We are so thrilled to have Ann, Susanna, Jessie & Russell and Bob and Michael with us - I just wish we didn't get tired so we could visit all day and all night too. Ron and Claire we really appreciate your helping and sharing your families with us for a little while - we wish you could be with us too. The Children are just wonderful - they have really grown and changed in the eight months since we have seen them - especially Michael and Russell: Michael has gone blonde on us and little Russell isn't little - Daddy called him fat and Susanna really got upset with him - Ha! Susanna and Jessie are such helpers and so grown up!
Last week was really something! Daddy and his two assistants and I left last Tuesday morning about 5 a.m. to drive to Missoula where we picked up Elder Loren Dunn at the airport. Right from the airport we went to the "cannery" (the only L.D.S. welfare cannery in Montana) and it is operated by Dale Anderson who is a friend of my brother Dee (he's originally from Brigham City). Dale's wife and another sister had prepared lunch for us at the cannery and it was delicious (Elder Dunn was really impressed). After lunch we went to the church where we had a tri-zone conference with our missionaries. After the conference the Missoula Relief Society Stake served us a delicious dinner (Dale's wife is Pres. of that so she had double duty). After the dinner we had a special missionary meeting for that area with Elder Dunn as the speaker - there must have been 1500 people there. The next morning we had the second part of our tri-zone conference and it lasted until noon - at noon we got some pizza burgers (they were huge but delicious) and left for Great Falls - we were all in our new van. We got to Great Falls about 4:30 and went to Pres. Petersen's home for dinner - he is a food specialist and he made the most beautiful and delicious open faced sandwiches - you wouldn't believe the exotic combinations!!!! Shrimp and avocado, beef and onions, sardines and lettuce, tomatoes, eggs and anchovy, peas and carrots - they were really special. After dinner we went to the church where we had another missionary meeting and again we had a huge crowd - they were very responsive! After that we went to the airport to catch a plane to Billings - the assistants drove the van home. Early the next morning I got up to help Brenda fix breakfast - we had whole wheat pancakes, bacon and eggs and juice. Then we went to the Stake Center for our quad-zone conference - at noon the Fourth Ward served a delicious lunch for us - after that we had the second part of our conference. Then the Billings East Stake served a wonderful turkey dinner with all the trimmings - then we had another missionary meeting and again we had a huge crowd. We brought some friends home for cookies (friends from Cody with whom we stay all the time) - Johnny went to the airport to pick up Bob and Michael and we were so thrilled to see them - we had told Elder Dun about Bob and he was anxious to meet him and Michael was so cute (we took a picture of them with him and I hope it's good). Friday morning I got up to help Brenda again - we had a big fruit bowl (oranges, grapefruit and pineapple) fried ham, grits with ham gravy, biscuits and scrambled eggs with cheese. After that, one of Daddy's counselors came in his Mercedes to take Daddy, Elder Dunn and I to the Indian Reservations to visit in some of the Lamanite homes. We visited in about ten homes and Elder Dunn blessed their homes - it was really neat! They prepared lunch for us - buffalo bar-b-q ribs and all kinds of salads and one of the Lamanites had made and decorated a cake that said "Welcome to the Reservations". After that we rushed back to Billings where we went to a special meeting for the Institute Class where Elder Dunn gave another talk. We put him on the plane at 4 p.m. Friday afternoon and then we all sighed a sigh of relief. He was really impressed with the mission and was very complimentary - there were a few problems - two Elders totaled their truck on the way to the conference - the weren't hurt but it did $4,400 worth of damage - Daddy was sick. Some of the missionaries chewed gum constantly and he didn't like that and a few of the lady missionaries were too "stylish" - things that are easily changed.
Johnny still doesn't have his car fixed - they can't get to it until the 21st - this has really been a lesson for him - I think he thought it would be a rather easy thing to get done. He's doing fine and we were proud of the way he conducted himself during Elder Dunn's visit.
Roy - we were so thrilled to hear from you last night - Annie was upset we didn't wake her up - you sound great and wherever you go next year will be the best. Jeannie and Rick we hope Dorothy is doing good. We love each one of you so very much - let us know how we can help you and PLEASE BE CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO!