July 8, 1984 Billings, Montana

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

We have touched base with all of you this week except you Roy - we know you have been busy changing hospitals and we hope things are working out the way you want them to.

Claire - we loved your sweet letter and those beautiful pictures - Michael & Laura are growing much too fast. The one with Bob jumping from the rocks into the water look scary - it looked like he was heading straight for another big rock. Pictures like that remind us of our fun family boating trips in Little Rock. We're so happy you are the kind of family that will take outings like that - those things are so important for your little children and if you wait until they are easy to take they won't enjoy it as much as if they're in on it form the beginning. Are the lakes in Tennessee as nice as the ones in Arkansas? We're also happy that Caroly could come visit with you for a little while (Carolyn is Claire's sister) and bring her little eight months old daughter - nothing is more fun than for sisters to get together and compare notes on rearing children - Ha! Michael's birthday sounded fun - I'm glad we didn't have to go with him to the circus because I'll bet it was really hot but I'm sure he loved it. I'll bet you will really enjoy your membership in the YMCA and it will be great for the children to learn to swim. We will really love to have you come see us - tell us which month you will be able to come and then we'll tell you our schedule and if we know far enough in advance we will be able to adjust our schedule to fit yours unless it's the Mission President's Seminar or an unexpected visit from the General Authorities. We have learned that Elders Dunn will still be over our Mission but he has two counselors and one of them is the Indian, George P. Lee (I can't remember the other one) and they may visit more often!!!!

Annie - thank you so much for sending the clipping about Dee Glen Smith - we were really surprised that he had died so soon - the last we had heard they had given him two months. I wonder what Ida will do - one thing she won't have to worry about is money and that will help. I would have loved to be able to go to the funeral because I'm sure most of our High School crowd would have been there - that is two from our class to be buried within the last two years we hope you have had a wonderful time at the Woolley reunion this weekend and that you will have a fun time at the Mellor reunion next weekend - you will be "reunioned" out!!!

Johnny - we loved talking to you last night and we're happy you have a phone in your room. It is a funny feeling to not be able to get in touch with you. We're glad you have changed roommates and things are working out so well for you. There was another young man close by Johnny's room who had a Spanish speaking roommates who was not a member of the church so this young man and Johnny go together and they are now living together - he is from Tremonton and his name is Grant Hardester (I think that's right). You sound really happy and enjoying all the activities there and that's the way it should be. We couldn't believe 400,000 people in one park to watch the fireworks - we think you have your figures wrong. (Johnny said they had this many people all congregated and then the fireworks only lasted about ten minutes). We're going to see about shipping your speakers tomorrow (Rick & Jean took his stereo to Utah but he had said he didn't want his speakers so they didn't take them and now he wants them - they had room for them in their back seat and they're going to be hard to ship). Your gym class sounds like a "piece of cake" - we hope you will take advantage of the facilities there and keep in as good a condition as you were when you got there. (They don't take attendance in his gym class and it's a body conditioning class where he is judged on his improvement - I think I have that right.

Rick & Jean are in Hawaii and we know they are having a fabulous time - we're so thrilled they could go. They got here Monday night and then Rick & Jean left early Tuesday morning to go back to Utah and they left for Hawaii on Thursday morning. We are really enjoying the children but last week was the busiest week I have ever had and this next week will be more fun.

Tuesday we made cookies most of the day and the children became acquainted with the house, the Elders, etc! Wednesday, Daddy and I started early to get food ready for the new missionaries who were coming in - we kinda' took turns tending children and cooking. Daddy's counselors in the Mission Presidency and his wife came over about noon and brought some cookies which was really thoughtful of them they stayed with Mary Ann while Daddy and I took Ricky & Barji to the airport to greet the seven new missionaries - we received four sisters and three Elders. I was sure the sisters would be a lot of help but all they wanted to do was to play the piano. We let them all make their own sandwiches and fix their plates and then go outside and eat on the lawn - we used paper plates and cups so it was a lot easier. I wasn't able to stay in for the orientation - it's a long time for little ones to sit and be quiet so we stayed upstairs until about 4:30 and then we went down to the kitchen to get things ready for the dinner at 5:00. We had barbecue hamburgers and they were really delicious - Daddy fried 40 hamburgers and then I had made a barbecue sauce and they baked in that for a couple hours. I made that really good potato, chicken soup & sour cream casserole only I sued frozen hash bro potatoes and it was much easier. Then we had a congealed fruit salad, corn and green salad and ice cream cones for dessert. We did the same thing for dinner that we did for lunch and they all ate out on the lawn. Everything was done and all cleaned up by 6:30 and they all went out proselyting. I worked in the kitchen for a little while making dessert for the next night.

