March 25, 1984 Billings, Montana

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

We are having an absolutely gorgeous day - the sun is so bright and beautiful and there isn't a cloud in the sky and it's really quite warm outside. This is conference day for the East Billings Stake and Daddy and I both spoke this morning - I say I speak when actually I give a two and a half minute testimony - Daddy always does such a good job. Tyler Woolley is the Regional Representative and authority for the conference - he has had that calling for at least five years and he thinks he is going to be released soon and given another calling - I wouldn't be surprised if he were called into Salt Lake to be in the First Quorum of Seventies but Daddy doesn't think he will be.

Roy - we were so thrilled to receive your wonderful letter and those gorgeous pictures. (Roy sent us some pictures of his trip to the Virgin Islands). Daddy will try to copy them and if they turn out I'll include them in this letter - I wish they would copy so you could see the scenery but I don't think they will. The beach looks so inviting and it's hard to believe anyplace could look like that at this time of the year. Roy - you look healthier than we have ever seen you - we were so happy to be able to show them to the house Elders and we appreciate them so very much. Your rented home looks great - it looks mighty big!!!! The houses in New England have a distinction about them that sets them apart. Patrice - we love your hair long and you look so good too. (Roy said he has one more month to work in the intensive care unit and two months of surgery left and then he moves to be Brigham-Women's Hospital but he won't have to move from his house.)

Ricky and Barbara Jean - we loved talking o you last night!!! I heard Johnny's phone ring and ran to answer it and I heard Ricky's voice but couldn't understand him and I was just about to hang up because John has girls calling him all the time and when we answer it instead of Johnny they just hang up. What a thrill to hear Ricky say, "Hello, Grandma B" - he really visited with us and sounds so grown up and little Barji told us about modeling in a fashion show wearing some pajamas her Mother had made for her and Mary Ann (Barji has a low voice and sounds so calm). We really loved talking to them and to you too Jeannie. If Daddy ever leaves the Mission I'll look first on a river bank with him and Ricky fishing - he can hardly wait to do that. Jeannie told us that their home in Layton (where Rick's Mom is living) has been flooded and we feel so bad about that - they have had to take up the carpet and I guess the water is just coming up through the foundation because the man who owns the property behind them had irrigated his fields. We hope you will be able to get that problem solved soon. Rick's Mom surely shouldn't have to cope with that problem along with her cancer.

Claire - we loved your wonderful letter and it is so much fun to hear about Michael and his friend something all over Laura's wall. That is an age old problem and I guess those big white areas are just too much of a temptation for little ones with crayons, pencils, etc.! Claire told about Bob spending all day last Saturday making a "parrot head" out of children wire so she could blue paper on it and then they made four foot wings - this is for their road show. Are you working in the MIA or are you just willing workers???? That sounds like something he could have learned in South America!!!! We don't blame you for being in the "car market" - with two cars both having over 100,000 miles on them I would say it's about time. The Mission is selling their used cars now and I think they would be good buys - they don't have any trouble selling them either - the car czar (Elder Phillips) really gets them in too month condition. Laura really sounds like a darling and a good baby. Claire how is your brother Steve???

Annie - if we hear from you every month that will be just fine - we can just imagine how busy you are and just wish we could help you with afternoon out or something. We hope you are still planning your trip to Billings this Spring or Summer - I would love to keep the children while you and Ron go on to Glacier Park - that's a place you should see but it really isn't very much fun for the children. I will do that for any of you who come - okay!!!

