July 15,1984 Billings, Montana

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

We just came home from Livingston and the apartment is so clean and QUIET - Jeannie, you didn't need to houseclean before you left! We left early this morning because we had to be in Livingston by 10:00 and Rick & Jeannie and their family didn't leave until after we did to go back to Utah. Rick & Jeannie got back from Hawaii on Thursday night and came Billings on hear about everything - they brought their children Hawaiian outfits and we took some pictures and if they turn out well duplicate them and send some to you. They also brought fresh pineapple that was unbelievably delicious and then they picked ALL the cherries from their lot and brought then to us we have really had a treat (also chocolate covered macadamia nuts and that I was enjoying so much until Jeannie told me they were really high in calories!) the children were so thrilled to see them and we know they will be happy to be back in their own home with their little friends - we REALLY loved having them with us and we feel like we got to know them better than ever before - without their parents here they had to depend more on us. That little Mary Ann left here with a new name - we nicknamed her DYNAMITE and as Jeanie said," My word, she even answers to that name". She is really a little go-getter and goes a million miles an hour and hates to be restricted in any way. Ricky is much a sweet, sensitive little boy and so smart and really loves to play baseball and he's good. Barji is so feminine, just like her mother, and we got along great except when I had to comb her hair - it's long and styled so cute but it hurts her to have it brushed - Jeannie braided it while she was here and that was easier.

Johnny - we loved your long and wonderful letter - we're thrilled to hear that you are really loving school and doing well (he had an English paper read in class that the teacher thought was so good and that has always been his weakest subject - he says the teacher grades the papers with a check if they're approved but with his she put a check, a plus & a star!) We hope you will continue to do this well - the Book of Mormon class sounds interesting too! I worry about you getting skinny - swimming everyday and doing all that exercising will be so now - Daddy sent them UPS and Tuesday. Your stereo shelf sounds neat (he bought some boards and some rope and went over to Ann & Ron's and used their drill and stained them and says they work really good hanging in his room.) Elder Madsen called from California the other night and I believe I have this right - your roommate's brother was there for a party welcoming the Mission President home from Kentucky (they are friends of the Madsens) and he asked Elder Madsens if he knew you. Its really a small "church world". We surely do miss you still. The youth groups from stake here are going to Utah, leaving tomorrow, and will go do baptisms for the dead in the Jordan River Temple - I asked if Brent or Kyle were going and they're not - mostly the younger kids.

We just stopped talking to Ann and she told us all about the Mellor Reunion - it must have been really nice. They had it in the Manti public library and showed slides of the family in earlier years and read special tributes about Grandpa Mellor and I guess some of the girls had written skits, etc. that were presented. Ann & Ron and their family went down early of Friday and attended all the meetings and then Johnny drove down by himself (he had classes until 2) and they went to the church together and had the big turkey barbecue dinner and then they went to the pageant. They put up tents on the lawn of the Willaradsens backyard and slept out and went to Fayette the next morning for the breakfast but somehow they missed it ( I believed that is held really early). They got home about 2 Saturday afternoon but she said Johnny stayed in Manti to do some "jet skiing" with Jimmy. It's hard for me to believe how the four little Woolley children could sleep all night in the tent but we think it's GREAT! We wanted them to take our trailer but I guess they decided it would take too long to get it so it would be comfortable (the snow stayed on it that on Winter and the inside boards need to be worked on). They Woolleys' playhouse is all finished and it sounds just darling - Ann says that Ron calls it their "Summer home". I talked to Ann earlier in the week and she said the girls had played in it all day one day until it started to thunder and lightening and then they headed for their real home. We're looking forward to your visit sometimes between August 12th thru the 24th!!

Claire - you are so sweet to write so often and we really do appreciate it. Little Michael's birthday sounded fun and we think you're wise to just invite one friend over at his age. Bob - we hope you won't wear yourself out with too much "moonlighting" (Claire said he is a little worried that he has signed up for too many hours.) We know that must be a real temptation but you MUST take care of yourself first! When you moonlight like this do you have to take care of a lot of emergencies? That would be great experience but also really scary!!!! We are so glad that Michael is learning how to swim - we think that is a MUST - but it is also really time consuming. Claire - where does your sister live now? The fact that she left her older son with her mother-in-law indicates they must still be in Utah but I thought Blair had finished school. And - is Steve still in California? Will your folks stay in Houston when your father retires? I'm sure they are really busy with him being Stake President. We will really look forward to your visit in November - Daddy doesn't have our schedule worked out that far in advance so why don't you try to find out what weeks would be best for you and then we'll try to work around those - we will receive new missionaries in on the 7th and then have the ones who are going home come in on the 8th but that's the only thing definite. We will really have a big transfer the first of October - we will have 17 going home so that will mean almost 30 to prepare meals for and have stay in the home stay in the home - ugh!!!

Roy - it has been a long time since we have heard from you!!!!!!!

Tomorrow is Ricky's birthday - he'll be five years old. He is really excited about going to school in about a month - he'll be in kindergarten. We got a little clock puzzle and we couldn't believe how he can tell time - it seems like it took you kids longer than that! Daddy took him fishing three times while they were here and they caught a lot of fish - he wanted to take them home for his Mommy & Daddy so your Daddy wrapped them in foil and wrote on it, "Ricky caught these fish". There is a rancher who is a member of the church and he stocks his ponds with fish just so friends can come fish in them - it's a beautiful place close to Red Lodge.

Dorothy & Dan & Carol will be here probably on Tuesday or Wednesday of this next week. We're really looking forward to visiting with them and getting caught up on all the news in Little Rock. They will make this their headquarters and then go to Yellowstone and Daddy is going to direct them over the Bear Tooth Pass - that is a beautiful drive and one they will never forget. We are hoping they will ask a lot of questions about the church while they're here - we lived as neighbors to them for twenty years and tried to tell them about it but they weren't very interested. They have changed churches three times in the last few years and all their children go to a different church - that seems so different to us!

Jeannie & I had a "scary" experience yesterday. We went to the grocery store with all the children (No - I just remembered that Mary Ann was home asleep). We have those power locks on the car doors and when I got out I automatically locked all the doors. After shopping I couldn't find my keys and found out I had left them in the car. We called Daddy and he and Rick came right down (with Mary Ann) - there wasn't another key for the car so Rick really worked with a hanger to try to open on the doors. They spent about an hour working on it and then decided they couldn't do it so we all came home. Later some of the missionaries (Elder Dayton, Johnny) got it opened with a "slim jim,". It wasn't scary at the time but when I got thinking about it I could have so easily locked one of the children in the car and it was so hot we would have had to break open a window really quick.

The reason we only have one key for the car is because this is the car we just received from Salt Lake. Would you believe the Vehicle Coordinator for the whole church drove this car up for us and exchanged it for our other car because this one has the adjustable seals and the other one didn't. It makes all the difference in the world for us because we spend so much time in the car and we couldn't even tilt the seats back to rest or make them more comfortable to seat in. we feel kinda' silly making such a big deal about it - really we didn't say anything to anyone except the "car -czar" here in the home and then he told the man in Salt Lake about it! they will do anything to help Mission Presidents and we really do appreciate it!

That's all the news! We love you all so very much and really do miss you. PLEASE BE CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO and let us know we can help you.
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