October 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:

It's Monday and it is really snowing outside - it's a wet snow and won't last long and it is really a pretty sight!!! We got home quite late last night from the Western part of the state and we were so tired we just called Johnny and then went to bed.

Johnny - I was so happy to hear you answer the phone when we called (we have called him several times and he hasn't been home). You should happy and contented with things at school and that is good - we're glad BYU won their homecoming game - I'll bet that was exciting! One of Johnny's friends in his dorm is from Billings and this friend's mother called me on Thursday and said they were going to Provo for homecoming and she would be happy to take something to Johnny if we wanted her to -so-o-o we fixed him up a "care package". It was really fun to make the cookies and know they would get there before they got all stale - it's discouraging to bake good cookies and then have it take four or five days to get to where they are going. We passed so many cars yesterday with deer and antelope on them and we surely thought about you and the fun, fun times we have had the past two years going hunting - you thought about you and the fun, fun times we have had the past two years going hunting - you will have many years to do that again but I doubt you will ever have as much success as you had up here - there are millions of deer and antelope out in the fields throughout all of Wyoming and Montana. We also passed a stopped car on the highway last night that had hit a deer and it had really messed up the front of the car - you could see the skid marks all over the road and the dead deer but no one was in the car so evidently they had received help - we hope they weren't hurt. We worry more about the animals on the highways than we do about the snow and ice. Daddy did go duck hunting the other morning for a few hours with a counselor in the Custer District Presidency - they went out by Hardin where they have duck blinds and the works - he said it was absolutely gorgeous and they shot about eight ducks - he just brought a couple home and cooked them and we loved that!!! By the way - Daddy got his cowboy boots and they are really beautiful - he would like to wear them everyday but he just puts boots and they are really beautiful - he would like to wear them everyday but he just puts them on a "P-Day"- do you ever wear yours??? We're glad your friends from Lehi came over and looked you up - they're good kids!!! We're anxious to receive your letter (Johnny said he had just written us a long letter yesterday) - we LOVE letters!!! Brent's mother said he called her the other night about midnight and scared her to death and he just called to say "hello" - she told him to go to bed. We are both surprised that you can stay up so late in your dorms - it used to be they were more strict!!!

Jeannie - we loved your letter!!! We're proud of Rick for losing so much weight - 15 lbs. is a lot of weight to lose with his height and build. Daddy and I weigh every morning when we're home and he weights 177 lbs. and I weight 122 lbs. - I really think our scales weight low but it's a good psychological way to start the day and we don't seem to change from day to day and I guess that's good. Rick has really learned a lot about moving people across the country and we hope it's over for him - we know Ginny and her husband appreciated all you have done for them. We hope you will be able to get your rented home all fixed up now and rented again it's in an excellent location for rental property. I'll bet Barji is enjoying her dancing classes and I'll bet Ricky is enjoying everything - did Mary Ann have a party? We're anxious to see your home and all the wallpapering, etc. - I'll bet it is beautiful!

Annie - Johnny said he went over to visit with you and Jeannie one day last week and everything was find with you. I'll bet Jessie enjoys having the loft all to herself for the little while Susanna is in school - does she? We hope Russell's head had healed and little LeeAnna is doing good. We worry about your knee - it would be dumb to suggest you stay off your feet but we surely hope you are taking good care of yourself. We finally got the slide picture back of your family in front of the mission home and it's good.

We haven't heard from the Bob Mellors or Roy this week - we know you're really busy!! I'll bet the weather and the scenery in your part of the country is really pretty - especially the New England States. Do either of you have any insight into a good medical insurance co.? When Daddy turns 65 this next August his (and ours) coverage with his Olin insurance plan isn't going to be enough so we're going to get an additional one - we have been so healthy that we haven't used much insurance but we need to be well covered from now on and I guess medicare could be in trouble in years to come.

