Dearest Family,
I just came home from the Weinerts lovely
luncheon for Boyd and Barjis' families after the blessing for little
Preston. I don't believe I have ever seen such "beautiful and delicious"
food and Jeannie and Rick always serve everything SO graciously that it
makes it look easy but I know of the preparation and work involved. I LOVED
being with everyone - all of Boyd's brothers and sisters and their families
were there and that is a GREAT GROUP - his Grandmother and Grandfather had
driven up from Salt Lake for Sacrament meeting but they didn't stay for the
luncheon. There were many little children and they are all very good.
Boyd's mother and sisters had made delicious salads - Jeannie had ordered
meat trays that were really the best ones I have ever seen and then she had
made "fat free" fruit trifles and her famous fruit ice punch - all in all it
was just excellent. Ricky had come from Logan and he continues to get more
handsome - Mary Ann and David were there and I was SO thrilled to see her
gorgeous diamond engagement ring and see them so happy - Sarah was SO
beautiful too even after spending last night dancing at her High School
Homecoming Dance. Boyd gave a beautiful blessing and little Preston was SO
good!!! I enjoyed visiting with Lynn and Ann Summerhays - they have just
returned from vacationing in New York and at the Greenbrier in West
Virginia.
I sat all during the Sacrament Meeting thinking
about my children and your blessings and would you believe I can't remember
one thing about any of them. Ann was blessed in Fort Collins, Colorado;
Jean in Raleigh, North Carolina; Bob in Laramie, Wyoming; Roy in Phoenix,
Arizona and John in Little Rock, Arkansas. I know your Dad blessed you and
you are recorded in the church records but we didn't have any family members
around so it wasn't such a big deal - I'm glad it's a big deal for my great
grandchildren and I hope it always will be.
When I was visiting with Lynn Summerhays he told
me that he was in a Bishopric of one of the Singles Wards of the University
of Utah and he talked about how sad it is there are SO many single beautiful
women - that seems to be a BIG problem in the church. Rick and Lynn both
talked about how busy their lives are and we all understand why Bob and Ron
and their families couldn't come to be with us today. Sundays are not what
they used to be and I wouldn't have it any other way - I love for you to be
doing what you are doing.
Bob - THANK YOU SO much for coming to visit me
yesterday. I wasn't home when Bob came and I felt SO bad because I haven't
seen any of my family until today for a long, long time - he brought me a
delicious tomato and lettuce sandwich that I devoured!!! I know you are all
SUPER busy. I went to the Davis High School football game on Friday night
and saw Sarah do her cheerleading and the band performed during half time
and I saw Brett in the drum line. I was THRILLED to be there and see all
the activity and enthusiasm of the students - that is such a good school!!!
It was their homecoming game and they won by about three touchdowns.
I had a WONDERFUL time in Star Valley - that is
such a beautiful place and Margaret makes it fun for all of us. I bought
tickets for the Bar J Jamboree held in Jackson, Wyoming and we enjoyed going
to that on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Mel and Ellen Mae told
me about this Jamboree way last April and said it was important to get the
tickets early so I have had them for a long time - Mel ordered them for me.
They ended up going on a cruise to Nova Scotia so they weren't there but
many of their friends were. They are doing some serious road construction
in the canyon between Alpine and Jackson and they closed the highway at 11
p.m. so we had to leave the program on Monday and Tuesday at intermission
time and that was kinda' sad. Wednesday night the man who was driving
Margaret's car said he would drive through Teton Pass and let us stay to see
the entire program - I'm SO glad we were able to do that because the program
was fabulous but it took us an hour longer and we didn't get to Margaret's
home until almost 2 a.m.
We went into Afton, Wyoming one day and I went
to see Jerry Goulding - some of you may remember him. His Mother is Lynn's
cousin and we were close friends in Phoenix and Jerry and his brother Mike
were friends of Ann and Jean - I have a cute picture of them in their
Halloween costumes. He asked about both of you. Jerry is an attorney in
Afton and has done some legal work for Margaret. He looks SO good and he
remembered me and we had such a good visit. He has invited me to let them
know when I am there again so I can spend an evening with him and his wife
and family - I'd like to do that. Jerry's Mother remarried after she and
Jerry's Father divorced and Jerry told me that her husband can't stand the
altitude in Afton so they can't visit often.
I drove my own car this time - the first time I
have ever done that. I picked Mary Ann Holman up in Brigham City on Sunday
afternoon - her husband came up on Tuesday afternoon. I brought Russ and
Jean Mears home with me on Friday and we came through Montpelier, Idaho and
Logan canyon and I have never seen more beautiful Fall colors in the
mountains - I had heard they wouldn't be very pretty because of the drought
but that didn't seem to make a difference.
I LOVE to read the things Annie forwards to us
from Russell's letters - he is doing such a GREAT job in Madagascar. I
thought the Thai language was unusual but I believe Malagasy is even more
unusual - long, long names!!! He is surely learning everything a missionary
could possibly learn and I'm SO proud of him. It will be interesting to
learn if he is able to watch General Conference - when I was in Thailand it
was delayed for a couple weeks. I guess that was to give the interpreters
time to translate it in Thai. I appreciated SO VERY MUCH having Bob send me
the entire conference on the internet. I printed it and passed it on to
the other missionaries and they enjoyed it too. It was funny to spend our
Sundays listening to the conference two weeks later and having the Elders
translate it for us - they didn't get it quite right - Ha!!!
I am trying to get "geared up" for the Montana
Billings Missionary Reunion. It will be fun to see some of the missionaries
with whom we served and meet their wives and their children. John - do you
remember Barry Hansen from Cedar City? He was the car czar and John spent
alot of time with him and he is going to come. I will spend the next couple
days trying to get my slides in order.
I went to our Stake Women's Humanitarian program
yesterday - we packed zip lock bags with a towel, toothpaste, toothbrushes,
soap, shampoo and combs. They were so well organized that the project that
was supposed to last two hours was finished in about 45 minutes. They
served a chili supper but I didn't stay. I also didn't stay to watch the
televised conference - I watched it later on television. I think about
Emily every time I see a flute player with the choirs - they add so much to
the music and participate often.
Are we going to war with Iraq???? We didn't
have television while we were in Wyoming and I felt like I was lost but
since I have been home I think all the news is SO depressing I want to be
lost again. I was telling Lynn Summerhays today that I am VERY happy to
have farm land in Lehi so we can grow our own food if we have to - Ha!!!
General Conference is going to be next weekend
and you are all invited to my home for dinner between the morning and
afternoon sessions on Sunday - I'll be ready for you by 12:45 - that will
give the Provo family time to get here after the morning session. I don't
want any of you to miss any of the sessions. We'll all crowd into my family
room for the afternoon session.
That's all the news - I think!!! I LOVE EACH
ONE OF YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH. PLEASE BE SO VERY, VERY CAREFUL IN
EVERYTHING YOU DO. Grandma B XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXOOOOOOOOOOOOOO