November 21, 1982
Billings, Montana

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

Wow!!!! Is it ever cold in Billings today - the thermometer outside the kitchen win-day says 20º but it feels colder than that - it is snowing a little. Johnny went skiing yesterday in Red Lodge so he wants it to keep snowing - his goal now is to get all the equipment so he can go skiing every week-end - he really loves it - he can hardly wait until you come Roy so you can both go together. Today is the first Sunday we have been in Billings come Roy so you can both go together. Today is the first Sunday we have been in Billings for a long time so we went to the ward Johnny goes to - something was the matter with the heating system and it was freezing cold inside - I believe thermal underwear is going to be just standard apparel for us.

Johnny's dog is really something - it is a cross between a Labrador and a Chesapeake - its owner said they deliberately cross breed them that they way because it makes them better hunting dogs and they have better dispositions. Johnny has named her Suzy - the Elders just love her and it has really made the Mission Home more of a real home. They have fixed a place for her out in the shed in back - some of the warmer days she is on a leash and can play in the field but today she is staying inside the shed. Johnny is out with her now.

Daddy and I went to Missoula Friday afternoon - it's about 350 miles from here. Daddy had interviews Friday night and then early on Saturday morning before our zone conference. We had an unusually wonderful conference - the Elders in that zone are really "up". We started home about 3 Saturday afternoon but ran into a real snowstorm over the mountain passes so we didn't get home until about 10:30 last night - the "Young Ambassadors" from the BYU performed here last night and we wanted to get back for it but we didn't - the assistants started back about an hour earlier than we did and they didn't run into any snow so they made it. Missoula is really a nice little city - I wouldn't mind living there.

We got our four new Elders and two new Sisters from the MTC on Wednesday - they are all going to be good missionaries and Daddy is thrilled with them. One of the Elders was so excited he left his suitbag on the airplane and before we could get it the plane had headed for Canada - he was sent to Powell, Wyoming so he has to wait now for us to get it him someway and he said he only had the suit he had on - I guess that isn't too unusual for Elders. It was fun to see the sister whom we had know in Arkansas again - Lana Brodt - she was sent to Helena - she will be really good.

Our transfer day went so smoothly we could hardly believe it - we decided to close the kitchen this time and not feed any of the missionaries except those we were going home. It is so funny - it isn't the food preparation or the cost or anything like that - when we fix food for them, the whole atmosphere in the house changes - it becomes more like a fraternity house or a restaurant instead of a reverent home. It makes be sad because I would love to have continued furnishing a meal for them - slowly I am learning how to do this.

I know my letters have been too negative and I apologize for that - we really and truly love our mission and feel it is the greatest blessing to come into our lives outside our family. Let me tell you what happened in just one day last week to help you realize how easy it is to be negative - Brenda tried to grind up two spoons in the kitchen disposal and of course it ruined it and will have to be replaced, a missionary in Wyoming called and said he absolutely refused to send his music tapes home so Daddy had to send him home (this is after a million efforts to help him to be a good missionary), one of the house elders took the truck to town and slid on an icy spot and ran into another car and did $1,200 worth of damage, an elder in Lamedeer called and said he would stay on his mission only if Daddy would move him to a better place and just as we were getting ready for bed Daddy received a phone call from an elder's mother in California saying her son's girl friend was pregnant and she suspected her son was the father, (he was sent home today). Sister Wagstaff gave us some good advice and daddy is going to try to heed it from now on - she said "you will be tempted to spend 75% of your time on the problem Elders and your mission will be wasted - just try to solve as many as you can and then move on". So please forgive me for being negative - and also please keep the things I write to you confidential!

Cissy and Charles Beyers called last Monday night - they had told us they would try to come see us last weekend. They are in Pocatello visiting Shawna and her family. They said they didn't realize it was as far as it is from there to Billings so they said they would try to come next May. After talking to them and telling them all we were doing, Cissy said "you don't have time for us to come anyway". I guess she's right - anyone can come anytime they want to but we don't have any control over our schedule.

Joy Geisler called one night last week and I enjoyed visiting with her so much. She said she has lost 36 pounds and would still have to lose more - her doctor put her on a very strict diet. She told me some news about our Little Rock friends - also, we had a wonderful letter from Ann Cobb telling us about the Daryl Hoole day and other things. Ann said that Rick has a serious girl friend and he is bringing her home for the holidays - she seemed really happy about that. We also had a letter from Paul Rippier - he said in his letter that Jane would soon be 89 years old - I can't believe that!!!! He said she still prepares all the meals but that he cleans up - doesn't that sound like him.

I talked to Grandmother and Grandpa Forrest one night last week also - Grandpa loves his hearing aid and I'm so proud of him for wearing it - he says he can hear everything now. Grandmother was going to go to the doctor to have tests made to see if she had diabetes - she is still really weak and I wish someone could help her have more energy. Daddy, wears his hearing aid when we're in the car now and that helps a lot - I wish he would wear it all the time, They told me that my cousin, Jerry Sommers from East Garland is in the McKay Dee Hospital - she thought she had pneumonia and it turned out she has cancer in her lung. Jeannie maybe you'll get to see her if you have gone back to work yet (I hope you haven't).

Annie - thank you so much for sending that slipping from the paper about the couple missionary serving their third or fourth mission. I was waiting in the car last Tuesday morning when Daddy went to check to see if we had received mail the day before that he forgot to get and he brought your letter out to the car to me - we were on our way to Hardin where we were going to have our zone conference with the couples serving on the Lamanite reservations. I showed them all the clipping and they loved it - it really helped their morale.

We haven't heard from you this week and we hope so much you are all doing just great. Daddy and I are going to speak at a Fireside tonight for the young adults - I love to be with them because it reminds us of our own family. They are mostly all college students here and go to the Institute and they are such find young people.

One of the men in the Stake brought us a 42# turkey for Thanksgiving - we don't have the faintest idea what we're going to cook it in but we're thrilled to have it. There is no way we can get enough meat for this "mission family". Daddy cut all the meat off the bones of the two deer Johnny shot and we had it all ground up - we have about 100# of ground venison and it is really delicious. He did save a big rib roast and also about 30 loin steak Johnny wants to go hunting this weekend again with Daddy - Daddy can't go for longer than a few hours and Johnny wants to stay four days - he just loves that!!!! Today we're having a venison and macaroni casserole - the Elders think it is ground beef - Ha!

We have some cute pictures of Johnny and Daddy and the deer - we'll have copies made and send some to you. We love each one of you so very much - we hope you all you have a very Happy Thanksgiving - PLEASE BE CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO!!!!
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