MAY 12, 1986 Orem, Utah

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

Ron came over and checked the computer and after working with it for awhile he determined that it had "had a stroke" - Ha! It stayed with us through all our moving until we moved it from one desk to the other and then it started to print "gobbley goop" instead of words - Rob gave us the name of the place to take it to see if they can fix it so we'll do that today. Actually, this typewriter isn't too bad except after using the computer and electric typewriters I have to hit these keys so hard it is really a workout!

I had such a wonderful Mother's Day yesterday and I appreciate so much all of you remembering me - I LOVE BEING YOUR MOTHER!!! Daddy and I are so proud of the mothers in our family and the way they are rearing our grandchildren. I really had a surprise yesterday afternoon! Ann & Jean had told me earlier in the week they would like to get together for Mother's Day but I told them I was going to go to Brigham City to spend the day with my mother the first time I had been with her in almost 40 years. We told Jeannie we would stop by their home after our visit in B.C. and have dessert with them. Annie and Ron & their family came over Saturday night and brought some treats for me (a popcorn cake made with popcorn, marshmallows, M & M's, pecans, etc.) and we had such a fun evening. Well, yesterday when we drove up to the Weinerts who should be there but the Woolleys - when we went into their home it was filled with "helium filled" balloons and as we walked out on their patio the grandchildren all sang the Primary song, "Grandma Dear" - I don't think I will ever forget that - in fact, I was in a daze for the rest of the day. The Weinerts had made "pink cake and cupcakes" and Ricky had printed with chocolate chips on the big cake "Happy Mother's Day". It was a beautiful day and we all had ham & cheese sandwiches and fruit salad and cake out on their patio. It just makes our lives so happy and complete to be with our family on special occasions like that and we really appreciate all the efforts made - we just wish the Bob & Roys and John could be with us too!!! Grandmother Forrest was really confused yesterday but we had a good visit - we took her an orchid and then a silk arrangement of daisies. Don & Cheryl and their son Chad came while we were there and that's the first time we had seen Chad for about ten years - he's really a nice looking young man - he's in the 10th grade - their other son Clint lives at home while going to the U. of U. and then their other two sons and daughter are older. We sold our Brigham City lot and it kinda' gives me a funny feeling to know that I don't really have any more ties there - the lot is right next to Dees and we are really glad to have someone buy it - he just paid a small amount down and will pay it off in five years - he won't build on it until then. We think the economy there looks down because of Thiokol but the buyer is a contractor and he says there is a lot of building going on.

Johnny - your letter came on Friday and we were happy you had our new address. I know it isn't funny to you but we have to laugh a little when we read about your still being in Chimbarongo. When there is a special hard place in a mission and a Mission President finds a missionary who will really put out and have success in it he tends to leave him there maybe a little too long - I know that Daddy did that but he was so thrilled to have success in some of those places I guess it was the natural thing to do. Chimbarongo reminds us of places like Glasgow, Montana and Casper, Wyoming and when we visit with some of our missionaries who served there for long periods of time we all have a good laugh.
We know you are doing your very best and we are so proud of you. We hope you get your Birthday packages - they're funny but we didn't know what to send and then when your letter came and you mentioned peanut butter and tootsie rolls I wished I had included them - we'll send them in another package sometime soon and I wish we could send you a Wendy's cheese burger too - Ha!!! You haven't mentioned any violence there - a lady in the temple the other day told me they had had 31 bombings in chapels in Chile recently - PLEASE BE CAREFUL!!! We're anxious to hear more about "Peor Es Nada" (Johnny says his area includes this sector and translated that means "Nothing Could be Worse". We can't believe that you will be 20 years old soon - kinda' sad that we will never have another teenage child - I told Ann & Jean yesterday that I didn't want their children to grow so big that they wouldn't fit on their bar stools - we have so many pictures both real and mental of all of them sitting at the bars in the Woolley and Weinert homes and I know this can't last forever! It really isn't sad to think of children growing older though - especially when you think of the wonderful things in store for all of you - Daddy & I are constantly impressed with the many great opportunities you all have and we want all of you to "GO FOR IT"!!!

Bob & Claire and Roy & Patrice we know you all are super busy and we hope you won't get "bogged down" with so much work - we worry about you because you have been under a constant stress for a long, long time! I believe I have told you about the two doctors who are our neighbors - they are the neatest people and they have wonderful and successful families. One is an orthopedic doctor and one of their daughters is a lawyer in Washington D.C. (their other two daughters are the ones who are in England on the BYU Study Abroad program.) The other doctor is a director of the paranatology unit at Utah Valley Hospital and he just performed surgery on a baby 17 weeks before she was born and he has really been in the news lately - I'll send a copy of the article to you if I can find them - I guess it was the first time that particular kind of surgery had been done. He helped us carry our furniture in and his wife brought over some cookies - he is also Elder's Quorum President and they have three and a half children.

This is a marvelous ward! Daddy & I went to a dinner the other night that was planned by the High Priest Quorum and it was so nice and we got to meet a lot of people. It has been a long, long time since we have lived with people like this and we are so happy to be here. Daddy finished up our downstairs last week and it is so comfortable - the carpet is in and it's the kind that won't show dirt and the children's playroom is finished so it's fun to have the grandchildren come. There is a closet next to your room Johnny and the walls are still unfinished but we had them put carpet in there and Daddy will finish the walls this Winter. He is out working in the backyard now - he plans to put some fruit trees in a lot of the ground back there and then have a small vegetable garden - that way it will look nice the year around with the trees. I wish I had just one half the energy Daddy has!!!

A couple who has moved into this ward this year used to live in the Weinerts ward and when they found out Rick & Jean were "Our Kids" we had instant friends - it is so neat to have your children pave the way for you - it's that way when they find out we're related to the Woolleys too!!!

I believe I told you that we have been called to work in the Provo Temple. We went there Friday & Saturday for our Orientation and we'll start this week on our regular assignments which will be Tuesday & Thursdays - on Tuesday we have to be there by 4:30 a.m. - ugh!!! This calling is for two years with two weeks off during the Summer and at Christmas time. We told them we already had plans to go to Lake Powell in June and on a vacation with friends in July and they said that would be fine - it's easy to get substitutes I guess when you want to. It will be great experience for us. Chris & Wayne called and they are coming the first of July - they want to attend the Manti pageant and then we'll go on a trip someplace. I won't start a new paragraph because of space! Dorothy wrote - Carol is engaged to marry next Summer and Terry has her Ph.D. in counseling and has a job in Chattanooga, Tenn. And the Daniels who bought our home there plan to move this year sometime!

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