December 15, 1985 Lehi, Utah

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

It's almost past my bedtime on Sunday night so I may not get this finished tonight but I'll try because Daddy has my day all planned tomorrow. He has found a place in Orem where you rent a trailer that is equipped to blow insulation in your roof - you have to have two people. I think I feed the insulation into the blower and he guides the hose where he wants it to go. I am not looking forward to tomorrow but after that is over I don't plan to ever go up into the attic again. I know Daddy was going to insulate this week and I wanted to have it cleaned before he did that so I called a "chimney sweep" and he came on Friday and that was "bassle"!!!! He came with a black tuxedo topcoat and black top hat and a huge vacuum that would just barely go up the entrance into the attic. When he got up and looked at the floor of the attic he said he couldn't vacuum it because it had so may nails and sharp things in it that might puncture his vacuum bag and each bag cost $150. So he just vacuumed that walls and ceiling - he spent two hours at $30 an hour and it is worth it to me to know we tried to get it cleaned. The WORST part was that Daddy warned him about stepping through the cracks of the floor because he said he would come through the ceiling of the house and about two minutes after he warned him we heard this loud crash and sure enough he had either stepped through the cracks or his machine had fallen through - anyway we have this large crack in the ceiling above the bathtub of our bathroom. I hope daddy will be able to fix it without having to re-plaster the whole ceiling. I really admire this guy though - he's really quite a young man with a family and it is a job that not many people would do - he says he mostly cleans out fireplaces.

Johnny - you are doing so good!!! Your transfer must have been quite a shock - you have surely had your share of companions for being so new in the field. We're happy you have such a nice pension. I can't believe you had to take a bus to your new area, Puente Alto, and find where you were supposed to go all on your own. We're anxious to hear about this new companion. We know you are loving a warm shower and the good food - tell us more about the kind of food you get. We know it is a challenge to have to start from scratch as far as getting things going for teaching people but it's great that you have a good branch to work with. Johnny - Daddy always put really strong missionaries with those who only had a month or so left on their mission - this has happened to you twice so I'm sure your Mission President has a lot of confidence in you. We really loved your pictures and we'll save them for you- I think you look thin and you look so tall compared to those with you. I feel so bad that you didn't get any letters the week you were transferred - that must have been hard - I'm sure part of that was because of the one that came back for more postage. Daddy sent you your backpack you asked for - we surely hope you get it - we also sent you some pictures!!!! We are so proud of you and we know you are taking advantage of everything you can to learn things that will influence the rest of your life - we think it's great you are reading so much!!!

Bob - it was so good to talk to you on Friday (every once in awhile Bob has the opportunity to call on a watts line and we love it because we don't feel we have to hurry so fast). I wish Daddy had been here so you didn't feel like you had to call back the next morning. You sound so good and what a treat it was to talk to Michael, on Saturday morning. He was so cute when he said, "May I please speak to one of my cousins". We're all going to be together this coming Sunday night and we'll try to call him so he can talk to at least some of them. We are thinking about you Claire and we know you are getting mighty anxious for the baby to come - Bob said they will induce labor if it isn't born by the time it's supposed to be. Bob sounds like he is thinking it is going to be a little girl - that would be true to form - one boy per family -Ha!!!

Jeannie - we missed our visit with you last week. Last week was the first one we have missed going to Brigham City since we have been home from our Mission with the exception of the time we were on our trip. The weather was too bad - in fact, we read in the paper one night about how all the electricity was off in Davis County so we called Jean and learned they had been without power the night before for quite a long time so their family went to the mall and out to eat. They had had such strong winds that the snow had drifted up on their front porch to cover their window and in their back yard they could see their grass but their back fence was covered. They were fine - Rick had shoveled them out and then he had to go to Idaho so he told Jeannie to stay put until he came home. Really the weather has been so cold and a lot of snow - it has been kinda' fun to have an excuse to stay inside.

Annie - we have had fun with their family this week. We went to Susanna's piano recital tonight - she did excellent - she has so much self confidence and we were so proud of her. They all went into Salt Lake yesterday to see the play, "The Snow Queen" and we took care of LeeAnna. She was really good with us and took a nap and everything - that's the acid test, when they will go to sleep here. Annie and the kids came over one night last week and brought presents so we would have something under our tree - Ha! We made little pizza sandwiches in our sandwich maker (do any of you remember that?) - I think I enjoyed them more than anyone else.

Roy - we wish you & Patrice were here to enjoy some good skiing. They had to close the Cottonwood canyons several times last week and then limit the driving to the cars that had chains. We hope you're doing good and not working too hard! Do you have the opportunity to attend some of the special things in Boston during the holiday season? Daddy and I went to the "Messiah" that was put on in American Fork on Friday night and we really enjoyed it - I'm sure there are many excellent concerts and things in Boston and very professional - this was quite amateurish but good for local talent!

We had two of our former missionaries over for dinner last night - we talked the Woolleys into coming too on their way back from seeing the snow queen. Elders James and Taylor were two assistants at the end of our mission - Elder James was with the new Mission President for three months after we left and then they both went back to Billings during the Thanksgiving holidays. It was fun to talk to them and get their impressions about everything now. I guess things have really changed in the mission, and the changes have not been good as far as baptisms go. Pres. Kunzler is much more lenient than daddy was - Elder Taylor said, "it must be quite a heartache for you to see the things you worked so hard to build up go down so far". We were really careful with the expenses of running the Mission and tried to economize on heating bills, etc. I guess they have gone the other way - their sons ruined the big tractor that was used on the lawns and also to remove the snow - they have just bought an even larger one for the home. Sister Kunzler flies everywhere instead of driving with her husband so she doesn't have to leave their children. They really do have a different mission from ours because of their four children and we felt that we left Johnny too much so we sympathize with them. Johnny - they were really interested in how you were doing and they loved your pictures and we read them parts of your letters. Elder Taylor doesn't say anything about his brother who is your age - I asked him once if he were going on a mission and he said he hadn't decided yet. Elder Taylor's father just quit his job and his family is in a state of confusion!!! Elder James is going to Hawaii next week - his Father is gibing him the trip for Christmas. We haven't seen Elder, Madsen for quite awhile - I guess he is studying really hard - he was going to apply to Harvard for next year (I will be surprised if he is accepted.)

Our home looks so pretty - I just love the way it is decorated, especially outside, daddy has put lights all over the fence and then outlined the roof in front and also on the little entrance to our north side door - it's kinda' discouraging though because some big kids keep stealing the lights. We know they are big because of the footprints in the snow. We have finally decided to not get upset about it and have us lose the Christmas spirit - we'll just keep replacing them and maybe they'll get tired of stealing them - we'd like to catch them and talk to them anyway!!! We have so much snow on the fence and the light just glisten and it really is beautiful.

That's all the news I can think of. We love each one of you so very much - we wish you could all come next Sunday - the Woolleys & Weinerts are going to come and we are going to make our candy mints!! PLEASE BE CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. Please let us know how we can help you!
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