E. LaRetta Gibbons missionary diary
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of one diary written by E. LaRetta Gibbons during her missionary travels for the LDS Church during the years 1933--1934. The 242 page diary contains a log of LaRetta's daily life as a missionary while serving with another female missionary. The two went tracting, held meetings, taught lessons, and visited church officials, and went to the movies. The diary tells of LaRetta's decision to serve a mission, her acceptance to serve a mission, her time in the LDS missionary training center in Provo, Utah (September 1933), her travels and time spent in Lincoln, Nebraska (September of 1933--April of 1934), and her travels and time spent in Pueblo, Colorado (May of 1934--October 1934). The diary ends abruptly on October 20, 1934 with no explanation. In addition, the diary also contains predictions that a fortune teller said about LaRetta (pages 298--300) and a paper insert with the song "Western States Mission Song," composed by LaRetta Gibbons.
Dates
- 1933-1934
Language of Materials
Collection materials are in English.
Restrictions
Open to public research.
Copyright
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Utah State University Libraries, its officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.
Permission to publish material from the E. LaRetta Gibbons missionary diary must be obtained from the Special Collections Manuscript Curator and/or the Special Collections Department Head.
Biographical Note
Eva LaRetta Gibbons was born on July 25, 1914, in small town of Garden City, Utah. Her parents, Joseph Weston Gibbons and Lydia Luetta Cook, both also born in Garden City, raised LaRetta and four other children. During the early 1930s, LaRetta studied home economics at Utah State Agricultural College, now Utah State University. In December of 1933, at the age of 19, LaRetta was called to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Serving in the Western States Mission during the Great Depression, she traveled to places such as Pueblo, Colorado and Lincoln, Nebraska. Later, on March 15, 1941, LaRetta married Oswald Ralph Myers in Cedar City, Utah. After settling in Minersville, Utah, they had four sons; Gerald, Fred, Ron, and Max. Thereafter, LaRetta taught school in Milford, Utah. Oswald Myers died on April 12, 1994, at the age of 76. Four years later, on March 13, 2000, at the age of 86, Eva LaRetta Gibbons Myers died at her home in Delta, Utah.
Extent
1 box (.25 linear ft.)
Abstract
This collection consists of one diary written by E. LaRetta Gibbons during her missionary travels for the LDS Church during the years 1933-1934.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The diary of LaRetta Gibbons was purchased by USU Special Collections and Archives on April 15, 2004 from a dealer of historical materials.
- Title
- Guide to the E. LaRetta Gibbons missionary diary 1933-1934
- Author
- Finding aid created by Special Collections and Archives.
- Date
- ©2008
- Description rules
- Finding Aid Based On Dacs (Describing Archives: A Content Standard)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding guide is in English in Latin script.
- Sponsor
- Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant, 2007-2008
Revision Statements
- 2009: Template information was updated to reflect Archives West best practice guidelines.
Repository Details
Part of the Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library, Special Collections & Archives Repository
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan Utah 84322-3000 United States
435 797-8248
435 797-2880 (Fax)
scweb@usu.edu