November 3, 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 Monday morning and I am getting a slow start - we have had phone calls concerning the houseboat from the President of the houseboat we own and also from Art & Ann Willardsen and it seems like it has taken all morning. Ron and Ann are going to be able to buy another half share in the "Milky Way" so we will have a full week when we go - The Willardsens wanted us to have it back to back with them so we could all go together and have two weeks - we'll have to wait and see how things work out!!!!

Johnny - CONGRATULATIONS!!!! (Johnny has just been made a zone leader over 18 missionaries - there are 9 zones in his mission). We are so proud of you and thrilled to pieces that your ankle had healed and you are back in the swing of things - you will be a wonderful leader. We really loved all the pictures you sent - you look like you have grown so much - I am so glad you didn't send the picture of your incision until after it was healed because it looks terrible. I can't imagine what kind of a scar you will have - it is such a big open wound that looks to me like it should have been stitched or something! Your Mission President and his wife and their family look really nice and it is so good to see them and also a picture of their home and swimming pool - I'll bet their children enjoy that! The Chilean jungle reminds us of some of the pictures Bob used to send from Colombia. We laughed about your description of being so close to the beach that you could spit on it - that's real temptation for you because you love the water so much. We hope the box you sent of some of your things arrives in good shape - we'll take good care of the things for you. Your friend, Dan Juchau (sp.?), called us the other night and he was so cute - he said his parents are going on a trip and will be in Santiago on Dec. 26th - Dan said, "Mrs. Mellor, you can make Johnny some "goodies" and they will take them to him". I make terrible chocolate chip cookies but I will make anything you want me to if you will just tell me - also anything else you want from the states like socks, etc. Dan is working in Salt Lake so we'll take them to him - he is going to try to come see us before then. It was so good to talk to him.

Roy & Patrice - we loved visiting with you the other night. We're sorry the Red Sox didn't win the world series - it seemed to be a real upset for the Mets to win because Boston had it won so many times and then it just slipped by the. Your weather sounds super - you are like we are though and have to keep reminding ourselves that we have a long winter ahead of us. You both will be so well educated it will be hard to communicate with you (for me anyway) but we're proud of you for sticking with your schooling!!!

Bob - Claire - all the cousins were together yesterday and if we had been at our home instead of the Woolleys we would have had them call to talk to Michael. There were twelve of them counting Ron's sister's children and it would have been pure bedlam - we'll call soon - it's way past our turn!!! The doctor who took out Barge's tonsils really wants to talk to you when you come out for Christmas - Jeannie says he has a good practice. We're so excited to have you come for the holidays and so are Ann & Jean and their families.

Susanna was baptized on Saturday and it was so neat to have all her Utah cousins come to be with her. They do it differently here than we used to in Little Rock - they have all the wards within the stake have their baptisms on the same day. They have a very nice meeting all together and there were a lot there. Ron baptized her and she was so cute and not frightened like so many of the children are - Jean & Rick and all their children were there and so was Ron's sister Sue and her husband Calvin and their three children. The Woolleys came from Jerome, Idaho so the grandparents were all there too. Sue's son Eric was baptized later that evening so all the Woolleys left to go to that.

Susanna was confirmed yesterday morning in their sacrament meeting so we all gathered again at 9'clock for that. After all the meetings we went to Ann & Rons' for dinner and it was wonderful - we had brisket, potatoes and gravy, salads and Jeannies' delicious chocolate cake. After dinner we had a Family Home Evening where all the children put on a program and it was just great - Susanna, Ricky & Barji each played a piano solo, Jessie played her violin, Russell and Mary Ann gave Bible talks, all the children sang some Primary songs - they were mostly songs from the recent Sacrament Presentation and they were missionary songs and just beautiful - we thought about our "missionary uncle" and they bless you in every prayer Johnny. We are very proud of Ann & Jean and their families who are committed to having their children support each other in these special occasions - it is the joy of our lives to see how much they love one another - to see Susanna and Ricky put their arms around each other is so cute and we know it won't last long but they will always love each other.

Halloween was so much fun - we passed our 150 candy bars and some other smaller candy treats and then we had to turn out our lights because we had run out!!! I have never seen so many children all dressed up and they were so cute. Ann dressed up as a witch and took her children around after going to their school parties earlier in the day - it was so neat to have them come here - Jessie and LeeAnna earlier in the day - it was so neat to have them come here - Jessie and LeeAnna were witches, Susanna was Little Red Riding Hood and Russell was a cowboy! Ricky was a soccer player (Jeannie said she thought that was a dumb idea but that was what he wanted to be) and I can't remember what Barji and Mary Ann were but they really had fun. Sarah was a ghost and they had a video of her in the bathtub with her face all painted white - she has such a darling personality now!!!

Daddy went pheasant hunting after Susanna's baptism on Saturday - Ray and his son gone out earlier that morning and had shot nine pheasants and then Daddy met them and they went down by Manti but they didn't see any more. Russell Woolley brought two he had shot in Idaho - Ann said she would save them until we could all get together to eat them - maybe at Christmas time and by then maybe Daddy will have more to go with them.

Our friends, Ellen Mae and Mel, come to see us last night after we had come home from the Woolleys - in fact, Jeannie and Rick were just leaving. It was so much fun to see them and we visited until quite late. They always have news about our friends up in Brigham City. Ellen Mae is going to retire this June after teaching school for about 30 years - after she retires we'll have more time to do things together. Mel is the same age as Daddy but he doesn't want to retire until they make him - that's so dumb!!! He teaches school too.

Johnny - Carol Ann said this morning that Jimmy doesn't have as much opportunity to use his Spanish as he would like - she said she wishes he could be in an area where they only spoke Spanish - as it is, I guess they speak mostly English in a Spanish community - does that make sense??? She said she thought Rosie would come out to the Y next year.

I talked to Dianne Power on Saturday - Garic is home from his mission and working until he starts at the Y next Semester - I guess he plans to go into dentistry. Brick is at the Y and loves it. They like Indianapolis.

We're doing really good and just love Utah - we have had a real Indian Summer and our backyard is beautiful with the Fall leaves on the trees - Daddy has been out raking them all morning. He is going to start work on building a shed in among our patios to store his lawn mower, etc. and he plans to build some to insulate and store potatoes, apples, etc. We hope so much that each one of you will love our home as much as we do and will come to stay as often and as long as you can. We love each one of you so very much and we're so proud of our family. PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. Let us know how we can help you!!!!
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