November 13, 1983 Billings, Montana


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

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Bob!!!! We have thought about you all day and hope you have had a really nice day - I'm sure it has been a little lonely without your family. We hope they're having fun in Houston. We have tried to call you tonight but you're not home.

We haven't heard from any of you this week but we're sure you're doing fine. I felt so silly - right after I had complained about Carol Braithwaite not writing we received a really long and newsy letter along with some magazines about the pageant and also a beautiful book on "Utah". She and Elly are living an Provo and kinda commuting between the Willardsen's "Condo" there and their home in Manti - they are working in the Provo Temple. She told all about their family and they're doing fine except that Jim and Kaylene are still mourning the loss of their little boy. Memory is expecting in March and her husband is in pre-med at the "Y". Carol and Elly went to Canada this Summer - we were surprised they didn't come to Billings.

We went to Bozeman early Tuesday morning for the Butte Zone Conference - it was fun being with the missionaries - we left here about 5:30 a.m. and got home about 9:00 p.m. so it was a long day. All the missionaries are down because we're just not getting the baptisms and none seems to know what to do - the assistance are worried and they're working their hearts out but you just can't get people to be baptized if they're not ready.

The church has a man who just works with minatory groups - Indians, Laotians, Koreans, Cambodians, etc. His name is Bro. Durrant and we had a meeting with him before we came on our mission. He has developed the "Small Branch Manual" and we ordered enough to have in each of the District Units. Anyway he come out here for some special meetings with the Laminate members and leaders - he arrived on Friday about noon and came to the Mission Home for launch along with Tom Curtis and Bob Erikson of the District and Mission Presidencies. He had a meeting with Daddy all afternoon but we couldn't go to the Reservation for their other meetings yesterday and today because we were already obligated to go to Great Falls Stake (they have two stakes there and we went there last week for the conference in the other stake). This Stake today is doing a lousy job with their missionary work - Bro. Lofgren asked me to speak and I asked him if I could "sock it to them" and he said, "Yes, and I'll back you up". So that's exactly what Daddy and I both did. I don't know if it will do any good but our missionaries up there say they don't get any help at all. According to Daddy's statistics they have had to proselyte over 700 hours in order to get one baptism - that's bad!!! We went up yesterday and had conference meetings last night and then again this morning at 8:30 and again from 10:00 'til 12:00. After the meetings we took al the missionaries in that area up to a big hill that overlooked the city and "re-dedicated" the area to missionary work.

We got home about 5:30 tonight and Johnny was watching television. He went hunting with a friend yesterday - Daddy got special permission for them to go to a church member's ranch right close to the Indian Reservation - they can hunt duck, pheasant, deer and even fish. They had fun but they didn't bring anything home - they didn't take Suzie and John said the ducks fell in to the water and they couldn't get them.

We went to John's school on Tuesday night for the athletic banquet - it was really nice and they recognized the football players and gave them their letters. They said some really nice things about Johnny and how disappointed they were that he wasn't able to play all the season. Now he wants to order a jacket to have his letter sewed on - it's a BIG orange "B". There is really a wonderful atmosphere in his school - the teachers and students are all go friendly and there doesn't seem to be the social distinction there was at Hall. Johnny got his report card and he got straight "B's" - we think that is really great because he is taking some hard courses - he said he is finally understanding calculus. We don't know when our car is going to come in - he's anxious to drive to Utah to pick it up. With the Woolleys going to Jerome for Thanksgiving and Jean working that whole weekend, I don't want him to go then.

We talked to Grandmother and Grandpa Forrest yesterday - Mother is flat on her back and Grandpas taking care of her. They do have a lady come in every day to bathe her and help.

That's all the news - we love each one of you so very much *PLEASE BE CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. Let us know how we can help you!!! I forgot to tell you - the Mutterites came in to see us and it was so neat - we took pictures and if they're good I'll send you some.
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