October 26, 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 Sunday evening and since the time changed this morning it is really dark outside even though it isn't very late. I like the time change - it seems like there is more time indoors and I like that - Daddy still gets up with the roosters so it doesn't make much difference to him. Do they change the time in Chile, Johnny?

It was really fun this afternoon to have Ron and the children drop in for a little while - they left Ann home taking a nap and she came over a little later - Ron and the children rode their bikes over!!! This has been a fun, fun week for that family - Susanna's birthday was Friday and in her class at school the child who has a birthday during that week gets to be the "VIP" and has a poster telling all about him or her. Friday, Ann took cupcakes to the school and they were so cute - she had decorated them with orange & black chocolate and they had a spider ring in the top of the each cupcake. Susanna had a roller skating party and Ann had the bakery decorate her cake with roller skates - Ann had all her children in their van and she stopped to pick up Susanna, and Jessie steeped right in the middle of the cake. Ann said she just became "undone" but when they got to the party Ron very carefully cut the waxed paper around the decorations so you could still see the roller skates and they all decided Jessie had made a memory that would last much longer than a decorated birthday cake!!! It was Susanna's 8th birthday so she will be baptized this coming Saturday.

Johnny - your letter was so good and it always makes me so happy when we hear from you. We had a very nice letter from Pres. & Sister Taylor thanking us for the candy we sent (we sent a box of See's candy to them). I decided against sending chocolate candy because I thought it might get all funny - I hope the other was as good. They said they had really enjoyed having you in their home - they sound like wonderful people! Your new tailor made pants sound "in style" with pleats and cuffs - you didn't say what color - brown & black??? We'll look for the package you're sending home and will take care of it for you. We're proud that you are reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish - they are really pushing the reading of that in every class, talk, etc. I would like to take an Institute class in it at the Tech Institute - I feel so dumb about my knowledge of that book and yet I have read it and studied it many times. We sent you the flip chart and new discussions yesterday - Oct. 25th - so we hope they get there soon. It's great that your weather is nice again - weather really plays an important part in the life of a missionary. I was in ZCMI yesterday and an Elder was buying an electric blanket - I said, "You must be going to some place cold" and he told me he was going to Japan and they had told him it would be cold without any central heating - ugh!!!

Claire - thank you so much for your phone all the other day. I was so surprised when I answered and it was you - you sounded so close!!! I thought of a million things to tell you after I hung up - I didn't want to keep you on the line that long. We'll call and talk to Michael the next time the cousins are all here - they are all excited about having him & Laura (and of course little Brett) here for the holidays and so are we. That will be such a special Christmas for us - we wish Roy & Patrice could come but they said they didn't think they would be able to.

Yesterday was Roy & Patrices' birthday - we talked to them in the morning and they said they had decided they were upset with each other for having their birthdays on the same day because that way they could only celebrate once during the year. They had thought about alternating years for each to celebrate.

Roy - our neighbor who is a doctor has the same problem you do in that you look so young sometimes it is hard to gain the confidence of your patients. He has had his picture in the papers a lot because of new procedures he is using to treat unborn babies - he has grown a moustache and in the picture in last weeks' paper he didn't smile and he looks a lot older but I like him better without the moustache and with a smile - he's really a nice guy!!! Patrice - it sounds like you are working too hard - it will be worth it in the long run though - keep us the good work!!!

This week ahs not been the most fun week little Barji has ever had. She had her tonsils out on Monday and she got along fine and has recuperated fast but it wasn't the fun thing to do she thought it was going to be. Jeannie said she was doing cartwheels and having the best time before they took them out - she had asked Jean if they could go to the mall after her tonsils were out - Jeannie promised her that they could if she felt well enough to go - Ha! I came home with Barji - it made my cry to see her so pale and sick. Daddy and I went up the next day and I couldn't believe the difference - she was up and playing inside with Mary Ann and a friend and looked great.

We went to Brigham City to see Grandmother & Grandpa Forrest after we left seeing Barji and I wish you could see Grandmother's hair. I gave her a permanent about a month ago and now it is still curly you can't get a comb through it. It looks just darling now but I can't imagine what it looked like for several weeks right after I give her the next one - I was proud of the cut I have her though because it will last her until Spring. Daddy and I have Grandpa a hair cut and it didn't look too bad - I couldn't stand to see his hair almost to his shoulders. I wish they were closer so we could take better care of how they look - I can't believe they don't have that service in the rest home. They are take good care of in other ways though and that's what really matters - Mother said she felt better now than she has for years and Grandpa is in very good health and they seem happy. Mother's mind is as sharp as a tack but Grandpa is gone!!!

Daddy has put down his last brick - at least that's what he says!!! He has put down a brick floor for a little storage house he is going to build next to one of our patios to store things like the lawn mower, tools, etc. Last night we were sitting in the den and admiring the view and talking about the beautiful surroundings we were in - Daddy said, "You know it is nice to be able to enjoy all this but I am going to have to have something to do - this Winter maybe I'll take down the brick wall and then build it back up next Summer". He has so much energy - I am content to just sit and enjoy it!!!


Daddy went out on his four-wheeler with his friend Ray one morning last week - they went into the hills West of Utah Lake and Lehi and Daddy said it was just beautiful. They really went deer hunting but they didn't see anything. Daddy has been shoveling dirt for hour "hill" onto his flat trailer from where they are building a new home just north of us - then he pulls the trailer with his four-wheeler to the back yard. Well - Saturday, he had every little boy in the neighborhood helping (?) him - they love to ride on that thing. It would take someone with a backhoe about ten minutes to do what it is going to take Daddy several weeks to do - but he likes to take all the rocks out and just get the best dirt - he shovels it on the trailer and then shovels it off onto the hill.

That's all the news. We surely do love each one of you. PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO AND WEAR YOUR SEATBELTS!!!! Let us know how we can help you!!!!

P.S. Monday morning - thank you so much for your phone call last night Bob - it gives us such a good feeling to talk to you - you sound like you're doing wonderful. We're anxious to see pictures of the children's Halloween costumes - Claire has made a dinosaur one for Michael and Little Bo Peep for Laura!!!!

I forget to ____ to you Johnny - BYU beat UTEP 35 - 13 - I think - Homecoming!!!

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