Mission Experience Letters

Following are the mission experience letters written by George Hyrum Wilson to his mission president on a monthly basis. The first letter we could find is for May 30, 1909. Links to the typscript letters will be added shortly. Some corrections to the typed letters have been made, if it appeared to by a typo from the mission secretary. It is not known at this time if the original letters exist.

Additional information on each area Elder Wilson served in, as well as other historical facts and documents concerning Elder Wilson and his family, will be included in the near future.

Image Credit: Western States Mission Home. 709 Clarkson Street Denver, Colorado. Courtesy of the Church History Library, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Physical Facilities Department photograph collection: W, Western States Mission Home. Church History Library, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, Utah. Denver, Colorado (506-4015), 17 items, BOX 77 (100000570531)FOLDER 45 Accessed Aug 4, 2017 at 6:05 pm. Photo enhanced by Spencer Fields.

May 30, 1909

Lead, South Dakota

I am happy to report having good heatlth and spirit, as my time has been spent doing country w work I have enjoyed it very much, altho there has not been v any thing happen out of the ordinary as I have met some people who were very interested in the message, while there are others who were raped up in their business so much that they did not seem to have time for religion.

Homestead Mine in Lead, South Dakota 1900

July 31, 1909

Underwood, South Dakota

My experience during the past month has been very interesting to me as I have had the privilege of preaching the Gospel to many people who seem to be very interested in the same, also in alaying a great deal of prejudice which has been existing among the people with whom I have been laboring.

Aug 28, 1909

Devils Lake, North Dakota

During this month I have laboring among the farmers who are very busy. I have enjoyed my work very much do to the fact that I have had the Spirit of the Lord with me. I have met some real good friends during the month of August. Last week I labored among the dunkards and found some of them very friendly and broad minded. I feel well in the work.

Sep 25, 1909

Bryant, South Dakota

This has been a busy month for the people among whom we have had a few weeks to travel among. My book sales have not been large by any means, but I have had many good conversations. I have helped hold nineteen open air meetings besides a few other meetings. I have met with good people generally. Since Conference we have been traveling two and two.

Oct 30, 1909

Burbon, South Dakota

The time glides nicely along but it seems as if there has been little accomplished. The town seems to be quite indifferent but we hope to be able to do some good here. We have some very good friends.

Nov 27, 1909

Watertown, South Dakota

We have been visiting the Adventest church of late and have some very good friends among them two of which have applied for baptism and we hope in the future to obtain more of them. I feel well in the work and want to do my full duty.

Dec 25, 1909

Huron, South Dakota

Another year is soon to pass in the place of the old. I have spent the enire month here in this city. We have many good friends here among the Adventists. I look forward to a Branch of the Church being esstablished here. I believe that it is the will of the Lord that we are here searching the honest an heart out from this city.

Jan 29, 1910

Huron, South Dakota

My experience in Huron the past month has not been varied. Everything has gone along nicely and our friends still treat us well. Our reports are low this months on acount of the disagreeable weather but we we have spent considerable time this month in study.

Feb 26, 1910

Mitchell, South Dakota

The weather has been somewhat disagreeable and that hindered the work to a great extent. I have done a great deal of re-visiting and have had some very good conversations. The people of Huron hated to see us leave them. And gave us invitations to come back and visit with them.

Mar 26, 1910

Mitchell, South Dakota

In looking over the reports for the last month, I find an improvement in some respects at least. I have spent the month in the city, and we have had better treatment than we had last year. We have obtained the privilege of holding street meetings, which never before have we had. We finished the work in this city, and are now ready to go to Yankton.

April 1910

Huron, South Dakota

I have spend the past month in Yorktown and Elk Point. Some of the people are very bitter but we have a few friends. Since conference in Mitchell I have spent the time here in Huron revisiting, among the friends I made last winter. I am meeting a warm welcome.

June 1910

Washburn, North Dakota

A great deal of the month just past has been spent in the country and among forigneers and seemingly the time has been wasted but I hope that it will yet bring forth better fruits. We have been working the small towns thouroughly and have held some very interesting meetings. There seems to more interest manifest this year than last. My company is in fair health and good spirits.

August 1910

Aneta, North Dakota

The mid-summer month is now past and it has been a most pleasant one to me. I have not accomplished as much as I should have liked yet my conscience is clear and I feel that I am engaged in a good cause. The people in this part treat us fine but owing to the language we have considerable difficulty in getting acquainted with the people. We are meeting with a little opposition in our work and are not allowed to hold meetings on that account, but I pray for the advancement of the gospel.

September 1910

Huron, South Dakota

In looking over my report for the month of September I find that I have not distributed much literature or visited very many families. My time has been spent largely in re-visiting friends but I feel that I have had a very profitable time and much good has been accomplished. I feel that the people are a great deal more friendly now than they were two years ago and where we never met anything but prejudice then we are welcomed by some now in every little town and village we come to. And althou our baptisms are few I know that much good has been accomplished by our labors tolerance in being fast substituted for prejudice and religious bigotry.