Daddy has had the worst cold I have ever known him to have - really, I think it has been an upper respiratory infection and he just won't give in and go to the Doctor to get something to help him. He has the reddest and sorest nose you can imagine. We were supposed to go to Butte last week so he could interview some "disobedient Elders" and I finally just put my foot down and said we wouldn't go - I think it is dumb to spend two days driving when he doesn't feel good to help some elders who at this moment don't deserve it. He finally called them and talked to them over the phone. I have the feeling we are spending too much of our time with the problems instead of building on the positive things - you would be surprised at some of the dumb things some of the missionaries do - three-fourths of the missionaries are just great and are working so diligently it puts us to shame but the other fourth create havoc for the entire mission. We have had an Elder from Provo for about four months now who every day practically calls Daddy and says he wants to go home and Daddy has done everything imaginable - he has given him the best companion and has encouraged him in so many ways and we have made special trips to visit with him. Well - he called last week and said he had definitely made up his mind to go home and Daddy said, "Okay, I'll call your Stake President and tell him you're coming." So far he hasn't left but we think he will probably go tomorrow. We also have a lot of missionaries who go to the doctor for every little thing - one has been in the hospital now for five days because he had a stomach ache and they finally let him go home and told him there wasn't anything wrong.

Brenda will leave a week from today - this has been a long difficult time. She really feels okay about it - I heard her tell someone the other day that she was "up for grabs" because she can't get in her own home until December and that makes me feel bad. She has really worried about her "Aunt See" in Memphis and "MaMu" in Jackson, Mississippi so I'm sure she will go stay with them for awhile and help them. Her daughter Linda is flying out next Saturday to drive back with her and it is costing her $300 for a one way plane ticket - I suggested that she come by bus but she wouldn't even consider it. The church will pay Brenda's way back home and I guess that is paying for the plane ticket - they will also ship all her things back to Arkansas and she has a million boxes and hasn't even opened at least half of them all the time she has been here. She brought everything - Bob and Claire took care of getting them picked up in Little Rock so they know. I have been half sure of some of the decisions we have made in our lives but this decision I am completely sure it is the right thing to do. I wanted to have a little open house for her but she didn't want me to so I guess I won't. There are two families here in Billings who have wanted to come to the Mission Home for dinner ever since we have been here so they are coming this Tuesday and I feel like I am kinda' taking advantage of her to do that but I just don't plan to have a lot of people over after she leaves except for definite missionary work.

Johnny received his form for Desert Towers dormitory housing - it gives me a sick feeling when I think of him leaving and yet it is the best thing for him and he's excited. He went skiing in Red Lodge yesterday and had a good time - when he got ready to leave he couldn't find his ski poles - they have just disappeared. We think he left them in his friend's truck the last time he went but he says he brought them home. He is really scatterbrained about things like that - he is forever losing clothes, etc. His graduation is a day before his birthday in June and then he starts at the "Y" on June 25th. He is talking about engineering now!!!

Last Wednesday we had the Custer District Council come into the Mission Home for a testimonial to honor two Lamanite couples who were going to the temple to take out their endowments - that is really quite an occasion and we are so thrilled for them. One of the couples just had twins and they keep them in Indian Cradle Boards - the other couple has two little girls. I made the refreshments and I really goofed on some sandwiches - I found a recipe for some baked cheese sandwiches and they sounded so good but they were terrible and it really humbled me. We had a lot of other things too so we didn't need them and now I wish I hadn't even put them on the table. Just before the people came to doorbell rang and there stood two of our former missionary couples from Utah - the Turners from Bluffdale and the Andersens from Moroni. They were on their way to Poplar, Montana to attend the funeral of the daughter of one of the couples they had baptized while on their mission - we talked them into spending the night with us and they left the next morning. This little girl had been killed when her parent stopped to help someone at the side of a road and a big trailer truck skidded on the ice and hit them - another woman was also killed. Some other people from Billings went to the funeral and they said they had a big table full of things to "give away" to people who had come - the Indians are very "giving" people and one of their best gifts is the "star quilt" - all hand done.

Bro. Mears (the church building inspector) came to inspect the Mission home last Tuesday and we have to put a new roof over the garage and completely resurface all the driveway.

Daddy and I went to the Relief Society Birthday party last Friday and it was so well done they served over one hundred people and they had pepper steak - really good. We love you all so very much - PLEASE BE CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO - Let us know how we can help you!!!!
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