Thursday morning Daddy and I got up rally early so we could get a head start on things and we were all dressed and ready for the day by 7 o'clock when someone came to the apartment and said, "The kitchen is all flooded" - Daddy & I both wanted to run the other way. We have had some problems with water coming up from the drain In the laundry room that is right next to the kitchen ever since we got here. about a month ago we had a plumber come out and he cleaned it out (supposedly) but with twenty kids showering we found he hadn't cleaned it good enough. You just wouldn't believe the mess we had - yucky, dirty water all over the kitchen floor and in the laundry room and into the carpet going down the hall to the cook's quarters (Johnny's room). Daddy hurried and called the plumber and he said he would be right over - it was about 7:30 then and he finally got here about 9. All the carpet in the kitchen was soaking wet so they got the wet vacuum they use in cleaning the cars and got some of that up and then I cover the carpet with old sheets. The plumber worked for about two hours and couldn't get it cleared so he finally called someone else and the two of them worked with a big machine down in the "dungeon" and finally got it cleared about 1 o'clock in the afternoon. I was just fit to be tied - with all the laundry from all those beds to do plus getting dinner ready for the eight missionaries who had come in to be released from their missions and to spend the night. In desperation I called the Relief Society President and asked for some names of some girls who could come in and take care of the children. She sent two girls - one in fourth grade and the other in the fifth. All they wanted to do was carry little Mary Ann - they did help but Ricky & Barji were most unhappy with them and so we decided to not try that again. They stayed until about 7 that night. I had fixed enchiladas for dinner and we set places for twenty-four and served it formally - I had made that pretzel dessert with the strawberry Jell-O and frozen straw berries - it didn't turn out as good as I had hoped and I won't make it again. After dinner I came up to the apartment with the children while Daddy met with the missionaries leaving.

I decided there was no way I would be able to get the laundry all done and the house clean before Sunday so I called the R. S. President again and asked her to get someone to come in to help the next day, Friday. She sent a young girl (Dana Moss, Johnny) and she really did a good job - she scrubbed the kitchen and laundry room floors and did all the laundry. I wasn't here to supervise but she did everything I had asked her to do.

Daddy and I and all the children left early Friday morning to drive to Glendive - that's about 225 miles from here. We had a zone conference there - the children and I spent most of our time out on the lawn but at least I was there to give a little talk and visit with the missionaries and the one couple we have there. After the meetings we took the children to a little public park and they loved that and then we came home - they were really good for having to sit in a car for almost five hundred miles.

Saturday was the zone conference here in Billings. Daddy had to be there early and stay all day but I didn't go until it was over because Mary Ann didn't wake up until almost noon - but at least I was able to visit with all of them for a little while. We think it's important for them to know that our family is important to us and most of them understand.

There are so many funny things that happen here. Friday morning as I walked out of the bedroom where I sleep with Ricky & Barji I ran into a girl who left the mission a month ago - she decided to come back and be with this group that was leaving so she flew from Washington here and got here about 1 o'clock in the morning and has the Elders get her and take her here - we couldn't believe it. I'm out of space - Daddy took us all fishing yesterday afternoon after the zone conference and Ricky caught five trout so we had them for dinner last night. We are having fun but it's really been hectic with the plumbing problems. We love each one of you so very much - PLEASE BE CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO - let us know how we can help you -

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