October 6, 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:

It's really a beautiful Fall day in Utah - last week was kinda' dreary but the sun is out bright this morning and the air is crisp and wonderful. Daddy is out in the backyard making plans for the sod that will be delivered in the morning for the lowest level - he and our neighbor, Paul Theobald, are both putting down sod and it will make our backyards look like golf courses!!!

Johnny - this has been the best week for us since you left on your mission because we have had such wonderful letters from your Mission President and his wife. We haven't said anything to you before but we just couldn't believe that we didn't get a letter from your first Mission President telling us about your arrival or anything - that is just unheard of!!!! Sometimes when this happened in our mission it was because of a "goof-up" of the office staff so we tried to understand but it gave us a funny feeling to have you so far away from home and no communication of any kind that you even had anyone responsible for you - even in the services, the parents are notified when their sons or daughters arrive where they are stationed. Daddy always wrote letters to the parents and enclosed a picture of the missionary with us along with other information about the mission whey they first arrived and then I wrote to them quite often. We have really felt in the dark about your ankle accident too because the only information we had was second hand from the missionary department - we really do understand a little better though because your Mission President is new and he has tremendous responsibilities to learn very quickly! I am convinced your injury was much worse that we have thought - two months is a mighty long time to convalesce (sp.?) from the way they described it to us - we're so proud of you for "taking it in stride" and making the best of the situation.

We had a wonderful letter from Pres. & Sister Taylor telling us about you and how much they have enjoyed having you in the mission home - I'll save it for you - it will be something you will cherish!!! It is a very complimentary letter and made us cry to read it because we could tell they have really become acquainted with you and appreciate what kind of a young man you are - they said you have been too much help to their children as they have adjusted to mission life.

The Lythgoes (from Montana) also sent us a letter they had received from the Taylors telling of the arrival of Dean and his group (the kind of letter we should have received a year ago). We thought it was a special letter because it old about you being in the mission home to great Dean and it also said you were doing a great hob and recovering from your accident. It wasn't just a form letter and we thought that was neat.

On top of all that, we loved your long letter!!! We are so surprised that you can't use the ankle brace yet because of your incision - I don't even like to think about what kind of an incision you have had!!! You said you should be able to walk a lot more on it in two weeks and according to the date on the letter that should be this week so with warmer, prettier weather and a healed ankle you are probably on top of the world by now - we surely do hope so. We have tried to find the Sept. 22nd issue of Time magazine but it is off the newsstands now - Jeannie said she would save her copy for us to read - (Johnny said he had seen all those laces and they had a district activity on the road of the assassination attempt and he had taught charlas in houses worse than the one they show in the articles.) The Chilean Independence Day sounded interesting (Sept. 18) - this will be a great experience for you to look back on but it is really a worry for us and I'm sure for you too as well as the church authorities and the other missionaries - PLEASE don't take any chances!!! We're thrilled that you are able to get some tailor made slacks - be sure to look "sharp" all the time - that is really important. We hope you will not criticize any of your leaders (anyone can do that - it takes a Claire - it was so good to talk to you yesterday. It was funny because we had tried to call you a little earlier so "the cousins" could talk to Michael & Laura. Michael sounds so much better now that he has had his tonsils out and it was great to hear that he is sleeping so much better too (Claire mentioned that Bob had been worried because Michael was always breathing with his mouth open and that might cause problems with his jaw.) We are really excited about having you come for Christmas and PLEASE let your visit here be our Christmas present. Laura is talking a lot more now isn't she and Brett sounds like a real live doll - a big one!!!

Roy and Patrice - how are you doing??? We hope you will be able to come too and Claire said how much fun that would be!!! Would you believe they are already skiing here - they said on the news the other day that it was the earliest time they had ever opened. They had 52 inches of snow at Snowbird (I think that's right It's funny because it hasn't been that cold down in the valley but we can see the snow on the mountains. We hope this doesn't indicate a freakish skiing condition for the rest of the year. We surely hope things are going great for you!!!

The Weinerts and the Woolleys came to spend the day with us yesterday and we appreciated it so much because we know they don't have very many family days!!! It was our General Conference and we all watched it on television. To show you how old I am getting - Daddy set the table for dinner and asked me how many to set for. I figured there were five "eating" Weinerts with the highchair for Sarah and six "eating" Woolleys so to set it for eleven - we were all so confused when we sat down because there weren't enough places - I had forgotten Daddy and me!!! Ron ended up eating on a TV. tray and we squeezed in another place at the table. Talk about embarrassing moments!!! I have forgotten where our table leafs are - in fact, I don't know where half our things are - some of the things I think we have are in Billings, then some in Lehi and the rest in Little Rock - I'll get "squared away" sometime I hope!!! The "cousins" are so cute together and we really do enjoy them. Little Sarah is growing into a little person and she is beautiful! Little Jimmy isn't a little person yet but he is beautiful too!

Daddy's Elk hunt wasn't as much fun as he had hoped it would be. The people be went with (from Lehi) were so "pokey" in getting ready to leave that he really just barely got to the Uintas when it was time to come home. They were supposed to leave here early Tuesday morning but they didn't leave until late that afternoon. Daddy felt obligated to be here for our Missionary Reunion so he came back home Thursday night. He said it snowed quite a bit and he was worried that he might get snowed in and couldn't make it down on Friday. A doctor from American Fork was in the group and they both came down Thursday night. He didn't even see any elk but one in their party saw one and his gun malfunctioned so he didn't get it. They took our trailer and Daddy said it was really comfortable - the rest of the group will come home today, I thin. I'll be happy when Johnny is here next year to go with Daddy and hopefully in years to come Bob & Roy will be close enough to come too! The duck hunting will start soon and Daddy loves that.

Daddy and I went out to West Canyon on Saturday afternoon with the four-wheeler and I just couldn't believe how that will go - we went deep into the canyon, over ravines and up hills and really rough roads and it was just gorgeous with the Fall leaves. We want to take our map and plot out our property there.

We had our Missionary reunion Friday night - we had about 75 come and I have never seen so many people - they were in every crook and cranny in this house. It was just wonderful to see so many of them - Elders Ashcroft and Stucki came, Johnny, and they wanted to know all about you - also Elder Harvey. We had hoped to have it outside but it was a little cool and they wouldn't go out there. We had ice cream with toppings and I ordered 10 pounds of popcorn - can you imagine how much popcorn that is??? We also had apples all over. They stayed and stayed - some until about midnight when Daddy announced he was going to bed - Ha!

We're surely proud of our family - especially when we compare you to some of the others we know who are your same ages. We love so much!!!! PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. Let us know how we can help you!!!!
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