Dearest Family, June 28, 1998

JEANNIE - I LOVED YOUR LONG AND NEWSY LETTER AND CONGRATULATIONS TO RICKY - WAY TO GO RICKY!!! He won a $400 golf club at a golf tournament at Thanksgiving Point for shooting the longest putt on a certain hole. I am surprised they are golfing at Thanksgiving Point - I didn't think the course was ready yet. I'll bet that is going to be a beautiful and popular place. I LOVED to hear about the family's plans to go to the temple together on July 3rd and then celebrate July 4th by watching the balloon races and also the Stadium of Fire Activities from the park by the Woolleys. I will be thinking of you this weekend. Needless to say, July 4th is just another day here in Thailand. Ricky's farewell is coming up - July 12th - I'll be thinking of all of you on that day too and I hope you will all be together. The Lake Powell Trip - I will not be thinking of you - I always worry SO much when you go there. Ricky - I'm SO proud of you for having done so many of the preparations for your mission. I visited with some of the Lady Missionaries this morning at church and they said, “We are having too much fun” - I think that's great and I hope you do too - you will be such a sweet and good missionary and that's SO important. This is such a special and happy time in the lives of the Weinerts and yet it is a time for a lot of thought and concern - two children “leaving the nest” - we laugh at situations like this but it is not one bit funny for the parents!!! Barji will be bringing more people back into the nest on weekends and Ricky will be making so many new friends and having so many new experiences that will have everlasting happiness and excitement for the entire family.

JOHN - THANKS FOR YOUR LETTER. I'm SO happy you talked to Chris and Wayne - I remember now that you said they had asked for my e-mail address. I believe they wanted it for their daughter Suzie because she had an exchange student from Thailand. If I remember right that student is working at an Embassy and I would like to know which one because we have a lot of them close by us. The U. S. Embassy is right on the next street. I'm glad you have made them feel welcome to use the cabin. I think it is a WONDERFUL idea to have a “man's working weekend” in Scofield - I'm sure it is overgrown with weeds and grass. Did I tell you that I had a letter from Byrd and he “suggested” that the carpet on the dock needed to be replaced. I think that is funny because they are the ones who use it.

BOB - MY TALK WENT WELL!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH - I would have been lost without all the material you sent. I had many compliments on it and I appreciate your help SO VERY MUCH. Janet did a good job too - she talked about how the prophet advised her grandfather to not go to California to make a fortune during the gold rush but he went anyway. As it turned out the cattle he bought with his fortune all drank some bad water when they got into Utah and they all died. I am SO glad it is over - no matter how many talks I give I always get so stressed out worrying about them. There are not many people in church here now - most of the American Families have gone home for the Summer - the International Schools here have the same schedules as the American Schools. I am surprised you are involved in Youth Conference - how much more can you do??? I am wondering what kind of seminars you would have to interest the youth - Laura and Michael would both be attending wouldn't they? I don't know what laser tagging is but it sounds complicated with computers keeping the scores.

CLAIRE - Janet had a message from her daughter, Deniece, and she said she had met you - actually the message was from Janet's sister and she was relaying that information. Her daughter is coming on July 15th and Janet is excited.

I hope the Roys and the Woolleys are doing GREAT and I know you are!!! I love to look at all your pictures - Dec. seems a long, long ways away but I know how fast time flies “when you're having fun” and “I'm having fun”. We went to a school yesterday to work on some resource material stuff and one of the teachers served us a delicious dinner in her “Sound Lab” - THEY ARE SO GOOD TO US. It has rained her a lot and I believe the temperature has cooled a little.

Annie - do you know when you are coming? Do you want to visit some of the ancient ruins or just do things we plan after you get here. Bob and Claire can give you an idea of what is available.

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