Sunday - December 11, 1983 Billings, Montana

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

It's 9 p.m. and we just came home after leaving Friday morning to go to Casper. We went to Missoula last Saturday morning after Johnny's basketball game - actually we only got to see them play two quarters and they were ahead when we left and they won but only by one point. We had a good district meeting in Missoula Saturday evening - on Sunday we went to Stevensville for their Stake Conference and then hurried to Kalispell for another district meeting that night. The missionaries had planned a big fireside in Kalispell Sunday night and we were happy we were there for it - it was just wonderful and they had at least three hundred people there - they put on a little play (musical) and it was very well done. Monday morning we drove to Cutbank and we spent quite a bit of time there and after our meetings we drove around the little city we are impressed with it and the chapel is just beautiful - so often, Cutbank, Montana is the coldest place in the nation but it was pretty day and about 280. We went from there to Great Falls and then on to Helena to spend the night. We had a meeting in Helena on Tuesday morning and to our surprise a sweet lady had prepared a delicious lunch for us. After lunch we went to Butte for a meeting and then to Bozeman. We left Bozeman about 7 p.m. to come home and got into the worst snow storm - it took us five hours to come home - the snow was coming down so fast Daddy could hardly see the road.

We were here Wednesday and Thursday and then left Friday to go to Casper. Saturday we had a meeting in Riverton at 8 p.m. and then drove to Cody for another one and then back to Worland for a meeting with the missionaries at 5 p.m. and then to a meeting for their Stake Conference at 7 p.m. We went to their conference meetings today too - Daddy spoke and did a really good job. After the meeting a Bishop came up to Daddy and said he really needed to talk to him so he went into his office - he was upset because the new patriarch they had just called has a "goatee" (sp.?) and some of the leaders in the ward growing beards. Daddy doesn't have any authority to do anything but this Bishop just wanted to get it off his chest. The assistants wrecked their car last weekend so they had another set of missionaries' car and we had to go way out of our way to go get them and we just barely got back in Billings by 6 p.m. and we were supposed to be a Christmas Testimonial at that time - we had to go in late but it was really nice.

On the way coming home tonight a car in front of us hit a little "ermine" so Daddy stopped and picked it up to bring home for Johnny. The assistants were with us and he was explaining to them what an ermine was not forgot to slow down for one of the little tiny towns we have to go through and got picked up - the policeman charged him $25. The worst thing was that the assistants were with us - he was going 53 in a 45 miles zone. Ordinarily we would have been using Johnny's "fuzz buster" but the missionaries make such a big deal out of that, that we have decided to only use that when they are no where in sight. They watch every single thing we do and we can't get by with anything!!!!

Johnny took his ACT test Saturday morning. He has a friend who lives way out in the country so he stayed here with Johnny Friday night so he wouldn't have to get up so early to come in for the test. Johnny said that about 11 o'clock Friday night he remembered that he didn't have his "admission pass" for the test so they both had to get up at 6 a.m. Saturday morning to go to his home to get it. Johnny said the math was really easy but the other part was quite hard. I'm sure he did good. Our new car won't be in until after the first of the year so he won't go to Utah for awhile - we won't let him go if the roads are this bad.

Last Tuesday when we got home after driving through the blizzard and we were worn out, we came in to find the Elder's dryer was broken so they were using our laundry room and did so all day Wednesday too. Last night when we came home we found out that Brenda had been sick since Friday - she had managed to prepare some food for the missionaries but that was all she had done. They had enchiladas and pizza while we were gone and the lace cloth is covered with that tomato sauce - it has been on there for three days so I'm sure it won't come out. We wouldn't have half these problems if we had a private home!!!! There have been so many auto accidents in the mission - it seems like every few minutes someone is calling to say they have wrecked their car - we are grateful that no one has been hurt.

It's Monday morning now and I really shouldn't start another page because I don't have more news.

I got up early this morning to start doing my laundry - I spent about an hour on the lace cloth and there is no way I can get those stains out!!!! Brenda is going to go to the doctor - it sounds like a kidney infection to me. I'll probably be doing the cooking for awhile and I will love that if she will just stay in her room - I'm not very nice and I know it!

We had a lot of snow during the night and it is so beautiful outside - Johnny likes to take our car on days like today. Our car has the front wheel drive and it makes it so much easier to drive on the slippery roads - he slid in his and I think it really scares him to drive it. It is pitch dark and very, very cold when he leaves for seminary each morning - he really likes it though. One of his friends who isn't a member of the church has started to play basketball with the church team so he has to go to church at least two times a month - he is the one who lives out in the country and he didn't have clothes to wear yesterday so Johnny loaned him some of his. He loves to come to the Mission Home. The missionaries are constantly trying to get Johnny to bring some of his friends here to take the lessons and maybe this friend will.

Annie called this morning and it is always so much fun to talk to her and hear about the children - I guess little Russell is climbing on the piano and everything else in sight - it tickles us to hear about things like that. Jeannie called while we were gone and she told Johnny that she would never put her tree up right after Thanksgiving again because the children won't leave it alone. Claire and Bob sent a beautiful picture of Michael and Laura - I think we should have waited until Christmas to open it and we'll put it under the tree - what darling children and Claire, we think Laura looks like you. Roy - I guess you're still alive!!!!!

We have started to receive Christmas cards and it's so wonderful to hear from friends. We received a beautiful "Arkansas" book last week - it is so funny - I guess the Relief Society got the book and had the members all sign it and gave it to Sandy Blankenship to mail to us and she forget about it. They are moving to Beaumont, Texas and in their packing she discovered it and sent it to us with a letter of apology. It's fun to have things like that for the coffee table in the living room so people coming in can look at them. One of our Elder's parents sent us the Arizona Highways Christmas book and that is fun to look through. We have received quite a few gifts from parents and it boosts our spirits to know they think about us.

We have an Elder Mozingo in our mission and he came up to me the other day and said his folks had written that their neighbor teaches with Dee at Box Elder High - his mother works at the Box Elder Bank in Brigham City. He is really a nice young man - he isn't a leader but he isn't a troublemaker either. We have some of those and I lose my patience with them - two got up to give a report at one of our meetings and they chomped on gum all the time so I scolded them but they never did take it out of their mouths - in fact, they chewed it all the harder.

Daddy just came up to tell me he would take me shopping so I had better get in gear - the Elders had told him we are out of cheese. You wouldn't believe all the cheese they eat - they eat it on everything!!!

We love each one of you so very much - wish we could be close enough to drop in and feel the excitement of Christmas in your homes. I haven't even started our cards yet and have so much to do I get dizzy thinking about it. PLEASE BE CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. Let us know how we can help you. We're really getting excited about the new little Woolley!!!

P.S. I forgot to tell you we have made mints for all our missionaries - we made them late one night and we were so tired we decided to make two batches at a time - THAT DOESN'T WORK!!!!



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