August 24, 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 & Jimmy;

Johnny - we have received two letters from you this week!!! I feel bad that I kinda' scolded you in my last letter because now we know you have written but the mail has been delayed. Really - I can understand when you don't have time to write but when I knew you had surgery and we didn't hear from you I just came "unglued"!!! We were happy to receive the letter describing everything I'll quote from your letter - "Monday, we were playing soccer and I twisted my ankle, but for know me, I didn't think it was that bad so I didn't worry about it. I worked until Wednesday afternoon when we decided to go to the clinic to see if it was anything serious. They took x-rays and told me I needed a cast. I didn't really trust their opinion and the next day I went to a much better clinic is Santiago. There they took more x-rays and told me I'd torn the ankle ligaments and suggested sewing the ligaments together by way of a fairly simple surgery. The other option was to just put the cast on and take the risk of not healing 100%. I talked to the Mission President and we decided the surgery would be the best. They performed the surgery which took about 30 minutes. They only used a local anesthetic so I was wide awake which wasn't real fun - I could feel him wiggling my ankle and stretching it w/these metal braces. After the surgery they put a cast on up to the knee and after it dried they cut it down the middle because the foot was still pretty swollen. I've got to be in bed until next Tuesday when they will give me a cast that I can walk with." Since we have talked to you and you sounded like everything was okay we haven't worried about you. We think it is so great that you have a nice place to live and the family you're living with must be wonderful (Johnny says they treat him like a King and bring his meals to him in bed, etc.) I surely hope you will do something very special for them and help them every way you can. It's wonderful that you are having so many baptisms - that makes your work so much more enjoyable. I ran to the Mall yesterday for a few minutes and ran into the Cobb family - Dick & Ann, Rick and his wife Jenna and Brad. Did you know that Rick served in your same mission? He asked me where you were and he said he served in San Bernardo for five months and loved it. I asked him if he served in Chimbarongo and he said yes and it was during the Winter months when it rained a lot and was cold and muddy - so I guess you & he had similar experiences. They all said to tell you "hello" and also the rest of all of you and asked about each of you - I was so embarrassed - I couldn't remember any of their names at the time like Shelley, Randy & Scott. They took just the same - they had come to BYU for Education Week.

Bob - Claire - it was so good to talk to you a few minutes ago. Your trip to Hot Springs sounded fun and we don't blame you for staying in a motel. We're so glad you were able to attend church there and see some of your friends - we had heard they were going to build a new chapel in Hot Springs but I guess they haven't started it yet. (Bob spent some time with Jim Griffin talking about the ENT practice Jim has there and I guess he really has a neat set up - they do 80% of their surgery right at the office in an area fixed for that in the downstairs part of the clinic - anesthesiologists come over from the hospital. Jim & Marlena are building a new 7 bedroom home with a tennis court and swimming pool in the back yard - they deserve it!) It was fun to talk to Michael and hear about the talk he gave in church this morning (it was funny, Bob said what he told us was quite different from the talk he gave). We get homesick for the children and talk about them all the time - can't believe Michael starts kindergarten tomorrow and they go from 8 o'clock until 3:30 - he is ready for it though and will be so happy!!! Claire - I keep forgetting to ask you about brother Steve - does he like his work with Merrill Lynch? Is your sister still in Oregon?

Roy & Patrice - we have tried to call you all weekend but you're not home. We hope you have gone on a camping trip to the places you went last year - we just loved that area and hope to go back some time. It's so neat that you both enjoy the same things - I can just see you bicycling all over Europe if you decide to go there for three years. Patrice - your sister will soon be starting her freshman year in college in college and your Mom will be alone more - will that be hard for her? The college students around her are so excited to move into their dorms and their Moms are so excited for them to move into the dorms - Ha!

Jeannie came down last Wednesday to spend the afternoon with Annie so the cousins could play with the cousins. They gave Barji & Susanna a permanent and Daddy & I went over to see the "finished product" and they looked so cute. The children start school in the morning and that just doesn't seem possible - where has the Summer gone? Mary Ann's leg is better and she is walking - that worried Jean & Rick. Rick spent most of last week in Seattle and I believe he will be alone this next week too - starting a new job means a lot of training sessions!!! Ann & Ron invited Daddy & I to go to the home show in Salt Lake with them on Friday and we enjoyed it so much - they put little Jimmy in a "bag" that fits on the front a parent and he is so contented and we didn't hear a peep out of him - he is rowing so fast I can't believe it. The home show was beautiful but we didn't have any home we like as well as ours - it is really in Sandy (they call it Salt Lake though) and there are gorgeous views of the mountains there. Ron has to go out of town this next week too and Ann is wondering how she will "make it" without him - I don't know how Ann & Jean do it - they got their ability from their other because they can surely get a lot more done than I can.

Speaking of getting a lot done - Daddy has finished the trailer overhaul and looks like new. He "gutted" the inside of it and rebuilt it and touched up the outside of it - I made new curtains. We're anxious to take it to the mountains did try it out. It was funny - he did exactly the same thing with it that we did the first time we took it out - do you all remember??? We stopped at a service station in Hot Springs to fill the water tank and Bob & Roy did that while Daddy called up with gas. Well pretty soon the whole trailer started leaking water - <> had left all the taps on. That was so bad because all our clothes, bedding and food was soggy & wet - this time just the floor of the trailer filled up.

Daddy & I went to some of the classes for Education Week at the Y. We wanted to go to a Finance Class where the instructor told us about the new tax all - it was very interesting. By the way, we received the check for our Lehi came - the mortgage people were happy to be finished with us. We went to some other classes too that we really enjoyed - one about the Old Testament an done caught by Daniel Ludlow - I went to school with him and worked in student government where he served as Student Body President at Utah State (he was about the only man on campus because a health problem prevented him from going into the - all the other young men were in World War II) - it was fun to see him again and hear him lecture. We loved being on campus and there were a million other people just like us there.

Elder Taylor called yesterday afternoon and said he was on his way to school and had to start work tomorrow but couldn't get into his apartment for about a week and needed a place to stay. We expect him any minute to come stay with us and I have to get a news article about you Johnny, over to Lehi tonight so I guess will have to close. I'm sure there is more news but I don't have time to write anymore.

PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO - Let us know how we can help you - we love each one of you so very much and we're so proud of you.

Oh - one thing I must write about - I saw Susan Bohn in the temple one day first week - do you remember she was the one in the accident about three years ago where her little boy was killed and she was very seriously injured? She looks good and asked all about you all and said to tell you "hello".




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