January 16, 1989 Orem, Utah

Dearest Johnny; Roy, Patrice & Emily; Bob, Claire, Michael, Laura, Brett & Katie; Rick, Jean, Ricky, Barbara Jean, Mary Ann & Sarah; and Ron, Ann, Susanna, Jessie, Russell, LeeAnna & Jimmy:

Today is Civil Rights Day or Martin Luther King Day or something so I know this won't go out but I'll write it and mail it tomorrow. It's really cold but pretty today and the sun is shining - DADDY AND I ARE HEADING SOUTH - Ha !!!!

When we hadn't heard anything about our car by last Tuesday we decided they would never find it so we went to Salt Lake and bought a Toyota Van. We went back on Wednesday and had it all "undercoated and sealed" and then late that night we had the call saying they had located our car. It's really kinda' funny but we had been thinking about buying a van for a long time anyway and this just brought it about sooner. The General Manager for Larry Miller's Toyota in Salt Lake had this van all customized so they could use it to go skiing - it's really pretty on the inside with light blue and mauve upholstery and a good stereo with the compact disc player - it had about 1,500 miles on it - it even has a ski rack on top!!!! Johnny and two of his roommates took it skiing on Saturday and the only complaint was that it doesn't have much power - it's just a 4-cylinder engine (I believe that's right). We think it will be just perfect for us and we're excited to take a trip and try it out!!!


It is scary to hear them tell us about the way our car was stolen. They said the men who stole it had been following Johnny and they didn't even look for the keys - they broke out the back window even though the doors were unlocked. We don't know but we are thinking it must have been hot wired to start it - all this within fifteen minutes, They drove it to Salt Lake and sold it to an undercover F.B.I. man - they only put about 100 miles on it. We still haven't seen it - they were supposed to bring it on Thursday night and then they called and said it would be Friday night and then they called again and said it would be Monday night - they should be here in a couple hours. We'll leave it to be fixed while we are gone and have Johnny take care of it.

We plan to leave here in the morning and drive to Phoenix, then to El Paso and then to San Antonio where we will stay with Roy. Patrice & Emily until Monday morning. We have told Chris and Wayne we'll be at their home by Tuesday, Jan.24th - we all plan to go to Orlando, Florida and visit the Epcot Center and then we'll probably go back to the Smiths and come back home by way of Dallas, Albuquerque, etc.

Jim Griffin called very early one morning last week - he wanted Roy's phone number - evidently they need an anesthesiologist and hoped that Roy would be interested. When we talked to Roy about it he said he wasn't home but he talked to Patrice and I don't believe Roy has called him back yet. ANYWAY - he asked Daddy if he would come and speak at a fireside for the stake's 20th anniversary this month. We haven't definitely decided what to do but I don't think we will go to Little Rock - it would be wonderful to see everyone but that's a long, long trip. We can't believe it has been 20 years since the stake was organized - do any of you remember that day? It was held at the Robinson Auditorium and Jeannie played the organ - we had a huge crowd and it rained and rained and rained. Pres. Harold B. Lee came to preside and he stayed with us and when I apologized for the rain he said, "Sister Mellor, if the Lord sends us rain, I'm happy for the rain - if he sends us sunshine, I'm happy for the sunshine" - I have never forgotten that. Daddy was Branch President and he put him in the Stake Presidency as a Counselor to Dean Andrew and Jim Siler was made Bishop to take Daddy's place!!!! That seems a long time ago but not 20 years - Annie was at the BYU.

Daddy & I went to Jared Pinegar's wedding reception on Friday night - it was supposed to be from 7 till 9 and we got there about 7:20 and they were trying to get things started. He married Stephanie Jones from Mesa and she is a lovely young women and her parents seemed really nice. We didn't stay for refreshments but I'm sure they were nice. We went to Ray's daughter's reception in Lehi on Saturday night - that was a different experience - Ray & Carol looked like they could be the bridal couple - they look WONDERFUL!!!! I went to a luncheon on Friday and it reminded me of things like that in Little Rocks - it was very, very nice - it will be my turn to have it in March and I'll have to keep on my toes!!!!

We haven't seen any of you this week except for Johnny and it is always SO neat to have him drop in - we think he is much happier in the place he is living now. When he came home from skiing on Saturday, he announced he wasn't going again until it warmed up-he said it was just bitter cold. We talked to Bob and asked him how he was liking the snow and he said, "It's okay for now but if it continues into March I might complain" - Ha!!!! Ann, Jean & Roy and their families are all doing fine.

We had a letter from Mildred Cantrell - our neighbor when we lived in Phoenix. She said the people who live in our home now won a two million dollar lottery (they won it before they bought the home)- she said they get $90,000 a year for the next twenty years. They're Mexican and Mildred really likes them. One of Mildred's big palm trees in her front yard blew over on her house recently. That seems a long time ago too.

I want you to have Chris & Waynes' phone number - we won't call you but if you need us, they will know where we are:
205-981-6120 (Orange Beach, Alabama)

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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