November 11, 2001 Farmington, Utah

I don't usually write my letter on Sunday morning but I had a phone call from Bob earlier and when I came to the computer I found a message from Patrice concerning Guatemala so I want to write while these messages are fresh on my mind. Bob and his "group" of nine got stuck in Houston because their airline had mechanical problems - they will leave this morning to get to Guatemala and then go to their medical destination by tonight. Bob was concerned about Roy because he will have been in Guatemala for twenty four hours and staying with people who only speak Spanish before Bob gets there. THEN, Patrice forwarded an e-mail message that Roy had sent to them and I am still laughing - I have forwarded it to all of you. Roy said he had either bought or rented a Mercedes Diesel Minivan - he didn't know which because of the language problems. WOW - can I relate to that!!! I don't remember when I have been more excited about anything as I am about this "project" and I hope they will share all their experiences. I know this is "old hat" for Bob because he has been doing it for many years but many of them are going for the first time. Bob is taking his nurse and also others from his staff and they have not been there before - Claire is also with them but she has been there before. The most significant thing that has come about for me anyway is Roy's last statement on his e-mail to his family - "we have much to be thankful for". Rick and Ricky are leaving later on this week. I AM VERY PROUD OF ALL OF THEM!!!

I am VERY thankful to be living in this time to see the "goodness of people" but I have a problem when I am with people who don't have the same interests I do - material things are SO important to too many people (who am I to judge?). I have seen many WONDERFUL people who are SO generous and yet SO poor and don't even know it. Enough of that!!!

I am VERY happy that Michael and Russell are having the opportunities to learn different cultures and help where they can. I can tell from reading their letters that their focus is right where it should be and I AM VERY PROUD OF THEM. I just hope they won't be discouraged if they meet with a lot of rejection as they proselyte - their examples are taking root among everyone who sees them.

I can't help but mention some of the "war" things that are constantly on the television - my letters would not be authentic if I ignored these things. I watched President Bush's talk to the nation the other night and he talked about the threat of nuclear attacks - I went downstairs and fixed a large bowl of chocolate ice cream - Ha!!! I think it is foolish to be deprived of delicious foods if we are going to be "nuked" - I don't mean to take these things lightly because I'm sure there is a lot of concern or they wouldn't be made so public by our leaders but I seriously believe our country is prepared to thwart any attacks of this kind. I also seriously believe it is up to individuals to be prepared and alert to what is going on around us.

Patrice - thank you SO much for your long and newsy letter. I'm glad Timothy's soccer season was successful - sports programs are very worthwhile when they build children's characters but they can be the other way too. We had some of those kind with John's baseball teams - I remember when some of the parents would pay their children BIG BUCKS for homeruns, etc. I MUST read the Harry Potter books so I can keep up with Jesse - I think it is remarkable that he is on #3. My neighbor, Margaret, is a great fan of those books and she's looking forward to the movie which starts playing in Utah this weekend, I think. I'm glad he is in the swimming program - SO HEALTHY!!! I can just imagine that Emily will be in great demand as a babysitter - she is SO reliable and the kind of young woman anyone would trust with their children. Joan and Andy will certainly be in my prayers as they depart for Russia to get their little "Billy" - what a WONDERFUL UNSELFISH thing for them to do and I want the very best for them. I was SO happy to receive Timothy's letter - so well written - THANK YOU VERY MUCH TIMOTHY!!!

Jessie - I felt SO bad when I re-read my last family letter and noticed that I had forgotten to mention that you were not at our family get-together last Sunday. I guess I thought you had come in with the other college kids - I'm sorry!!! I have had you on my mind all week and yesterday I was on the highway and a car passed and honked - the young people inside all waved and I thought you were with them. I don't drive very fast and many cars pass me going much faster so I couldn't tell for sure - it was close to Lagoon. I ALWAYS drive the speed limit because I know it's dangerous not to but other cars drive much faster.