Last Monday it was a beautiful day so Daddy and I decided to wash all the windows in the Mission Home - Daddy did them on the outside and I did them on the inside. I told the house Elders that I was going to inspect their dorm, their offices and the dungeon at 6:30 on Tuesday night and I wanted everything to be clean with all their laundry done and put away. Well - they worked most of Monday and all of Tuesday and I tell you this house just sparkled by Tuesday night - I was so proud of the way they cooperated - besides doing the housework they had the yard just manicured.

Wednesday we received twelve new missionaries in and I just can't describe the thrill it is to receive missionaries of that caliber - we think they have decided e need more than one or two leaders. They came in about noon and we stuck by our guns and didn't feed them lunch or any cookies or anything and then we had the orientation meetings and some picture taking. After the meetings we had a big dinner - I had cooked three huge brisket roasts all night, made a green bean casserole, corn, fruit salad, mashed potatoes and gravy, hot rolls and a delicious chocolate ice box dessert. I had five dozen rolls that I had made on Tuesday and then warmed and we must have boiled at least ten pounds of potatoes and they ate everything. It was really fun to see them eat and they loved it - the key is in not giving them lunch!!! We set the table for twenty-three with the Elders who live in the home - the lady missionaries came over to help me serve it and they peeled the potatoes. I had made a lot of the cookie mix in the Make A Mix cookbook to have on hand and I asked the girls to make some cinnamon thins out of it so the new missionaries could have a treat after they came in from proselyting that night along with some punch I had made. Well - they misunderstood the directions and baked the cinnamon things on waxed paper and of course they wouldn't come off the paper and they didn't like them so they threw all the cookie batter away - I was upset!!!!

Thursday we received fifteen missionaries who had completed their mission - they started coming in early in the morning and I felt kinda' bad because we close the kitchen on those days and ordinarily I would have cookies for them but after the Mission President's Seminar I decided I shouldn't do that. I fin ally told them they would have to go get a hamburger if they were hungry but no one did. I spent the day doing all the laundry from the night before and making enchiladas - I decided against having the lady missionaries come in to help. We set the table that night for twenty-four and we had enchiladas with all the trimmings - sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, chopped olives, guacamole, salsa, etc. and then we had banana splits for dessert. After dinner we met with them for a testimony meeting and a slide presentation and it was about ten o'clock when that finished. Daddy and I got ready for bed but there was so much noise in the house we didn't get to sleep - finally about midnight I decided to go downstairs to check the lights and fans and discovered the air conditioner was on and the Elders were still running all over. I went to sleep for a little while and then woke up with the showers running and it was four o'clock - I guess I went back to sleep because Daddy had to come wake me up about 8:15 to tell me there were several of the Elders' families waiting downstairs to meet me. Two of our missionaries had asked special permission to have their families come pick them up - that is really against the rules but Daddy couldn't say no. One family drove up in a huge recreational vehicle and they had four other children with them and the other family drove up in a really nice new Mercedes (Elder Beese's parents, Johnny). Anyway, they visited until about ten o'clock in the morning and we had to leave at one to go to Helena and I had the laundry from fifteen beds and three bathrooms to do first I hurried and went to the beauty parlor to get my hair done while the washing machines were going and while I was gone Phyllis & Swede Larson (college friends from Utah) came to visit - Daddy told them how busy we were so they left before I got home - I felt bad but there isn't anything else he could have done.

We went to Helena to attend a testimonial dinner in honor of the former Regional Representative, Elder Lofgren. All the Stake Presidents & their wives in that part of our mission were there and it was really a lovely affair. The next morning we drove to Great Falls for a missionary zone conference - it was really a good conference. Elder Cardinet & Elder Amezcua are both there and they have served in the home so it was good to be with them.

After our meeting in Great Falls we drove to Missoula and we didn't get there until about ten o'clock that night. We had another zone conference yesterday (Sunday) in Missoula and that was really good too and then we came home. We found out after we got home that Elder Paul Dunn had come to the Mission Home last night and stayed for about thirty minutes - he had been to a Stake Conference inn Lovell that we couldn't go to and on his way to the airport had stopped here - I'm so glad everything was clean. 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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