April 17, 1983 Billings, Montana

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

We just came home from the Great Falls Stake Conference where we have been this weekend. They were so nice to us - when we walked into their afternoon meeting yesterday they presented me with the most beautiful corsage and Daddy with a boutonniere (sp.?) Their meetings were special and Daddy spoke - he always does such a good job and the missionary work there is going so much better than ever before. We went to the Charles Russell Museum after all our meetings and spent about an hour looking at a lot of his paintings and sculptors - they have some limited editions of his sculptors (sp.?) in bronze that are $50,000 - they are just copies - not originals!!! Needless to say we didn't order one. I would really like to get a replica of one for the Mission Home but I won't be able to - the cheapest one we saw was $1,000. It was funny - when we got home tonight in the mail was our "Outlook" from Utah State and there on the front cover was a picture of Charles Russell's sculptor "The broncing horse". They are featuring some of his works in the University. Daddy is crazy about Charles Russell so I bought him a book about his life and will give it to him for Father's Day!!!

I always feel bad when we come home from these weekend conferences because Johnny is here all alone and seems so lonely. We can't get him to come with us and we don't know what else to do - he never complains but I feel bad. He is doing really well - I think he works too much but that's what he wants to do. Jimmy Willardsen called him the other night and wants him to go to California with him the last of July and he is planning to go to Little Rock the first of June so this could be a really fun Summer for him. He is playing softball and really likes to. We're really proud of him.

Bob and Claire - thanks so much for sending the maps of Memphis and showing us where your new home is. Brenda was thrilled to show us where she used to live and we had a fun time looking it over. She said you would be far away from any place that might flood and that's good. I'll bet it will be a long time before Michael will let you cut his hair again - (Bob nicked his ear when he was cutting his hair). That really reminds us of the million times you kids got nicked and also went to school looking funny because of "home" hair cuts. We were laughing about it at the table the other night and several of the Elders said their Dads gave them their hair cuts before they came on their missions. I guess that's the Mormon Way. We surely hope you're making some progress with your packing.

Jeannie and Rick - thanks so much for your wonderful letter telling us all about your trip to Disneyland. We can't believe all the bad weather you have had in Utah - it sounds like you are really having the strong winds around Farmington - we're glad you haven't had any damage to your home. It must have been hard to be without heat for so long - you need to get a good supply of wood for your fireplace in case that ever happens again. We were sorry we missed you yesterday morning when we called to wish you a Happy Birthday Jeannie - we loved talking to Rick and Ricky & Barji though - I don't believe Barji remembers us!!!! We were going to call you at work Jeannie but we decided you would probably be busy and we were kinda' busy with going to Great Falls - Daddy gets nervous if we are late in leaving!!!!

Roy - we thought about Patrice while we were in the museum today. The girl who showed us around and explained things was so nice and helpful and I'll bet Patrice is in her job too. I was talking to one of the ladies in Great Falls while our husbands were in a Priesthood meeting and she told me about her son-in-law who is an orthopedic surgeon in Des Moines, Iowa. He is also a Bishop of one of the wards there so I'll have to write and give his name to the Powers. She told me that this past week he had seen on a finger of a little baby - the baby was delivered by caesarean (sp.?) and the obstetrician cut off the finger - I can't believe that could happen - can you???

Annie and Ron - we're so anxious for you to get back from your trip so we can hear all about it. In the Arkansas Gazette that we got this week there was a big article on "CA noon" Mexico and what a popular resort place it was - I was going to cut it out but I gave the paper to Brenda to read and forgot about it until too late and it had been thrown away. We surely hope you had a wonderful time and that the children got along really good - I know they'll be happy to have you home.

The funniest thing happened yesterday morning right before we left. All of the house Elders came into Daddy's office and said they had a confession to make. They had worked out in the yard on Friday and had piled all the dead tree limbs in the back field - temptation got to them and they built a bon fire and roasted hot dogs about 10:30 p.m. I had gone to bed but Daddy was working in the apartment and he didn't look outside so he just thought they had all gone to bed on the time like they were supposed to. They said the police came by and shined their spotlight on them - I thing that's why they finally told Daddy about it because they were afraid the police might report them. They are such good kids and they don't break any rules - the weather has just been gorgeous and they couldn't resist. They said they felt so bad they couldn't even eat their hot dogs!!!

The trip back from Great Falls today was so pretty - the fields are all green and it was so warm. It is really fun to see all the animals - Daddy took a plastic bag so he could put a pheasant in it that had been killed by the side of the road but he didn't find one. We have seen a lot of them but haven't been prepared to bring them home. He and Johnny are trying to train Susie to retrieve things like that - she is going to be a good dog!!!

I'll finish this tomorrow - it's late and I can't think of any more news!!!

Monday morning - I just watched Pres. Swearer of Brown University on the Today show. It was really interesting - he and the Pres. of University of Washington were being interviewed and they kept interrupting the program to bring news of the bombing of the U. S. Embassy in Lebanon that had just happened early this morning so I couldn't follow the conversation too well but it was kinda' too bad because in the last couple seconds of the interview the Washington Pres. disagreed with something Pres. Swearer had said and there wasn't time for any rebuttal!! It had something to do with the programs being planned for the future in the universities and Pres. Swearer said the emphasis would be on technology and the other Pres. said that was just "gimmickry". Pres. Swearer just smiled and the program ended. I was especially interested of course because of you Roy but also because we had met Pres. Swearer at your graduation and we were impressed with him and then I had to realize that we will miss this great graduation of yours in June and Bobs in May - one of the sacrifices of this calling!!!

We are having another beautiful day - all the Elders are out washing their cars - they were up at 6 a.m. vacuuming their rooms - they're really fine young men!!!

I called Dorothy in the middle of the day on the 14th (you know, I never call long distance in the middle of the day!) She had written and told me she was having a neighborhood party for Anna Nicholson and I thought it would be a tea from 2 - 4. I was disappointed because the party wasn't until 7 that night so I missed talking to some of the neighbors - Daddy and I had to go to a meeting and I couldn't call back. Dorothy is doing fine and said it was really cold that day in Little Rock - she said Roy and Maxine were up for the party and Roy was out mowing the lawns. I really miss our old neighborhood but it just wasn't the same after Janie and Ralph died and the Bridges moved away. It's wonderful to have such fond memories of our fun neighborhood parties. We are so happy that David and Anna are finally going to get married - surely hope you will go to the wedding Bob and Claire.

That really is all the news - we love each one of you so very much. We surely hope you're happy and doing things that will make for eternal happiness - we're so proud of you and hope you'll let us know how we can help you. PLEASE BE CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO!!!!
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