May 30, 1982 Little Rock, Ark.

Dearest Ron, Ann, Susanna, Jessie & Russell, Rick, Jean, Ricky & Barji and Roy,

Well - our swan song is over and we are so glad. The Stake had our farewell reception last night at the Stake Center and it was really wonderful - all last week we kept receiving phone calls and letters from people telling us they were sorry they wouldn't be able to come to it and then, since this is the Memorial Day Weekend and also the temple trip scheduled to leave today, we were going to be happy if twenty people showed up. We were really thrilled because we had a huge crowd - Charles Beyers said he counted 150 but I believe there were more come in after that. Our sweet neighbors came - Dorothy & Dan, Pete, Bobbye and Tom and David and Anna and also the lady I work with came with her husband, Mary Jo and Henry Paden. They had a program first - I'll enclose one of the programs that were passed out - and Bob gave the cutest talk - it gave it in a "light theme" and told little stories about each one in the family - he told about how Ann & Jean giggled while they were singing a song at a funeral (I remember that but I didn't remember that he was there), he told about how embarrassed Roy was when we had a surprise birthday party for him for his sixteenth birthday. He really did a good job and it set the theme for the whole program so it wouldn't be sad. Jim Griffin was the main speaker and said such nice things about all of us and especially Daddy - Marlena and the children had made a poster for us that was simply darling - we'll take a picture of it - it has a little farewell to us with large candy bars representing some of the words. Eilleen Beyers (Steve's wife) made four huge cakes and decorated them with a large map of our mission, all of the state of Montana and part of Wyoming - they were just beautiful besides being really good. Cissy and Charles had worked on this for two months and every detail was worked out - we were truly honored and appreciate it very much. They presented us with a beautiful plaque engraved with "To President J. Lynn and Barbara Jean Mellor - Our Heartful Gratitude for Spiritual Leadership and Dedication - Little Rock Arkansas Stake, 1965 - 1982 - then the quotation from D. & C. 4:20 "O ye that embark in the service of God see that ye serve him with all your heart, might mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day." We're so proud of it. They also had a book that they had everyone sign and write in. We wish each one of you could have been here.

We had to give the sacrament presentation this morning too so we're talked out!!!! Bob gave another excellent talk - the theme was building testimonies and he talked on the different levels of testimonies - Claire gave a beautiful talk too and John bore his testimony. I took too much time and Daddy didn't have a chance to give much of what he had prepared. We feel that the rest of our move will be easy now - my Garden Club is going to have a tea for me on June 7th but I won't worry about that.

Roy - thank you for sending us the pictures we asked for - they just barely got here in time - we were so thrilled to be able to show people that we really do have a fifth child!!! We loved the one with your dog - he or she is a beautiful dog - we noticed they were taken almost a year ago. We know this is a special week-end for Patrice and we'll be thinking of her - what a milestone!!!! We loved your phone call last Sunday and the parties in Newport all sound great - the von Bulow case has really made that place well known - I wouldn't like to live there but I'm so glad I got to see it.

Annie & Ron - how is little Russell John??? We told so many people about him last night Gene Jowers was at the reception with Jenny, Jason and Jeff (Mary couldn't come) and he asked all about you. We can hardly wait to see him and hold him - he must really be eating to be gaining so much - I'll bet you will have to put him on cereal before long.

Jeannie & Rick - we surely hope all is well with you, especially do we hope Jeannie is able to eat more and is feeling better. Jim, in his talk last night, told about how angelic you were and how you helped so much with everything when we were made a Stake and you played the organ and everything - he had received that information from someone else because he wasn't here. Everybody remembers you playing the organ.

We had the Primary elections in Little Rock last week and everyone was shocked to see Joe Purcell come in second in the race for the Democratic candidate for Governor - he and Bill Clinton will be in the runoff elections On June 8th - we had thought it would be Bill Clinton and Jim Guy Tucker but Purcell beet Tucker. You all might not remember but Bill Clinton lost his bid for election as Governor to Frank White - everyone thought Clinton would easily win again. He is staging an entirely different campaign now - he's trying to be more humble and less cocky. If he doesn't win this time it could mean maybe the end to his political career and he was the one everyone thought might someday run for President. We have a very demonstrative sheriff now and he won such a large margin that he doesn't even have to be in a runoff. There is either a lot more crime in Little Rock now or he has uncovered more - two weeks ago a lady started her car in her driveway just a few houses away from the Mission Home in Pleasant Valley and a bomb went off and tore out the bottom of the car - they said some of it didn't ignite or she would have been blown to bits - her husband is an attorney and had been involved in some undercover cases or something. There are some political factions here in Little Rock that are really undesirable - the school board stripped our superintended of all his authority last week for no apparent reason. They had already fired him and have hired another one but his contract was to have gone until the end of July until this happened. They are rezoning all the schools and the black community is in an uproar over this. Now is a good time to be moving to Montana - I'm sure there will be problems there too but of a different nature.

It is really hot and humid here - I'm upstairs typing and we don't have the air conditioner turned in up here and I can't keep my glasses on for the perspiration. I can blame my terrible typing on that. Speaking of typing - Daddy's former secretary came last night - Betty and Roger young - Daddy was really pleased.

We have one more week of school - both Johnny and I will be happy when it's over. Johnny had semester tests -ugh!!! He went on a float trip yesterday in northern Arkansas and really loved it - he'll miss this beautiful country but he is such a cooperation and sweet guy about this move we can't believe it.

I can't think of any more news - we surely hope each one of you is doing great and that you will let us know if there is anything we can do for you. Please be careful in everything you. We love you very much.
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