Dearest Family,
I just came home from the Weinerts where we
all met to watch General Conference and have a WONDERFUL dinner!!! I
truly believe that is what Heaven will be like if I ever get there. It
was a beautiful day and I know Papa would be happy to have all of us
together like that - it was 12 years yesterday since his death!!! We
missed those family members who couldn't be with us and instead of
writing who wasn't there I will write who was there: Rick, Jean, Ricky,
Barbara Jean, Boyd, Preston, Mary Ann, David, Sarah, Ron, Ann, Lee Anna
and her friend Zenock Bishop, JImmy, Bob, Claire, Michael and his friend
Stacey, Laura, Brett, Katie and their friend from Fort Worth, Texas,
John Merrifeld, and John. Russell had planned to come from conference
where he was translating in the Malagasy Language but they needed for
him to stay for the afternoon session and of course Susanna, Steve
& Jackson are in Arizona and Jessie is in San Diego. AND we all know
where the Roy Mellor family is and we always miss them at our family
get-togethers. I don't believe I have ever tasted such good food and
the Weinert's home is SO comfortable and the conference speakers always
give such important messages. I LOVE to be with my family!!! It is
very rare for us to have nice weather at conference time but it couldn't
have been nicer than it was today.
It was SO good to be with John for longer
than a few minutes and I wish now that he had told us a little about his
work - I know he travels alot and when I talked to him yesterday he told
me that he had been in Boston, Stanford, Connecticut and New York last
week. I was hoping he would get to Washington D.C. while the cherry
blossoms are in full bloom but he will probably miss them. I also know
he works REALLY hard and is very busy like all the rest of you.
I am SO proud of Russell - he also works
really hard during the conference week as he translates the talks of the
General Authorities. He translated for the speakers on Saturday and
also on Sunday so he came and spent the night with me here in Farmington
so he wouldn't have to make the long trip from Provo this morning. I
always love it when my children & grandchildren come to spend time with
me. I appreciated having him tell me about his trip to Arizona and
being with Susanna, Steve and Jackson - he loved Arizona. I didn't know
he hadn't been there before. He said the Reeves' home is very nice and
he said Jackson is walking and talking and really growing up.
Last Sunday night, Laura and Bob came over
for a little while before Laura had to go back to Logan for school.
Laura told me all about her job for the Summer and I am SO excited for
her - she will be in Maine at a very exclusive camp and she will be
teaching mountain bicycle riding to 7 and 8 year olds. She will stay in
the "tent" with her group and will generally be their camp counselor for
the two months she is there. This will be an entirely different
experience for her and I'm proud that she has the courage to go to a
strange place - she loves the outdoors and will be an excellent teacher.
I have four grandchildren who will graduate
from their schools this Spring - Ricky & Laura will both graduate from
Utah State University in Logan with their B.S. degrees, Jessie will
receive her Master's degree from San Diego State University in
California and Brett will graduate from Davis High School. I'm SO proud
of each one of them and I expect BIG things!!!
I went to a "Thai Teacher Missionary Reunion
Luncheon" on Friday and it was fun to be with some of the people with
whom I served in Thailand. The Mission President who served with us has
his reunion Friday night and Virginia and I had decided to not go to
that one because it is held in Springville and kinda' hard to find at
night. We were happy and surprised when he & Sister Goodman came to the
luncheon and he told us about the progress of the missionary program and
of course I was happy to hear that Lopburi is growing - Bob & John, do
you remember Lopburi???? It is where the monkeys live. President
Goodman is an outstanding man and he will receive his Ph.D. from BYU
this Spring and then will go into the Church Office Building for an
assignment to translate the standard works in the Thai language and do
other work for the church. Two women with whom I served in Thailand
will leave in a couple weeks to go to Cambodia to teach English and
another one will go to Albuquerque, New Mexico on a regular missionary
assignment and I believe she is older than I am - I am content to stay
at home. Virginia is teaching English to a family of 7 children from
Afghanistan and another family from Laos - I really should be doing
something like that and maybe I will when I get my picture project
finished.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU to Ann, Jean, Rick, Bob
& John for coming to meet with our attorney last Monday night. I
believe it was a worthwhile meeting and showed us some of the things we
need to do. Our next step will be to go to the attorney who did the
preliminary work, Wilkinson in Provo, and have him explain anything that
needs to be done. I think we are all kinda' confused, especially me -
Ha!!! It shouldn't be so complicated that intelligent people can't
figure it out - Ha!!! I would be SO happy if my children would "take it
over" and just give me the "bottom line" and I believe they will do
that.
Jeannie, Rick, Barji & Preston came over
last Sunday and that little Preston is a REAL "show off" - he does the
cutest thing with his eyes and has such an adorable personality. He
looked at me today with very "piercing eyes" like he was afraid I was
going to grab him and take him away. I have to be very careful and let
him get used to me before I get too close - a typical 2 year old!!!
I was happy to meet Zenock Bishop today - he
is a friend of Lee Annas and he is from Brigham City. His home is just
a few blocks north from where I grew up until my family moved to 6th
East. He is a nice young man and Lee Anna is a beautiful young woman.
Katie surely had a fun birthday party last
week. My grandchildren are all growing up and it is such a joy to me to
see them happy doing the things they are supposed to be doing. It will
be fun to have Emily come and be with us in May.
I want to go to Little Rock sometime when it
is convenient for the Roy Mellors and I know you are SUPER busy!!! I
usually go in April but I am thinking it might be better to wait until
Fall. I like to go on a Thursday and return on a Tuesday - will you
look at your calendar and help me decide when it would be best to come?
I would love it if I could be there when Emily, Timothy & Jesse are
participating in a school or music activity. I loved hearing of the
plans for Lake Powell when we were together today and I will look
forward to seeing you before or after your trip there. Chris called me
yesterday and told me that my friend, Betty Lile, had died. I believe
she was older than I am but I enjoyed her so much when I lived in Little
Rock - we weren't close friends but I remember going to her home which
was just across the street from that large Presbyterian Church off
Cantrell and I was SO impressed with all the community work she did.
I have been watching "The Ten Commandments"
while writing this and I have also had some friends from Brigham City
drop in so this letter probably doesn't make much sense.
I LOVE EACH ONE OF YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH.
PLEASE BE SO VERY, VERY CAREFUL IN EVERYTHING YOU DO. Grandma B
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