April 19, 1987 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 a cold and snowy Easter Sunday - they kept forecasting this kind of weather but we didn't believe them until we awakened to see snow on the ground!!! We are kinda' enjoying being "house bound" but we surely hope it won't get cold enough to kill the fruit - I wish all of you could see the fruit trees throughout the valley - they are in full bloom and just gorgeous! I think if we were fruit farmers we would be out building fires under each one of the trees.

Johnny - TWO LETTERS IN ONE WEEK!!!!! We have loved them. Each day for the last month Daddy has come in from the mailbox singing "NO letter from John-n-n-y", and this week he has practically run into the house with your letters. One was written on March 29th and the other on April 5th and you sound so happy and busy and of course that makes us so happy. It pleased us that you feel the way you do about our decision to not come to Chile to pick you up - we have worried that you were really disappointed. It made it very difficult for the members when missionaries' parents came to get them in Montana and that along with the fact that it interrupted the work of the mission is why we think the General Authorities discourage it. We want you to take us on a trip to Chile and all the places that mean a lot to you through your pictures - that will mean more to us that actually visiting there. It's hard for us to even comprehend having 205 baptisms in one month with the possibility of having even more - we think you are doing MAGNIFICENTLY!!!!! We're thrilled that you have the opportunity to have an American as a companion even though you probably won't be together very much longer - he sounds like a really neat young man! We do remember the Elder West from Arizona and he was a good missionary - we had two Elder Wests on our mission.

Johnny - we had a neat experience today. I know you know Ellen Mae & Mel - their nephew, Jason Firth, had his homecoming over in Pleasant Grove and they asked us to meet them there and attend it with them. He gave one of the best talks we have ever head - he started his talk by referring to the physical things he had with him on his mission and then mentioned them: the same white shirt, tie, suit, scriptures, name tag, etc. and then he compared them to the spiritual things that he gained that would be with him for the rest of his life. His talk was one that would have been of interest in a Sacrament meeting at any time at any place and not just in a missionary homecoming. We talked to him for a little while after the meeting and he wants to come to your homecoming - he seems like your type!!! They were having a family pot luck dinner and they invited us to it but we didn't go. That is a very special family!!! Mel's Mother, (Jason's Grandmother) was there and she is a beautiful woman - she has to be in her late eighties - it really brought back memories for me because I used to date Mel's brother (he was there too) and go to their home and fly those gas propelled airplanes. Mel's father passed away quite a few years ago and she re-married the President of the Logan Temple and he passed away too.

We haven't heard from the Bobs and Roys this week - we hope you're doing good!!! I WANT YOUR ATTENTION!!!! The dates for the June trip to Lake Powell have been changed - we have June 1st through June 8th. We changed with another family because of conflicts with both the Woolley and Weinert families and this will be wonderful. We hope you will be able to come with us. Last night on the weather news they issued wind warnings for Lake Powell - that's the first time I have heard that but I couldn't help but he grateful that we are not down there now. It would really be scary with the bad winds we had last night unless we were anchored at shore. In case you have lost the dates we have for September - they are September 7th through September 14th. Johnny will be with us for that trip!!!!!

This has been a really fun week for us. Daddy wanted to help Rick build a flowerbed for their back yard. We got some bricks from the Lehi Block company and took them to Farmington and Daddy & Rick have built a beautiful flower wall at the back of their yard. It isn't quite finished yet but it is far along enough so they could get some things planted before it is too late in the year. It has been fun to see more of the Weinerts than we usually do. Jeannie had a fun birthday on Thursday - her neighbor friends took her to a really nice place for lunch and during it one of them excused herself to go to the bathroom and dressed up in a gorilla costume. She came up in back of Jeannie and put her had on her shoulder and started to sing "Happy Birthday" - Jeannie said it about scared her to death - then the Gorilla handed her a gift from all of them. They do cute things in their neighborhood.

The Woolleys drove up to Farmington yesterday afternoon to join all of us (Daddy and I had gone up early in the morning so Daddy could work with Rick) to celebrate Easter. We really had wonderful time. We went on a "hike" in back of their home and PaPa made those tree whistles for each one of the grandchildren - they had a parade on the way back to the Weinert's home. We had hot dogs with chili and sauerkraut, nachos, baked beans and Easter cupcakes that the children had made. The only thing that wasn't so much fun was that little Mary Ann became ill and Jeannie had to take her to that "Now Health Clinic" by their home - she has a bladder infection and was quite sick when we left but Jeannie called later last night and said she was better. We all felt bad that she missed out on the egg hunt, the hike and the parade and all the pictures. Little Jimmy had been to the doctor the day before - he has had a virus for a few days but was better. I want to write this in my letter so it can be recorded for future generations because I think it shows love, strength of character and I don't know what else. Ann had wrapped little Jimmy in Sarah's favorite blanket when she took him to sit out on the patio while we all ate. They mistakenly took it in their van with them when they left to go home. They discovered they had it when they got to South Salt Lake and turned around and took it clear back to Farmington - Jeannie, in telling us about it last night, said "Mom, they had been gone an hour and we were trying to decide how we could ever get Sarah to go to sleep Without it when they came in with it." I don't know how many families would do that - I guess you have to really see the situation in order to fully appreciate it - the children were all tired out and it was terribly windy night and they had to get ready for Easter Sunday - we are proud of them.

It was so much fun to spend most of the day with Ricky, Barji, Mary Ann & Sarah - we don't get to do that often. Barji and I played piano duets and she played many solos and it was so much fun. I didn't get time to hear Ricky play but I did see him use Rick's computer in doing some math problems and he is very good!!! Little Sarah is a beautiful little girl - she used to be a baby and all of a sudden she is a little girl - Jeannie said it started when she curled her hair - Ha!

I must tell you about a wedding reception we went to for one of Ramona & Winstons' grand daughters - Stephanie Crawford. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple and their reception was in their church here in Orem on Friday night. When we walked in someone came up to us and said, "Have you heard the news?" As it turned out - Stephanie had fainted while they were taking pictures before the reception and they had taken her to the hospital. We went to see Ramona & Winston this afternoon and they said she came back later in the evening but fainted again so she went home and went to bed. We have been to a lot of different wedding receptions but never to one where the bride and groom weren't there. They had gone to a lot of work and it was just beautiful - that is a memory for them anyway!

We had letters from the Powers and also the Lucases this week. They said to tell you all "hello". We haven't heard about our Leawood home yet so I guess it hasn't been sold. Dianne & Garry were on vacation in San Diego and Trace was spending a week with his friend in Des Moines - he was on a skateboard and fell and broke his arm - Dianne & Garry had to fly home early. Marge Lucas said that the Merrifields are doing very well and that Skylar is as skinny as a rail - can't believe that!!!

I think that's all the news. We love each one of you so very much. PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. Let us know how we can help you.
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