October 20, 1982 Billings, Montana

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

We just come home from our Custer District Conferences - we left about 7 this morning to drive to Lame Deer where we had the people from that area and the Ashland branch come in for their conference from 10:00 till 11:30. Our missionaries up there prepared a lunch for us (beef stew, chili, Indian fry bread, fruit salad and cookies). We left there about 12:00 and drove to Dunmore where we had the people from that area and the Lodge Grass branch come in for their conference from 1:30 to 3:00. Our missionaries there served a Buffalo steak dinner that was simply delicious. The missionaries who prepared the food are all couples and they do a fantastic job. I tell you, that is a different world up there - the Indians all come to the meetings with leather leggings and big woolen blankets wrapped around them and they bring their children into the chapel and then just let them run - one of our couple sang a beautiful spiritual song and two little girls played ring around the rosy around the piano bench during the entire song - I wanted to leave the stand and go make them sit on a bench with me but Lynn wouldn't let me. The chapel is Dunmore is really beautiful and has big double doors in the front - they were telling us today that not too long ago some Indian drove a car through the doors into the cultural hall. We were told that President Kimball had about fifty of these chapels built for the Indians about twenty years ago and he prophesied that the chapel in Lame Deer would be the center for an Indian Stake that would help the "Lamanites Blossom As A Rose" - well, we had 5 adults and 13 children there today beside the District Officers, so they had a long, long ways to go!!!!

Jeannie - we loved your long and newsy letter and we're really excited about the new little Weinert due pretty soon (Jennie's going into the hospital Thursday, Oct. 14th to have the sutures taken out). Rick, you be sure to call us on Johnny's number whenever you have any news - no matter what time it is!!!! Ricky and Barji, thank you for your pictures - we love them. We're thrilled that Rick's family is there and settled in and that everything is going smoothly - that is very comforting for you Jeannie to know you have built in baby sitter in case you have to go to the hospital in the middle of the might. We're happy that Rick will be home until the baby comes - at least not out of town.

Roy - it was wonderful to talk to you last Sunday and we have thought about you so much this weekend and wondering if you have heard anything from San Antonio. Daddy and I have to have gamma globulin shots soon and we're thinking we might try to wait until you get here in December - one of Daddy's assistants wants to give them to us but I would rather wait. We had them in the MTC in Provo and have to have them every three months - this is because we work with the Indians - It was really hard for me to eat their fry bread today but it was so good!!!! The other food was prepared by the missionaries.

Bob and Claire and Rob & Ann - we know you're doing good. I hear a lot about Bob and Claire through Brenda - she hears from Sally and reads me her letters (I guess you all were together for the conference broadcast). We surely hope little Russell's allergy has cleared up.

Last Tuesday, Daddy had all the zone leaders come in for a conference so we had 24 for dinner - we spent most of Monday getting things ready. We cut up 15 chickens and barbecued them, had potato salad, green salad, hot rolls, creamed corn and angel food cake with strawberry topping - I have never seen anyone eat as much as they do - Brenda does a good job. We have to set up two extra tables when we have that many. We had about six of them stay here and the rest stayed with the Billings missionaries but came back for breakfast and lunch on Wednesday. I really cleared house Wednesday and went to the store to get a permanent so Brenda could give me one on Thursday (I had one just before we left Little Rock in May and then Another one here in August and for some reason they just don't last so I decided to get the curlers and get set up for home permanents). I shampooed my hair and was already when Daddy came upstairs and said we had to go to Glendive because one of our missionaries was having problems. We left here about 10:00 a.m. and got home about 10:00 p.m. - we drove 450 miles to visit with one missionary but it helped him so I guess it was worth it. I was quite disappointed because our ward here was having a big fashion show and I haven't been able to go to anything.
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