Dearest Family,
The big news for this letter is the
humanitarian trip to Guatemala!!! I am SO proud of all those who are
giving of their time and talents to give service to the poor people in
that country. I have thought constantly of Bob, Roy & John since they
left early yesterday morning - I know they will be just fine and it will
be a wonderful experience for them but I can't help but worry. I have
seen pictures of where they serve and the dangerous roads and the places
where their meals are prepared, etc., etc.
Jeannie - I hope you're feeling better by
now. She came over to visit with me last Sunday evening and told me she
had a tooth ache and would go to the dentist on Monday morning. I had
an e-mail from her and she went for a root canal but ended up having to
have a specialist (I can't remember what he is called) and had to go to
the hospital for the procedure. I'm so glad that Rick was able to be
with her to help. I hope that by now she is recovered. She had SO many
activities planned for the young women in their ward that she didn't
have time to stay down for very long. I agree with her that there are
not many aches that are as painful as those with teeth. Our family
doesn't have very good teeth and I don't know why!!!
Susanna and Steve - I am SO thrilled about
your "first home" and I loved the picture of it. I am excited for you
to decorate it the way you want and plant flowers, etc. in your yard. I
don't really remember Chandler except just driving through it but so
many of my friends have settled there and they love it. I can just see
little Jackson exploring his "new home" - I hope you can keep up with
him - Ha!!!
Patrice - thank you for your sweet letter.
I hope you get along good this week while Roy is gone - he will have
lots of things to tell all of you when he gets home. I hope he
will bring something for Jesse to take for "show and tell" at Forest
Park.
John - I REALLY appreciated your phone
message when I came home from the temple yesterday morning. Some of
John's mail is delivered to my address and since I was gone all last
week I had my mail stopped at the post office. He had ordered something
for his digital camera that was supposed to be delivered last week - he
had to go to the Farmington Post Office before going to the airport to
get it. I was SO happy that it had arrived and you were able to get it
for your trip and that you found the Post Office okay.
I told you in my letter last week that we
wouldn't go to Star Valley if the weather was going to be stormy. WELL
- Margaret called me early on Monday morning and said "we will have to
leave within the hour to beat the snow storm" - Ha!!! I hurried and
packed my things and we picked up the Holmans in Brigham City and headed
for Etna, Wyoming. The weather was not bad at all and we got to her
home about 3 o'clock in the afternoon - we had stopped along the way for
snacks and shopping. We had a good time and the television man came on
Wednesday morning. It was interesting to see Margaret do her "business
talking". This man has had her in Wyoming almost all Summer putting in
a cable system and a HUGE entertainment center - she doesn't want him to
be there alone so she has to go up when he can. I couldn't believe "the
mess" when we got there on Monday - he had been up there the week before
with Margaret and other friends and there were tools ALL OVER. He had
told her at that time that he needed two more days to finish. Margaret
called him on Tuesday and said she wanted him there on Wednesday morning
to work that day and on Thursday because we had to leave on Friday at
noon. He said he couldn't get there until Wednesday afternoon - she
told him in no uncertain terms that she wanted him there Wednesday
morning. He left his home in Westpoint (close to Layton) Tuesday night
and got to Etna in the wee hours of the morning - he kept his car
running and slept in it until he thought Margaret was awake. He has 7
boys and he is 41 years old and is quite overwhelmed with his
responsibilities. I really like him and he works constantly but he is
slow. Friday morning he told Margaret he needed 2 more days to finish -
she told him to put the huge television screen back in its place and we
helped him put all his "things" on the porch so Margaret could set her
alarm system and lock all the doors. She left her gate padlock open so
he could lock the gate when he left. It was kinda' sad but I know she
is very fair with him and he just doesn't hurry no matter what. I
thought about my sons calling me the "Leona Helmsley" of Utah and I wish
they could have witnessed this - Ha!!! The television sets all work
GREAT and the reception couldn't be better of all the channels anyone
could ever want - so much better than anything she has ever had there!!!
Utah has a new Governor - Oleen Walker is
going to be a good leader for the next 14 months. Former Governor
Leavitt has been appointed as the EPA Director for the United States so
he resigned and Oleen was his Lt. Governor. I think it is going to be
very difficult for the Leavitts to live in Washington D.C. - their
youngest son is just 13 years old. I loved watching the ceremonies
involved with all the "oath taking" etc. All the Walker's children and
grandchildren were there and they had come from far away places - her
husband took part and that was interesting to watch.
I went to my new ward meeting this morning
and that is going to be SO different!!! Most of my condo friends were
with the people in this new ward in previous years so they felt right at
home but I didn't know anyone. The best way to describe this new ward
is to say they are not as affluent as the other ward was and that will
be good. One of my D.U.P. friends is Doris Rigby and her son is my new
Bishop and her son-in-law is my new Stake President - wonderful men!!!
The former Relief Society President who lives right across the street
from me in the condos was sustained as the new Relief Society President
and she is VERY good.
I met "The Woolleys" yesterday at the temple
and they are the same ones who visited us in Little Rock about 30 years
ago. He is an Agronomist and was at Ames, Iowa for 37 years and when he
retired they moved to Bountiful. He was Regional Representative and
came to one of our conferences when Lynn was Stake President and they
stayed with us and then visited us when we were in Billings. They
remembered us but they didn't know Lynn had passed away. It will be fun
to be with them again.
I am going to watch the "Elizabeth Smart"
story now - many people have criticized them for doing this but I think
it is admirable. I bought the book and have enjoyed reading it - I'll
pass it around.
I hope we get some news from Guatemala some
time this week - I know it is very difficult for them to find internet
access.
I LOVE EACH ONE OF YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH.
PLEASE BE SO VERY, VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO.
Grandma B XXXXXOOOOO