March 6, 2000 Farmington, Utah

ANNIE - I was SO happy to receive your message this morning. When I have talked to Jeannie and Claire this week I have said, "I wish Ann would keep me up to date about Jessie". I think about her constantly and I'm relieved that she had good news from her doctor. I can just imagine how difficult it is for her though to struggle with "eye problems" when she is in school with lots of studying to do. Ann and Ron went to Logan on Monday night to a concert in which she was playing and she is doing better. Please let me know when her next concert is - I REALLY want to go to one before school is out but I need to know in advance so I can get off work if I am still working. Do they have a schedule so I could pick and choose one to go to? It has been fun for me to keep up with the high school basketball competition - WAY TO GO TIMPVIEW - they won the State Championship for the second year in a row. I know Russell and Lee Anna have had fun going to the games and Lee Anna "cheering" for their team.

THE BOB MELLORS HAVE A BEAUTIFUL NEW DOG!!! They invited me to dinner last night and then to go with them to Salt Lake to look at a "Shi Tzu" that was for sale. I couldn't believe it - we went to this lovely home and the owner kept bringing out these beautiful dogs. I have seen them on television in dog shows but as I said, "I didn't think normal people owned dogs that looked like that". I didn't realize that "Wicket" could look like that if his hair grew that long . They had three dogs for sale - two were puppies and their mother. Bob and Claire REALLY didn't want a puppy even though I thought Katie was going to hold out for one - Ha!!! They bought the mother and her name is Daisy and she was a "show dog" and they have pictures of her with her ribbons. She was SO good on the way home as all of them cuddled her in the back of their car. It was fun to be with Michael too - he had come home from Orem with his mission papers so he could get them ready to put in soon. He didn't go to pick out their dog because he wanted to get back to Orem and study - I think!!!

JEANNIE AND RICK went to Phoenix on Thursday - Rick had to go for business and Jean went along. I believe this is an annual business meeting and they attend with other Medtronic workers and heart specialists. They brought me some dates and I LOVE them - they have brought them other years and they're such a treat because I don't even look at them in the stores - they're not as good. Many of you remember our date trees in our yard in Phoenix and how good the dates were - I used to make "date shakes" all the time. I was supposed to help the girls but I didn't do one thing except have them call me when they settled down for the night. They are SO good and responsible that I didn't worry about them and Barji came home so she could help with all their schedules - Sarah was in a dance competition and had many practices. I talked to Jean last night and she told me she had fun shopping and just being in Phoenix but she didn't have time to go to our old home on Pinchot.

I told Claire last night that I was going to put Roy, Patrice and John in a sack and "shake them up" - Ha!!! I haven't heard from them this week. Michael said he hadn't seen John all week - that is weird to be living in the same house and not see each other!!! Roy and Patrice - it has been interesting to read the news about President Gee resigning from Brown University to go to Vanderbilt as their President. The articles that have been in our papers picture him as being quite irresponsible and that makes me sad - I had hoped he would be successful there so you could see a "Mormon" doing good things in the areas of your interests. Oh Well!!!

I have had a fun and unusually busy week. They have had clearance sales at ZCMI so they have kept the stores open later - it's kinda' dumb because the store here isn't busy after 8 p.m. even though the weather has been good. Friday night I worked until 10 p.m and since I had a temple assignment the next morning I set three alarm clocks and then awakened at 3 a.m. and sat and looked at them to see if they would really go off - Ha!!!

I went to a DUP convention after working at the temple on Saturday. I was late so I sat at the back of the Rock Chapel and I almost laughed right out loud as I looked at the group. All the women were asked to wear hats that had been worn by relatives in their families. Many of the women are in their eighties and some even in their nineties and honestly I felt like I had gone back in time about one hundred years. They are darling women and "hard core DUP members" and I admire them very much for the work they are doing in keeping memories of their families alive but I'm not sure "I fit" - Ha!!! They had brought a team of oxen from Logan to demonstrate how they are used on farms and I couldn't believe how huge they are. There was A LOT of effort put into the convention - they had made replicas of covered wagons and birdhouses for the table decorations. I ADMIRE THAT VERY MUCH - mainly I guess because that is SO hard for me.

Saturday night Margaret invited me to go to Snowbird for the "Forever Young Foundation" party. The "Stephen's Chocolate" Company which is owned by Margaret and her family had reserved three tables and most of their family members attended. Matt who is Margaret's grandson invited Mary Ann to go with him and it was fun to be with her - she looked so darling!!! Steve Young for whom the foundation is named donated autographed footballs as "favors" for everyone and that was special. They have auctions to raise money for the foundation and that was unreal. They auctioned off a "world globe" that was gorgeous with jewels to represent all the different countries and it went for $17,000. Margaret's daughter-in-law bought a beautiful diamond/gold necklace for $6,000. This money goes to help disabled young people learn and enjoy sports such as skiing. They recognized one young man who is blind and he had his "seeing eye Labrador dog" with him and he had learned how to "snowboard" that afternoon at Snowbird. I always enjoy being with Margaret because she is very "down to earth" and has her head on straight.

Rocky - the last letter I received from Marc Hall who is Mission President in the Yekaterinburg Russia Mission told me about their General Authority visitor, Brother Didier. I' m sure you have General Authority visitors who come to speak to you too - they always have a fresh approach that gives missionaries a "BOOST". You are doing SO good and we are all very proud of you!!!