February 24, 1985 Billings, Montana

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

We just came home from the reservations - we left this morning at 7:30 and it's now about 4:30!!! We drove 150 miles to Ashland, Montana for their meeting at 10 a.m. - their Branch President is Joe Bear and he was there with his wife and two daughters and then there was one other young woman and that was it besides Daddy & I and two district councilmen. They have a converted trailer for a chapel - I played the piano, the district councilmen took care of the sacrament and then Daddy & I spoke and the meeting was over - it lasted about 45 minutes. Then we went to Lame Deer - there were about 7 there besides the ones taking care of the meeting. We have to keep telling ourselves that sometime these people are going to blossom as a rose - and there are a few who are doing that now - but very few. The church has a trailer at each of these places to house the missionary couples who come to serve - BUT right now we don't have any couples to put in them so they're vacant and that is so dangerous on the reservations because of the vandalism. We had thought maybe we would see if we could have the Ashland trailer moved to Lame Deer and then sell the trailer at Lame deer because it is really in bad condition. Daddy still hasn't decided what he will propose but we inspected them both today and they are SO dirty - we talked on the way home how we might go out to Lame Deer and take our cleaning supplies plus some paint and try to improve that one to the point where it is more livable. We're kinda' surprised the couple who just moved out didn't make any improvements on it at all. The church has just about finished the remodeling work on the Lame Deer church and they have spent $200,000 so they should be willing to spend about $1,000 fixing up the missionary trailer. The missionary couple that was in Ashland about a year ago reactivated Joe Bear and his family and now they are the leaders in the Branch there so the couples really do a wonderful job.

Claire - you really brought Spring into our lives - it's hard for us to even think about planting anything yet! (Claire has planted 60 marigold plants inside and will put them out in a couple months). Daddy was impressed that you had put lime on your yard because of the results of a soil sample you had sent in - he is used to his wife not even knowing what lime is!!! I'll bet you will have a beautiful yard. We're proud of you for what you're learning in your accounting class too - you never can tell when knowing the foreign accounting problems will come in handy. It sounds like little Laura is really coming "into her own" - we would so love to see her and Michael.

We talked to both Annie & Jeannie this week. Ron had to go out of town for two weeks so he asked his Mom to stay and help Ann with the family. Ann says Beverly "is absolutely wonderful" and we know she is - it's really great that she could be there because Ann can't lift anything for awhile and little Lee Anna isn't walking yet. Ann said that when she first came home from the hospital Lee Anna wouldn't have anything to do with her - she just kept "scooting" to Beverly. There is never a time when you appreciate help as much as when you are confined to bed and you have little children who need to be cared for. We are disappointed because Rick has to come to Billings tomorrow for a business meeting and he was going to bring Ricky with him and stay for a day or two - wouldn't you know it - we have to go to Missoula tomorrow and won't be home until late Thursday night. Rick will still come but we will miss him and he won't bring Ricky. Jeannie says she is feeling "pretty good" - she said Rick has wall papered their bathroom and it has really lifted her spirits.

Roy - we hope you're doing good and we know you are!!! Johnny - we tried to call you twice lately - once one of your roommates answered and said you were fine and the other time no one answered - we know you're doing good too!!! Ann said she had talked to you and you had really had a wonderful time in St. George - that's great!!!

We are busy with our zone conferences. We had the first one in Billings last Tuesday - we had the missionary couples come in and had them come to the Mission Home after the conference for soup and sandwiches - I made that cheese soup and then we had ham and the trimmings so they could make their own sandwiches and then we had cake for dessert. This was the first time I served it upstairs in the apartment - usually we fix it downstairs and then have all the house Elders join us but so often there are other missionaries who come to the home for supplies after zone conference and I end up serving the multitude. This worked out great - there were 8 of us and we could all sit at our table and then when they left we invited the house Elders to come upstairs and eat. The one couple has just finished their mission and left on Thursday to go back to Santa Clara, Utah (right by St. George) - he is diabetic and when they first came out he was sick a lot and we didn't think they would be able to stay but as it turned out they have been very successful and he is in much better health!

Wednesday we went to Glendive, Montana for the Lewis & Clark Zone Conference. We have had some very poor missionaries there in the past but right now Daddy has some of the very best ones there and you just wouldn't believe the difference - they have just baptized a family of five and have quite a few more baptisms lined up and the conference was the best one we have ever had there - it just emphasizes what we have known all along - THE MISSIONARY MAKES THE DIFFERENCE!!!

Friday we went to Casper, Wyoming for the conference there. We left about 6:30 in the morning and there was nothing on the weather news to indicate bad weather but about fifty miles out of Billings we really ran into a storm - icy roads and snow - and it lasted until we almost got to Casper. We had planned to come back that night but because of this we decided to spend the night there - we got back to Billings about noon yesterday. We have two beautiful lady missionaries serving in Casper and I really had to get on to them for flirting with the Elders - they dress like fashion plates and I sometimes wonder if they ever have their minds on missionary work. They had ruined their car by having it towed while it was still in gear (or something like that) so they have been without a car for a little over a month - SO one of their fathers rented them a car - this is strictly against mission policy!!!!

It seems like everywhere we go people remind us that we only have a few more months to go - we couldn't forget it if we wanted to. Last night our Bishop called and told us they were planning our farewell party for June 28th - we would so much like to just leave!!!

I had a letter from Chris Jordin with some news from Little Rock. They had just had Stake Conference and Ann Cobb was released as the Stake Relief Society Pres. - Barbara Brown will replace her - it seems like Ann has been in that position for forever. Dick Cobb has been called to serve on the High Council. Sally Mart is the new Stake Young Women's President. Peggy Miller is teaching the Gospel Doctrine Class. Jane & Dykes Reeber have become inactive. Kim Aday's little baby is receiving special therapy at the Easter Seal Center. The Benton Ward is now meeting in the Little Rock building so there are three wards meeting there - that is too many - 2nd Ward at 8 a.m., 1st Ward at 11:30 a.m. and Benton at 3:00 p.m.

The Elders in the home are doing such a good job. One night last week we came in quite late and they were baking chocolate chip cookies - they really clean up the kitchen good and everything is going so smoothly - they have such a happy, willing attitude about everything!!!

On Valentine's Day one of the Ward's MIA class brought some delicious brownies to the Mission Home. They were so good I announced I would not leave Billings without the recipe - SO the Elders got it for me. Since I am out of the news anyway I will use the rest of the space for the recipe.

We love each one of you so very much - PLEASE BE CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO - Let us know how we can help you!!!

MASTER MIX - Makes 17 cups (store in canister)
6 cups flour - 4 teaspoons baking powder - 4 teaspoons salt - 8 cups sugar
1 8 oz. can cocoa - 2 cups shortening Mix dry ingredients and cut in shortening.

FOR ONE BATCH OF BROWNIES - 8" square pan - 3500 for 30-35 minutes -
2 1/2 cups of the above mix - 2 eggs (beaten) - 1 teaspoons vanilla - 1/2 cup nuts.

FROSTING -
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate - 1cup butter - 2eggs - 1 T. vanilla - 1lb.pwd.sugar.
Melt chocolate & butter over low heat - add the rest of the ingredients.

JUST WHAT WE ALL NEED * SOME FATTENING BROWNIES BUT THEY ARE WONDERFUL!!!!
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