A Time Capsule of Letters

This year as part of Chandler's Centennial Celebration, the city dedicated a time capsule filled with memorabilia from the city. My husband was part of the celebration. The time capsule will be opened in fifty years. The current members of the City Council do not plan on attending that event.

The Mayor and City Council (Kevin is in blue.)

Last week I opened a time capsule - of sorts - love letters written between my maternal grandparents, back in 1933-1934.

My grandfather, Nels S. Wika, was a widower with eight children, who lived all his life in Clark, South Dakota. His first wife died from childbirth complications in 1926. Nels had several offers to divide the family of eight children after her death, but he said “No.” He hired several housekeepers or hired girls, but most didn't last long. It was hard work to bake all the bread, cook all the meals on an old cook stove, do all the laundry for the big family and care for all of the children. Plus, there was no electricity at that time. (Or an indoor bathroom.)

My grandmother, Lillian Koster, helped out during several of those years. Considered a spinster in her late twenties, my grandmother was also called upon to help with needs in her own family. The letters started with references to Lillian's sister, Bernice, who also died from childbirth complications. My grandmother raised her sister's baby girl, Joyce, from that point. The letters later chronicle Lillian traveling to Iowa with Joyce to live with a married sister. Lillian was needed to care for two elderly aunts whose eyesight was failing.

The letters are filled with everyday events - sewing, canning, baking, cleaning, milking the two cows (even though these relatives lived in town), and going to different activities at the Lutheran church.

Lillian was unprepared for how poorly her aunts were doing. She wrote to tell Nels that she might need to stay longer than she originally planned.

From the letters:

I have had a big problem on my mind since I came down here. I have prayed over it and thot over it from every angle, and now I just must tell you. It isn’t going to be very easy to do it; for I am afraid you will take it all wrong. You will try not to do that dear Nels.

Aunt Lena is much more bad on her eyes than I had even thot, and they will be needing someone to stay here all time for they just can’t be alone any more, and somehow I feel and think I should stay and help them over the winter. I know it will be hard for you in many ways if I stay, but don’t you think you could have Nora at home and help.

I know it is a big sacrifice for you and I, and I know you are lonesome so much of the time that I wish things had not been so bad here. Will you consent to let me give them one winter of my company? I am sure that God will bless us for making the sacrifice.

Will you pray over it for a week and then let me know your answer? Dearest Nels, please don’t worry and grieve over this but let us leave ourselves and future in His hand and He will lead us.

“Delight thyself also in Jehovah; and He will give thee the desires of thy heart. Commit thy way unto Jehovah;

Trust also in him, and He will bring it to pass. Psalm 37:4-5 

Rest in Jehovah, and wait patiently for Him.” Psalm 37:7

Be strong and let thy heart take courage, yea wait thou for Jehovah. Ps. 27:14

Trust Him when dark clouds assail Thee,

Trust Him when thy strength is small

Trust Him when to trust Him

Seems the hardest thing of all.

We know that to them that love God all things work together for good. – Romans 8:28

My grandfather writes:

(My grandfather had a limited education. His letters were always short and concise.)

My Dearest Lillian 

I’ve received your welcome letter a few days ago and I am rather slow about answering your letter. It was kind of a hard question to answer. I had promised Nora she could go to school again, that they could drive the first month and then you know. (Nora, age 17, was Nels' oldest unmarried daughter at the time, so called upon the help with the younger children.)  They have asked me when you were coming back. I told them about the 15 of Sept so they were expecting, you know.

Now you must not feel bad Lillian if you like to stay and help them a while longer. I will do the best I can, it will be rather lonesome if you stay so long. 

May God help us. 

Back and forth, the correspondence continued. more than seventy letters in all. My grandmother ended up staying for seven months. They were married two weeks after she returned home, on December 29, 1934. 

I find it hard to capture in this short blog the story that wove itself through the pages - of faith and hope and love, even in very difficult times.

My grandparents penned the words almost eighty years ago. They had no way of knowing that my mother (born in 1935) would save the letters in a box in the basement of my childhood home. They had no way of knowing I would find the letters a year ago, that despite age and water damage, I would begin the task of typing the words to be read for this current generation. They had no way of knowing that their sharing of scripture and prayers would stir faith in my own heart, eighty years later, as I was facing the news of my mother's cancer diagnosis.

My grandparents have been gone for several decades, yet their words remain; their letters a time capsule, waiting to be opened.

Which makes me wonder--

What words am I leaving for future generations?

___________________

My apologies, the font and spacing keys seem to have a mind of their own in this blog.