Dearest Family, April 22, 1998

HOORAY - our computer is back and seems to be working fine. They couldn't tell us what we had done wrong so I guess it will always be a mystery - the consensus among the other teachers is that Marc Hall bought the very cheapest ones he could find but I don't know about that!!!

PATRICE, ROY, EMILY, TIMOTHY AND JESSE - Thank you SO much for the beautiful Easter card and those darling pictures. I LOVED all of them and I am happy that Roy is able to have his picture taken without a frown now - Ha!!! Patrice - you must be in the next pictures. I think the Easter card is darling and I put it on our counter for all to see. Easter came and went here without much of any celebration - even at church!!! I am thrilled that you take such good care of your yard and I know it is beautiful - Daddy's yard care is “rubbing off on you”. I have always said that it is a good thing that Patrice and Claire enjoy doing yard work because Roy and Bob don't. I believe John enjoys it - at least he is good at it.

BOB - Thank you So much for your messages. I have worried and worried about not hearing from you so Virginia wanted to send you a message on her computer and I was SO happy that you replied so quickly. Your trip to Zion sounded fun. I was startled when I read the subject “hot” on your last message - I wondered if maybe the Utah climate had gone berserk!!! I can't believe you are still having snow and rain and cold weather!!!

John - Thank you So much for depositing my money for me. My expenses have gone up and the Baht isn't as good as it was for awhile - I am happy about that because the Thai people are very worried about their economy. We travel a lot by taxis now and the trips to Lopburi are expensive!!! The ATM's are easy and close so I hope that doesn't cause you problems - I REALLY appreciate all the help you give me.

CONGRATULATIONS TO BARJI AND JESSIE - you have done such marvelous things during your senior year in High School and I AM SO PROUD OF YOU. JESSIE - A full music scholarship to Utah State - they are very lucky to have you go there and I can hardly wait for you to get all involved in everything!!! BARJI - The dances you choreographed for the D'Ettes taking 1st and 3rd place - I think that is just SUPER. I wish I could attend your “A Night To Remember” - that is one of the most special things I have ever gone to (I went last year). It doesn't seem possible that you both are “winding down” in your activities at school - you have almost another month to go don't you? Rick and Jean, I can just imagine what wonderful chaperones you were for the D'Ettes. I do believe that Rick could even find his way around busy Bangkok.

THE WEINERTS WENT TO HAWAII!!! Your trip sounded fabulous and I think you are very smart to do things with your family before they all start to go in different directions and that is going to be VERY soon. I am anxious to hear about Ricky's mission call but I will be very surprised if he gets it before he turns 19 - that would be most unusual wouldn't it?

I'm anxious to hear about the Woolley's trip to Las Vegas during Spring Break. That is such a fun place to go if you just stay in the “family entertainment” places. I LOVED all the delicious buffets when I was there with Ellen Mae and Mel - we didn't see any shows but I know they have the very best.

Some of the teachers at a school where Janet and Darlene have taught since they have been in Bangkok invited all of us to go to a Beach Resort, Hua Hin, during the holiday of “Songkran” here. We had a marvelous time. We left on the morning of the 14th and got home very early on the morning of the 16th (2 a.m.). They had made all the arrangements and I kept worrying about breaking mission rules but I went along anyway. We had great accommodations in a hotel right on the beach and we swam in the “Sea Of Thailand”. The water was so warm and since the beach is a private beach it was very clean - there were huge waves and I just loved it. We didn't take our swimming suits when we went to Samwii (sp.?) and Phuket but many of the teachers did, even President and Sister Goodman and their children, so we decided it was okay. We were quite embarrassed when some of the teachers went into the sea practically fully clothed and they explained they couldn't expose much of their bodies because of their Muslim religion.

We went to a HUGE mountain and they asked if we could climb it. I could tell they were very concerned about this old lady so I was the first to say “YES”. It was VERY STEEP and HIGH but I got along just fine going up. WELL - when it came time to come back down that was a different story. One of the husbands of the teachers came and asked if he could help me - I would still be on the top of that mountain if it hadn't been for Hnoi!!! There was a cave at the top and I will never forget that - it was spectacular but scary!!!

There were 36 in our group - women teachers, their husbands and children. The children were just darling - very respectful and lots of fun to be with. We stopped many, many places on the way to eat - lots of seafood.

Friday, the 17th, a friend of mine invited all of us to go to her home for dinner. When we lived in Wyoming we were friends with Rulon and Virginia Lewis. During the Vietnam War, Rulon took an assignment here in Bangkok and while they were here a Thai woman named Suparin was his secretary. Suparin calls Virginia here “American Mama” and has visited her in Orem. Virginia wrote to her and told her I was here so she has been to see me and then she invited us to her home for dinner. You should see her home - it is very, very lovely. She lives in it with her five single sisters, one brother, her nephew and his wife and children. There is another home attached to Suparins. Suparin is in her 50's but she looks like she is about 40. She is very beautiful and she had pictures to show us of when she was younger and she was with the King of Thailand at different functions. WE WERE IN GOOD COMPANY. The dinner was “Out of this World”. We took a taxi to a department store and then she had a friend come there to pick us up to take us to her home.

Helen's two daughters are here staying with us. One of them has been sick since she got here. Janet, Darlene and I went to Ayutthaya last Saturday and then to Lopburi on Sunday and we will do that again this weekend so Helen can be with her girls. Her other daughter and son-in-law were here about two weeks ago. I REALLY enjoy teaching with Janet and Darlene and they are such an asset at church - Janet is a better piano player than I am and the piano at Lopburi is very difficult to play.

I walked to some of the bigger stores this afternoon - I want to kinda' get oriented for when Bob, Claire and Michael are here and also Ann & Jessie. I truly do not like to take taxis - we have to some time but when I can walk I do. I walked to the World Trade Center and they have some very interesting things there. I prefer to take the bus but more often than not, I get lost!!!

The letter you sent to me from Mel and Paula Pack, Ann, told me that Mel has been made the Bishop of their ward - I am thrilled for that family. I don't know of any other family that has had challenges like they have had and they are always very pleasant.

We are involved in getting things ready for the resource centers. The man who is taking Marc Hall's place while he is gone told us yesterday that we would be free to go home to America when our schools are out - they don't all get out at the same time so we won't have to go back together. ISN'T THAT NEAT? I believe we will be finished by the end or middle of September. Marc had told us he wanted us to stay and help train the new people but I guess that has been changed. Some of the people are going to “tour” but I definitely don't want to. China is close but I am not interested in going there.

I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY, VERY MUCH. PLEASE BE SO VERY, VERY CAREFUL. Grandma B

There was a “night market” at Hua Hin