I still have Maine on my mind! I can’t believe that just last Thursday I woke up in Maine at my sister’s home, after being there a week. You can see a few photos of my trip over here, and I’m including a few more below.

I had never been to Maine before. It surpassed all my expectations. The green hills, the country roads, the woods, the colonial homes, the blueberries, the lack of billboards, the ocean, the beach, the rocky shores, the lighthouses! Ahhh, it was all so splendid! I want to return every summer to inhale the fresh, clean air swept fresh over from the Atlantic, and to visit my wonderful sister and her darling family. They just seem straight out of some storybook like the Vanderbeekers or Penderwicks.

When I returned home I remembered that I had this book about living in Maine, written by my husband’s uncle, Lynn M. Hilton, waiting for me. Lynn’s sister, my mother-in-law, gave it to us. I have yet to read it, but now that I have been to Maine, I am much more interested in reading it. Uncle Lynn was a WW2 veteran, so he was from “The Greatest Generation” that Tom Brokaw refers to in his book of the same title.

Uncle Lynn’s book is called Without Purse of Scrip because it’s about a missionary, Elder Lynn M. Hilton, who was called to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was asked to be a missionary in Maine without carrying money or food. He also did not live in a rented apartment or home, but had to rely on the kindness of strangers to find a place to sleep each night. Uncle Lynn served in Maine the summer and fall of 1947. This stint was part of his overall mission to the New England states from 1945-47. When he was called to his mission, he had just returned from serving in WW2, where he trained as a bomber pilot in the US Army Air Corps.

Here is the summary of the book from amazon.com:

“Have you ever wondered what it would be like to do missionary work Without Purse or Scrip – meaning without food, money, or a place to sleep? Lynn M. Hilton, a Mormon Missionary was asked to do this type of mission in 1947, in the State of Maine. He and his companions were told to take one small suitcase filled with copies of the Book of Mormon, a bar of soap, razor, toothbrush, comb, and other small items. He and his missionary companion, got off the bus and started walking. This day-to-day journal will allow you to travel with Elder Hilton on this mission of faith. Lynn was a B-24 bomber pilot during World War II. Ten days after being released from his army duties, he was called to the New England Mission. During the last four months of his mission, he and all the young male missionaries were asked by Mission President S. Dilworth Young to go out and work without purse or scrip. This books contains:

• Stories of Faith from his Mission

• How he and his companion were able to find food and lodging without cost

• How he was guided by the spirit

• His hand-written journal entries

• Instructions from his Mission President

• Final comments by Church President George Albert Smith”

My favorite story from the book so far is this one. Elder Hilton and his companion Elder Beagley appeared in the local Norway, Maine newspaper. The article about them said that they had given up their one day off for the week (preparation day) to help a local man saw wood. They showed up in work clothes ready for work. The article said, “It is the first time in many, many years that members of the clergy have given manual assistance in this neighborhood. Perhaps if more ministers bore in mind that He whose word they preach was just a Carpenter, and that it does not detract from dignity to help in earthly problems with the labor of their hands, they would find a thoughtful and more ready response to spiritual guidance.” (p. 91)

Yes! People are more interested in what we know when they know how much we care. You can get Uncle Lynn’s book here. You can read about the story of his wife, Aunt Nancy here, using the top two posts. You can also get Aunt Nancy’s art here.