Vernona Mendenhall

Due to the tense situation between Holland, Germany, and Poland in 1939, Sister Mendenhall and the other missionaries received word from the Mission President to stay close to their living quarters in case of an important call, telling them to go back to the United States. On September 16, 1939, they did receive that call. They were told to report to Rotterdam to wait for a ship. President Heber J. Grant had now called all missionaries back to the United States as soon as passage could be arranged. On September 26, they left Rotterdam by train to Antwerp, Belgium where they boarded a small ship, the SS Pennland. They were on the water thirteen days, sailing only in daylight hours, and dropping anchor at night. Coming through the English Channel, they were escorted by airplanes in the air, and an English Skipper in the water, because the channel was planted with mines. They witnessed one ship get blown up after hitting a mine, and some of the passengers who survived were rescued and taken onto their ship. They finally arrived in New York Harbor on October 8, 1939, shedding tears of thankfulness to Heavenly Father for His protection. They were taken to a hotel in New York, and the next day, re-assigned to new missions in the states. Sister Mendenhall was assigned to the Northern States Mission, and sent to Holland, Michigan.