September 5, 1982
Billings, Montana

Dearest Bob, Claire & Michael, Rick, Jean, Ricky & Barbara Jean and Ron, Ann, Susanna, Jessie and Russell,

It seems funny to not include Roy but since he's here I guess he doesn't need a copy of the letter. He came in last night about 10 o'clock and we're enjoying him so much - we all went to church this morning and since it's Fast Sunday the Mission Family isn't eating dinner until tonight so we fixed a little lunch up here in the apartment - we went to the garden and gleaned enough corn and it is still really good. Roy looks so good and feels good about his stay in San Antonio - he thinks he has a pretty good chance of getting the "training" there that he wants and if he gets it he'll be there for three years after he graduates next Spring. The Bishop came up to him this morning and said, "You look like a Doctor, are you?" - of course that pleased him - to me he looks like a teenager. I believe we'll go into Yellowstone tomorrow - it's our "P" day and Daddy and I will have them leave us at Tower Falls (I think that's right) and then let them go into Fishing Bridge and Old Faithful - we can't go there because it's out of the Mission. It seems so funny that they would leave that much of Yellowstone and put it in another Mission. Roy and Johnny would like to go to Glacier National Park but we really don't have enough time - we have to be so careful and set the right example by not traveling on Sunday for fun purposes so we couldn't leave until early in the morning and it's just too far for one day.

It was fun to talk to you, Bob and Claire, a few minutes ago - it's hard to believe all the underworld things happenings in Little Rock - a murder just a few doors from the Mission Home - kinda' scary - I always did think there was something fishy about the Orsini case. We have looked for some news about the Governor's Race in Arkansas but there is absolutely nothing in our papers ever about Arkansas - wouldn't it be funny if Frank White defeats Bill Clinton? Johnny talked to some of his friends there yesterday and they told him about one of the girls in his crowd whose car had the windows smashed and bullet holes in it while she was attending a football game at Central - she was taken to the hospital but wasn't hurt. We'd love to hear little Michael say, "What's this" - can't believe how he is growing!

We loved visiting with you on the phone Annie and hope you can get the boat and Lincoln running - the way we left everything in Lehi is so complicated it will take a Houdini to strengthen things out. I'm sure there was no other way but I wish we could have just left things all together so you could have all used things and Johnny and Roy could go stay there.

We just tried to call you Jeannie - we were sorry to miss your call last night - Johnny told us about it. We'll try again a little later. I can't get that little Julie off my mind and now we hear you have had a kidnapping in your general area - can't believe what's happening in the world. They tell us to not worry about our family but that's really hard to do.

We had a super busy week - we left Tuesday to drive to Great Falls - had a Zone Conference there on Wednesday and then left there that night and drove to Missoula where we had another one on Thursday and then drove to Butte where we had a third one on Friday. We came back to Billings last Friday morning and then left at 7 a.m. Saturday to drive to Hardin for a fourth one. These zone conferences start at 7:30 in the morning and go until at least 5:00 in the afternoon and we don't eat all day until about 7 p.m. We have "7" zones so we leave again this Tuesday and drive to Wyoming for one on Wednesday and then to Glendive and back to Billings for the last one. We are also preparing for a "Couples" conference and two District Conferences.

Daddy is in a real dilemma - one of his missionaries called to tell him he had fallen in love with a girl in the area where he was assigned - he proposed to her and she accepted and he was transferred and the girl and about ten other people were at the bus station to see him leave and they embraced. I'm afraid he will probably be sent home - problems, problems!

Remember the girl I told you about last Sunday who came to spend the night with us? She took the missionaries "P" Day to have them teach her the lessons, we extended to her every hospitality possible, breakfast, lunch a nice room, etc. and would you believe she was a fraud. It turned out she has been baptized 23 times in our church - it was just awful - when Daddy confronted her with it, she really carried on and threatened to sue the church. We love you all so very much - let us know if we can help you in any way and PLEASE BE CAREFUL!
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