May 1, 1983 Billings, Montana

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

It's Sunday afternoon - Happy May Day - and we just come from Dunmore (the Crow Agency) where we went for their Sacrament Meeting and also farewell party for our couple who have been serving there for the past year, Bro.& Sister Checketts. The Laminates had made them a quilt with the Crow Emblem in the center and then they had a pot luck dinner where the main dish was barbecued buffalo. We went to the fourth ward meeting with Johnny first this morning and then went to Dunmore - we were hoping we could talk him into going out there with us but we couldn't. It's a beautiful day here and he is probably up on the "Rims" where most of the young people go on the weekends - they call it the Billings Beach even though there is no water, but the kids lay out in the sun for a suntan!!!

Roy - it was fun talking to you yesterday morning - I'll bet after you got back to sleep you couldn't even remember our telephone conversation. We hadn't heard from you for so long and it gives me a funny feeling not knowing how or what you're doing. (I called him about noon Rhode Island time and waked him up - he had been at the hospital all night). We're happy you are all through school and it's great that you can make some extra money working in the hospitals. We're also happy you have found a place to live in Boston (he has rented the first floor of a home there). We know you'll be happy to get settled. I am surprised you are having warm weather there - the weather news all sounds so rainy and cold - you will have a beautiful Summer with all the moisture.
We haven't heard from the rest of you but we know you're plenty busy!!! We love these pictures I'm sending to Ann & Ron - a beautiful family taken in Daddy's office here and then with the Elders while you were with us. Jeannie - this is the picture of your friend Linda Morrison in Lovell - they are the sweetest people. Bob & Claire - Johnny is coming to Little Rock about the 15th of June - he and his friend Jason are going to drive and they'll leave here the 13th and plan to take their time getting there. They will bring sleeping bags so they can just sleep in a corner of one of your rooms - Johnny didn't want to go to Youth Conference there. Johnny wants to do so many things there - float the Buffalo River, go fishing on the river (Arkansas) and get one of his friends to take him water skiing - he says you probably won't see much of him. I think he has forgotten how hot it will be and he will have to find out for himself that his friends there all have plans and jobs but he will have a good time I'm sure - he won't be able to stay very long and we hope he won't be in you're a while you're getting ready to move maybe he'll be able to help you!!!

Daddy and I are happy this past week is over. I made cookies all day on Tuesday- I always make the same kind, oatmeal & coconut and peanut butter - if the crumbs get on the floor and furniture they're easy to vacuum up - I ended up with about 40 dozen and they didn't eat them all so we have some left for one of our zone conference this week. Wednesday our 21 missionaries came in and you wouldn't believe all the things that had to be done - the Elders in the home were so well organized and it worked just like clock work. We set the table for 34 and served Ann's Mexican Delight and sundaes for dessert. Thursday was transfer day and that's the day we have a lot of missionaries coming through the home enroute to their new assignments so we have the cookies in the foyer for them to eat to keep them out of the kitchen. This time we had a lot of the new missionaries stay in the home until late in the afternoon. So they put the cookies that had been given to them as they left the MTC out on the table too and we really had a big assortment along with candy, etc. One of the new Elders had his birthday that day and he didn't tell anyone except Elder Madsen and he made him prompt he wouldn't cell -he left in the morning to go to Wyoming and a little bit later a big birthday cake was delivered to the Mission Home - has mother had ordered it from one of the baker here. we all felt so bad so we took picture of it to give to him and then ate it!!!
Thursday afternoon Daddy I and six of the House Elders left in the van to go to Bozeman for the special missionary meeting with Elder Dunn (Bro. Benson couldn't make it). We left here about 3:30 and got there for the meeting at 7:00 p.m. and then after the meeting we drove back to billings and got here about midnight. The meeting was very worthwhile but when we had to get up at 5:30 on Friday morning to go to the airport with our departing.
Missionary I wasn't sure I was going to make it. Daddy decided to skip the regional meeting that was held on Saturday.
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