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

The big news this week is Johnny's Mission Call - he has been called to serve in the Santiago South, Chile Mission. We know you already all know that because he told us he was going to call you. I'll have to admit I shed a few tears but we're really thrilled for him because he wanted to go to South America - I was kinda' hoping for a States Mission so I could send him cookies and other goodies. I have watched the packages come into the Mission Home for the Elders here and they are always so thrilled to get them and I know how much fun it is to send something that is really appreciated like food!!!! We tried to send Bob cookies and things when he was in Colombia and he never did get them and I'm assuming it will be the same in Chile. Chile seems so far away but it's like Daddy says, we couldn't see him if he were sent to the Northern Utah Mission. Johnny is right when he says this will really mean a lot to him because he will have the opportunity to learn Spanish and then if he's good enough at it he could receive credits for it when he returns to BYU. He is to report to the MTC in Prove on August 1st and that is just perfect - he'll be able to spend a month here in Billings with us and then a month in Lehi before he has to go. He couldn't get us for a few hours after he received his letter because we were in a zone conference so he finally called us from the hospital that evening (Friday) - he was having another epidural (sp.?) for his leg pain. He says that has really helped him Roy and we're so grateful that you got him that help. We're a little bit concerned about any problems he might have when he's in Chile - I guess we'll know by August 1st!!!. Actually he won't be going to Chile until probably the first of October because he will be learning the language. He will need about the same kind of clothes that Bob needed so I guess we'll be packing his Montana woolens - Ha! We were surprised when we received our Church News this week to learn they have a temple in Santiago - they had a picture of the new Temple President & his wife. There are 4 million people in Santiago so it must be a pretty good sized town - how exciting!!!

Claire - it was great to receive the announcement from your brother Steve - it has been a long time since we have seen him and we had forgotten what a good looking young man he is - his fiancé Sharon is really pretty too. Are you going to be able to go to the wedding? We know your folks will be happy to have the opportunity to meet her family and be with them. We hope all is well with all of you - I'll bet Michael & Laura are really enjoying your backyard and their little pool - it's been so cool here that it is hard to imagine that it is hot in Tennessee but I Know it is - hot & humid!!!

Annie - I awakened in the middle of the night the other night and remembered that I had forgotten to "copy" the pictures of your family that Ron had taken when Johnny was shot and staying with you so I could send them to Bob & Roy. The next morning when I went to get them I discovered that I had already put them in our family album (the one Jennie made of us) and I had packed it - Daddy absolutely refused to let me unpack the boxes to get it. I had sent them the extra pictures of his "wound" and then just forgot to copy the ones of the children - Oh Me!!!! Johnny told us about babysitting them the other night when you & Ron went out to dinner with a new employee of Ron's company - he loves to be with them and it's going to be hard to not be with his little nieces & nephews for two years. Our missionaries talk more about their brothers & sisters families than they do their brothers & sisters.

Jennie - we are hoping the doctor tells you the baby is ready when you go to see him tomorrow. (They are planning for Jeannie to have her baby about noon on Tuesday - May 21st). I can just imagine how hard this week has been on all of you but it's surely the best thing for the baby and we know you know that! Ricky, Barji & Mary Ann won't believe you're really going to have a baby until they her it cry. We'll be sitting right by the phone all morning Tuesday. We're so thrilled you have been able to carry it full term - I'll bet he's a big on

Roy - we loved our visit on the phone with you - and Patrice sound great!!! We were happy too to receive the wedding announcement from Dan Watson - I'm sure that will be a beautiful wedding - that's one thing about Little Rock - they really have elaborate and beautiful weddings. It was good to hear about Robert Tucker too and we're glad he has a good job - he really is a talented young man. When we watched the "Kentucky Derby" we wondered if Jack Tucker was there - he's quite a horse racing fan!

Daddy & I just came home from Worland, Wyoming where we had gone for their Stake Conference. We left here about 6 this morning and just went for their Sunday meeting instead of spending the night down there. Bishop Victor L. Brown who had just been released as the Presiding Bishop was their General Authority - he & his wife both were there and they are such special people - he has just been called as the Salt Lake Temple President. He called on Daddy & I to speak and I mentioned that we had had some "problem & challenges" while we had been on our mission and he corrected me when spoke and said they were "blessing". I was thinking of the times when I have been needed to help Annie & Jeannie when they have been in the hospital and also my mother who has needed me and it's sometimes hard to think of them as blessings. We came back by way of the "Tensleep Mountain Range" and that is just gorgeous - it took us a lot longer but it was just beautiful.

One night last week Daddy received a phone call from Glasgow telling him that the man he had just put in as District President was on his way on an emergency flight to a Billings hospital for heart surgery. Daddy hurried over to the hospital and met him there when he came in - they did a by-pass on him within an hour. We stopped by to see him tonight and he is doing so good they are going to let him go home on Wednesday - I couldn't believe it!

We have done a lot of packing this week. We have a lot of woolens since we have been here so I got some moth crystals to pack with them - I didn't follow the directions right and put a lot more in that I needed to and you can smell moth crystals for blocks around the Mission Home ( I hope I haven't ruined all our clothes). We put all our boxes down in the pantry where the house Elders have all their food and they could hardly go in there much less eat the food - I really felt bad! We have finally moved them out in the garage so it isn't quite so bad! Our apartment is looking quite bare but I feel like I should do this while I have time because June is going to be super busy! They have finished the balcony now and it looks so nice - they have also re-tarred the roof of the garage and that was kinda' messy!!!

The House Elders are looking for an apartment and they are having a hard time finding one that will be suitable. Daddy thinks it would be better for them to all live together and so they have to have three bedrooms. They wanted us to go see one with them yesterday and it's quite nice but it will cost them about $100 a month and it's about 4 miles from the Mission Home. The new Mission President wants them to come in just for office hours and to go back to their apartment for lunch so that is a lot of traveling. This will be quite an adjustment for the Mission but I'm sure it will survive - this is the way other missions are operating now. Daddy and I said the other day that we will be able to say we were in the Last Mission Home in the world that housed the office staff!

Do you all remember Elder Madsen? He called last week - he has just returned to the "Y" from a semester in Jerusalem and it was so good to talk to him. He & Elder Klem are going to come see us the last of June and "help"??? us pack up and then come to Lehi and help us unpack. It will be great to see them again - one thing about our mission, we won't have to say "goodbye" to anyone because they will come see us when they are in school at the "Y". one of our missionaries who went home over a year ago called the other night and asked Daddy if he could marry them in the Salt Lake Temple in August - he said he couldn't - they won't let you do that except for very special circumstances.

Today is either Ellen Mae Manning or my sister Lela's birthday - isn't that I can't remember? One is May 19th and the other is May 25th. Johnny - Ellen Mae's husband's nephew is Jason Firth (I think that's right) and you met him in Pleasant Grove several summers ago. Ellen Mae wrote and said he is in the MTC now and preparing to go to Portugal on his Mission. I guess he is an outstanding student - received the Pres. Kimball scholarship and is Assistant to the President in the MTC. Have you seen him since you have been in Provo?

As you can tell - I am not out of news!!! 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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