilda yet. I really must take the time and write her a few lines.
Our children are growing like weeds. The little girl is now over a year old. She can already walk well and tries to say a few words.
I can't remember if I owe Hertha a letter. We haven't heard from her for a long time. I hope everything is going well with her. I also need to take the time to write to Hertha.
Since I use German very rarely, I can't write or speak well anymore. I would like to use the language more often, but don't have any opportunity. In school I studied the works of Goethe, Schiller, Schnitzler, Heine, etc., and learned to love them.
Please write me and I will try to answer more and more quickly. I've gotten so involved with my family that I've nearly forgotten everything else.
This summer I will go traveling a little. Maybe northward to Oregon or Washington as far as Canada. We don't know yet, but we hope we can take such a trip.
I still have the car that I bought in 1942. Many new cars are available for sale now, but they cost so much! Almost twice the price! The people have a lot more money than earlier, but the cost of living is also much more than it used to be.
I don't mean to say that I'm not satisfied, but times have changed a lot of things.
Leola says to send you her greetings, as do Robert, Richard and Joan.
Maybe I can write more next time.
Many thanks for your letter -
As always - Your Nephi