Thailand Letter
Dearest Family, September 21, 1998 Monday 10:10 a.m.
RUSSELL - I am SO sorry to hear that you were knocked out - especially when you weren't playing football. How terrible for that guy to hit you from the back - he sounds like a real "jerk". (Russell's football team had just won a football game and a 26 year old Tongan - I guess that is what you meant Annie - was angry so he picked on someone to hit and Russell was in the wrong place at the wrong time.) I can remember when the football games in Little Rock became so unruly they wouldn't let the cheerleaders go to them at night - I hope it isn't like that in Provo now. I'm glad your brilliant brain is okay - Ha!!! I'm sure you know by now if there is further damage to the sinuses and I hope so much there isn't. LET ME KNOW!!! I hope they find the man who did it - for his sake - he needs help. I also hope this doesn't discourage you from playing football.
CLAIRE - Thank you SO much for your newsy letter. I can relate to the problem you are having with losing things. Part of my problem is that the teachers are always grabbing my things like my purse, briefcase, books etc. and I never know where they take them. They treat me like I am 100 years old!!! I hope you had a good stake conference - it's a treat to hear you say you are looking forward to the conference - so many people plan to go away when they are held. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SENDING THE PICTURE OF KATIE - SHE IS SUCH A LITTLE DOLL!!! She did a great job painting the bench and I couldn't see any paint on your floor. I hope you have a fun trip to California when you go - a fun Mother-Daughter activity.
BOB - Thank you SO much for your letter too. I don't believe you will have to worry about the rain while you and John are here in December - the rainy season is supposed to be over by then - I HOPE IT IS!!! I am anxious to apply to work in the Bountiful Temple - it's wonderful that Bob and Alice are able to work there. Jeannie told me it is very similar to the Mt. Timpanogos Temple. I will be VERY happy when all the parties and ceremonies are over - they are having the BIG FAREWELL DINNER on Wednesday night with the Governor. There has been a great deal of effort put into it - I hope it is successful and fun - it will be held at the Marriott and I LOVE their food!!!
Saturday was a fun day. I taught in the morning for 4 hours - four different groups of 25 students each. The classroom just had a fan and I about cooked. Our friend Somjit (she prepared food for Ann, Jean, Barji and Jessie) had birthday on Saturday so Helen and I took Lamchuan and her out to dinner. They like to go to a restaurant that is right next to the Chao Phraya River and the food was delicious but right in the middle of it I felt something on my arm - I thought it was the handle of my purse but when I reached down it scrambled up my arm and then into my lap and onto the floor. It had a tail so I am assuming it was a river rat - it went down into the drain that was under the table where we were eating. I didn't even scream!!!
Yesterday, Sunday, we went to church and we have the best Sunday School teacher I believe I have ever had. His name is David Leavitt and he is from Canada - related to Governor Mike Leavitt distantly - also to Helen, my companion. He has just moved here from Indonesia and he told about the poverty there and he can't talk about it without tears coming to his eyes. He said there are 200 million people there living beneath the poverty level and that is described as not being able to provide food calories of 2,000 for their children. He tells about the political problems there that cause all this and I can compare that to Thailand and be so grateful for America.
A group of our teachers rented a van and came for us about 1:30 in the afternoon and took us to the Wax Imagery Museum - I had been there but it is an excellent museum and I enjoyed it more this time. There is so much history displayed. One of the teachers' sisters owns a big orchid farm and also an exporting place where they prepare these orchids to send all over the world. I have never seen so many gorgeous orchids and they presented us with a huge bouquet of them all wrapped up and tied with a big ribbon - I felt like Miss America - Ha!!! Then they took us to dinner and it was delicious. There were 11 of us in the van and I wish I could have had a tape recorder with me - it is wild to hear all of them talking in Thai and they talk a mile a minute. IT WAS A VERY FUN DAY!!!
I MUST start to sort out my things and get ready for my move. I am far behind and it seems like there is so much going on all the time I can't get caught up. I had a letter from Ellen Mae and Mel and they are going on a big trip to the East Coast - they will attend a Marine Reunion, stay with their son Robert, and then drive through Massachusetts to see the beautiful Fall Leaves. I will be happy to be able to think about more normal things than what I am doing but I am grateful for this opportunity - it will last me for the rest of my life.
I LOVE YOU ALL SO VERY, VERY MUCH. PLEASE BE SO VERY, VERY CAREFUL. Grandma B