Dearest Family, May 8, 1998

ROY, PATRICE, EMILY, TIMOTHY & JESSE, Thank you SO much for your sweet letters. I was thrilled to receive a “handwritten letter” that was written while our computer was getting fixed. EMILY - twist your father's arm and have him bring you to Thailand (she wrote that they were thinking about it and she was hesitant because of the vaccines she would have to have). I would be very happy to have you come - also your Mom!!! I think what Claire said about bringing Katie and Brett - she said they would surely starve to death - Ha!!! There are many American fast food places here - there is a McDonalds within walking distance of where I live. TIMOTHY - I LOVED your letter telling about your ball games - I would REALLY like to see you play sometime - do you play in the field where your Dad and Uncles Bob and John used to play? JESSE - I can't believe you can ride a bike without training wheels - YOU ARE TOO YOUNG!!! I would like to see your new hair cut and I'm happy that you had fun at the beach!!!

I haven't heard from my “Utah” family this week - I hope you are all doing good. The end of school activities keeps you all very busy - especially those of you with graduating seniors!!! I am wondering when Ann and Jessie will go to Europe on the trip that I had planned to go with them - I can't remember when that was scheduled. Bob and Claire have so many things going on that I can't keep track of them.

Bob wrote that their medical team that goes into Mexico had their trip cancelled for safety reasons - I know that is a big disappointment for the doctors and also their patients. I would like to know if it is because of the civil disturbance in that area or flying there. I'll bet Claire is happy to have him home safe and sound.

I have tried to find a “world map” so I could see where El Salvador is but I couldn't find one. My roommate, Darlene, was a librarian so one of her friends took her to a Bangkok Library yesterday. She came home with a world map and we put it on one of our walls. I believe El Salvador will have just about the same climate that Thailand has - is that right? I believe many of the living conditions will be the same as they are here also - unsafe drinking water, poor people, and the language barrier. RICKY - YOU ARE PERFECT FOR THE CALLING!!!

John & Julianna - I hear from some of the people in the ward and there are many new people moving in. I would like to hear about the new home that is being built on “Steele Road” - very close to UVSC.

Helen and I had a BIG meeting yesterday with the “BIG WIGS” from the area where we are teaching. It was really something!!! We have seven districts and 38 schools and the superintendents from all the districts were there and also some English teachers who could speak English and translate for us. The Deputy Director of our “Mother School” was in charge - he is new and excited because he is getting his MBA from the “oldest and best” university in Bangkok - he is very, very nice and presented us with a beautiful floral arrangement. They are all so very receptive to what we are doing and want to do everything they possibly can to help us. We won't actually start again until June 1st. Helen is very demanding and made it very clear that we didn't want to do workshops in May - she did that before I came to this area. Janet and Darlene are teaching workshops now and will do so the rest of the month - the other teachers in our group won't start until June. Helen and I teach with a young woman by the name of “Somjit” - she has her own car and takes us many places. I made up my mind from the very beginning that I would NOT take advantage of these dear people - they are child like in the way they want to help us. Helen has had her take her EVERYWHERE. They went to “Safari World” on Wednesday but since I had already been there once I said I didn't want to go - I went to school with Janet and Darlene instead. I love being with them and they are very good teachers - I learn a lot from them.

I had a little rod in my bathroom where I could hang my dresses - the closet I have is too short for dresses. WELL - it broke!!! I walked a long ways to the store one night last week to try to find a “suspension rod”. The only one I could find was too long. I bought it anyway and decided I would buy a saw and cut it off. When I went to the department where they had the saws and explained what I wanted to do - the clerk said (in Thai) that if I would buy a blade he would put it in the handle and saw it off for me. I wish I would have had my camera - there were four young men in their white shirts, ties and dark pants sprawled on the floor cutting this rod for me. They cut so much off that I was worried it wouldn't fit but they knew what they were doing - it was supposed to be 26 1/2 inches wide and everything they measure with is in centimeters and I was completely lost. That was such a fun experience!!! When I walked out of the store it was pouring down rain and pitch black. I wanted to wait in the store but I knew my roommates would worry about me so I put a plastic sack over my head and came home. I was soaking wet by the time I got here and my roommates were sitting out on the balcony enjoying the cool air. We sat out there for along time - the rain kinda' broke the long, long hot spell we have had. I am at the computer in our living room and we have the doors and windows opened - I wish it would stay this way.

Our swimming pool is broken - there is a leak somewhere. I hope they get it fixed soon because I have been swimming from 5:30 - 6:30 every morning and I really miss it. This apartment is crazy - we haven't had television since I moved here because the landlord won't pay the cable fee - the cable system is for the entire apartment so we can't just pay our own. We really don't have time to watch it anyway but we would enjoy CNN and find out the Jazz scores. Our back door lock has been broken for months - Dubey finally came up yesterday and fixed it. The way of life here is SO SLOW and when things need to be done they just say “Mai Pen Rai” - Never mind!!!

The executives from Channel 9 came here last night - Janet and Helen teach them. They taught us how to make Thai Omelet's and they were delicious but I'm not kidding when I say they practically boil them in oil. They brought cute little fans for each of us and also hats - a darling group of people.

Today is a holiday to celebrate the “Plowing Season” - they have holidays for everything. Earlier this week they celebrated the King's 51st Coronation Day. I go to Ayutthaya in the morning and we will have our last class with the 25 teachers we have been working with - it is a 10 week course. We will go to Lopburi tomorrow night and come home Sunday night. Monday I am going to Srisaket, Surin and Burirum and will be gone until Wednesday. Srisaket is where Suzie's friend, Chan, lives and I will try to contact her. We will visit a silverware factory, a hand-woven silk place and many museums. This is a trip planned because the missionary couple working in the Mission Office will be going home in a couple weeks - their home is in Brigham City.

I CAN HARDLY WAIT FOR BOB, CLAIRE AND MICHAEL TO GET HERE. I want to know your plane schedule - you said Northwest but I believe that will only take you to Los Angeles and then you have to get on an International Flight, don't you?

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