Thailand Letter
October 16, 1997
Bangkok, Thailand
Dearest Family,
I have awakened and come to the computer so I can answer your WONDERFUL letters. Virginia and I were SO thrilled when we came home today to find the conference addresses on the computer - BOB, YOU ARE A MIRACLE WORKER!!! Virginia said, "Of all the people we hear from on the computer Bob is the smartest" - and I agree. We sat in front of the computer and read from about 4 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. I said before that I have LOVED watching conference in recent years but the talks have never been as important to me as they are when I read them in front of the computer in Bangkok, Thailand. It is something WE WILL NEVER FORGET!!! It is SO funny, I have had letters this week from friends and they have said, "Wasn't conference wonderful?" I don't believe people realize that we didn't get it here. THANK YOU DEAR BOB!!!
We have this young neighbor boy whose name is Yodd and he comes over on Tuesday and Thursday evenings to "practice English" - he is 27 years old and lives with his father and his father's 4th wife. He can't find a job so he just stays home all day with his three dogs and his brothers and stepmother - he just bought two of the dogs from the "market" as puppies. He is a very nice young man. The three of us used to sit at the kitchen table and practice English but I find it hard to give him that much time so I just go upstairs and study for our school lessons. Tonight I had to shampoo my hair and I didn't want to come to the computer looking so dumb so I laid (?) down on the bed to study and went sound asleep. Virginia just came to bed and said she had read more of the conference talks and that I had a message from Jeannie. SO it is 11 p.m. and I am writing to you. I have more conference talks to read and will look forward to doing that tomorrow after school.
Woolleys - thank you SO much for your letter telling about your trip to Wyoming. I am VERY proud of you for doing that. One of Virginia's friends is a missionary serving on the "trail" so she was happy to read your glowing report of the missionaries there. I can't imagine you riding a four-wheeler for that long but I know that was important to your family. I can't help but agree with Russell that our forefathers weren't too smart in the things they did at that time - but they surely had courage and persistence, didn't they? ROY AND PATRICE - I am proud of you for getting the video of that trek - I need to do that when I get home so I can get it straightened out in my mind. Woolleys - I envy you with your snow blizzards - they sound WONDERFUL to me!!!
Weinerts - WHAT A MARVELOUS TRIP YOU HAVE HAD!!! Thank you SO much for telling me all about it. I can't imagine your being able to do and see so many things and I think you are very, very smart to do those things while your children are all at home. What a thrill for your children to see the play "Beauty and the Beast" in New York - plus all the other things there and the church historical sites too. I am VERY impressed that you would be picked up in a "white limousine" at the airport - I want Rick to plan a trip for me sometime - Ha!!! I laughed when I read that you are in the midst of the "Nutcracker Crazies" - I remember getting Mary Ann to some of those practices and I thought you were crazy to do all that. Ricky and Barji will catch up on all their school work fast and their trip memories will be with them for forever.
Bob Mellors - I was SO thrilled to read your impressions of Las Vegas. It kinda' reminded me of the time Ellen Mae and Mel took me there - I believe it was three years ago!!! I felt like I was in "another world" and the thing that was so funny was that Daddy and I had been there a year or so before that on our way to California and all I had seen was the temple. I think you need to see those places with your family so you can help them discern the things that are "WAY TOO MATERIALISTIC" and there are many good things to appreciate about the "strip". The technology that has gone into building those tremendous hotels and the talent that is shown should certainly be appreciated. It would be very easy to get caught up in "the things of the world" if one had enough money to live in Las Vegas and spend time there. Did your children like it?
I have just finished reading Elder Gerrard's talk and I loved the part where he said that he asked one of his pilot friends how to get experience to make good decisions and his friend answered him by saying "by making bad decisions". He then went on to say that his friend was wrong - we can learn from others making bad decisions - we don't have to make them ourselves. HOW TRUE!!! I was SO happy to read Elder Maxwell's talk too - many people didn't think he would live for another conference - how does he look? The talks were all just WONDERFUL and it is fun to read them at my age when I have known personally so many who are in leadership positions. Virginia was happy to read Elder Hales' complete talk. Her sister, Mary, sent her a short note saying they were on their way to Korea and Japan. They have two sons and one has that immune disease disorder and isn't in good health. Boyd Packer's talk was good too - a little more "down to earth" for him. Pres. Hinckley is such a marvel - the love and devotion the church members have for him reminds me of the way the people in Bangkok feel about their Buddhas and also their King - I hope that's a good comparison. I always feel better when I read the counsel from our church leaders and I am very grateful for them. I will probably print the addresses for the members here. They are having the tapes of the conference at the Asoke Ward for the next three Sundays but we don't go to that ward.
Julianna - I am LOVING the books you sent SO much. I had the class of teachers read Dr. Seuss' "Red Fish" book yesterday and they LOVED it - they wanted to copy it but of course I wouldn't let them. I should get a commission from the books they could sell here - Ha!!! I showed them "The Biggest Bear" and hope to have time tomorrow to read that and also "Guess How Much I Love You". Our friend, Yodd, has enjoyed all the books SO much.
We will finish our English Workshop tomorrow at this school and then we will prepare for the next two weeks at different schools = we will be able to use much of the same material and I am SO glad. I made Bingo cards using different English Vocabulary Pictures and WHAT A JOB. I only made 12 but it took me forever - each card had to be different. They all wanted copies so I left it with them to copy with the promise that they would give it back to me.
They have a big celebration here during the "Full Moon" - I believe it will be on Nov. 7th. It is called "Loy Katrong" or something like that. EVERYONE makes little boats from banana leaves and they put candles in them and float them on the river. It is giving appreciation to the river for the water to provide the food they need. They celebrate much like we do on the fourth of July - they have been setting off firecrackers for this past week and I mean LOUD firecrackers and they sound like they are at our front door.
I am SO happy that you are all home safe and sound - I don't like it when you are "out of pocket". I knew I wouldn't hear from you over the weekend and it made me sad!!! I had a letter from Marian Jeppsen and she sent me her e-mail address with a note saying "We'll just see if this modern technology works in Thailand" - I sent her a message saying it is my "lifeline".
Thank you all SO very much - I will be content now for another week. BOB - THANKS AGAIN JUST MILLIONS FOR BEING SO THOUGHTFUL - I know that took a great deal of time and with you just coming home from vacation I don't know how you did it but we love you so much. I LOVE YOU ALL VERY, VERY MUCH. Grandma B.