I drove to Salt Lake yesterday after leaving the temple and met Virginia, Linda Smithers and Margaret, a friend of Lindas. It was Virginia's birthday and we all went to "Bangkok Thai" for lunch. Their food is delicious and we had such a good time. Linda is VERY worried about her job. She decorates the tables for the large hotels in Salt Lake when they have huge dinners - she mainly makes chair covers and adds special touches to the backs of them. She has worked SO hard for the last three years trying to make a business for herself and last year she made $18,000.00 during the month of November and this year she has $1,000.00 on her books for this month. She says the hotel business is BAD!!! I'm sure she will make it all up during the Olympics but she says they are getting VERY demanding - like wanting 1,500 chair covers all the same color and she can't do that. I WOULD HATE THAT BUSINESS. She has been dating a man from Las Vegas but has decided he's not the one - the Gonces arranged for her to meet him because his wife just died. Laura Gonce is doing VERY WELL in her Real Estate business and Dave is playing golf - Ha!!!

I got home yesterday just in time to go to Ogden with Margaret and other condo friends to attend a Boy Scout Benefit program. Margaret's foundation sponsors a table every year and also donates A LOT of Stephen's Cocoa products. They have many things donated by different companies and then they have a silent auction - I went last year but didn't ever "catch on" but this year I knew what I was doing. I bid on lots of things but only got two things I bid on. They give you a number and you write the number and the price you will pay on a paper by the product and then the highest bidder gets it. They had many LARGE items like a Honda civic, a Grandfather's Clock, a motorcycle, lots of expensive exercising equipment, etc., etc. I think they make a lot of money for the Boy Scouts and I have always LOVED that program. They also serve a delicious dinner - just what I needed after a big Thai lunch - Ha!!!

Have any of you been to see "The Gateway" in Salt Lake? It just opened this week and it is a very, very large outdoor mall and there has been a lot about it in the newspapers and on television. Margaret asked me to go with her on Friday so we spent most of the day there and then we went to Crossroads Plaza - both places were crowded so I guess the shopping market is very much alive in Utah. I am very impressed with the Gateway but I hope they get some good anchor stores - it isn't nearly finished yet but it was a beautiful day and a lot of fun to see what they have done. It is different from anything we have had in Utah and I have to wonder what success they will have in Wintry weather because the access to all the stores is from the outdoors.

Do any of you remember Louis Corpier from North Little Rock? I had a letter from Floy McKell telling me that he passed away - he was 83 years old. She sent me his obituary from their paper and I was surprised to read that the Barleys had seven children - do you all remember Mary Louise Corpier and Jim Barley? Jim died and she re-married. Louis and Doris have had a hard life - many disappointments. Daddy loved Louis and they fished together and also went "frog gigging". Gayle Wing also called me and we had such a good visit and she told me they have four children living in Orem - their son, Carleton, is the only one living in Little Rock. Carleton is a news announcer and starting in January will announce the sports on Pax. George wanted Lynn's "Line of Authority" for his record because he had set him apart as a High Priest. I found it and called him back but I had to get a magnifying glass out to read it because it had faded a lot so George suggested I put it on the internet to preserve it - I have sent it to John so he can put it somewhere on the internet - probably the family web site.

There was a nice article in the paper about the Davis High School Band winning first place in the competition in Las Vegas. I'm SO happy that Brett is playing with that band. They had a GREAT drum set for auction last night - it was listed at $1,800.00 and finally went for $850.00 - there were many bargains.

I thought about Boyd when I read about Mike Weir winning a big golf tournament. Jeannie and Rick tried to explain the "Q school" in Arizona and according to the article about Mike, he attended that school and I believe that is the school Boyd is going to. I love to watch the golfers in my backyard and since we have had such beautiful weather there have been a lot of them there all day for the past month or so. The Country Club has finished their golf cart pads so they won't have to take huge cement trucks across the condo property anymore - now we're hoping they will fix the damage they have caused and I'm sure they will.

John - I hope you're doing good. There has been a lot in the news about the new mayor of New York - how do you feel about him? The World Trade Center tragedy has surely made a lot of people more familiar with the New York politics and I don't like Hillary Rodham Clinton but I have felt bad for her with all the criticism she has had to endure - she has even been boo-o-o-ed for not being a native New Yorker and winning her Senate position.

Annie - thank you for your message. Paula Pack has had problems calling me so she called Annie to tell her about her daughter's missionary farewell - I'll try to go to it. I know that my answering machine was turned off - sometimes I do that unintentionally - but my telephone has not been out of order because I have received many phone calls.